Power converter

A bridge type power converter including:

• plural stages of series-connected power semiconductor switches having first and second main terminals and a control terminal, the plural stages being connected in parallel;
• and
• a gate drive circuit, which is connected between the first main terminal and the control terminal of a corresponding one of the power semiconductor switches and limits voltage between the first and second main terminals of the corresponding power semiconductor switch to a predetermined voltage value when only turning off the corresponding power semiconductor switch, the gate drive circuit comprising:
• a voltage regulation diode element which is connected to the first main terminal of the corresponding power semiconductor switch and adjusts the predetermined voltage value,
• a reverse blocking diode element which is connected to the control terminal of the corresponding power semiconductor switch and blocks a flow of a current from the control terminal to the first main terminal of the corresponding power semiconductor switch,
• a first switch comprising a gate terminal connected to the control terminal of the corresponding power semiconductor switch, and
• a second switch which is connected between the voltage regulation diode element and the reverse blocking diode element and comprises a base terminal connected to a drain terminal of the first switch,
• wherein the first switch and the second switch are controlled based on a voltage value of the control terminal of the corresponding power semiconductor switch,
• the second switch includes a pnp type transistor forming a switch at an output stage of the corresponding semiconductor switch circuit,
• the first switch includes a MOS-FET forming a switch at an input stage of the corresponding semiconductor switch circuit and controlled to be turned on and off based on the voltage value of the control terminal of the corresponding power semiconductor switch,
• the gate terminal of the MOS-FET is connected to a filter circuit including a resistance element and a capacity element, and
• a time constant of the filter circuit is a time constant for maintaining on-voltage of the MOS-FET until the energy of parasitic inductance of a direct current power supply line, which is the energy to be absorbed by the corresponding power semiconductor switch when turning off the corresponding power semiconductor switch, is substantially absorbed.