Redundancy structures for static converters

A static converter for a conversion of electrical energy between a power voltage source and an electrical load comprising:

• a main static conversion arm comprising of at least one electronic switching cell with semiconductors equipped with associated control means, a first input terminal and a second power supply input terminal capable of being connected respectively to a first polarity and a second polarity of the power voltage source, an output terminal connected to an output switching cell and suitable for being connected to the electrical load, each switching cell being configured through the associated control means of the switching cell to be active in a predetermined nominal mode of the static converter,
• a pair of isolation components, associated with the main static conversion arm, formed of a first isolation component and a second isolation component each forming a dipole, the first isolation component and the second isolation component being connected directly and respectively to the first terminal and to the second power supply input terminal of the main static conversion arm,
• an emergency back up conversion arm consisting of at least one electronic switching cell with semiconductors equipped with associated control means, a first input terminal and a second power supply input terminal, suitable for being connected respectively to the first polarity and the second polarity of the power voltage source, an output terminal connected to an output switching cell, and
• an electronic semiconductor switching circuit having a connection element connected between the output terminal of the emergency back up conversion arm and an input terminal of the main static conversion arm from among the first input terminal and the second power supply input terminal of the main static conversion arm,
• the at least one electronic switching cell of the main static conversion arm connected in series between the first input terminal and the second power supply input terminal of the main static conversion arm are each capable of providing a stable permanent impedance less than a few tens of milli-ohms when the main static conversion arm has experienced a failure resulting from a thermal runaway or a short circuit in one of the semi-conductor components of the main static conversion arm, the pair of isolation components of the main static conversion arm are dimensioned in a manner so as to isolate the main static conversion arm after a lapse of a first time period (t1) for an establishment of a stable low impedance failure mode on the at least one electronic switching cell of the main static conversion arm connected in series and before a lapse of a second time period (t2) to avoid a creation of a circuit opening on the main static conversion arm,
• the associate control means of the at least one electronic switching cell of the emergency back up conversion arm are capable of being deployed after the isolation of the main static conversion arm that has become faulty so as to replace the main static conversion arm partially or entirely,
• the connection element is configured to be in a locked state when the main static conversion arm is active in the predetermined nominal mode and to be in a conductive state when the main static conversion arm has become faulty and the emergency back up conversion arm has become active.