Hitachi, Ltd.

The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.

Keiichi Mitsuhashi

Akira Bando

Hiroto Nakagawa

Tadao Kawai

Chikara Tanaka

Eizo Kita

Keiji Saito

Yasuteru Oono

Yasuteru Ohno

A semiconductor power conversion system comprising a multiphase bridge circuit which includes semiconductor devices having a controllable firing function and a reverse blocking characteristic, a gate control circuit which gives firing commands to the semiconductor devices, a short circuiting switch in which switching devices having a controllable firing function and a reverse blocking characteristic are connected in parallel with a DC output side of the multiphase bridge circuit, and a protection control device for performing a control for protecting the multiphase bridge circuit. The protection control device includes a device for detecting a commutation failure of the multiphase bridge circuit, and a device in response to the detection of the commutation failure for producing a blocking command for blocking the firing of the semiconductor devices of the multiphase bridge circuit and producing a short-circuiting command for firing the switching device which is short-circuited which bypasses current of the commutation failure. The protection control device further includes a device for detecting ending of a short-circuit based on the ceasing of current conduction of the short circuiting switch and for halting the blocking of the firing of the semiconductor devices of the multiphase bridge circuit.

Fault protection for a multiphase bridge power converter

An improved electric power conversion system comprising a multi-phase bridge circuit composed of semiconductors such as thyristors and an associated firing circuit. It is so constructed that: if the AC input current Iac flowing in the bridge circuit is equal to or larger in value that the DC output current Idc flowing out of the bridge circuit, it will be decided than an inner defect or fault is caused, and possible expansion of inner defect will be prevented by disabling the firing circuit to extinguish the thyristors in the bridge circuit, and if the AC input current Iac is smaller than the DC output current Idc in value, the bridge is permitted to continue the operation of power conversion, thus eliminating unnecessary interruption which otherwise would be caused by exterior disturbances. Also, an improved electric power conversion system may be equipped with a device to prevent an adverse effect from being caused by abnormal rise of thyristors' temperature.

Semiconductor electric power conversion system enabling fault and/or

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Hikone, Japan

Keiichi Mitsuhashi