The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 01, 2026
Filed:
Dec. 07, 2023
Hitachi Energy Ltd, Zürich, CH;
HITACHI ENERGY LTD, Zürich, CH;
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a method for energizing a modular multilevel converter comprising converter valves that each have interconnected cells. Each cell comprises power electronic switches in a full-bridge arrangement, a chargeable element, and gate drive units, one gate drive unit for each power electronic switch. The method includes: providing power to the modular multilevel converter from an external power supply; powering the cells, thereby charging the chargeable elements; generating, when a cell voltage caused by said charging exceeds a first threshold voltage level, a cell sub-ready signal for that cell; generating, when at least a predetermined minimum number of cells have generated the sub-ready signal, a subready_for_operation signal; and running a deblocking sequence that electrically configures the cells to be continuously charged as half-bridge cells, and keep the first power electronic switch closed until the cell voltage has reached a converter operable voltage.