An inverter is provided. The inverter includes a DC bus having positive and negative rails and an inverter arm coupled between the positive and negative rails of the DC bus. The inverter arm includes first and second silicon carbide transistor having a current-conducting terminals connected to a central node of the inverter arm. The inverter further includes at least one silicon transistor having a third current-conducting terminal connected to the central node of the inverter arm. The inverter further includes a gate driver circuit configured to switch the first silicon carbide transistor and the second silicon carbide transistor to convert DC from said DC bus into AC, and to switch said at least one silicon transistor, when the inverter arm is subjected to a load-side short circuit current, to freewheel the load-side short circuit current.

An inverter is provided. The inverter includes a DC bus having positive and negative rails and an inverter arm coupled between the positive and negative rails of the DC bus. The inverter arm includes first and second silicon carbide transistor having a current-conducting terminals connected to a central node of the inverter arm. The inverter further includes at least one silicon transistor having a third current-conducting terminal connected to the central node of the inverter arm. The inverter further includes a gate driver circuit configured to switch the first silicon carbide transistor and the second silicon carbide transistor to convert DC from said DC bus into AC, and to switch said at least one silicon transistor, when the inverter arm is subjected to a load-side short circuit current, to freewheel the load-side short circuit current.

An electric propulsion system includes at least one generator. The electric propulsion system also includes at least one drive engine coupled to the at least one generator. The electric propulsion system further includes at least one electrical device. The electric propulsion system also includes at least one battery integrated isolated power converter (BIIC), where the at least one generator and at least one of the at least one BIIC and the at least one electrical device are coupled, and where the at least one BIIC and the at least one electrical device are coupled.

An electric propulsion system includes at least one generator. The electric propulsion system also includes at least one drive engine coupled to the at least one generator. The electric propulsion system further includes at least one electrical device. The electric propulsion system also includes at least one battery integrated isolated power converter (BIIC), where the at least one generator and at least one of the at least one BIIC and the at least one electrical device are coupled, and where the at least one BIIC and the at least one electrical device are coupled.

The present disclosure relates to a submodule topology circuit for a modular multilevel converter and a method for controlling same. The submodule topology comprises an inlet port and an outlet port, at least two half-bridge submodules, a plurality of first switching devices, a plurality of thyristors and a plurality of diodes, wherein the at least two half-bridges are connected in series and are provided between the inlet port and the outlet port, and each of the half-bridge submodules is provided with an input port, a first output port and a second output port.

An inverter includes a DC/DC converter which converts a direct current received from a DC voltage source into an intermediate circuit voltage of an intermediate circuit, a DC/AC converter which converts the intermediate circuit voltage into an AC voltage, and a monitoring unit which monitors capacitors of the intermediate circuit for protection against overvoltages. If an overvoltage occurs at one of the capacitors of the intermediate circuit the overvoltage unit decouples the DC voltage source from the intermediate circuit by actuating the DC/DC converter.

A method controls switching states of a multi-level converter with multiple modules. Each module has: terminals on a first and second side; controllable switches; and an energy store in series with a first switch in a first connection between the terminals. A second switch is arranged in a connection between the terminals. The control of the switching states is divided into a real-time and offline part. In the real-time part, for each time step: a voltage level is allocated to a voltage requirement; a total switching state is determined in a first switching table for the voltage level; and the total switching state is passed on as a control signal to the switches. In the offline part: a second switching table is calculated, resulting in accordance with a minimization of a cost function.

A method controls switching states of a multi-level converter with multiple modules. Each module has: terminals on a first and second side; controllable switches; and an energy store in series with a first switch in a first connection between the terminals. A second switch is arranged in a connection between the terminals. The control of the switching states is divided into a real-time and offline part. In the real-time part, for each time step: a voltage level is allocated to a voltage requirement; a total switching state is determined in a first switching table for the voltage level; and the total switching state is passed on as a control signal to the switches. In the offline part: a second switching table is calculated, resulting in accordance with a minimization of a cost function.

The present disclosure relates to an integrated boost modular multilevel converter, which has particular, but not sole, relevance to a converter for an inductive or capacitive (wireless) power transfer system. More particularly, the present invention according to an embodiment discloses a modular multilevel power converter (MMPC) comprising: at least one submodule stack having an output for connection to a load and an input for connection to an input power source, at least one inductive element provided between the input and the output, the at least one submodule stack including at least two submodules, each submodule comprising at least one capacitor and a plurality of controllable switches, and the submodules being operable to selectively transfer energy from the at least one inductive element to boost a voltage at the output relative to a voltage at the input.

The present disclosure relates to an integrated boost modular multilevel converter, which has particular, but not sole, relevance to a converter for an inductive or capacitive (wireless) power transfer system. More particularly, the present invention according to an embodiment discloses a modular multilevel power converter (MMPC) comprising: at least one submodule stack having an output for connection to a load and an input for connection to an input power source, at least one inductive element provided between the input and the output, the at least one submodule stack including at least two submodules, each submodule comprising at least one capacitor and a plurality of controllable switches, and the submodules being operable to selectively transfer energy from the at least one inductive element to boost a voltage at the output relative to a voltage at the input.