A motor control method includes the following steps: receiving a frequency command and an excitation current setting value as a motor speed command; running a magnetic flux calculation program to generate a magnetic flux voltage command; generating a synchronous coordinate voltage command, and providing a three-phase current to a sensorless motor; calculating a synchronous coordinate feedback current based on the three-phase current, and calculating an effective current value of three-phase current; calculating a reactive power feedback value based on synchronous coordinate voltage command and the synchronous coordinate feedback current; running a steady state calculation program to calculate a reactive power command based on frequency command and the effective current value; calculating a reactive power error value between the reactive power command and the reactive power feedback value; and adding magnetic flux voltage command and reactive power error value to adjust synchronous coordinate voltage command and change three-phase current.

Apparatus and methods for supplying DC power to control circuitry of a matrix converter is provided. In certain embodiments, a matrix converter includes an array of switches having AC inputs for receiving a multi-phase AC input voltage and AC outputs for providing a multi-phase AC output voltage to a load, such as an electric motor. The matrix converter further includes control circuitry for opening or closing individual switches of the array, and a clamp circuit connected between the AC inputs and AC outputs of the array and operable to dissipate energy of the load in response to an overvoltage condition, such as an overvoltage condition arising during shutdown. The clamp circuit includes a switched mode power supply operable to generate a DC supply voltage for the control circuitry.

A multi-phase power converter comprising a plurality of phases for generating an output voltage according to a switching signal and an input voltage, each phase of the plurality of phases comprising a switching element and inductance; wherein the plurality of phases is connected to a common star point, wherein an output capacitor is connected to the common star point. The phases of the multi-phase power converter are not identical in terms of their inductance. Therefore, at least one phase may be optimized for a low current such that, in low power operation, said at least one phase is optimal for lower current levels.

An AC-to-AC modular multilevel converter (MMC) is configured to be connected between a three-phase AC system and a single-phase AC system. The MMC includes a number of converter arms connected in a ring to allow a circulating current to be circulated in the ring through each of the converter arms. Each converter arm includes series-connected converter cells. Phase terminals are arranged in the ring between the converter arms such that each of the converter arms is separated from neighboring converter arms by at least one of the phase terminals. The phase terminals include respective terminals for each of a first phase, a second phase and a third phase of the three-phase AC system and respective terminals for each of a positive conductor and a negative conductor of the single-phase AC system.

A phase balancer includes a plurality of power conversion circuits, a direct current transformer, and a plurality of phase-nodes. Each of the power conversion circuits may include a throughput, a capacitor bank, and a direct current bus. The direct current transformer may be coupled to each of the direct current buses to move energy between the power conversion circuits. Each throughput may be operatively coupled to the capacitor bank of one power conversion circuit and the throughput of another power conversion circuit to move current between the plurality of power conversion circuits.

An AC-to-AC modular multilevel converter (MMC) is configured to be connected between a three-phase AC system and a single-phase AC system. The MMC includes a number of converter arms connected in a ring to allow a circulating current to be circulated in the ring through each of the converter arms. Each converter arm includes series-connected converter cells. Phase terminals are arranged in the ring between the converter arms such that each of the converter arms is separated from neighboring converter arms by at least one of the phase terminals. The phase terminals include respective terminals for each of a first phase, a second phase and a third phase of the three-phase AC system and respective terminals for each of a positive conductor and a negative conductor of the single-phase AC system.

Apparatus and methods for supplying DC power to control circuitry of a matrix converter is provided. In certain embodiments, a matrix converter includes an array of switches having AC inputs for receiving a multi-phase AC input voltage and AC outputs for providing a multi-phase AC output voltage to a load, such as an electric motor. The matrix converter further includes control circuitry for opening or closing individual switches of the array, and a clamp circuit connected between the AC inputs and AC outputs of the array and operable to dissipate energy of the load in response to an overvoltage condition, such as an overvoltage condition arising during shutdown. The clamp circuit includes a switched mode power supply operable to generate a DC supply voltage for the control circuitry.

An intelligent current control apparatus provides a current control for a power supply branch and a load. The intelligent current control apparatus includes at least one power conversion unit and a control unit. The control unit controls a total phase current, which is composed of a single-phase current and a household phase current in the same phase, to be less than or equal to a rated phase current of the power supply branch.

In a thyristor starter, an inverter converts DC power provided from a converter through a DC reactor into AC power having a variable frequency, and supplies the AC power to a synchronous machine. A controller controls the inverter based on a phase control angle. A voltage regulator regulates an induced voltage of the synchronous machine by supplying a field current to the synchronous machine. When a rotation speed of the synchronous machine exceeds a reference rotation speed during acceleration of the synchronous machine, the voltage regulator controls the field current such that the induced voltage increases with an increase in the rotation speed of the synchronous machine. The controller decreases a rate of increase in the phase control angle relative to the rotation speed of the synchronous machine, as compared with when the rotation speed of the synchronous machine is less than the reference rotation speed.

A power conversion apparatus includes: matrix converter circuitry configured to perform bidirectional power conversion between a primary side and a secondary side; and control circuitry configured to: calculate a deterioration level based on a secondary side current of the matrix converter circuitry, a carrier frequency, and a primary-secondary frequency difference between a primary side frequency and a secondary side frequency of the matrix converter circuitry; and output a deterioration notification in response to determining that the deterioration level exceeds a predetermined level.