Modular Multilevel Converter Cell With Integrated Current Sensor

Abstract

A modular cell for a phase leg of a Modular Multilevel power Converter (MMC) is disclosed. The cell includes a power storing device, a plurality of semiconductor switches, a cell controller, and a current sensor. The current sensor is connected between a current conducting line in the cell and the cell controller for measuring a current through the cell and signaling information about the measured current to the cell controller. The cell controller includes an optical communication interface and is configured for forwarding the information about the measured current to a higher level controller over the optical communication interface.

Claims

1. A modular cell (3) for a phase leg (2) of a Modular Multilevel power Converter, MMC, (1), the cell comprising: a power storing device (9); a plurality of semiconductor switches (10); a cell controller (6); and a current sensor (4); wherein the current sensor (4) is connected between a current conducting line in the cell (3) and the cell controller (6) for measuring a current through the cell and signalling information about said measured current to the cell controller; and wherein the cell controller (6) comprises an optical communication interface (8) and is configured for forwarding the information about the measured current to a higher level controller (41; 42) over said optical communication interface.

2. The cell of claim 1, wherein the cell controller (6) is also configured for receiving information about current measurements in other cell(s) of the phase leg (2) over the optical communication interface.

3. The cell of claim 1 or 2, wherein the current conducting line has a voltage measured to ground of at least 10 kV.

4. The cell of any preceding claim, wherein the cell controller (6) has a voltage measured to ground of at least 10 kV.

5. The cell of any preceding claim, wherein the difference in electrical potential between the current conducting line and the cell controller is less than 10 kV.

6. The cell of any preceding claim, wherein the cell controller (6) is configured to, over the optical interface (8) to the higher level controller (41; 42), send an indication that the current sensor (4) has measured a current which is above a predetermined overcurrent threshold.

7. The cell of claim 6, wherein the cell controller (6) is configured to, in response to the measured current above the overcurrent threshold, block firing pulses to the semiconductor switches (10).

8. A Modular Multilevel power Converter, MMC, (1), comprising at least one phase leg (2), each phase leg comprising a plurality of series connected cells (3), at least one, or a plurality, of said cells (3) being in accordance with any preceding claim.

9. A method performed by a cell controller (6) comprised in a cell (3) in a phase leg (2) of an MMC (1), the method comprising: receiving information from a current sensor (4), connected between a current conducting line in the cell (3) and the cell controller (6), about a measured current of the current conducting line; forwarding the received information to a higher level controller (41; 42) over an optical communication interface (8).

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: receiving information about current measurements in other cell(s) of the phase leg (2) over the optical communication interface.

11. A computer program product comprising computer-executable components for causing a cell controller (6) to perform the method of claim 9 or 10 when the computer-executable components are run on processor circuitry comprised in the cell controller.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Embodiments will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an MMC with current sensor, in accordance with prior art.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an MMC, in accordance with the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of an embodiment of a cell module of an MMC, with integrated sensor circuitry, in accordance with the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a control topology of an MMC with current sensors, in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments are shown. However, other embodiments in many different forms are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. Rather, the following embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

[0027] When electric potential is mentioned herein, it is interchangeable with the voltage measured to ground.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of an embodiment of an MMC 1, e.g. a high-voltage MMC. The MMC 1 may be used in electric power transmission systems such as STATCOM, Frequency Converters in direct or indirect topology or HVDC transmission. One or more (high-voltage) phases, u, v and w having respective currents i1, i2 and i3 are input to the converter 1 via input lines, e.g. via bushings through a wall of the room or building in which the converter 1 is located. In this example the MMC is in delta configuration with three phase legs 2, but any other configuration and number of phase legs is also possible with embodiments of the present invention. Each phase leg 2 comprises a plurality of cascaded (series connected) cells (also called cell modules) 3. The currents in the converter 1 are referred to as i, while the voltages are referred to as U in the figure, in combination with arrows indicating current directions.

[0029] The cells 3 may be of any suitable type, e.g. half-bridge or full-bridge, comprising a power storing device and a plurality of semiconductor switches.

[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates an example embodiment of a cell 3 according to the invention. The cell comprises integrated current sensor circuitry 4 with insulation 5 at an input or output terminal of the cell, for measuring the current i through the cell, and thus through each cell of the phase leg. The sensor 4 is connected to/between a current conducting line (could also be called conductor or wire), via the insulation 5, and the cell controller 6, also comprised in the cell 3 and at a high electrical potential thus reducing the voltage/potential difference over the sensor, as discussed herein. The cell controller controls the semiconductor switches 10, e.g. diodes, IGBT, GTO, IGCT, and/or MOSFET devices, e.g. in combination with an anti-parallel diode, by means of firing pulses. In accordance with the present invention, the cell controller 6 of the cell 3 is in optical communication with a higher level controller, e.g. a phase controller or hub 42 (see also FIG. 4), over an optical communication interface (e.g. comprising an optical cable/fiber and/or laser) 8. The cell 3 further comprises a power storing device, e.g. one or more capacitor(s) 9 or inductors, and a cell power supply 7 (which may also power the sensor 4) deriving power from the power storing device 9, and any other commonly used components of a regular MMC cell.

[0031] In accordance with the present invention, not all cells 3 of a phase leg 2 comprises current sensor circuitry 4 and 5. However, in other respects cells 3 without such sensor may be as described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0032] Particularly, each and all of the cells 3 of the phase leg 2 may comprise an optical interface between its cell controller 8 and a higher level controller, e.g. hub 42. Thus, information about a current measured by a sensor 4 in a cell 3 comprising such a sensor may be signaled optically to each of the other cells 3 in the phase via the higher level controller 42, or at least to some or all of the cells 3 in the phase leg 2 which do not comprise its own sensor circuitry or who's sensor circuitry is not operational.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a control topology for a converter 1. As discussed above, a phase leg comprises a plurality of cells 3, each of which comprises a cell controller 6, and one or some of the cells each comprises a current sensor 4. The phase leg may comprise any number of cells 3, here denoted 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d . . . 3n. Cell 3a comprises a cell controller 6a and no current sensor, cell 3b comprises a cell controller 6b and a current sensor 4b, cell 3c comprises a cell controller 6c and no current sensor, and cell 3d comprises a cell controller 6d and a current sensor 4d, and further to cell 3n (each cell with or without a current sensor). Each cell controller 6 has an optical interface 8 for optical communication with higher level controller(s) 42 and or 41. In the example of the figure, each phase leg 2 has a control hub 42 which is configured for optical communication with each of the cell controllers 6 of the phase leg. The respective hub 42a, 42b and 42c (and hub(s) 42 for any further phase legs 2) of each phase leg may also be configured for optical communication with an even higher level controller, here called a central controller 41, which may be the main controller of the converter 1. To simplify the figure, only one phase leg 2 is shown, but the discussion is relevant to any further phase leg(s), whose cell controllers 3 are configured for optical communication with their higher level controller, e.g. hub 42. In an alternative embodiment, e.g. if the converter comprises only one phase leg but may also be relevant for converters comprising a plurality of phase legs, there are no hubs 42 but the cell controllers 3 may be configured for optical communication directly with the central controller 41.

[0034] In accordance with the present invention, at least one, but not all cells 3 of a phase leg 2 comprises an integrated current sensor 4. The most cost effective alternative would be to only have a current sensor in one of the cells 3 of each phase leg, but for the sake of redundancy it may in other embodiments be convenient that a plurality of cells 3 of each phase leg 2 comprises an integrated current sensor 4.

[0035] The solution of the present disclosure to reduce the insulation level of the current sensor 4 is to place the current sensor integrated in the cell module as in FIG. 3. The measurement signals are sent via fast fiber optic link 8 to a central control board 41 or intermediate control hub 42 of the phase 2 that has an electrical potential equal to, or close to, ground, which means that insulation is done by means of the fiber optic cable 8 which may be easier to handle. The power supply 7 of the current transducer is derived locally from the cell 3 (Cell Power Supply 7) and the sensor signal is captured by a cell internal control board (Cell Controller 6) also comprised in the cell module 3.

[0036] This reduces the insulation level (potential/voltage difference) from several tens of kilovolts to some kilovolts (e.g. about 4 kV). For this reduced voltage level it is easier to find current sensors on the market and at a lower price. Another advantage of this approach with integrated current sensor 4 is the modularity. Current measurement will no longer depend on the different converter voltage levels and the number of cells 3 connected in series. As mentioned above, a disadvantage of including a current sensor 4 in each cell 3 is that a high number of current sensors are needed which increases the cost of the converter 1 (especially for converters with a high number of cells).

[0037] In order to reduce costs, only one or some of the cells 3 of a phase leg 2 is with a current sensor 4. In order to avoid impact on the cell redundancy (allowing cell modules 3 to be by-passed, removed or exchanged), it may be convenient to equip more than one cell 3 of each phase leg 2 with a current sensor 4. For example, if three redundant cells 3 per phase leg 2 are installed, the number of cells 3 per leg 2 with current sensor should be four.

[0038] Cells 3 without a current sensor 4 gets the current information via optical link 8 from cells with current sensors via a hub 42 or central controller 41 to which all cells of a phase leg are connected (via optical communication link 8).

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cell controller 6 receives, or is configured for receiving, information about current measurements in other cell(s) of the phase leg 2 over the optical communication interface 8. Thus, the cell controller may compare the measurements in other cells in the phase leg to determine whether they sufficiently correspond to the measurements performed by the current sensor in its own cell 3. Thus, a failure of a current sensor may be determined, or the cell controller 6 may decide to use a mean value of the current measurements of its own and other cells for controlling the semiconductor switches 10.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, the current conducting line has a voltage measured to ground of at least 10 kV, e.g. between 10 and 50 kV, such as between 20 and 40 kV, or higher e.g. up to 100 kV, 200 kV or 300 kV or more.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cell controller (6) has a voltage measured to ground of at least 10 kV, e.g. between 10 and 50 kV, such as between 20 and 40 kV, or higher e.g. up to 100 kV, 200 kV or 300 kV or more.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, the difference in electrical potential between the current conducting line and the cell controller is relatively small since none are at ground potential, e.g. some kilovolts such as about or less than 10 kV or 5 kV, e.g. between 1 and 5 kV, such as between 2 and 4 kV.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cell controller 6 is configured to, over the optical interface 8 to the higher level controller 41 or 42, send an indication that the current sensor 4 has measured a current which is above a predetermined overcurrent threshold. Thus, a warning message, e.g. in the form of a bit information overcurrent_pulseblock can be sent to the other cells 3 in the phase leg 2, especially cells without current sensor, e.g. allowing the other cells to block pulse firing to the semiconductor switches in view of the overcurrent.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cell controller 6 is configured to, in response to the measured current above the overcurrent threshold, block firing pulses to the semiconductor switches 10.

[0045] The cell controller 6 may be configured for performing the method of the present disclosure by means of a computer program product comprising computer-executable components in the form of software for causing the cell controller to perform the method.

[0046] Embodiments of the present invention may be conveniently implemented in a cell controller 6 using one or more conventional general purpose or specialized digital computer, computing device, machine, or microprocessor, including one or more processors or field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), memory and/or computer readable storage media forming a computer program product of the present invention when programmed according to the teachings of the present disclosure. Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of the present disclosure, as will be apparent to those skilled in the software art.

[0047] In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a computer program product which is a non-transitory storage medium or computer readable medium (media) having instructions stored thereon/in in the form of computer-executable components which can be used to program a cell controller 6 to perform the method of the present invention. Examples of the storage medium can include, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical discs, DVD, CD-ROMs, microdrive, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, DRAMs, VRAMs, flash memory devices, magnetic or optical cards, nanosystems (including molecular memory ICs), or any type of media or device suitable for storing instructions and/or data.

[0048] The present disclosure has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the present disclosure, as defined by the appended claims.