Power factor correction device and method for operating a power factor correction device

Abstract

A power factor correction device for an AC voltage supply system includes a transformer which is interconnected, on the secondary side, to form a star point circuit and which has a secondary-side connection for each phase. A module series circuit with at least two switching modules, which are connected in series and each of which has at least four switches and a capacitor, is respectively connected between each of the secondary-side connections of the transformer and the star point of the star circuit. There is provided a transformer which is a high-leakage-reactance transformer.

Claims

1. A power factor correction device for an AC grid system, comprising: a high-leakage-reactance transformer having a secondary side connected up in a star point circuit with a star point, said high-leakage-reactance transformer being configured to have a short-circuit voltage relative to a rated voltage that is at least 20% when a secondary winding is shorted; said transformer having one secondary-side connection per phase; a respective module series circuit connected between each of said secondary-side connections of said transformer and said star point of said star circuit, said module series circuit including at least two series-connected switching modules each having at least four switches and a capacitor.

2. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, wherein each said module series circuit is inductor-free.

3. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, wherein each said module series circuit is air-cored-inductor-free.

4. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, wherein said high-leakage-reactance transformer has a secondary side with a star winding forming said star point and a primary side with a delta winding forming primary-side transformer connections of said high-leakage-reactance transformer.

5. The power factor correction device according to claim 4, further comprising a switching device connected between each outer system connection of the power factor correction device and said primary-side transformer connections of said high-leakage-reactance transformer or between each of said secondary-side transformer connections and an associated said module series circuit, wherein said switching device has a series circuit with a first switch and a parallel circuit with a nonreactive resistor and a second switch connected in parallel therewith.

6. The power factor correction device according to claim 5, further comprising a control device configured: to leave said first and second switches in an open switch position when the power factor correction device is switched off; to first close said first switch and leave said second switch open in a first sequence step when the power factor correction device is started up, and then to close said second switch in a subsequent second sequence step when the power factor correction device is started up.

7. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, wherein each said module series circuit has, in addition to said switching modules, an impedance connected in series with said switching modules and/or a capacitor.

8. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, wherein said high-leakage-reactance transformer and said module series circuits are physically accommodated in a room sealed from an exterior.

9. The power factor correction device according to claim 8, wherein all electrical components of the power factor correction device are physically accommodated in a single building or a single enclosure that is sealed towards the exterior.

10. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, wherein each said module series circuits includes a series resonant circuit connected in series with said switching modules, said series resonant circuit having a resonant frequency three times a system frequency or an integer multiple of three times the system frequency.

11. The power factor correction device according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said series resonant circuits comprises an inductance and a capacitor connected in series therewith or said at least one series circuit consists of said inductance and said capacitor.

12. The power factor correction device according to claim 11, wherein said inductance is an inductance having an iron core.

13. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, wherein said switching modules are H-bridge modules each with four semiconductor switching elements having a respective diode connected in parallel therewith, and a capacitor.

14. The power factor correction device according to claim 1, which comprises an impedance and/or a capacitor connected between said secondary-side star point of said high-leakage-reactance transformer and an electrical connecting point for said module series circuits.

15. The power factor correction device according to claim 14, wherein said impedance is an inductance having an iron core.

16. A power factor correction device for an AC grid system, comprising: a high-leakage-reactance transformer having a secondary side connected up in a star point circuit with a star point; said transformer having one secondary-side connection per phase; a respective module series circuit connected between each of said secondary-side connections of said transformer and said star point of said star circuit, said module series circuit including at least two series-connected switching modules each having at least four switches and a capacitor; and secondary-side leakage inductances acting on said secondary-side connections and being influenced by leakage fields of said high-leakage-reactance transformer, and wherein each of said secondary-side leakage inductances is in series with said module series circuit connected to the respective said secondary-side connection of said transformer.

17. A power factor correction device for an AC grid system, comprising: a high-leakage-reactance transformer having a secondary side connected up in a star point circuit with a star point; said transformer having one secondary-side connection per phase; a respective module series circuit connected between each of said secondary-side connections of said transformer and said star point of said star circuit, said module series circuit including at least two series-connected switching modules each having at least four switches and a capacitor; and each said module series circuit having, in addition to said switching modules, an impedance being an inductance having an iron core connected in series with said switching modules and/or a capacitor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments, for which, by way of example,

(2) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a power factor correction device according to the invention that can be used for compensating for reactive power in a three-phase AC grid system,

(3) FIG. 2 shows exemplary embodiments of a high-leakage-reactance transformer and a multilevel converter module for the power factor correction device shown in FIG. 1, in more detail,

(4) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a module series circuit that can be used for the power factor correction device shown in FIG. 1 or for the multilevel converter module shown in FIG. 2,

(5) FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a switching module that can be used to form the module series circuit shown in FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a switching device that can be used for the power factor correction device shown in FIG. 1,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a module series circuit that can be used for the power factor correction device shown in FIG. 1 or the multilevel converter module shown in FIG. 2,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a module series circuit that can be used for the power factor correction device shown in FIG. 1 or the multilevel converter module shown in FIG. 2,

(9) FIG. 8 shows an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement having a high-leakage-reactance transformer, a multilevel converter module and a series resonant circuit between the multilevel converter module and the star point for the power factor correction device shown in FIG. 1, and

(10) FIG. 9 shows an exemplary embodiment of an arrangement having a high-leakage-reactance transformer and a multilevel converter module for the power factor correction device shown in FIG. 1, wherein switching modules of the multilevel converter module and the respective associated secondary-side transformer connections of the high-leakage-reactance transformer have a respective switching device connected between them.

(11) Throughout the figures, the same reference symbols are used for identical or comparable components for the sake of clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(12) FIG. 1 shows a three-phase AC grid system 10 to which an electrical load 20 is connected via a connecting bar 11. To compensate for reactive power that the electrical load 20 draws from or supplies to the AC grid system 10, a power factor correction device 30 is provided that is likewise connected to the connecting bar 11 and is in electrical parallel with the load 20.

(13) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the power factor correction device 30 has a high-leakage-reactance transformer 40, the primary side of which comprises a delta winding 410 and the secondary side of which comprises a star winding 420.

(14) The delta winding 410 forms three primary-side transformer connections of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 that are connected to the outer system connections A30 of the power factor correction device 30 via a switching device 50. Since the AC grid system 10 is a three-phase AC grid system in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the power factor correction device 30 is equipped with three outer system connections A30, only one of which is depicted in FIG. 1 as representative of all three system connections for the sake of clarity. The three-phase nature of the connecting lines between the components of the installation shown in FIG. 1, and hence the three-phase nature of the components themselves, is symbolized by a group G of three parallel strokes in each case in FIG. 1.

(15) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the switching device 50 and the primary-side transformer connections of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 have a current sensor 60 provided between them that senses the individual phase currents of the three-phase current Ib flowing through the power factor correction device 30.

(16) The star winding 420 of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 forms secondary-side transformer connections and also a star point SP that have a multilevel converter module 70 connected between them.

(17) To actuate the switching device 50 and to actuate the multilevel converter module 70, the power factor correction device 30 has a control device 80. The control device 80 is connected to the current sensor 60 and evaluates the current Ib flowing through the power factor correction device 30. Furthermore, the control device 80 is connected to a voltage sensor 13 that measures the system voltage on the connecting rail 11, or the system voltage of the AC grid system 10, and to a current sensor 14 that measures the load current I flowing through the electrical load 20.

(18) The control device 80 can, by way of example, comprise a computation device, in particular a microprocessor device, that is programmed such that it performs control of the power factor correction device 30, in particular control of the multilevel converter module 70, on the basis of the measured values applied on the input side, specifically preferably such that the power factor correction device 30 compensates for the reactive power brought about by the load 20.

(19) The control device 80 preferably moreover has a control input S80 to which an external control signal ST for external control of the power factor correction device 30, or the multilevel converter module 70 thereof, can be supplied.

(20) It is also advantageous if the control device 80 is furthermore connected to current sensors that are present inside the multilevel converter module 70 and that comprises module currents flowing inside the multilevel converter module 70. Exemplary embodiments of corresponding multilevel converter modules 70 are described later on.

(21) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and a multilevel converter module 70 that can be called upon or used to form the power factor correction device 30 shown in FIG. 1.

(22) The high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 shown in FIG. 2 has a primary-side delta winding 410 that forms three primary-side transformer connections P1, P2 and P3 of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40. The three primary-side transformer connections P1, P2 and P3 can be connected to the current sensor 60 or to the switching device 50 shown in FIG. 1.

(23) The high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 furthermore comprises a secondary-side star winding 420 that is formed by a star point circuit comprising secondary-side single windings of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40. The secondary-side star winding 420 forms three secondary-side transformer connections S1, S2 and S3 of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and also a star point SP.

(24) In FIG. 2, it is furthermore possible to see three module series circuits 710 that form the multilevel converter module 70. The module series circuits 710 are each connected between one of the secondary-side transformer connections S1, S2 or S3 and the star point SP that the star winding 420 forms.

(25) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a module series circuit 710 that is suitable for forming the multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 2 or the multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 1.

(26) The module series circuit 710 shown in FIG. 3 comprises a multiplicity of switching modules 711, a series-circuit-specific current sensor 712 and a series resonant circuit 713.

(27) The current sensor 712 measures the current flowing through the module series circuit 710 and delivers a corresponding current measured value preferably to the control device 80 shown in FIG. 1.

(28) The series resonant circuit 713 is formed by an inductance Ls and by a capacitor Cs. The inductance Ls preferably comprises an iron core, particularly preferably a coil, the coil interior of which is completely or partly filled with an iron core.

(29) The series resonant circuit 713, or the components Ls and Cs thereof, is preferably proportioned such that the series resonant circuit 713 has a resonant frequency that corresponds to three times the system frequency of the AC grid system 10 shown in FIG. 1 or to an integer multiple of this system frequency. A resonant frequency of this kind allows equalizing currents that flow inside the multilevel converter module 70 or at least on the secondary side of the power factor correction device 30 butowing to the choice of frequencywill not reach the AC grid system 10, or at least not to a significant extent.

(30) FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a switching module 711 that is suitable for forming the module series circuit 710 shown in FIG. 3 or for forming the module series circuit 710 shown in FIG. 2. The switching module 711 is an H-bridge module that comprises four switches 720 connected up to form an H-bridge circuit. The switches 720 are preferably each formed by a semiconductor switching element 721, for example in the form of a transistor (such as an IGTB, for example), and a semiconductor diode 722 connected in parallel therewith. Connected in parallel with the series circuit comprising two respective switches 720 is a capacitor C of the switching module 711 across which an intermediate circuit voltage UZ of the switching module 711 is dropped.

(31) The outer connections of the switching module 711 are each denoted by the reference symbols 711a and 711b in FIGS. 3 and 4 in order to clarify the interconnection of the switching modules 711 with one another.

(32) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a switching device 50 that can be used for the power factor correction circuit 30 shown in FIG. 1. The switching device 50 comprises a series circuit R50 that is formed by a first switch 51 and a parallel circuit, connected in series therewith, comprising a nonreactive resistor R and a second switch 52.

(33) The top connection of the switching device 50 in FIG. 5 is preferably connected to the outer system connection A30 of the power factor correction device 30 shown in FIG. 1. The bottom connection of the switching device 50 in FIG. 5 is preferably connected to the current sensor 60 shown in FIG. 1 or the primary-side transformer connections of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40.

(34) The switching device 50 shown in FIG. 5 isas already mentioned in connection with FIG. 1preferably of three-phase design. For reasons of clarity, FIG. 5 shows only one of the three phase winding sections of the switching device 50. The other two phase winding sections, not shown in FIG. 5, of the switching device 50 may be identical to the phase winding section shown in FIG. 1.

(35) The switching device 50 is actuated by the control device 80 shown in FIG. 1 preferably such that it puts the first and second switches 51 and 52 into their respective open switch position, or leaves them there, for the switched-off state of the power factor correction device 30.

(36) The power factor correction device 30 is preferably started up in two chronological sequence steps: in a first sequence step when the power factor correction device 30 is started up, the control device 80 first of all closes the first switch 51 and leaves the second switch 52 open; in a subsequent second sequence step when the power factor correction device is started up, it additionally closes the second switch 52, as a result of which the resistor R is shorted and rendered inactive.

(37) FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a module series circuit 710 that is suitable for forming the multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 2 or for forming the power factor correction device 30 shown in FIG. 1. The module series circuit 710 shown in FIG. 6 has a multiplicity of series-connected switching modules 711, a series-circuit-specific current sensor 712 in series therewith and a capacitor Cs.

(38) The function of the capacitor Cs is to form with the secondary-side inductance of the secondary-side star winding 420 of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2) a series resonant circuit whose resonant frequency corresponds to three times the system frequency of the AC grid system 10 shown in FIG. 1 or to an integer multiple of this system frequency. A resonant frequency of this kind advantageously allows equalizing currents inside the multilevel converter module 70 or at least on the secondary side of the power factor correction device 30 that cannot reach the AC grid system 10, or at least not to a significant extent.

(39) FIG. 7 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a module series circuit 710 that is suitable for forming the multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 2 or for forming the power factor correction device 30 shown in FIG. 1. The module series circuit 710 shown in FIG. 7 has a multiplicity of series-connected switching modules 711, a series-circuit-specific current sensor 712 in series therewith and an inductance Ls. The inductance Ls is preferably formed by an inductance having an iron core, particularly preferably by a coil having an iron core.

(40) The absolute value of the inductance Ls is chosen such that it forms, together with the capacitors in the switching modules 711 of the module series circuit 710, a resonant circuit whose resonant frequency corresponds to an integer multiple of the system frequency of the AC grid system 10 shown in FIG. 1 or to an integer multiple of this system frequency. As already explained, a resonant frequency of this kind allows equalizing currents solely inside the multilevel converter module 70 or at least solely on the secondary side of the power factor correction device 30.

(41) FIG. 8 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and a multilevel converter module 70 that can be called upon or used to form the power factor correction device 30 shown in FIG. 1. The arrangement comprising high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 8 is consistent with the arrangement comprising high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 2, the only difference being that the secondary-side star point SP of the high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and the electrical connecting point VS between the module series circuits 710 have an inductance L2 and a capacitor C2 connected between them.

(42) The inductance L2 and the capacitor C2 form a series resonant circuit. The resonant frequency of the series resonant circuit is preferably three times the system frequency of the AC grid system 10 shown in FIG. 1 or is an integer multiple of these three times.

(43) FIG. 9 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and a multilevel converter module 70 that can be called upon or used to form the power factor correction device 30 shown in FIG. 1. The arrangement comprising high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 9 is consistent with the arrangement comprising high-leakage-reactance transformer 40 and multilevel converter module 70 shown in FIG. 2, the only difference being that the secondary-side transformer connections S1, S2 and S3 and the respective associated module series circuit 710 have a respective switching device 50 connected between them.

(44) The switching devices 50 may be identical to the switching device 50 shown in FIG. 5 or may merely be formed by a nonreactive resistor (like the resistor R in FIG. 5) and a switch connected in parallel therewith (like the switch 52 in FIG. 5).

(45) Although the invention has been illustrated and described in more detail by means of preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(46) 10 AC grid system 11 Connecting bar 13 Voltage sensor 14 Current sensor 21 Load 30 Power factor correction device 40 High-leakage-reactance transformer 50 Switching device 50 Switching device 51 Switch 52 Switch 60 Current sensor 70 Multilevel converter module 80 Control device 410 Delta winding 420 Star winding 710 Module series circuits 711 Switching modules 711a Connection 711b Connection 712 Current sensor 713 Series resonant circuit 720 Switch 721 Semiconductor switching element 722 Semiconductor diode A30 System connections C Capacitor C2 Capacitor Cs Capacitor G Group L2 Inductance Ls Inductance Ib Current through power factor correction device I Load current P1 Primary-side transformer connection P2 Primary-side transformer connection P3 Primary-side transformer connection R Nonreactive resistor R50 Series circuit S1 Secondary-side transformer connection S2 Secondary-side transformer connection S3 Secondary-side transformer connection SP Star point ST Control signal S80 Control input Uz Intermediate circuit voltage VS Connecting point