Patent ID: 11881765
Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  Y | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A method for operating a modular multilevel converter, the method comprising:
providing a modular multilevel converter including a communication device, a plurality of submodules each having at least two electronic switching elements, an electrical energy store, two submodule connections, a bypass switch for bridging the submodule in the modular multilevel converter, and a communication element for communication with the communication device of the modular multilevel converter;
(a) ascertaining that the plurality of submodules include a defective submodule preventing the communication element in the defective submodule from communicating with the communication device;
(b) determining whether a present arm current resulting from an operating point of the modular multilevel converter is below a predetermined threshold value; and
(c) generating or amplifying an internal circulating current in the modular multilevel converter with the defective submodule when the arm current resulting from the operating point of the modular multilevel converter is below the predetermined threshold value.