Patent ID: 11909302
Assignee: GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A method for operating a multi-level bridge power converter of an electrical power system connected to a power grid, the power converter having a first converter coupled to a second converter via a DC link, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of switching devices of the power converter in an active neutral point clamped topology; and
operating the plurality of switching devices in a plurality of operating states such that current simultaneously flows through at least two parallel recovery paths of the plurality of switching devices during operation of the power converter to minimize a commutation path of the current when at least one antiparallel diode or switch of the plurality of switching devices recovers, thereby reducing parasitic inductance affecting the antiparallel diode or the switch,
wherein the plurality of switching devices comprises, at least, a plurality of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules,
wherein the plurality of IGBT modules comprises a first IGBT module comprising a first IGBT switch coupled to a first antiparallel diode, a second IGBT module comprising a second IGBT switch coupled to a second antiparallel diode, a third IGBT module comprising a third IGBT switch coupled to a third antiparallel diode, a fourth IGBT module comprising a fourth IGBT switch coupled to a fourth antiparallel diode, a fifth IGBT module comprising a fifth IGBT switch coupled to a fifth antiparallel diode, and a sixth IGBT module comprising a sixth IGBT switch coupled to a sixth antiparallel diode, and
wherein the at least two parallel recovery paths of the plurality of switching devices comprises a first recovery path and a second recovery path, wherein the first recovery path comprises one of (1) the fifth antiparallel diode and the second IGBT switch or (2) the second antiparallel diode and the fifth IGBT switch, and wherein the second recovery path comprises one of (1) the sixth IGBT switch and the third antiparallel diode or (2) the third IGBT switch and the sixth antiparallel diode.