Patent ID: 8587160

Claim:
A current source converter (CSC) for converting input electrical power to output electrical power, comprising: an input for receiving input electrical power from a power source; an output for providing output electrical power to a power grid; an intermediate circuit with at least one inductance; a current source rectifier (CSR) comprising a plurality of switching devices coupled with the input and with the intermediate circuit and operative according to a plurality of CSR switching control signals to selectively couple the input to the intermediate circuit; a current source inverter (CSI) comprising a plurality of switching devices coupled with the intermediate circuit and with the output and operative according to a plurality of CSI switching control signals to selectively couple the intermediate circuit to the output; and a switch control system comprising: a generator side control component operatively coupled with the CSR to provide CSR switching control signals to the CSR to cause the CSR to convert input power from the power source to create a DC link current in the intermediate circuit, a grid side control component operatively coupled with the CSI to provide CSI switching control signals to the CSI to convert the DC link current to selectively provide the output electrical power to the power grid, and a DC link current control component operatively coupled with the generator side control component and with the grid side control component, and is operative in a first mode to cause the generator side control component to provide the CSR switching control signals based at least partially on a voltage across the at least one inductance and to cause the grid side control component to provide the CSI switching control signals based at least partially on the voltage across the at least one inductance such that the generator side control component and the grid side control component jointly and concurrently regulate the DC link current; and wherein the DC link current control component is operative in a second mode to cause the grid side control component to provide the CSI switching control signals to exclusively regulate the DC link current.