Abstract
An important step in Voltage-Source Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) design is the selection of adequate semiconductor blocking voltage class. This paper highlights that particularly for grid connected medium voltage applications, the choice of suitable switch blocking voltage class is not so straightforward. The market available switch voltage ratings results in a discrete integer relationship for the number of submodules (N) with a fixed dc link voltage. This is shown to introduce interesting design trade-offs in consideration to investment costs, required capacitance for reasonable ripple voltage, submodule redundancy requirements, conduction switching losses. Using the example of a 10 MVA half bridge MMC connected to a 10 kV grid, it is shown that 1.7 kV and 3.3 kV insulated gate bipolar transitors (IGBTs) can be possible choices as compared to 1.2 kV, 4.5 kV and 6.5 kV blocking voltage.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | 2018 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, ECCE 2018 |
Editors | A.M. Omekanda |
Publisher | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) |
Pages | 3980-3987 |
Number of pages | 8 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 978-147997311-8 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Event | 10th Annual IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, ECCE 2018 - Portland, United States Duration: 23 Sept 2018 → 27 Sept 2018 |
Conference
Conference | 10th Annual IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, ECCE 2018 |
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Country/Territory | United States |
City | Portland |
Period | 23/09/18 → 27/09/18 |
Keywords
- Cascaded cells
- Half bridge
- High power
- IGBT
- Medium voltage distribution
- Multilevel converter design
- MVDC
- Number of submodules
- Optimum semiconductor voltage level