Abstract: A device for converting an electrical current includes at least one phase module with an AC connection and at least one DC connection. A phase module branch is provided between each DC connection and each AC connection. Each phase module branch has a series connection made of sub-modules, which in turn include an energy accumulator each and at least one power semiconductor. Measuring sensors provide actual values and there are provided control means connected to the measuring sensors. The control can be easily adapted to any arbitrary number of sub-modules in each phase module branch. The control means include a current regulating unit and control units associated with a phase module branch each, wherein the current regulating unit is configured to provide branch target values for the control units. The control units are designed to produce control signals for the sub-modules.

Abstract: A method and a device for converting an electrical current include at least one phase module having an AC voltage connection and at least one DC voltage connection. A phase module branch is disposed between each DC voltage connection and the AC voltage connection. Each phase module branch includes a series circuit of submodules, each having a capacitor and at least one power semiconductor. The apparatus can establish aging of an energy storage device in a simple manner by using a capacitor diagnosis device for a time-dependent determination of the capacitance of each capacitor.

Abstract: A device for converting an electrical current includes at least one phase module with an AC voltage connection and at least one DC voltage connection, a phase module branch disposed between each DC voltage connection and the AC voltage connection and each phase module branch having a series circuit of submodules, each of which has an energy accumulator and at least one power semiconductor and closed-loop control means for regulating the device. The device can regulate circulating currents in a targeted manner by providing each phase module with at least one inductance and configuring the closed-loop control means to regulate a circulating current that flows through the phase modules.

Abstract: A device for converting an electric current has a phase module, which in turn has an alternating current connection and at least one direct current connection connected to an intermediate direct current circuit. The device further has an energy accumulator. A phase modulation path is formed between each direct current connection and each alternating current connection. Each phase modulation path has a series connection of submodules, which each have a power semiconductor. A semiconductor protective device is provided in parallel connection to power semiconductors of each submodule. A control unit actuates the semiconductor protective device, and energy accumulator(s) are equipped for supplying energy to the control unit. The device safely prevents damage from a short circuit on the direct-current side, even when the supply grid is connected, because a direct current connection of each phase module is connected to the intermediate direct current circuit via a direct-current switch.

Abstract: A device for converting an electrical current includes at least one phase module with an AC connection and at least one DC connection. A phase module branch is provided between each DC connection and each AC connection. Each phase module branch has a series connection made of sub-modules, which in turn include an energy accumulator each and at least one power semiconductor. Measuring sensors provide actual values and there are provided control means connected to the measuring sensors. The control can be easily adapted to any arbitrary number of sub-modules in each phase module branch. The control means include a current regulating unit and control units associated with a phase module branch each, wherein the current regulating unit is configured to provide branch target values for the control units. The control units are designed to produce control signals for the sub-modules.

Abstract: A device for converting an electric current includes at least one phase module having an AC terminal and at least one DC terminal. Phase module branches, each of which is equipped with serially connected submodules, are respectively provided between each DC terminal and each AC terminal. Each submodule is provided with at least one power semiconductor. Semiconductor protecting means are connected in parallel or in series to at least one of the power semiconductors to enable the device to withstand even high short-circuit currents for a sufficient period of time. A method for protecting the power semiconductors of the device, is also provided.

Abstract: A method for charging and/or discharging energy storage devices is performed in a multilevel converter including at least one phase module branch having a series circuit of submodules each with at least one power semiconductor circuit for connection or disconnection of an energy storage device in a circuit parallel to the power semiconductor circuit and a submodule sensor for detection of an energy storage actual value. An energy change state is obtained and a determination is made as to whether connected energy storage devices in a phase module branch can be charged or discharged. The next energy storage device to be switched in each phase module branch is selected by predetermined logic dependent on an energy change state, through which energy stored in energy storage devices is kept approximately at the same level. A high clock rate is simultaneously avoided for connection and disconnection of the selected energy storage device.

Abstract: A device for inverting an electric current has at least one phase module which has an alternating current connection and at least one direct current connection. Semiconductor valves having semiconductor modules are connected in series and are provided for switching the electric current between the alternating current connection and each direct current connection. At least one power storage device is provided for storing electrical power. In order to provide such a device, with which the adverse effects of a bridging short circuit are reliably and effectively reduced, it is proposed that each semiconductor module has semiconductor groups connected in parallel to each other, wherein each semiconductor group of the semiconductor module is connected via its own separate semiconductor current path to at least one of the power storage devices.

Abstract: A converter has at least one phase module, an AC voltage terminal and a DC voltage terminal. A phase module branch is formed between each DC voltage terminal and each AC voltage terminal. Each phase module branch has a series circuit containing submodules which each have a capacitor, a power semiconductor, and submodule sensors for detecting energy stored in the capacitor and with a regulation device for regulating the apparatus in dependence on energy values and predetermined desired values. Therefore unbalanced loading of the energy storage units is avoided. The regulation device has a summation unit for summing the energy values while obtaining branch energy actual values and a device for calculating circuit current desired values in dependence on the branch energy actual values. The regulation device compensates for imbalances in the branch energy actual values in dependence on the circuit current desired values.

Abstract: An apparatus has power semiconductor modules, which are connected to one another via connection devices so as to form a series circuit. A short-circuiting device for short-circuiting the respective power semiconductor module is assigned to each power semiconductor module. The apparatus has a reliable and at the same time cost-effective short-circuiting device. It is proposed that the short-circuiting device is a pyrotechnical/mechanical element, which has a detonation charge and a tripping device, which can be displaced by the detonation charge.