TY - JOUR
T1 - Protection Scheme for Modular Multilevel Converters under Diode Open-Circuit Faults
AU - Deng, Fujin
AU - Zhu, Rongwu
AU - Liu, Dong
AU - Wang, Yanbo
AU - Wang, Huai
AU - Chen, Zhe
AU - Cheng, Ming
PY - 2018/4
Y1 - 2018/4
N2 - The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is attractive for medium- or high-power applications because of the advantages of its high modularity, availability, and high power quality. Reliability is one of the most important challenges for the MMC consisting of a large number of power electronic devices. The diode open-circuit fault in the submodule (SM) is an important issue for the MMC, which would affect the performance of the MMC and disrupt the operation of the MMC. This paper analyzes the impact of diode open-circuit failures in the SMs on the performance of the MMC and proposes a protection scheme for the MMC under diode open-circuit faults. The proposed protection scheme not only can effectively eliminate the possible caused high voltage due to the diode open-circuit fault but also can quickly detect the faulty SMs, which effectively avoids the destruction and protects the MMC. The proposed protection scheme is verified with a downscale MMC prototype in the laboratory. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed protection scheme for the MMC under diode open-circuit faults.
AB - The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is attractive for medium- or high-power applications because of the advantages of its high modularity, availability, and high power quality. Reliability is one of the most important challenges for the MMC consisting of a large number of power electronic devices. The diode open-circuit fault in the submodule (SM) is an important issue for the MMC, which would affect the performance of the MMC and disrupt the operation of the MMC. This paper analyzes the impact of diode open-circuit failures in the SMs on the performance of the MMC and proposes a protection scheme for the MMC under diode open-circuit faults. The proposed protection scheme not only can effectively eliminate the possible caused high voltage due to the diode open-circuit fault but also can quickly detect the faulty SMs, which effectively avoids the destruction and protects the MMC. The proposed protection scheme is verified with a downscale MMC prototype in the laboratory. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed protection scheme for the MMC under diode open-circuit faults.
KW - Diode faults
KW - Modular multilevel converters (MMCs)
KW - Open-circuit fault
KW - Protection
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85040763639&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/TPEL.2017.2702748
DO - 10.1109/TPEL.2017.2702748
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0885-8993
VL - 33
SP - 2866
EP - 2877
JO - I E E E Transactions on Power Electronics
JF - I E E E Transactions on Power Electronics
IS - 4
M1 - 7922575
ER -