Multilevel electric power converter

摘要

There is described a multilevel electric power converter circuit comprising: Ns switching elements connected in series in a closed loop; NAE additional elements, the additional elements being one of a direct current source and at least one passive element, connected within the closed loop such that each additional element is connected to four of the switching elements, the ratio of a number of additional elements NAE to a number of switching elements NS corresponding to NS=2NAE+2; and one of a load and an alternating current source connected across the closed loop at nodes between adjacent switching elements that are separate from nodes to which the additional elements are connected.

主权项

1. A multilevel electric power converter circuit comprising:
Ns switching elements connected in series in a closed loop having only the Ns switching elements; NAE additional elements, the additional elements being one of a direct current source and at least one passive element, connected within the closed loop such that each additional element is connected to four of the switching elements of the closed loop and none of the additional elements share a common node, the ratio of a number of additional elements NAE to a number of switching elements NS corresponding to NS =2NAE+2, the converter circuit performing conversion between direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) and outputting given voltage levels as a result of selective opening and closing of the switching elements; a load connected across the closed loop at nodes between adjacent switching elements that are separate from nodes to which the additional elements are connected when the multilevel electric power converter operates in an inverter mode; and an alternating current source connected across the closed loop at the nodes between adjacent switching elements that are separated from nodes to which the additional elements are connected when the multilevel electric power converter operates in a rectifier mode.