Power converter and method for controlling same

1. A power converter comprising:

a DC capacitor;

semiconductor switch groups, each of which includes two semiconductor switches connected in series to each other;

one or a plurality of bridge-cells, each of which includes the DC capacitor and the two semiconductor switches, which are connected in parallel to the DC capacitor;

a delta connection unit at which one or a plurality of bridge-cells are delta-connected, each of the bridge-cells being connected in series to each other;

a circulating-current control unit configured to generate a common command value common to all three phases of the delta connection unit, the common command value computed from a complex conjugate i z * of a circulating current i Z in the delta connection unit, the common command value provided in a feedback loop for generating commands respective to each of the three phases of the delta connection unit,

wherein the complex conjugate i z * is calculated by summing three values, each value obtained by multiplying a difference between a DC-capacitor three-phase average value and a DC-capacitor by-phase average value for a corresponding phase by a gain and then giving a phase amount to the multiplied difference,

wherein the DC-capacitor three-phase average value is obtained by averaging voltage values of the DC capacitors at all of the three phases,

wherein each DC-capacitor by-phase average value is obtained by averaging voltage values of the DC capacitor at the corresponding phase.

2. The power converter according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a balancing control unit that generates a second command value, for the one or each of the plurality of bridge-cells at each of the phases, for controlling switching operations of the semiconductor switches in the corresponding bridge-cell, by using a value that is obtained by multiplying a difference between the DC-capacitor by-phase average value for the corresponding phase and a voltage value of the DC capacitor in the corresponding bridge-cell by a value of an AC current flowing into the corresponding phase.

3. The power converter according to claim 2 , further comprising: an electric power control unit that generates a third command value for performing at least one of positive-sequence reactive power control, negative-sequence reactive power control, and active power control.

4. The power converter according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a switching command value generating unit for generating a switching command value to control switching operations of the semiconductor switches in each of the bridge-cells, by using the command value, the second command value, and the third command value.

5. The power converter according to claim 1 , wherein each of the semiconductor switches comprises:

a semiconductor switching device that causes a current to flow in one direction therethrough at the time of being turned on; and

a feedback diode connected in antiparallel to the semiconductor switching device.

6. A method of controlling a power converter that includes a DC capacitor; semiconductor switch groups, each of which includes two semiconductor switches connected in series to each other; one or a plurality of bridge-cells, each of which includes the DC capacitor and the two semiconductor switches, which are connected in parallel to the DC capacitor; a delta connection unit at which one or a plurality of bridge-cells are delta-connected, each of the bridge-cells being connected in series to each other; and a circulating-current control unit, the method comprising:

generating a common command value common to all three phases of the delta connection unit, the common command value computed from a complex conjugate i z * of a circulating current i z in the delta connection unit; and

providing the common command value in a feedback loop for generating commands respective to each of the three phases of the delta connection unit,

wherein the complex conjugate i z * is calculated by summing three values, each value obtained by multiplying a difference between a DC-capacitor three-phase average value and a DC-capacitor by-phase average value for a corresponding phase by a gain and then giving a phase amount to the multiplied difference,

wherein the DC-capacitor three-phase average value is obtained by averaging voltage values of the DC capacitors at all of the three phases,

wherein each DC-capacitor by-phase average value is obtained by averaging voltage values of the DC capacitor at the corresponding phase.

7. The method according to the claim 6 , further comprising:

generating a second command value, for the one or each of the plurality of bridge-cells at each of the phases, for controlling switching operations of the semiconductor switches in the corresponding bridge-cell, by using a value that is obtained by multiplying a difference between the DC-capacitor by-phase average value for the corresponding phase and a voltage value of the DC capacitor in the corresponding bridge-cell by a value of an AC current flowing into the corresponding phase.

8. The method according to the claim 7 , further comprising:

generating a third command value for performing at least one of positive-sequence reactive power control, negative-sequence reactive power control, and active power control.

9. The method according to the claim 8 , further comprising:

generating a switching command value to control switching operations of the semiconductor switches in each of the bridge-cells, by using the common command value, the second command value, and the third command value.

10. The method according to the claim 6 , wherein each of the semiconductor switches comprises:

a semiconductor switching device that causes a current to flow in one direction therethrough at the time of being turned on; and

a feedback diode connected in antiparallel to the semiconductor switching device.