Circuit breaking arrangement
View Patent ↗A circuit breaking arrangement is adapted to be connected to a current path in at least one transmission line arranged to carry an electrical current for controllably effecting discontinuation of flow of electrical current in the at least one transmission line. The circuit breaking arrangement includes a plurality of series connections of a plurality of power semiconductor switching elements. The plurality of series connections of power semiconductor switching elements are connected in parallel relatively to each other.
1. A circuit breaking arrangement adapted to be connected to a current path in at least one transmission line arranged to carry an electrical current for controllably effecting discontinuation of flow of electrical current in the at least one transmission line, the circuit breaking arrangement comprising:
at least one circuit breaking unit including a plurality of series connections of a plurality of power semiconductor switching elements, the plurality of series connections of power semiconductor switching elements being connected in parallel relatively to each other,
wherein at least two series connections of power semiconductor switching elements are connected in parallel relatively to each other such that each of a subset of the power semiconductor switching elements in one series connection of power semiconductor switching elements is individually connected in parallel to a corresponding power semiconductor switching element in another series connections of power semiconductor switching elements, and
wherein the series connections of power semiconductor switching elements are arranged next to each other and/or on top of each other, and wherein the series connections of power semiconductor switching elements are electrically connected to each other by means of flexible current busbars without any intervening capacitors or any intervening switching elements.
2. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least two series connections of power semiconductor switching elements are connected in parallel relatively to each other such that each power semiconductor switching element in one series connection of power semiconductor switching elements is individually connected in parallel to a corresponding power semiconductor switching element in another series connections of power semiconductor switching elements.
3. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the power semiconductor switching elements is controllable with respect to switching operation.
4. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching elements, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each power semiconductor switching element of the subset of the power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
5. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each of the power semiconductor switching elements in the one series connection of power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
6. A power system, comprising:
at least one transmission line arranged to carry an electrical current; and
the circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 2 connected to a current path in the at least one transmission line for controllably effecting discontinuation of flow of electrical current in the at least one transmission line.
7. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the power semiconductor switching elements is controllable with respect to switching operation.
8. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the power semiconductor switching elements which is controllable with respect to switching operation comprises at least one power semiconductor switch which is insulated-gate bipolar transistor, metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor, integrated gate-commutated thyristor, and/or gate turn-off thyristor based.
9. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 8 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching elements, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each power semiconductor switching element of the subset of the power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
10. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 8 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each of the power semiconductor switching elements in the one series connection of power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
11. A power system, comprising:
at least one transmission line arranged to carry an electrical current; and
the circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 8 connected to a current path in the at least one transmission line for controllably effecting discontinuation of flow of electrical current in the at least one transmission line.
12. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 7 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching elements, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each power semiconductor switching element of the subset of the power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
13. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 7 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each of the power semiconductor switching elements in the one series connection of power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
14. A power system, comprising:
at least one transmission line arranged to carry an electrical current; and
the circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 7 connected to a current path in the at least one transmission line for controllably effecting discontinuation of flow of electrical current in the at least one transmission line.
15. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching elements, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each power semiconductor switching element of the subset of the power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
16. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 15 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each of the power semiconductor switching elements in the one series connection of power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
17. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one snubber circuit connected to at least one of the power semi-conductor switching, wherein at least one snubber circuit is connected to each of the power semiconductor switching elements in the one series connection of power semiconductor switching elements and to the corresponding power semiconductor switching element in the other series connection of power semiconductor switching elements.
18. A power system, comprising:
at least one transmission line arranged to carry an electrical current; and
the circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 1 connected to a current path in the at least one transmission line for controllably effecting discontinuation of flow of electrical current in the at least one transmission line.
19. The power system according to claim 18 , wherein the power system comprises a High Voltage Direct Current power transmission system.
20. The power system according to claim 18 , wherein the power system comprises a direct current power grid.
21. The circuit breaking arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the series connections of power semiconductor switching elements are directly electrically connected to each other by means of the flexible current busbars.