Three-level power conversion apparatus

1. A three-level power conversion apparatus, comprising:

first and second three-level converters connected in parallel to an AC power supply system, each of which outputs a three levels direct current;

positive side and negative side DC capacitors connected to the DC link of the three levels;

at least one three-level inverter to convert the DC output of the three levels to an alternating current, to drive an AC motor; and

converter control means for controlling the first and second three-level converters;

wherein the converter control means has:

first and second reactive current control means for controlling so that reactive portions of input currents of the first and second three-level converters become a prescribed reactive current reference, respectively;

first and second neutral point voltage fluctuation suppressing means for controlling first and second PWM control means, respectively, so as to make a difference between voltages applied to the positive side and negative side DC capacitors to be zero; and

active current control means for supplying a prescribed circulating active current from the first three-level converter to the second three-level converter.

2. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the DC outputs of the three levels of the first and second three-level converters are connected in parallel, respectively;

the number of the three-level inverters is one; and

the circulating active current is supplied through the DC link.

3. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the converter control means has:

voltage control means for performing feedback control so that the voltage of the DC link becomes a prescribed voltage reference, to output first and second common active current references;

circulating current correcting means for adding a circulating current reference to the active current reference to make a first corrected active current reference, and for subtracting the circulating current reference from the active current reference to make a second corrected active current reference;

first active current control means for performing feedback control so that an active portion of the input current of the first three-level converter becomes the first corrected active current reference, to output a first active voltage reference;

second active current control means for performing feedback control so that the active portion of the input current of the second three-level converter becomes the second corrected active current reference, to output a second active voltage reference;

the first reactive current control means for performing feedback control so that the reactive portion of the input current of the first three-level converter becomes the prescribed reactive current reference, to output a first reactive voltage reference;

the second reactive current control means for performing feedback control so that the reactive portion of the input current of the second three-level converter becomes the prescribed reactive current reference, to output a second reactive voltage reference;

first PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the first active voltage reference and the first reactive voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the first three-level converter;

second PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the second active voltage reference and the second reactive voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the second three-level converter; and

the neutral point voltage fluctuation suppressing means for controlling the first and second PWM control means, so as to make the difference between voltages applied to the positive side and negative side DC capacitors to be zero.

4. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the converter control means has:

voltage control means for performing feedback control so that the voltage of the DC link becomes a prescribed voltage reference, to output first and second common active current references;

first active current control means for performing feedback control so that an active portion of the input current of the first three-level converter becomes the active current reference, to output a first active voltage reference;

second active current control means for performing feedback control so that the active portion of the input current of the second three-level converter becomes the active current reference, to output a second active voltage reference;

circulating current correcting means for adding a voltage reference corresponding to a circulating current reference to the first active voltage reference, to make a first corrected active voltage reference, and for subtracting the voltage reference corresponding to the circulating current reference from the second active voltage reference, to make a second corrected active voltage reference;

the first reactive current control means for performing feedback control so that the reactive portion of the input current of the first three-level converter becomes the prescribed reactive current reference, to output a first reactive voltage reference;

the second reactive current control means for performing feedback control so that the reactive portion of the input current of the second three-level converter becomes the prescribed reactive current reference, to output a second reactive voltage reference;

first PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the first corrected active voltage reference and the first reactive voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the first three-level converter;

second PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the second corrected active voltage reference and the second reactive voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the second three-level converter; and

the neutral point voltage fluctuation suppressing means for controlling the first and second PWM control means, so as to make the difference between voltages applied to the positive side and negative side DC capacitors to be zero.

5. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an inverter control means, wherein:

the positive side and negative side DC capacitors are composed of two sets of the DC capacitors respectively connected to the outputs of the first and second three-level converters;

the three-level inverters are composed of two three-level inverters, that are first and second three-level inverters, for inputting the respective outputs of the first and second three-level converters;

the AC motor is driven by the first and second three-level inverters through a coupling reactor; and

the inverter control means for controlling the two three-level inverters has torque current control means for supplying a prescribed circulating torque current from the first three-level inverter to the second three-level inverter through the coupling reactor.

6. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the inverter control means has:

speed control means for performing feedback control so that a speed of the AC motor becomes a prescribed speed reference, to output a torque current reference;

circulating current correcting means for adding a circulating current reference to the torque current reference, to make a first corrected torque current reference, and for subtracting the circulating current reference from the torque current reference, to make a second corrected torque current reference;

first torque current control means for performing feedback control so that an output torque current of the first three-level inverter becomes the first corrected torque current reference, to output a first torque voltage reference;

second torque current control means for performing feedback control so that an output torque current of the second three-level inverter becomes the second corrected torque current reference, to output a second torque voltage reference;

first excitation current control means for performing feedback control so that an output excitation current of the first three-level inverter becomes a prescribed value, to output a first excitation voltage reference;

second excitation current control means for performing feedback control so that an output excitation current of the second three-level inverter becomes a prescribed value, to output a second excitation voltage reference;

first PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the first torque voltage reference and the first excitation voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the first three-level converter; and

second PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the second torque voltage reference and the second excitation voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the second three-level converter.

7. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the inverter control means has:

speed control means for performing feedback control so that a speed of the AC motor becomes a prescribed speed reference, to output first and second common torque current references;

first torque current control means for performing feedback control so that an output torque current of the first three-level inverter becomes the first torque current reference, to output a first torque voltage reference;

second torque current control means for performing feedback control so that an output torque current of the second three-level inverter becomes the second torque current reference, to output a second torque voltage reference;

circulating current correcting means for adding a voltage reference corresponding to a circulating current reference to the first torque current reference, to make a first corrected torque voltage reference, and for subtracting the voltage reference corresponding to the circulating current reference from the second torque current reference, to make a second corrected torque voltage reference;

first excitation current control means for performing feedback control so that an output excitation current of the first three-level inverter becomes a prescribed value, to output a first excitation voltage reference;

second excitation current control means for performing feedback control so that an output excitation current of the second three-level inverter becomes a prescribed value, to output a second excitation voltage reference;

first PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the first corrected torque voltage reference and the first excitation voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the first three-level converter; and

second PWM control means for performing PWM control of a three-phase voltage reference which is obtained by performing three-phase conversion of the second corrected torque voltage reference and the second excitation voltage reference, to generate a gate signal of the second three-level converter.

8. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to claim 7 , wherein:

the circulating current reference is made to be increased when the reactive current reference is increased.

9. The three-level power conversion apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to claim 7 , wherein:

the circulating current reference is provided for controlling so that a reactive power given to the AC power supply system becomes a prescribed value, in a state in which the AC motor is not operated.