Static semi-conductor electrical energy converter assembly

Claim 1

A static semi-conductor electrical energy conversion assembly intended to convert a continuous input voltage into an alternating voltage having a peak-to-peak amplitude lower than or equal to said continuous voltage, said assembly comprising: (a) at least two apparatus wherein, (i) each apparatus is formed by the association of two converters, each of said converters comprising at least one power stage having at least one controlled blocking static interrupter with a collector, a base and an emitter, and a commutation assist circuit associated with each static interrupter operative to reduce conduction of its collector current during blocking commutations thereof; a control stage adapted to generate a control signal for each static interrupter; an intermediate processing stage associated with each static interrupter having an input connected to the control stage to receive said control signal; and another input connected to said power stage to detect a collector-emitter voltage of each said static interrupter and an output connected to the base of each said static interrupter to trigger the commutations thereof; said intermediate processing stage being adapted to drive the base of each said interrupter so as to interrupt conduction in the single case where, at the same time, said control signal has a value corresponding to a placing in conduction and said collector-emitter voltage is approximately zero whereby reverse polarization of each said interrupter base occurs in all other cases in order to block said interrupter; (ii) each apparatus formed by the association of said two converters further comprises four power terminals connected to power electrodes of said two static interrupters, said terminals comprising a first collector and a first emitter of the first of said two interrupters and a second collector and a second emitter of the second of said two interrupters, wherein said at least two said apparatus are located in a series, such that said first emitter and said second collector of one apparatus are respectively connected to said first collector and said second emitter of another apparatus, wherein said first collector and said second emitter of said one apparatus receive said continuous input voltage and wherein said first emitter and said second collector of said another apparatus are connected to each other to form a first output terminal of said assembly for connection to a load; (b) a voltage distribution stage connected to said first collector and said second emitter of each of said apparatus; (c) a common control stage for controlling in opposition the two converters of each of said apparatus, wherein said common control stage is adapted to generate, for said two static interrupters of said converters, two control signals of opposite phase and of an appropriate form for the conversion to be performed; and (e) a centralized control unit adapted to provide a delay in said two control signals applied to each of said apparatus, wherein said centralized control unit drives each of said apparatus.