Power convertor building blocks for multi-megawatt PWM VSI drives

This paper details how the latest generation of high power insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules have been used to create a range of medium voltage drives with output voltages from 2200 to 6600 volts, based on a common power convertor building block (PCBB) concept. The paper describes a PWM VSI IGBT convertor which is both technically and commercially viable for medium voltage adjustable speed drive applications in industrial and marine applications. The use of a sinewave filter, combined with high switching frequency of power devices, makes it possible to design a medium voltage variable speed drive which may be used with standard AC motors, and which complies fully with EMC standards