FIELD: electrical engineering.
SUBSTANCE: in order to design a submodule (13) for a modular multilevel converter (1), comprising at least one unipolar energy store (14), a first and a second connection terminal (16, 17) and a power semiconductor circuit comprising power semiconductor switches (T1, T4, 19) that can be turned on and off by means of a control signal and free-wheeling diodes (D1, D2) connected in parallel with an assigned power semiconductor switch (T1,T4) in opposite direction, wherein, depending on setting of power semiconductor switches (T1, T4, 19), voltage dropping across one or all of energy stores (14) or else a zero voltage can be generated between first and second connection terminals (16,17), and wherein power semiconductor circuit forms a bridging branch (18) situated between potential points of first and second connection terminals (16, 17), which, during normal operation, provides technical effect.
EFFECT: low transmission losses and also optimum cost; it is proposed that only power semiconductor switches situated in shunting branch are power semiconductor switches conducting in reverse direction.
7 cl, 9 dwg
