Diagnostics of the thyristor bridge fault based on the detection of the line-frequency second harmonic in the output current of an AC/DC converter

In this paper was presented the technical procedure implemented for the fault diagnostics of the thyristor bridge in an AS/DC converter. During the development of the new generation of digital controllers for AC/DC converters, it was required for these devices to have a possibility for a real-time detection of the thyristor converter fault. Thyristor bridge fault should be detected without the need for the state monitoring of the particular power semiconductor switches or rapid fuses. Thyristor bridge fault was identified using the measurement of the line-frequency second harmonic in the rectifier output current signal. Output voltage and current waveforms were presented, as well as the current spectra, in the cases of the thyristor bridge operation without one switch. The operation principle was described for a protection from an asymmetric operation of a thyristor bridge. A negative influence of high-order harmonics was analysed on the particular rectifier components, both in the cases of the output voltage control, as well as for operation in the current limit mode.