Surge Protection for Frequency Converters

Figure 1 - Schematic diagram of a frequency converter

In principle a frequency converter consists of a rectifier, a d.c. link converter, an inverter and of the
control electronics (Figure 1 above).
At the input of the inverter the single phase or interlinked, three-phase a.c. voltage is changed into a
pulsating d.c. voltage and is pushed into the d.c. link converter that also serves as energy store
(buffer). Capacitors in the d.c. link converter and the LC networks connected to earth in the a.c. line
filter, can cause problems with the residual current devices (RCD) connected in series.
The reason for this is often wrongly seen in the application of surge arresters.
The problems, however, result from the short-term induction of fault currents by the frequency
converter. These are sufficient to activate sensitive earth leakage circuit breakers (RCDs).
A surge-proof RCD circuit breaker available for a tripping current In = 30 mA and a min. discharge
capability of 3 kA (8/20 s) provides a remedy.
Figure 2 - EMC conforming shield connection of the motor supply line

By the control electronics, the inverter delivers a clocked output voltage. The higher the clock
frequency of the control electronics for the pulse-width-modulation, the more sinusoidal is the output

voltage. With
each cycle, a
peak voltage
is created
that is
superimposed
on the curve
of the
fundamental

frequency. This peak voltage reaches values of 1200 V and higher (according to the frequency converter).
The better the simulation of the sine curve at the output, the better is the performance and control
response of the motor. This means, however, that the voltage peaks appear at the output of the
frequency converter more frequently.
For choosing of surge arresters, the maximum continuous operating voltage Uc has to be taken
into account.
It specifies the maximum permissible operating voltage a surge protective device may be connected
to. This means that surge protective devices with a correspondingly higher Uc are used at the output
side of the frequency converter.
This avoids faster ageing due to gradually heating of the surge protective device under normal
operating conditions and the consequential voltage peaks. This heating of the arrester leads to a
shorter service life and consequently to a disconnection of the surge protective device from the
system to be protected.
The voltage at the output of the frequency converter is variable and adjusted a little bit higher than
the nominal voltage at the input. Often it is approx. + 5 % during continuous operation, in order to
compensate the voltage drop at the connected line, for example.
Figure 3 - Structure of a frequency converter with SPD

Example with Dehn devices

1 - DEHNguard S DG S 275
2 DEHNguard S DG S 600

BLITZDUCTOR XT
Otherwise, one can simply say that the maximum voltage at the input of the frequency converter is
equal to the maximum voltage at the output of the frequency converter.
The high clock frequency at the output of the frequency converter generates fieldborne interferences
and therefore, requires necessarily a shielded cabling so that adjacent systems are not disturbed.
For shielding the motor power supply line, a bilateral shield earthing at the frequency converter and
the drive motor has to be ensured. The large-surface contacting of the shield results from the EMC
requirements.
Advantageous is here the use of constant force springs (Figure 2).

By means of intermeshed earth-termination systems, i.e. the earth-termination system the frequency
converters and the drive motor are connected to, potential differences are reduced between the parts
of the installation and thus equalising currents via the shield are avoided.
Figure 3 shows the example of use of surge protective devices Type DEHNguard on the power
supply side and type BLITZDUCTOR for 0 20 mA signals. The protective devices have to be
individually adapted according to the interface.
For the integration of the frequency converter into the building automation it is absolutely
essential that all evaluation and communication interfaces are connected with surge protective devices
in order to avoid system failures.
Resource: Lightning-Protection-Guide dehn.de

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