A DC traction drive application of a regenerative rectifier using AC/AC matrix converter theory

The main contribution of this paper is the design and control of an AC/DC converter topology based on AC/AC matrix converter theory. The drive is capable of delivering 250 A DC from a three phase 480 VAC source while keeping the IGBT voltage and current within the safe operating area (SOA) of the devices. The power level required by the DC drive presented here presents several design challenges which have been overcome with innovative solutions. An example is the clamp circuitry, necessary for the safe operation of the bi-directional switches, which is described, analyzed and demonstrated experimentally.