Known converter circuits comprise a multiplicity of drivable power semiconductor switches, which are connected to one another in a known manner in order to switch at least two switching voltage levels. Typically, such a converter circuit is connected to an electrical AC voltage system, which is in particular of three-phase design. Such converter circuits are often used in industrial installations, with the converter circuits being coupled to the power supply system and naturally with further fields of use and possible uses being conceivable.
For the operation of the converter circuit, a control apparatus is provided which has a controller unit for forming a control signal by adjusting an H-th harmonic component of system currents to a system current setpoint value and which is connected to the drivable power semiconductor switches via a drive circuit for forming a drive signal from the control signal, the H-th harmonic component being produced by the converter circuit and generally being H=1, 2, 3, . . . Typical values for H are H=5, 7, 11, 13. The drive signal is therefore used to drive the power semiconductor switches.
The abovementioned method for operating the converter circuit permits adjustment of an H-th harmonic component of the system currents to a system current setpoint value by means of the control apparatus. However, in an electrical AC voltage system, in addition to harmonic components in the system currents, it is also possible for harmonic components to occur in the system voltages, but these cannot be adjusted by means of the known method described above and therefore cannot be reduced.