A method for controlling a rectifier, connected to an AC power network, of
a drive converter which is provided with a load-end pulse-controlled
rectifier is disclosed. An electronically controlled switch is
electrically connected in parallel to every diode of the rectifier. The
switching operations of the switches are produced in a manner
synchronized with the conduction phases of the associated
network-commutated phase voltages and independently of the phase voltages
of the supply network. Every switching operation produced is released
upon arrival of the next zero value at the rectifier end. The network-end
switching operations are linked with the load-end zero values, thereby
allowing switching operations to be carried out in a currentless manner.