Finite control set predictive control of shunt hybrid power filter

This paper proposes a finite control set predictive control (FCS-PC) scheme for the shunt hybrid power filter (SHPF) to reduce the power loss while maintaining satisfactory power quality at the utility’s grid terminals. By means of the instantaneous power theory, the controller for the proposed method can generate the reference voltage for the SHPF voltage source inverter (VSI) for the future sampling time. Therefore, during a sampling time, the vector of the reference voltage is compared with the finite number of voltage vectors existent in the VSI to select the vector that best fits the cost function of the controller. The proposed method, compared with the conventional pulse width modulation (PWM) carrier method, has the capability of suppressing similarly the harmonic currents at grid terminals and controlling VSI DC-link voltage while maintaining low switching frequencies in the devices. This method shows simplicity in digital implementation because it does not need a PWM block to obtain the VSI gating signals. In addition, a comparison of the proposed FCS-PC method with the conventional carrier-based PWM method is presented and discussed. Parameter errors in the controller are studied and their effects on system performance are explained. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated with simulation and experimental results during steady-state operation and transient response of the system.     

A New Multilevel Conversion Structure for Grid-Connected PV Applications

A novel scheme for three-phase grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) generation systems is presented in this paper. The scheme is based on two insulated strings of PV panels, each one feeding the dc bus of a standard two-level three-phase voltage-source inverter (VSI). The inverters are connected to the grid by a three-phase transformer having open-end windings on the inverter side. The resulting conversion structure performs as a multilevel power active filter (equivalent to a three-level inverter), doubling the power capability of a single VSI with given voltage and current ratings. The multilevel voltage waveforms are generated by an improved space-vector-modulation algorithm, suitable for the implementation in industrial digital signal processors. An original control method has been introduced to regulate the dc-link voltages of each VSI, according to the voltage reference given by a single maximum power point tracking controller. The proposed regulation system has been verified by numerical simulations and experimental tests with reference to different operating conditions.     

An Integrated Current Source Inverter With Reactive and Harmonic Power Compensators

An integrated current source converter system is presented based on an assembly of a thyristor-based current source inverter (CSI) in parallel with an insulated-gate-bipolar-transistor-based voltage source inverter (VSI) along with passive capacitors for high-power induction motor drive applications. The proposed configuration installs the VSI and the capacitor in such a way that both provide reactive power for generating the leading power factor required to accomplish natural commutations of the CSI. Based on the collaborative operation of the VSI and the parallel capacitor, the proposed system can be designed with a compromise between the VSI power capacity and the capacitor size. In addition, the VSI compensates harmonic current components from the thyristor-based CSI, while the capacitor filters out the voltage spikes during commutation of the thyristors. As a result, sinusoidal motor currents with improved harmonic spectrum can be drawn from this system. The proposed system utilizes the high-power capability of the thyristor-based CSI to supply high real power, while the VSI with easy controllability regulates the induction motor. Theoretical analyses based on mathematical modeling are presented in detail for the relationship between the inverter rating and the capacitor size, design considerations of the capacitor size, and the loss performances.      

An accurate approach of nonlinearity compensation for VSI inverter output voltage

An accurate nonlinearity compensation technique for voltage source inverter (VSI) inverters is presented in this paper. Because of the nonlinearity introduced by the dead time, turn-on/off delay, snubber circuit and voltage drop across power devices, the output voltage of VSI inverters is distorted seriously in the low output voltage region. This distortion influences the output torque of IM motors for constant V/f drives. The nonlinearity of the inverter also causes 5th and 7th harmonic distortion in the line current when the distributed energy system operates in the grid-connected mode, i.e., when the distributed energy system is parallel to a large power system through the VSI inverter. Therefore, the exact compensation of this nonlinearity in the VSI inverter over the entire range of output voltage is desirable. In this paper, the nonlinearity of VSI inverter output voltage and the harmonic distortion in the line current are analyzed based on an open-loop system and a L-R load. By minimizing the harmonic component of the current in a d-axis and q-axis synchronous rotating reference frame, the exact compensation factor was obtained. Simulations and experimental results in the low frequency and low output voltage region are presented.     

Improved control for high power static var compensator using novel vector product phase locked loop (VP-PLL)

This paper presents a new dual loop control using novel vector product phase locked loop (VP-PLL) for a high power static var compensator (SVC) with three-level GTO voltage source inverter (VSI). From a simple dq-axis equivalent circuit obtained by circuit DQ-transformation method, steady-state analysis is achieved for maximum controllable phase angle α_max per unit current between AC source and switching function of inverter. In addition, the system parameters L and C are designed and thus transient analysis is made for open-loop transfer function. This paper proposes software VP-PLL for more accurate α control than conventional hardware PLL because α_max becomes very small in high power SVC. Therefore, the overall controller has dual loop structure of inner VP-PLL for synchronizing the phase angle with AC source and outer Q-loop for compensating reactive power of load. Finally, the usability of the proposed control method is verified through the experiment of 100kvar power capacity with both stand alone and load linked operation.     

Sliding-mode control in voltage source inverter-based higher-order circuits

In this article, a new control methodology of sliding-mode control (SMC) for voltage source inverter (VSI)-based higher-order circuit is proposed. In this method, the SMC is used at the inner terminals for stable tracking of the voltage and current variables. An outer voltage control loop is included to reduce the steady-state error in tracking the reference load voltage. It is shown that when the SMC is applied on the load voltage terminal for higher-order VSI circuits, it leads to the instability. However, it well stabilises the system when the controller is implemented on the inner shunt capacitor terminals. Additional outer voltage control loop with proportional plus integral controller will ensure regulated voltage across the load. It has been shown that the controller is able to achieve good tracking accuracy with an acceptable stability margins. The performance of the proposed SMC has been verified on the fourth-order VSI circuit.     

A new single-phase five-level PWM inverter employing a deadbeat control scheme

A single-phase five-level PWM inverter is presented to alleviate harmonic components of the output voltage and the load current. Operational principles with switching functions are analyzed. To keep the output voltage sinusoidal and to have the high dynamic performances even in the cases of load variations and the partial magnetization in filter inductor, the deadbeat controller is designed and implemented on a prototype. The validity of the proposed inverter is verified through simulation and experiments. To assess the proposed inverter, it is compared with the conventional single-phase three-level PWM inverter under the conditions of identical supply DC voltage and switching frequency. In addition, it is compared with the five-level cascaded PWM inverter.     

Grid current regulation of a three-phase voltage source inverter with an LCL input filter

Many grid connected power electronic systems, such as STATCOMs, UPFCs, and distributed generation system interfaces, use a voltage source inverter (VSI) connected to the supply network through a filter. This filter, typically a series inductance, acts to reduce the switching harmonics entering the distribution network. An alternative filter is a LCL network, which can achieve reduced levels of harmonic distortion at lower switching frequencies and with less inductance, and therefore has potential benefits for higher power applications. However, systems incorporating LCL filters require more complex control strategies and are not commonly presented in literature. This paper proposes a robust strategy for regulating the grid current entering a distribution network from a three-phase VSI system connected via a LCL filter. The strategy integrates an outer loop grid current regulator with inner capacitor current regulation to stabilize the system. A synchronous frame PI current regulation strategy is used for the outer grid current control loop. Linear analysis, simulation, and experimental results are used to verify the stability of the control algorithm across a range of operating conditions. Finally, expressions for ""harmonic impedance" of the system are derived to study the effects of supply voltage distortion on the harmonic performance of the system.     

无电压传感器的三电平PWM整流器定频直接功率控制

给出了三电平PWM整流器的数学模型,在传统的直接功率控制和电压定向控制的基础上,结合虚拟磁链控制的优点,提出了一种新的三电平PWM整流器定频直接功率控制方法。该控制方法省略了电网电压传感器,实现了有功功率和无功功率的动态解耦,调制环节采用空间电压矢量调制,开关频率固定。仿真结果表明,该控制方法实现了单位功率因数运行,网侧电流谐波小,具有良好的动静态性能,保证了中点电位的平衡。     

A New Control Technique for Three-Phase Shunt Hybrid Power Filter

This paper presents a nonlinear control technique for a three-phase shunt hybrid power filter (SHPF) to enhance its dynamic response when it is used to compensate for harmonic currents and reactive power. The dynamic model of the SHPF system is first elaborated in the stationary “abc” reference frame and then transformed into the synchronous orthogonal “dq” reference frame. The “dq” frame model is divided into two separate loops, namely, the two current dynamic inner loops and the dc-voltage dynamic outer loop. Proportional–integral (PI) controllers are utilized to control the SHPF input currents and dc-bus voltage. The currents track closely their references so that the SHPF behaves as a quasi-ideal current source connected in parallel with the load. It provides the reactive power and harmonic currents required by the nonlinear load, thereby achieving sinusoidal supply currents in phase with supply voltages under dynamic and steady-state conditions. The SHPF consists of a small-rating voltage-source inverter (VSI) in series with a fifth-harmonic tuned $LC$ passive filter. The rating of the VSI in the SHPF system is much smaller than that in the conventional shunt active power filter because the passive filter takes care of the major burden of compensation. The effectiveness of the control technique is demonstrated through simulation and experimentation under steady-state and dynamic operating conditions.      

Intelligent voltage control strategy for three-phase UPS inverters with output LC filter

This paper presents a supervisory fuzzy neural network control (SFNNC) method for a three-phase inverter of uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs). The proposed voltage controller is comprised of a fuzzy neural network control (FNNC) term and a supervisory control term. The FNNC term is deliberately employed to estimate the uncertain terms, and the supervisory control term is designed based on the sliding mode technique to stabilise the system dynamic errors. To improve the learning capability, the FNNC term incorporates an online parameter training methodology, using the gradient descent method and Lyapunov stability theory. Besides, a linear load current observer that estimates the load currents is used to exclude the load current sensors. The proposed SFNN controller and the observer are robust to the filter inductance variations, and their stability analyses are described in detail. The experimental results obtained on a prototype UPS test bed with a TMS320F28335 DSP are presented to validate the feasibility of the proposed scheme. Verification results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy can achieve smaller steady-state error and lower total harmonic distortion when subjected to nonlinear or unbalanced loads compared to the conventional sliding mode control method.     

Solid State Voltage and Frequency Controller for a Stand Alone Wind Power Generating System

This paper deals with the voltage and frequency controller of a wind turbine driven isolated asynchronous generator. The proposed voltage and frequency controller consists of an insulated gate bipolar junction transistor based voltage source converter along-with battery energy storage system at its dc link. The proposed controller is having bidirectional active and reactive powers flow capability by which it controls the system voltage and frequency with variation of consumer loads and the speed of the wind turbine. It is also having capability of harmonic elimination and load balancing. The proposed electro-mechanical system along with its controller is modeled and simulated in MATLAB using Simulink and power system block-set toolboxes. Performance of the proposed controller is presented to demonstrate voltage and frequency control of a wind turbine driven isolated asynchronous generator along with harmonic elimination and load balancing.     

Load-Commutated SCR Current-Source-Inverter-Fed Induction Motor Drive With Sinusoidal Motor Voltage and Current

Current source inverter (CSI) is an attractive solution in high-power drives. The conventional gate turn-off thyristor (GTO) based CSI-fed induction motor drives suffer from drawbacks such as low-frequency torque pulsation, harmonic heating, and unstable operation at low-speed ranges. These drawbacks can be overcome by connecting a current-controlled voltage source inverter (VSI) across the motor terminal replacing the bulky ac capacitors. The VSI provides the harmonic currents, which results in sinusoidal motor voltage and current even with the CSI switching at fundamental frequency. This paper proposes a CSI-fed induction motor drive scheme where GTOs are replaced by thyristors in the CSI without any external circuit to assist the turning off of the thyristors. Here, the current-controlled VSI, connected in shunt, is designed to supply the volt ampere reactive requirement of the induction motor, and the CSI is made to operate in leading power factor mode such that the thyristors in the CSI are autosequentially turned off. The resulting drive will be able to feed medium-voltage, high-power induction motors directly. A sensorless vector-controlled CSI drive based on the proposed configuration is developed. The experimental results from a 5 hp prototype are presented. Experimental results show that the proposed drive has stable operation throughout the operating range of speeds.     

Design method of single-phase inverters for UPS systems

This article presents the complete design of a low power voltage source inverter (VSI) dedicated for a UPS system. The analysis of the rectangular PWM-AC voltage spectrum allows for a choice of the basic architecture of the inverter. Output filter parameters were calculated to reduce the maximum amplitude of the output VSI voltage harmonics for the steady-state inverter mode. The choice of the feedback loop type was based on a discussion of the inverter output impedance using a continuous model of the inverter. The parameters of the inner loop digital control for the discrete inverter model were calculated using the Coefficient Diagram Method. The influence of the step load was modelled. The time constant of the inverter closed loop system was selected to ensure sufficient system robustness. An outer feedback loop with a plug-in repetitive controller, simplified owing to the properties of the PID/CDM inner loop control, was introduced to eliminate the periodic disturbances generated by the non-linear rectifier load and the deadtime influence. The experimental verification of the design method is presented.     

Interfacing Renewable Energy Sources to the Utility Grid Using a Three-Level Inverter

This paper presents a novel approach for the connection of renewable energy sources to the utility grid. Due to the increasing power capability of the available generation systems, a three-level three-phase neutral-point-clamped voltage-source inverter is selected as the heart of the interfacing system. A multivariable control law is used for the regulator because of the intrinsic multivariable structure of the system. A current source (playing the role of a generic renewable energy source) is connected to the grid using a three-level inverter in order to verify the good performance of the proposed approach. Large- and small-signal d-q state-space averaged models of the system are obtained and used to calculate the multivariable controller based on the linear quadratic regulator technique. This controller simultaneously regulates the dc-link voltage (to operate at the maximum power point of the renewable energy source), the mains power factor (the power is delivered to the grid at unity power factor), and the dc-link neutral-point voltage balance. With the model and regulator presented, a specific switching strategy to control the dc-link neutral-point voltage is not required. The proposed controller can be used for any application, since its nature makes possible the control of any system variable. The good performance of the presented interfacing solution in both steady-state and transient operation is verified through simulation and experimentation using a 1-kW neutral-point-clamped voltage-source-inverter prototype, where a PC-embedded digital signal processor board is used for the controller implementation     

Implementation of a New Linear Control Technique Based on Experimentally Validated Small-Signal Model of Three-Phase Three-Level Boost-Type Vienna Rectifier

In this paper, the design and implementation of a new multiple-input-multiple-output linear control technique based on a theoretically established and experimentally validated small- signal model for the three-phase three-level boost-type ac/dc Vienna converter are presented. Averaging and local linearization techniques are used to derive the dynamic model expressed in the dqo reference frame. The resulted transfer functions are discretized for the sake of a digital controller design. Multiple-loop control strategy is adopted and consists of inner current feedback loops, which are based on the straightforward looping technique that neglects interactions between the dq components of control inputs and currents, respectively, and of an outer voltage loop, which is designed to ensure dc voltage regulation by adjusting the magnitude of the references for the inner current loops. The output dc voltage unbalance is also controlled in the inner loops. The proposed modeling and control approaches are first simulated and then validated on a 1.5-kW laboratory prototype supported by the DS 1104 digital real-time controller board of dSPACE. The obtained results prove the accuracy of the proposed new small-signal model and, therefore, its reliability for dynamic analysis and control design purposes. It is also proved that a judicious choice of controller parameters, as well as an adequate rating of boost inductors, allows one to meet the IEEE standard requirements in terms of ac line-current total harmonic distortion and power factor. The efficiency of the proposed control technique is maintained in case of disturbances occurring on both source and load sides.     

Three-Level Inverter-Based Shunt Active Power Filter in Three-Phase Three-Wire and Four-Wire Systems

This paper presents a direct current-space-vector control of an active power filter (APF) based on a three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) voltage-source inverter. The proposed method indirectly generates the compensation current reference by using an equivalent conductance of the fundamental component using APF's dc-link voltage control. The proposed control can selectively choose harmonic current components by real-time fast Fourier transform to generate the compensation current. The compensation current is represented in a rotating coordinate system with chosen switching states from a switching table implemented in a field-programmable gate array. In addition, a three-phase four-wire APF based on a three-level neutral-point-clamped inverter is also presented. The proposed APF eliminates harmonics in all three phases as well as the neutral current. A three-phase three-wire NPC inverter system can be used as a three-phase four-wire system since the split dc capacitors provide a neutral connection. To regulate and balance the split dc-capacitor voltages, a new control method using a sign cubical hysteresis controller is proposed. The characteristics of the APF system with an LCL-ripple filter are investigated and compared with traditional current control strategies to evaluate the inherent advantages. The simulation and experimental results validated the feasibility of the proposed APF.      

静止无功补偿器电压调节器仿真与实验研究

为了达到调节静止无功补偿器对所连接母线电压的目的,针对静止无功补偿器（SVC）电压调节器采用线性PID控制策略的限制,设计了基于电压差值加权控制策略的电压调节器。该加权控制策略采用了三部分传递函数计算SVC装置等效电纳,并通过电路仿真模型验证算法并进行谐波分析。通过闭环的物理一数字仿真系统对所设计的电压调节器进行功能测试和研究。仿真结果表明该方法的有效性。     

Optimal Predictive Control of Three-Phase NPC Multilevel Converter for Power Quality Applications

This paper presents the optimal control of the ac currents, the dc voltage regulation, and the dc capacitor voltage balancing in a three-level three-phase neutral point clamped multilevel converter for use in power quality applications as an active power filter. The ac output currents and the dc capacitor voltages are sampled and predicted for the next sampling time using linearized models and considering all the 27 output voltage vectors. A suitable quadratic weighed cost function is used to choose the voltage vector that minimizes the ac current tracking errors, the dc voltage steady-state error, and the input dc capacitor voltage unbalancing. The obtained experimental results show that the output ac currents track their references showing small ripple, a total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 1%, harmonic contents that are 46 dB below the fundamental, and almost no steady-state error (0.3%). The capacitor voltages are balanced within 0.05%, and the balancing is assured even when redundant vectors are not chosen. Near-perfect capacitor dc voltage balancing is obtained while reducing current harmonic distortion. Some experimental evidence of robustness concerning a parameter variation was also found, with the optimum controller withstanding parameter deviations from $+$100% to $-$50%. Compared to a robust sliding mode controller, the optimal controller can reduce the THD of the ac currents or reduce the switching frequency at the same THD, being a suitable controller for power quality in medium-voltage applications.      

Optimal control of three-level PWM inverters

An harmonic loss-minimized optimal PWM strategy for three-level inverters is investigated. The different PWM methods for low-, middle-, and high-speed regions are presented. It is shown that, for three-level inverters, the optimized strategy in all speed regions differs from the optimal PWM strategy of two-level inverters. The developed optimal control ensures a minimum of harmonic losses for a predetermined number of commutations of three-level PWM inverters and for a given value of the fundamental harmonic voltage