A method for synchronization of power electronic converters in polluted and variable-frequency environments

This paper presents a new synchronization method which employs an enhanced phase-locked loop (EPLL) system. The operational concept of the EPLL is novel and based on a nonlinear dynamical system. As compared with the existing synchronization methods, the introduced EPLL-based synchronization method provides higher degree of immunity and insensitivity to noise, harmonics and other types of pollutions that exist in the signal used as the basis of synchronization. The salient feature of the EPLL-based synchronization method over conventional synchronization methods is its frequency adaptivity which permits satisfactory operation when the centre frequency of the base signal varies. The proposed EPLL-based method of synchronization is also capable of coping with the unbalanced system scenarios. Structural simplicity of the EPLL-based method greatly simplifies its implementation in digital software and/or hardware environments as an integral part of a digital control platform for power electronic converters. The primary application of the proposed synchronization method is for the distributed generation units, e.g., wind generation systems, which utilize power electronic converters as an integral part of their systems.     

On the equivalence of three independently developed phase-locked loops

Three independent research groups have proposed three apparently different architectures for an improved phase-locked loop (PLL) structure through three entirely different approaches. It is shown that all three PLLs are structurally and mathematically the same. A linear analysis is performed and concludes that the available theory for the design of conventional PLLs can be leveraged into the design of the new class of PLLs.     

Experimental performance evaluation of a wavelet-based on-linevoltage detection method for power quality applications

This paper evaluates the performance of a wavelet-based, online (real-time) voltage detection scheme for power quality applications. The objectives are: (1) to demonstrate suitability of the proposed method in detecting faults/disturbances in a power system; and (2) to compare its performance with that of a conventional scheme. Two (STS) systems are chosen as frameworks for comparison; a low-voltage laboratory STS setup for which measured results are provided, and a medium-voltage STS system for which detection times are derived based on simulation, using the EMTDC/PSCAD     

Estimation of frequency and its rate of change for applications in power systems

A new method for estimation of power frequency and its rate of change is presented. Unlike conventional methods which are based on the concept of linearization, the proposed scheme accommodates the inherent nonlinearity of the frequency estimation problem. This makes the method capable of providing a fast and accurate estimate of the frequency when its deviation from the nominal value is incremental or large. The estimator is based on a newly developed quadrature phase-locked loop concept. The method is highly immune to noise and distortions. The estimator performance is robust with respect to the parameters of its structure. Structural simplicity and performance robustness are other salient features of the method.     

A signal Processing system for extraction of harmonics and reactive current of single-phase systems

A signal processing system for extraction of harmonic and reactive current components is introduced and its performance is evaluated. The extraction system is adopted as part of the control system of a single-phase active power filter (APF) to provide the required signals for harmonic filtering and reactive power compensation. Performance of the overall system is evaluated based on digital time-domain simulation studies. The APF control system including the signal processing algorithms are implemented in Matlab/Simulink Fixed-Point Blockset to accommodate bit-length limitation which is a crucial factor in digital implementation. The power system including the APF, load and the supply system are simulated with the PSCAD/EMTDC software to which the Matlab-based control model is interfaced. The simulation results indicate that the signal processing unit can provide the required signals for APF to perform filtering/compensation within the transient period of 2 to 3 cycles.     

A Filtering Technique for Three-Phase Power Systems

A novel filter for use in three-phase power systems is introduced. When the input to the filter is a balanced three-phase set of signals, the filter suppresses noise and distortions and extracts a smooth three-phase fundamental component. When the input signal to the filter is unbalanced, it extracts the fundamental positive-sequence component of the input signal. The filter also estimates the magnitude, phase angle, and frequency of the signal and adaptively follows the variations in all these three variables. The characteristics of the filter, including its mathematical equations, stability analysis, steady state, and dynamic responses, are discussed in this paper. The filter highly attenuates the harmonics, unknown interharmonics, and distortions. However, an extension of the filter for full removal of harmonics and unknown interharmonics is also presented, and its operating principles are discussed. The structural simplicity and robustness of the filter make it desirable for power system applications. In addition to the wide applications in power systems, it can specifically be used as an adaptive antialiasing filter for three-phase applications.     

A distortion-free phase-locked loop system for FACTS and power electronic controllers

This paper presents a single-phase phase-locked loop (PLL) system which is primarily free from the double-frequency ripples from which the conventional PLL system suffers. The proposed PLL is then extended to reject the harmonic components from the input signal and to estimate the phase-angle and frequency of the distorted input signal with no error. Three units of the proposed PLL can be used in three-phase power systems, such as FACTS and HVDC converters, to estimate the phase-angles of the individual phases with no double-frequency ripples and without sensitivity to the presence of harmonics and inter-harmonics. This makes the proposed PLL unique and desirable for applications which demand highly accurate estimation of the phase-angle(s) and frequency.     

Robust and frequency-adaptive measurement of peak value

A new approach for measuring the peak value of the fundamental component of a distorted sinusoidal signal for power system applications is presented. The method is applicable to single-phase as well as three-phase systems. While maintaining structural simplicity, the proposed approach is highly robust with respect to noise and distortion due to disturbances and unbalanced conditions of the system. The method is also highly tolerant of uncertainties in the setting of its internal parameters. The salient feature of the proposed approach is its capability of adapting to the variations in the center frequency of the input signal. The method is suitable for environments that frequency excursions are experienced and conventional discrete Fourier transform (DFT)-based methods do not provide satisfactory results. Speed and accuracy of the response can also be controlled. Structural simplicity and robustness of the proposed scheme make it well suited for digital implementation on software and hardware platforms. Performance of the proposed method is presented based on simulation studies in the MATLAB environment and an experimental setup.     

Detection and extraction of periodic noises in audio and biomedical signals using Kalman filter

This paper studies the subject of adaptive noise cancelation using the Kalman filtering technique to achieve high precision and fast convergence. It is shown that the Kalman filter can successfully be designed to detect and extract periodic noises which may be constituted of different sinusoidal components with possibly unknown and/or time-varying frequencies. This highlights the feature of Kalman filter in synthesizing periodic noises in the time-domain which is not possible using Fourier-based methods such as DFT. Usefulness of the method is discussed in the context of two examples: active cancelation of periodic noises from audio waveforms and filtering of electrocardiogram measurements.     

Processing of Symmetrical Components in Time-Domain

A novel system for decomposing a set of three-phase signals into its constituting symmetrical components is proposed. The system also estimates the frequency, the magnitudes and phase-angles of the sequence components. The system is useful for online estimation of instantaneous symmetrical components and their attributes in the presence of frequency variations. The proposed system can be considered as a fundamentally improved version of the conventional three-phase Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) system which is widely used in power system applications. From this viewpoint, the proposed system obviates the inherent shortcoming of the conventional PLL system which is its erroneous response in the presence of negative-sequence component. Mathematical derivations and computer simulations are presented to describe the principles of operation and the performance of the proposed system. Examples of applications of the proposed system are in Flexible ac Transmission Systems (FACTS), HVDC systems, and Custom Power Controllers