A New Neutral-Point-Clamped PWM Inverter

A new neutral-point-clamped pulsewidth modulation (PWM) inverter composed of main switching devices which operate as switches for PWM and auxiliary switching devices to clamp the output terminal potential to the neutral point potential has been developed. This inverter output contains less harmonic content as compared with that of a conventional type. Two inverters are compared analytically and experimentally. In addition, a new PWM technique suitable for an ac drive system is applied to this inverter. The neutral-point-clamped PWM inverter adopting the new PWM technique shows an excellent drive system efficiency, including motor efficiency, and is appropriate for a wide-range variable-speed drive system.     

High-Performance Control Strategy of Cycloconverter-Fed Induction Motor Drive System Based on Digital Control Theory

The field-oriented control, or the vector control, has emerged as a powerful tool for controlling squirrel-cage induction motors. The dynamic performance, however, depends on the controllability of the stator currents.     

A novel PWM scheme of voltage source inverters based on space vector theory

Contents A novel PWM scheme which can considerably reduce harmonic currents is proposed. It is explained analytically that the harmonic currents depend on the amplitude and phase angle of the reference voltage vector, the inverter output voltage vectors used in a switching period, and the sequence of these output voltage vectors. In the novel PWM scheme, the switching sequence is selected so that the harmonic currents are minimum. An experimental system which generates the PWM patterns by software at real time is constructed. Compared with the conventional sinusoidal PWM scheme, it is confirmed that the current ripple is decreased and the spectrum is shifted and dispersed to a higher frequency region.

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Ein neues Modulationskonzept für Wechselrichter mit eingeprägter Spannung

Übersicht Es wird ein neues Modulationskonzept vorgeschlagen, mit dem die Oberschwingungsströme beträchtlich herabgesetzt werden können. Wie analytisch gezeigt wird, hängen diese von Amplitude und Phasenwinkel des Zeigers der Referenzspannung, der Wechselrichter-Ausgangsspannung in einer Schaltperiode und der Abfolge der Zeiger dieser Ausgangsspannung ab. Nach dem neuen Konzept wird die Schaltfolge so gewählt, daß sich ein Minimum der Oberschwingungsströme ergibt. In einer Versuchseinrichtung wird das Pulsmuster durch Software in Echtzeit generiert. Im Vergleich mit der konventionellen Sinusbewertung bestätigt sich eine Verminderung der Welligkeit und eine Verschiebung des Oberschwingungsspektrums in den Bereich höherer Frequenzen.

     

130 kHz 7.5 kW current source inverters using static inductiontransistors for induction heating applications

A control scheme of a high-frequency high-power current source inverters using static induction transistors is described which aims at the suppression of the surge voltage and reduction of the switching loss during the commutation of current. The inverter is operated at a leading power factor, which requires the phase angle of the output current to be adjusted to each specific load point by the controller. The stable operation is verified by the experiments under the commutation inductance 1.8 μH, i.e., 18% reactance (130 kHz, 250 V, 30 A, base). As a result, the inverter efficiency is estimated to be 97%, excluding the loss of the drive circuit and the control circuit     

Super-low friction and lightweight hydraulic cylinder using multi-directional forging magnesium alloy and its application to robotic leg

Abstract

One of the most important missions for robots is to operate in severe environments, and these situations require robots to have ‘toughness’ which can overcome large shocks, degraded communication quality, unexpected condition, and other critical accidents. Although there are many kinds of approaches to realize tough robotic systems, developing a tough actuators is one of the key technologies for them. We focus on hydraulic actuators and attempt to develop a tough robotic actuator with greater toughness than the electromagnetic actuators used in conventional robotic systems. In general, hydraulic actuators have enough toughness for severe environments, but their controllability and lightness are insufficient for robot systems. Herein, we propose novel hydraulic actuators that realizes lightweight with a multidirectional-forging magnesium alloy and have high controllability by low friction pistons. Prototypes were developed to examine the fundamental characteristics of the actuators and compare the two approaches for the low-friction pistons: one is based on a packing mechanism using an elastic restoring pressure, and the other utilizes a fluid-bearing technology. After basic experiments, the prototype was applied to a robotic leg to verify their potential in actual robotic systems. The robotic leg successfully jumped 260 mm in height with 21 MPa.     

An Approach to Flux Control of Induction Motors Operated with Variable-Frequency Power Supply

A new speed control system for induction motors has been developed which is capable of controlling with quick field weakening and superior response and stability. This method is to control the stator current as a vector quantity on the basis of slip frequency control. More specifically, it is designed to calculate the commanded stator current of the induction motor by corresponding to flux and torque commands on the basis of motor constants and use the calculated commands to control the stator current.     

Variable frequency inverter with sinusoidal voltage outputs using rotating coordinate transformation

An ideal inverter should have sinusoidal voltage and current outputs. Generally, output voltages of a voltage-source PWM inverter contain high-level switching frequency harmonies due to the PWM operation, while output currents are kept nearly sinusoidal. High-level harmonics contained in output voltages of a voltage-source inverter cause acoustic noises, iron losses and electromagnetic interferences. An LC filter was used to suppress the switching frequency harmonics; however, there is a danger of resonance in the LC filter. Accordingly, to remove harmonics of the LC filter resonance frequency, the authors add a voltage feedback loop. A conventional system can operate without difficulty within 50 Hz. However, with accompanying increases in the output frequency, output voltages are largely delayed and reduced by a high-pass filter inserted in the feedback loop. These problems are caused by a high-pass filter inserted in the feedback loop. Accompanied by the inverter output frequency, a high-pass filter cannot remove the fundamental component perfectly. As a result, a small fundamental component is fed back, which causes a delay and decrease in output voltage. This paper proposes the application of coordinate transformation to a high-pass filter inserted in the feedback loop. As a result, the proposed system realizes an ideal filter which can suppress fundamental frequency components perfectly, and improves the characteristics of the inverter with sinusoidal voltage outputs greatly. Theoretical analyses, simulations and experiments showed satisfactory results. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 118 (4): 94–102, 1997