Single stage boost inverter for standalone fuel cell applications

The proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a promising technology that can be manufactured in South Africa because of the platinum catalyst required. South Africa is rich in platinum and, therefore, the PEMFC system can be cost-effectively produced. In residential stationary applications of the PEMFC a power conditioning system is required to convert the de voltage output of the PEMFC to ac voltage. Therefore, the focus of this thesis is to analyse, simulate and design a power electronic dc-ac converter. The power electronic dc-ac converter is based on a transformerless single stage power conversion scheme, which has better weight, volume and efficiency than the commonly used two stage power conversion schemes. The selected topology is the boost inverter that consists of two identical boost converters for boosting and inversion of the PEMFC de voltage. Moreover, it achieves reliable operation under nonlinear loads, sudden load changes and inrush current, using a double loop control strategy. Initially, the double loop control strategy was introduced with proportional integral (Pl) controllers. Recently, with the widespread use of proportional resonant PR controllers, the PI controllers were replaced with PR controllers to achieve zero steady state error for the ac components of the reference. However, during the implementation of the PR controllers on the boost inverter, a significant de offset in the output voltage of the boost inverter was observed, which was due to the mismatch of the boost converters' parameters. The de voltage affects pulsating torque AC machines, accuracy in domestic watt-meter and safety of residual current protection. Furthermore, the output voltages of the boost converters showed a clipping effect, which was caused by the dead time of the switching devices used in the boost converters. An integral term was added to the PR controller to form the controller here called the proportional integral resonant (PIR) controller. This controller achieved satisfactory results of de and ac voltage reference following capability and maintains the same advantages of the PI controllers. However, the efficiency was not high due to the high resistance of the inductor used in the boost inverter system

Analysis of integrated STATCOM-SMES based on three-phase three-level multi-pulse voltage source inverter for high power utility applications

This paper is aimed to investigate the operating characteristics of a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) integrated with superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) for high power applications in the transmission network level. The STATCOM controller topology comprises multi-level multi-pulse neutral-point clamped-type (NPC) voltage source inverters (VSIs) using the harmonics cancellation technique, and incorporates a SMES coil. An innovative two-quadrant multi-level dcdc converter is proposed to effectively interface the STATCOM with the superconducting coil using a buck-boost topology with neutral point voltage control capabilities; thus enabling to simultaneously control both active and reactive power exchange with the high voltage power system. A detailed analysis of major system variables is presented, including analytical results and digital simulations using the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Moreover, a three-level control scheme is designed, including a full decoupled current control strategy in the dq reference frame with a novel controller to prevent the STATCOM dc bus capacitors voltage drift/imbalance and an enhanced power system frequency controller.Fil: Molina, Marcelo Gustavo. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Energía Eléctrica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Mercado, Pedro Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Watanabe, Edson H.. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Energía Eléctrica; Argentin

Novel design techniques and control schemes for higher efficiency switched-mode power converters

This thesis details novel control schemes and design techniques with the aim of improving the performance of several switched-mode power converter topologies. These improvements include higher steady-state and transient efficiencies for hard-switching converters and the automatic current limiting provision for LLC resonant converters. The thesis initially attempts to use linear closed-loop controllers to improve the transient response of synchronous buck converters, enabling them to be designed with a lower open-loop bandwidth so that the system can achieve higher efficiency. Three types of controllers were investigated viz: the PID, the state-feedback and the predictive controller. All three controllers exhibit similar step responses, which are the maximum transient responses achievable by the linear controllers with the given requirements. The thesis then examines the parallel converter (i.e. a converter with two parallel connected power modules (PMs)) in detail with a view to improve the efficiency and to minimise the current ripple experienced by the output capacitor. Two control schemes and a design technique for the parallel converter are proposed, to simultaneously improve its efficiency and power density. The parallel converter in this research consists of two non-identical rated PMs (termed main PM and auxiliary PM), with the transient response requirement allocated to the auxiliary PM, thereby allowing the main PM to operate at a lower frequency for higher steady-state efficiency. The first control scheme activates the auxiliary PM only when a pre-determined deviation in load/output voltage is exceeded under a load step. Thus, eliminating the losses contributed by the low efficiency auxiliary PM for small load step changes. The second control scheme shapes the auxiliary PM inductor current to be equal and opposite to the main PM current ripple, which when combined reduce the current ripple as experienced by the output filter capacitor, thereby allowing a lower value (and hence physically smaller) capacitor to be selected for higher power density. In order to improve the converter's steady-state efficiency further, the minimum load condition is allocated to the auxiliary PM in the new design technique. These allow both the main PM inductance and its switching frequency to be lower for higher efficiency. In recent years, the LLC has received much attention owing to its favourable operating characteristics including high efficiency and high power density. Usually one chooses to operate at or very close to the load independent point (LIP) since very little control effort is required to regulate the converter's output voltage in response to changes in the load. However under fault conditions where the load tends towards a short circuit, excessive currents can flow and thus control action need to be taken to protect both the converter and the load. The final topic of the thesis hence studies the characteristics of an LLC resonant converter with current-limiting capacitor-diode clamp and develops a new equivalent circuit model to predict the behaviour under overload conditions. A detailed analysis of the converter is presented using the proposed model, from which a design methodology is derived allowing the optimum circuit components to be selected to achieve the required current limiting/protection characteristics

Enabling low cost test and tuning of difficult-to-measure device specifications: application to DC-DC converters and high speed devices

Low-cost test and tuning methods for difficult-to-measure specifications are presented in this research from the following perspectives: 1)"Safe" test and self-tuning for power converters: To avoid the risk of device under test (DUT) damage during conventional load/line regulation measurement on power converter, a "safe" alternate test structure is developed where the power converter (boost/buck converter) is placed in a different mode of operation during alternative test (light switching load) as opposed to standard test (heavy switching load) to prevent damage to the DUT during manufacturing test. Based on the alternative test structure, self-tuning methods for both boost and buck converters are also developed in this thesis. In addition, to make these test structures suitable for on-chip built-in self-test (BIST) application, a special sensing circuit has been designed and implemented. Stability analysis filters and appropriate models are also implemented to predict the DUT’s electrical stability condition during test and to further predict the values of tuning knobs needed for the tuning process. 2) High bandwidth RF signal generation: Up-convertion has been widely used in high frequency RF signal generation but mixer nonlinearity results in signal distortion that is difficult to eliminate with such methods. To address this problem, a framework for low-cost high-fidelity wideband RF signal generation is developed in this thesis. Depending on the band-limited target waveform, the input data for two interleaved DACs (digital-to-analog converters) system is optimized by a matrix-model-based algorithm in such a way that it minimizes the distortion between one of its image replicas in the frequency domain and the target RF waveform within a specified signal bandwidth. The approach is used to demonstrate how interferers with specified frequency characteristics can be synthesized at low cost for interference testing of RF communications systems. The frameworks presented in this thesis have a significant impact in enabling low-cost test and tuning of difficult-to-measure device specifications for power converter and high-speed devices.Ph.D

Analysis and Design of 3-Phase Unfolding Based AC-DC Battery Chargers

This thesis presents the analysis and design of high-efficiency battery chargers for heavy duty EV applications. The rise in popularity of the electric vehicles (EVs) due to their increased efficiency over conventional internal combustion engines, has driven the need for more battery charging infrastructure. Furthermore, heavy duty vehicles are also being converted to electric to fill needs such as public transportation via bus fleets as well as cargo delivery via semi-trucks. Such heavy duty vehicles require more energy than personal transportation vehicles and thus require larger battery packs. To charge heavy duty battery packs in the same amount of time as the typical EV, higher power chargers are required. Energy is distributed through the grid network, and a battery charger is converts the grid power into a regulated output for battery charging. The novel battery charging designs investigated in this thesis are classified differently than traditional designs because they have fewer switching stages to convert the power. The unique approach taken allows these designs to have higher efficiency overall than a traditional battery charger design. The new converter designs are refereed to as the three-level (3L) asymmetrical full bridge (3LAFB)and 3L asymmetrical dual active bridge (3LADAB). The operation of each converter is briefly discussed to help develop context for the hardware and controller designs. The controller design for the 3LAFB topology is developed to explain the control objectives of the 3-port dc-dc converter. Hardware results prototype designs are presented to validate proposed chargers and controller designs. A high power extreme fast charger (XFC) structure is proposed using multiple lower power modules. The high-efficiency design of a single module is presented and hardware results are given

Microprocessor based signal processing techniques for system identification and adaptive control of DC-DC converters

PhD ThesisMany industrial and consumer devices rely on switch mode power converters (SMPCs) to provide a reliable, well regulated, DC power supply. A poorly performing power supply can potentially compromise the characteristic behaviour, efficiency, and operating range of the device. To ensure accurate regulation of the SMPC, optimal control of the power converter output is required. However, SMPC uncertainties such as component variations and load changes will affect the performance of the controller. To compensate for these time varying problems, there is increasing interest in employing real-time adaptive control techniques in SMPC applications. It is important to note that many adaptive controllers constantly tune and adjust their parameters based upon on-line system identification. In the area of system identification and adaptive control, Recursive Least Square (RLS) method provide promising results in terms of fast convergence rate, small prediction error, accurate parametric estimation, and simple adaptive structure. Despite being popular, RLS methods often have limited application in low cost systems, such as SMPCs, due to the computationally heavy calculations demanding significant hardware resources which, in turn, may require a high specification microprocessor to successfully implement. For this reason, this thesis presents research into lower complexity adaptive signal processing and filtering techniques for on-line system identification and control of SMPCs systems. The thesis presents the novel application of a Dichotomous Coordinate Descent (DCD) algorithm for the system identification of a dc-dc buck converter. Two unique applications of the DCD algorithm are proposed; system identification and self-compensation of a dc-dc SMPC. Firstly, specific attention is given to the parameter estimation of dc-dc buck SMPC. It is computationally efficient, and uses an infinite impulse response (IIR) adaptive filter as a plant model. Importantly, the proposed method is able to identify the parameters quickly and accurately; thus offering an efficient hardware solution which is well suited to real-time applications. Secondly, new alternative adaptive schemes that do not depend entirely on estimating the plant parameters is embedded with DCD algorithm. The proposed technique is based on a simple adaptive filter method and uses a one-tap finite impulse response (FIR) prediction error filter (PEF). Experimental and simulation results clearly show the DCD technique can be optimised to achieve comparable performance to classic RLS algorithms. However, it is computationally superior; thus making it an ideal candidate technique for low cost microprocessor based applications.Iraq Ministry of Higher Educatio

Design of module level converters in photovoltaic power systems

The application of distributed maximum power point tracking (DMPPT) technology in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is a hot topic in industry and academia. In the PV industry, grid integrated power systems are mainstream. The main objective for PV system design is to increase energy conversion efficiency and decrease the levelized cost of electricity of PV generators. This thesis firstly presents an extensive review of state-of-the-art PV technologies. With focus on grid integrated PV systems research, various aspects covered include PV materials, conventional full power processing DMPPT architectures, main MPPT techniques, and traditional partial power processing DMPPT architectures. The main restrictions to applying traditional DMPPT architectures in large power systems are discussed. A parallel connected partial power processing DMPPT architecture is proposed aiming to overcome existing restrictions. With flexible ‘plug-and-play’ functionality, the proposed architecture can be readily expanded to supply a downstream inverter stage or dc network. By adopting smaller module integrated converters, the proposed approach provides a possible efficiency improvement and cost reduction. The requirements for possible converter candidates and control strategies are analysed. One representative circuit scheme is presented as an example to verify the feasibility of the design. An electromagnetic transient model is built for different power scale PV systems to verify the DMPPT feasibility of the evaluated architecture in a large-scale PV power system. Voltage boosting ability is widely needed for converters in DMPPT applications. Impedance source converters (ISCs) are the main converter types with step-up ability. However, these converters have a general problem of low order distortion when applied in dc-ac applications. To solve this problem, a generic plug-in repetitive control strategy for a four-switch three-phase ISC type inverter configuration is developed. Simulation and experimental results confirm that this control strategy is suitable for many ISC converters.The application of distributed maximum power point tracking (DMPPT) technology in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is a hot topic in industry and academia. In the PV industry, grid integrated power systems are mainstream. The main objective for PV system design is to increase energy conversion efficiency and decrease the levelized cost of electricity of PV generators. This thesis firstly presents an extensive review of state-of-the-art PV technologies. With focus on grid integrated PV systems research, various aspects covered include PV materials, conventional full power processing DMPPT architectures, main MPPT techniques, and traditional partial power processing DMPPT architectures. The main restrictions to applying traditional DMPPT architectures in large power systems are discussed. A parallel connected partial power processing DMPPT architecture is proposed aiming to overcome existing restrictions. With flexible ‘plug-and-play’ functionality, the proposed architecture can be readily expanded to supply a downstream inverter stage or dc network. By adopting smaller module integrated converters, the proposed approach provides a possible efficiency improvement and cost reduction. The requirements for possible converter candidates and control strategies are analysed. One representative circuit scheme is presented as an example to verify the feasibility of the design. An electromagnetic transient model is built for different power scale PV systems to verify the DMPPT feasibility of the evaluated architecture in a large-scale PV power system. Voltage boosting ability is widely needed for converters in DMPPT applications. Impedance source converters (ISCs) are the main converter types with step-up ability. However, these converters have a general problem of low order distortion when applied in dc-ac applications. To solve this problem, a generic plug-in repetitive control strategy for a four-switch three-phase ISC type inverter configuration is developed. Simulation and experimental results confirm that this control strategy is suitable for many ISC converters

Design and Control of Power Converters 2019

In this book, 20 papers focused on different fields of power electronics are gathered. Approximately half of the papers are focused on different control issues and techniques, ranging from the computer-aided design of digital compensators to more specific approaches such as fuzzy or sliding control techniques. The rest of the papers are focused on the design of novel topologies. The fields in which these controls and topologies are applied are varied: MMCs, photovoltaic systems, supercapacitors and traction systems, LEDs, wireless power transfer, etc