New Topologies and Advanced Control of Power Electronic Converters for Renewable Energy based Microgrids

Solar energy-based microgrids are increasingly promising due to their many features, such as being environmentally friendly and having low operating costs. Power electronic converters, filters, and transformers are the key components to integrate the solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with the microgrids. The power electronic converters play an important role to reduce the size of the filter circuit and eliminate the use of the bulky and heavy traditional power frequency step-up transformer. These power converters also play a vital role to integrate the energy storage systems such as batteries and the superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) unit in a solar PV power-based microgrid. However, the performance of these power converters depends upon the switching technique and the power converter configuration. The switching techniques can improve the power quality, i.e. lower total harmonic distortion at the converter output waveform, reduce the converter power loss, and can effectively utilize the dc bus voltage, which helps to improve the power conversion efficiency of the power electronic converter. The power converter configuration can reduce the size of the power converter and make the power conversion system more efficient. In addition to the advanced switching technique, a supervisory control can also be integrated with these power converters to ensure the optimal power flow within the microgrid. First, this thesis reviews different existing power converter topologies with their switching techniques and control strategies for the grid integration of solar PV systems. To eliminate the use of the bulky and heavy line frequency step-up transformer to integrate solar PV systems to medium voltage grids, the high frequency magnetic linkbased medium voltage power converter topologies are discussed and compared based on their performance parameters. Moreover, switching and conduction losses are calculated to compare the performance of the switching techniques for the magnetic-linked power converter topologies. In this thesis, a new pulse width modulation technique has been proposed to integrate the SMES system with the solar PV system-based microgrid. The pulse width modulation technique is designed to provide reactive power into the network in an effective way. The modulation technique ensures lower total harmonic distortion (THD), lower switching loss, and better utilization of dc-bus voltage. The simulation and experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed pulse width modulation technique. In this thesis, an improved version of the previously proposed switching technique has been designed for a transformer-less PV inverter. The improved switching technique can ensure effective active power flow into the network. A new switching scheme has been proposed for reactive power control to avoid unnecessary switching faced by the traditional switching technique in a transformer-less PV inverter. The proposed switching technique is based on the peak point value of the grid current and ensures lower switching loss compared to other switching techniques. In this thesis, a new magnetic-linked multilevel inverter has been designed to overcome the issues faced by the two-level inverters and traditional multilevel inverters. The proposed multilevel inverter utilizes the same number of electronic switches but fewer capacitors compared to the traditional multilevel inverters. The proposed multilevel inverter solves the capacitor voltage balancing and utilizes 25% more of the dc bus voltage compared to the traditional multilevel inverter, which reduces the power rating of the dc power source components and also extends the input voltage operating range of the inverter. An improved version magnetic-linked multilevel inverter is proposed in this thesis with a model predictive control technique. This multilevel inverter reduces both the number of switches and capacitors compared to the traditional multilevel inverter. This multilevel inverter also solves the capacitor voltage balancing issue and utilizes 50% more of the dc bus voltage compared to the traditional multilevel inverter. Finally, an energy management system has been designed for the developed power converter and control to achieve energy resiliency and minimum operating cost of the microgrid. The model predictive control-based energy management system utilizes the predicted load data, PV insolation data from web service, electricity price data, and battery state of charge data to select the battery charging and discharging pattern over the day. This model predictive control-based supervisory control with the advanced power electronic converter and control makes the PV energy-based microgrid more efficient and reliable

Asymmetric multilevel topology for photovoltaic energy injection to microgrids

The massive penetration of renewable energy sources in the utility grid has emerged as the solution to obtain clean energy in modern electric systems, which are gradually replacing their generators that produce CO2 emissions to achieve a sustainable growing. Power electronics is quite relevant in the deep penetration of renewable energy, because the use of such equipment is mandatory to integrate these new resources with the existing facilities. In order to reach higher power ranges, multilevel topologies are the state-of-the-art solution, due to the limited rating of the actual semiconductor devices. Furthermore, latest trends show that asymmetric multilevel configurations are an attractive technology to connect directly the power converters to the grid. This paper analyze the photovoltaic energy injection to microgrids using a hybrid approach that mixes the existing topologies: string, multistring and central inverter to implement an asymmetric structure that generate highly sinusoidal resulting waveforms. This document includes a simple analysis of the proposed configuration and highlights the advantages of using an asymmetric converter, supported with stationary and dynamic simulated results

Solid state transformers topologies, controllers, and applications: State-of-the-art literature review

With the global trend to produce clean electrical energy, the penetration of renewable energy sources in existing electricity infrastructure is expected to increase significantly within the next few years. The solid state transformer (SST) is expected to play an essential role in future smart grid topologies. Unlike traditional magnetic transformer, SST is flexible enough to be of modular construction, enabling bi-directional power flow and can be employed for AC and DC grids. Moreover, SSTs can control the voltage level and modulate both active and reactive power at the point of common coupling without the need to external flexible AC transmission system device as per the current practice in conventional electricity grids. The rapid advancement in power semiconductors switching speed and power handling capacity will soon allow for the commercialisation of grid-rated SSTs. This paper is aimed at introducing a state-of-the-art review for SST proposed topologies, controllers, and applications. Additionally, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis along with a brief review of market drivers for prospective commercialisation are elaborated

Control of distributed power in microgrids: PV field to the grid, islanding operation, and ultra-fast charging station.

Aquesta tesi explora el control de l'energia distribuïda en microxarxes (MG) i aborda diversos reptes relacionats amb el control, l'estabilitat, la compartició d'energia, el disseny del convertidor d'energia, la connexió a la xarxa, la càrrega ultraràpida i el subministrament d'energia renovable. El rendiment dels MG s'analitza tant en modes d'operació connectats a la xarxa com en illa, considerant diferents configuracions i escenaris de flux d'energia. La tesi se centra en diversos reptes clau, com ara maximitzar l'extracció d'energia de matrius fotovoltaiques (PV) en MG que utilitzen convertidors DC-DC, injectar potència MG excedent a la xarxa principal mitjançant inversors de font de tensió DC-AC (VSI) sota càrregues no lineals i desequilibrades, optimitzant el rendiment de MG i la compartició d'energia en mode illa mitjançant VSI, connectant-se a la xarxa principal en el punt d'acoblament comú (PCC) mitjançant transformadors de baixa freqüència (LFT) i transformadors d'estat sòlid (SST) i explorant topologies de convertidors de potència per ultra -càrrega ràpida de CC de vehicles elèctrics (EV). L'ús de SST en lloc de LFT pot millorar la capacitat de MG alhora que redueix el volum i el pes de l'arquitectura elèctrica MG. Aquesta tesi proporciona coneixements i solucions per abordar els reptes esmentats anteriorment, contribuint a l'avenç del control, l'estabilitat, la qualitat de l'energia i la integració eficient de les fonts d'energia renovables i la càrrega dels vehicles elèctrics.Esta tesis explora el control de la potencia distribuida en microrredes (MGs) y aborda diversos retos relacionados con el control, la estabilidad, el reparto de potencia, el diseño de convertidores de potencia, la conexión a la red, la carga ultrarrápida y el suministro de energías renovables. El rendimiento de las MG se analiza tanto en modo de funcionamiento conectado a la red como en modo aislado, considerando diferentes configuraciones y escenarios de flujo de potencia. La tesis se centra en varios retos clave, como la maximización de la extracción de energía de las matrices fotovoltaicas (FV) en las MG utilizando convertidores CC-CC, la inyección del excedente de energía de las MG en la red principal a través de inversores de fuente de tensión CC-CA (VSI) bajo cargas no lineales y desequilibradas, la optimización del rendimiento de las MG y del reparto de energía en modo aislado mediante VSI, la conexión a la red principal en el punto de acoplamiento común (PCC) mediante transformadores de baja frecuencia (LFT) y transformadores de estado sólido (SST), y la exploración de topologías de convertidores de potencia para la carga ultrarrápida en corriente continua de vehículos eléctricos (VE). El uso de SST en lugar de LFT puede mejorar la capacidad de la MG y, al mismo tiempo, reducir el volumen y el peso de la arquitectura eléctrica de la MG. Esta tesis aporta ideas y soluciones para abordar los retos mencionados, contribuyendo al avance del control de la MG, la estabilidad, la calidad de la energía y la integración eficiente de fuentes de energía renovables y la carga de vehículos eléctricos. Traducción realizada con la versión gratuita del traductor www.DeepL.com/TranslatorThis thesis explores the control of distributed power in microgrids (MGs) and addresses various challenges related to control, stability, power sharing, power converter design, grid connection, ultra-fast charging, and renewable energy supply. The performance of MGs is analysed in both grid-connected and islanded modes of operation, considering different configurations and power flow scenarios. The thesis focuses on several key challenges, including maximising power extraction from photovoltaic (PV) arrays in MGs utilizing DC-DC converters, injecting surplus MG power into the main grid via DC-AC voltage source inverters (VSIs) under nonlinear and unbalanced loads, optimising MG performance and power sharing in islanded mode through VSIs, connecting to the main grid at the point of common coupling (PCC) using low-frequency transformers (LFTs) and solid-state transformers (SSTs), and exploring power converter topologies for ultra-fast DC charging of electric vehicles (EVs). The use of SSTs instead of LFTs can enhance MG capability while reducing the volume and weight of the MG electrical architecture. This thesis provides insights and solutions to address the aforementioned challenges, contributing to the advancement of MG control, stability, power quality, and efficient integration of renewable energy sources and EV charging

Solid state transformer technologies and applications: a bibliographical survey

This paper presents a bibliographical survey of the work carried out to date on the solid state transformer (SST). The paper provides a list of references that cover most work related to this device and a short discussion about several aspects. The sections of the paper are respectively dedicated to summarize configurations and control strategies for each SST stage, the work carried out for optimizing the design of high-frequency transformers that could adequately work in the isolation stage of a SST, the efficiency of this device, the various modelling approaches and simulation tools used to analyze the performance of a SST (working a component of a microgrid, a distribution system or just in a standalone scenario), and the potential applications that this device is offering as a component of a power grid, a smart house, or a traction system.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A review on power electronics technologies for power quality improvement

Nowadays, new challenges arise relating to the compensation of power quality problems, where the introduction of innovative solutions based on power electronics is of paramount importance. The evolution from conventional electrical power grids to smart grids requires the use of a large number of power electronics converters, indispensable for the integration of key technologies, such as renewable energies, electric mobility and energy storage systems, which adds importance to power quality issues. Addressing these topics, this paper presents an extensive review on power electronics technologies applied to power quality improvement, highlighting, and explaining the main phenomena associated with the occurrence of power quality problems in smart grids, their cause and effects for different activity sectors, and the main power electronics topologies for each technological solution. More specifically, the paper presents a review and classification of the main power quality problems and the respective context with the standards, a review of power quality problems related to the power production from renewables, the contextualization with solid-state transformers, electric mobility and electrical railway systems, a review of power electronics solutions to compensate the main power quality problems, as well as power electronics solutions to guarantee high levels of power quality. Relevant experimental results and exemplificative developed power electronics prototypes are also presented throughout the paper.This work has been supported by FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020. This work has been supported by the FCT Project DAIPESEV PTDC/EEI-EEE/30382/2017 and by the FCT Project newERA4GRIDs PTDC/EEIEEE/30283/2017