Experimental Validation of a quasi Z-Source Modular Multilevel Converter with DC Fault Blocking Capability

This paper considers the design methodology and the modulation of the quasi Z-source modular multilevel converter (qZS-MMC) with half bridge sub-modules and evaluates its performance in voltage boosting mode for medium voltage applications. The qZS-MMC consists of two quasi Z-source networks inserted between the two terminals of the DC input source and the DC-link terminals of a modular multilevel converter (MMC), which allows the generation of an output voltage larger than the input DC voltage. Two modulation schemes have been analysed based on a mathematical derivation for the converter internal voltages, currents, and stored energy. The quasi Z-source circuit is proven to provide the qZS-MMC with half bridge sub-modules to deal with DC-faults. The experimental results validate the performance of the proposed modulation schemes and the DC-fault blocking capability of the qZS MMC. Finally, the losses of the qZS-MMC is compared against a standard MMC using full bridge sub-modules that can also provide DC fault capability. The range in which the qZS-MMC is more efficient has been identified. Furthermore, the qZS-MMC can provide a significant reduction in number of semiconductor power devices with the same performance

Integration of an Active Filter and a Single-Phase AC/DC Converter with Reduced Capacitance Requirement and Component Count

Existing methods of incorporating an active filter into an AC/DC converter for eliminating electrolytic capacitors usually require extra power switches. This inevitably leads to an increased system cost and degraded energy efficiency. In this paper, a concept of active-filter integration for single-phase AC/DC converters is reported. The resultant converters can provide simultaneous functions of power factor correction, DC voltage regulation, and active power decoupling for mitigating the low-frequency DC voltage ripple, without an electrolytic capacitor and extra power switch. To complement the operation, two closed-loop voltage-ripple-based reference generation methods are developed for controlling the energy storage components to achieve active power decoupling. Both simulation and experiment have confirmed the eligibility of the proposed concept and control methods in a 210-W rectification system comprising an H-bridge converter with a half-bridge active filter. Interestingly, the end converters (Type I and Type II) can be readily available using a conventional H-bridge converter with minor hardware modification. A stable DC output with merely 1.1% ripple is realized with two 50-μF film capacitors. For the same ripple performance, a 900-μF capacitor is required in conventional converters without an active filter. Moreover, it is found out that the active-filter integration concept might even improve the efficiency performance of the end converters as compared with the original AC/DC converter without integration

A comparative study of different optimization methods for resonance half-bridge converter

The LLC resonance half-bridge converter is one of the most popular DC-DC converters and could easily inspire researchers to design a high-efficiency and high-power-density converter. LLC resonance converters have diverse operation modes based on switching frequency and load that cause designing and optimizing procedure to vary in different modes. In this paper, different operation modes of the LLC half-bridge converter that investigate different optimization procedures are introduced. The results of applying some usual optimization methods implies that for each operation mode some specific methods are more appropriate to achieve high efficiency. To verify the results of each optimization, numerous simulations are done by Pspice and MATLAB and the efficiencies are calculated to compare them. Finally, to verify the result of optimization, the experimental results of a laboratory prototype are provided.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

The Alternate Arm Converter: A New Hybrid Multilevel Converter With DC-Fault Blocking Capability

This paper explains the working principles, supported by simulation results, of a new converter topology intended for HVDC applications, called the alternate arm converter (AAC). It is a hybrid between the modular multilevel converter, because of the presence of H-bridge cells, and the two-level converter, in the form of director switches in each arm. This converter is able to generate a multilevel ac voltage and since its stacks of cells consist of H-bridge cells instead of half-bridge cells, they are able to generate higher ac voltage than the dc terminal voltage. This allows the AAC to operate at an optimal point, called the “sweet spot,” where the ac and dc energy flows equal. The director switches in the AAC are responsible for alternating the conduction period of each arm, leading to a significant reduction in the number of cells in the stacks. Furthermore, the AAC can keep control of the current in the phase reactor even in case of a dc-side fault and support the ac grid, through a STATCOM mode. Simulation results and loss calculations are presented in this paper in order to support the claimed features of the AAC

Modular multilevel converter with modified half-bridge submodule and arm filter for dc transmission systems with DC fault blocking capability

Although a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is universally accepted as a suitable converter topology for the high voltage dc transmission systems, its dc fault ride performance requires substantial improvement in order to be used in critical infrastructures such as transnational multi-terminal dc (MTDC) networks. Therefore, this paper proposes a modified submodule circuit for modular multilevel converter that offers an improved dc fault ride through performance with reduced semiconductor losses and enhanced control flexibility compared to that achievable with full-bridge submodules. The use of the proposed submodules allows MMC to retain its modularity; with semiconductor loss similar to that of the mixed submodules MMC, but higher than that of the half-bridge submodules. Besides dc fault blocking, the proposed submodule offers the possibility of controlling ac current in-feed during pole-to-pole dc short circuit fault, and this makes such submodule increasingly attractive and useful for continued operation of MTDC networks during dc faults. The aforesaid attributes are validated using simulations performed in MATLAB/SIMULINK, and substantiated experimentally using the proposed submodule topology on a 4-level small-scale MMC prototype

Modified half-bridge modular multilevel converter for HVDC systems with DC fault ride-through capability

One of the main challenges of voltage source converter based HVDC systems is DC faults. In this paper, two different modified half-bridge modular multilevel converter topologies are proposed. The proposed converters offer a fault tolerant against the most severe pole-to-pole DC faults. The converter comprises three switches or two switches and 4 diodes in each cell, which can result in less cost and losses compared to the full-bridge modular multilevel converter. Converter structure and controls are presented including the converter modulation and capacitors balancing. MATLAB/SIMULINK simulations are carried out to verify converter operation in normal and faulty conditions

Battery Charge Applications Based on Wide Output Voltage Range

In this study, high efficiency design procedure of a phase shifted full bridge (PSFB) converter is presented for on-board electrical vehicle (EV) battery charger. Presented design methodology used lithium-ion battery cells because of their high voltage and current rates compared to a lead-acid battery cells. In this case, PSFB converter can be regulated wide range output voltage with while its soft switching operation is maintained. The basic operation principles of PSFB converter is defined and its soft switching operation requirements are given. To evaluate the performance of the converter over wide output voltage range, zero voltage switching (ZVS) operation of converter is discussed based on dead time requirement. To improve efficiency, the snubber inductance effects on soft switching over wide output voltage range are evaluated. Finally, operation of the PSFB converter is validated experimentally with a prototype which has 42-54 V/15 A output range at 200 kHz switching frequency

A Single-Stage LED Driver Based on ZCDS Class-E Current-Driven Rectifier as a PFC for Street-Lighting Applications

This paper presents a light-emitting diode (LED) driver for street-lighting applications that uses a resonant rectifier as a power-factor corrector (PFC). The PFC semistage is based on a zero-current and zero-derivative-switching (ZCDS) Class-E current-driven rectifier, and the LED driver semistage is based on a zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) Class-D LLC resonant converter that is integrated into a single-stage topology. To increase the conduction angle of the bridge-rectifier diodes current and to decrease the current harmonics that are injected in the utility line, the ZCDS Class-E rectifier is placed between the bridge-rectifier and a dc-link capacitor. The ZCDS Class-E rectifieris driven by a high-frequency current source, which is obtained from a square-wave output voltage of the ZVS Class-D LLC resonant converter using a matching network. Additionally, the proposed converter has a soft-switching characteristic that reduces switching losses and switching noise. A prototype for a 150-W LED street light has been developed and tested to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach. The proposed LED driver had a high efficiency (>91%), a high PF (>0.99), and a low total harmonic distortion (THD i <; 8%) under variation of the utility-line input voltage from 180 to 250 V rms . These experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed LED scheme

A solid state Marx generator with a novel configuration

The new configuration proposed in this paper for Marx Generator (MG.) aims to generate high voltage for pulsed power applications through reduced number of semiconductor components with a more efficient load supplying process. The main idea is to charge two groups of capacitors in parallel through an inductor and take the advantage of resonant phenomenon in charging each capacitor up to a double input voltage level. In each resonant half a cycle, one of those capacitor groups are charged, and eventually the charged capacitors will be connected in series and the summation of the capacitor voltages can be appeared at the output of the topology. This topology can be considered as a modified Marx generator which works based on the resonant concept. Simulated models of this converter have been investigated in Matlab/SIMULINK platform and the acquired results fully satisfy the anticipations in proper operation of the converter