Eingangsadmittanz-Modellierung und passivitätsbasierte Stabilisierung von digital-stromgeregelten, netzgebundenen Umrichtern

Due to the ever increasing number of renewable energy systems in the electrical power grid, the application of power electronic-based circuits is gaining more and more importance. It has however been known for a while that interactions of one or multiple converters with resonances in the grid can lead to poorly damped oscillations, and thus, may threaten the stability of parts of the power system. The passivity theory has proven to be particularly powerful in preventing such situations. Accordingly, the stability of the power grid can be guaranteed by design if all components act passive. This means that all active loads and energy feeding converters have an input admittance with a non-negative real part. This can theoretically be achieved using passive or active damping strategies, but most research neglects real-world effects, which arise from the sampling of high-frequency switching harmonics. The aim of this dissertation is therefore to review the complete modeling and analysis of digitally current-controlled grid-connected converters and to extend the controller as well as filter design. On the basis of typical single-input single-output models of the converter’s input admittance, methods for the design of a passive damping or an active feed-forward are proposed and it is discussed which aspects have to be considered when implementing the filters. However, since the used models cannot reproduce all alias effects, in the further part of the thesis a multiple-input multiple-output converter model is developed. It is shown that the mirroring of high-frequency signal components onto low-frequency components can in principle be described by a dynamic uncertainty that affects the behavior of the converters' baseband dynamics. Due to this new insight it becomes clear which criteria passive or active filters should fulfill in order to specifically counteract the often negative mirroring effects of digital control. Finally, it is demonstrated that a robust passivation of the converter input admittance can prevent a destabilization of the power system by harmonics for a large number of grid impedances. The presented theory and the developed controller design are illustrated and verified by various simulations of an exemplary converter system.Aufgrund der immer größer werdenden Anzahl von erneuerbaren Energieanlagen im elektrischen Energieversorgungsnetz gewinnt der Einsatz von leistungselektronischen Schaltungen immer mehr an Bedeutung. Es ist jedoch seit längerem bekannt, dass Wechselwirkungen von einem oder mehreren Umrichtern mit Resonanzen im Netz zu schlecht gedämpften Schwingungen führen und damit die Stabilität von Teilen des Energienetzes gefährden können. Die Passivitätstheorie hat sich als besonders wirkungsvoll erwiesen, um solche Situationen zu verhindern. Demnach kann die Stabilität des Stromnetzes bereits in der Designphase gewährleistet werden, indem alle Komponenten passiv wirken. Das bedeutet, dass alle aktiven Verbraucher und einspeisenden Umrichter eine Eingangsadmittanz mit nicht negativem Realteil besitzen. Dies ist theoretisch mit Hilfe von passiven oder aktiven Dämpfungsstrategien zu erreichen. Die meisten Forschungsarbeiten vernachlässigen jedoch reale Effekte, die bei der Abtastung von hochfrequenten Harmonischen entstehen. Ziel dieser Dissertation ist es daher, den kompletten Modellierungs-, Analyse- und Regler- sowie Filterentwurfsprozess von digital-stromgeregelten, netzgebundenen Umrichtern zu überprüfen und zu erweitern. Auf der Basis typischer Eingrößenmodelle der Umrichter-Eingangsadmittanz werden Verfahren für die Auslegung einer passiven Dämpfung bzw. einer aktiven Vorsteuerung vorgeschlagen und es wird diskutiert, welche Aspekte bei der Implementierung der Filter zu berücksichtigen sind. Da sich mit den Modellen jedoch nicht alle Alias-Effekte abbilden lassen, wird im weiteren Teil der Arbeit ein Mehrgrößen-Umrichtermodell entwickelt. Es zeigt sich, dass die Spiegelung hochfrequenter Signalanteile auf niederfrequente Anteile prinzipiell durch eine dynamische Unsicherheit beschrieben werden kann, die das Grundfrequenzverhalten der Umrichter beeinflusst. Dank dieser neuen Erkenntnisse wird deutlich, welche Kriterien passive oder aktive Filter erfüllen sollten, um den oft negativen Spiegeleffekten der digitalen Regelung gezielt entgegenzuwirken. Es wird demonstriert, dass eine robuste Passivierung der Umrichter-Eingangsadmittanz eine Destabilisierung des Energienetzes durch Harmonische für eine Vielzahl von Netzimpedanzen verhindern kann. Die vorgestellte Theorie und der erarbeitete Reglerentwurf werden anhand diverser Simulationen eines beispielhaften Umrichtersystems verdeutlicht und validiert

Aspects of bond graph modelling in control

Abstract available: p. i

Mixed H2/H∞ control for infinite dimensional systems

The class of infinite dimensional systems often occurs when dealing with distributed parameter models consisting of partial differential equations. Although forming a comprehensive description, they mainly become manageable by finite dimensional approximations which likely neglect important effects, but underlies a certain structure. In contrast to common techniques for controlling infinite dimensional systems, this work focuses on using robust control methods. Thus, the uncertainty structure that occurs due to the discretization shall be taken into account particularly. Additionally, optimal performance measures can be included into the design process. The mixed H2/H∞ control approach handles the inclusion of disturbances and inaccuracies while guaranteeing specified energy or magnitude bounds. In order to include various of these system requirements, multi-objective robust control techniques based on the linear matrix inequality framework are utilized. This offers great flexibility concerning the formulation of the control task and results in convex optimization problems which can be solved numerically efficient by semi-definite programming. A flexible robot arm structure serves as the major application example during this work. The model discretization leads to an LTI system of specified order with an uncertainty model which is obtained by considering the concrete approximation impact and frequency domain tests. A structural analysis of the system model relates the neglected dynamics to a robust characterization. For the objective selection, stability shall be ensured under all expected circumstances while the aspects of optimal H2 performance, passive behavior and optimal measurement output selection are included. The undesirable spillover effect is thoroughly investigated and thus avoided.Tesi

Contributions to impedance shaping control techniques for power electronic converters

El conformado de la impedancia o admitancia mediante control para convertidores electrónicos de potencia permite alcanzar entre otros objetivos: mejora de la robustez de los controles diseñados, amortiguación de la dinámica de la tensión en caso de cambios de carga, y optimización del filtro de red y del controlador en un solo paso (co-diseño). La conformación de la impedancia debe ir siempre acompañada de un buen seguimiento de referencias. Por tanto, la idea principal es diseñar controladores con una estructura sencilla que equilibren la consecución de los objetivos marcados en cada caso. Este diseño se realiza mediante técnicas modernas, cuya resolución (síntesis del controlador) requiere de herramientas de optimización. La principal ventaja de estas técnicas sobre las clásicas, es decir, las basadas en soluciones algebraicas, es su capacidad para tratar problemas de control complejos (plantas de alto orden y/o varios objetivos) de una forma considerablemente sistemática. El primer problema de control por conformación de la impedancia consiste en reducir el sobreimpulso de tensión ante cambios de carga y minimizar el tamaño de los componentes del filtro pasivo en los convertidores DC-DC. Posteriormente, se diseñan controladores de corriente y tensión para un inversor DC-AC trifásico que logren una estabilidad robusta del sistema para una amplia variedad de filtros. La condición de estabilidad robusta menos conservadora, siendo la impedancia de la red la principal fuente de incertidumbre, es el índice de pasividad. En el caso de los controladores de corriente, el impacto de los lazos superiores en la estabilidad basada en la impedancia también se analiza mediante un índice adicional: máximo valor singular. Cada uno de los índices se aplica a un rango de frecuencias determinado. Finalmente, estas condiciones se incluyen en el diseño en un solo paso del controlador de un convertidor back-to-back utilizado para operar generadores de inducción doblemente alimentados (aerogeneradores tipo 3) presentes en algunos parques eólicos. Esta solución evita los problemas de oscilación subsíncrona, derivados de las líneas de transmisión con condensadores de compensación en serie, a los que se enfrentan estos parques eólicos. Los resultados de simulación y experimentales demuestran la eficacia y versatilidad de la propuesta.Impedance or admittance shaping by control for power electronic converters allows to achieve among other objectives: robustness enhancement of the designed controls, damped voltage dynamics in case of load changes, and grid filter and controller optimization in a single step (co-design). Impedance shaping must always be accompanied by a correct reference tracking performance. Therefore, the main idea is to design controllers with a simple structure that balance the achievement of the objectives set in each case. This design is carried out using modern techniques, whose resolution (controller synthesis) requires optimization tools. The main advantage of these techniques over the classical ones, i.e. those based on algebraic solutions, is their ability to deal with complex control problems (high order plants and/or several objectives) in a considerably systematic way. The first impedance shaping control problem is to reduce voltage overshoot under load changes and minimize the size of passive filter components in DC-DC converters. Subsequently, current and voltage controllers for a three-phase DC-AC inverter are designed to achieve robust system stability for a wide variety of filters. The least conservative robust stability condition, with grid impedance being the main source of uncertainty, is the passivity index. In the case of current controllers, the impact of higher loops on impedance-based stability is also analyzed by an additional index: maximum singular value. Each of the indices is applied to a given frequency range. Finally, these conditions are included in the one-step design of the controller of a back-to-back converter used to operate doubly fed induction generators (type-3 wind turbines) present in some wind farms. This solution avoids the sub-synchronous oscillation problems, derived from transmission lines with series compensation capacitors, faced by these wind farms. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and versatility of the proposa

On Observer-Based Control of Nonlinear Systems

Filtering and reconstruction of signals play a fundamental role in modern signal processing, telecommunications, and control theory and are used in numerous applications. The feedback principle is an important concept in control theory. Many different control strategies are based on the assumption that all internal states of the control object are available for feedback. In most cases, however, only a few of the states or some functions of the states can be measured. This circumstance raises the need for techniques, which makes it possible not only to estimate states, but also to derive control laws that guarantee stability when using the estimated states instead of the true ones. For linear systems, the separation principle assures stability for the use of converging state estimates in a stabilizing state feedback control law. In general, however, the combination of separately designed state observers and state feedback controllers does not preserve performance, robustness, or even stability of each of the separate designs. In this thesis, the problems of observer design and observer-based control for nonlinear systems are addressed. The deterministic continuous-time systems have been in focus. Stability analysis related to the Positive Real Lemma with relevance for output feedback control is presented. Separation results for a class of nonholonomic nonlinear systems, where the combination of independently designed observers and state-feedback controllers assures stability in the output tracking problem are shown. In addition, a generalization to the observer-backstepping method where the controller is designed with respect to estimated states, taking into account the effects of the estimation errors, is presented. Velocity observers with application to ship dynamics and mechanical manipulators are also presented

Empowering wave energy with control technology: Possibilities and pitfalls

With an increasing focus on climate action and energy security, an appropriate mix of renewable energy technologies is imperative. Despite having considerable global potential, wave energy has still not reached a state of maturity or economic competitiveness to have made an impact. Challenges include the high capital and operational costs associated with deployment in the harsh ocean environment, so it is imperative that the full energy harnessing capacity of wave energy devices, and arrays of devices in farms, is realised. To this end, control technology has an important role to play in maximising power capture, while ensuring that physical system constraints are respected, and control actions do not adversely affect device lifetime. Within the gamut of control technology, a variety of tools can be brought to bear on the wave energy control problem, including various control strategies (optimal, robust, nonlinear, etc.), data-based model identification, estimation, and forecasting. However, the wave energy problem displays a number of unique features which challenge the traditional application of these techniques, while also presenting a number of control ‘paradoxes’. This review articulates the important control-related characteristics of the wave energy control problem, provides a survey of currently applied control and control-related techniques, and gives some perspectives on the outstanding challenges and future possibilities. The emerging area of control co-design, which is especially relevant to the relatively immature area of wave energy system design, is also covered