Harmonic balance-based control of a boost DC/AC converter

The achievement of step-up inversion with a boost DC/AC converter requires appropriate periodic references for inductor currents, which have to satisfy ordinary differential equations (ODE) of the Abel type. These are equations with highly unstable solutions for which the existence of periodic solutions remains unproved. Hence, the studies reported so far in this subject obtain periodic output voltages that approximately track the expected profile using different periodic current references that do not exactly satisfy the Abel ODE. However, neither an explanation of why are periodic output voltages still obtained, nor an assessment of the output voltage error is provided. This paper analyzes the effect of using periodic current references in a Lyapunov-based controlled boost DC/AC converter performing step-up inversion tasks. It is shown that, for sufficiently accurate current references, the system exhibits asymptotically stable periodic solutions with bounded error. Moreover, the paper propounds the use of Harmonic Balance (HB)-based techniques to obtain such current references. Simulation and experimental results confirm that this choice yields periodic output voltages with an error that may be lowered using higher HB approximations.Postprint (published version

GEOPLEX: GSSA and VSS models

This report describes some aspects of the theory of Variable Structure Systems (VSS). It starts with the state-of-the-art classical methods of control and evolves to a description based on average port Hamiltonian models. In the framework of GEOPLEX, VSS appears due to the fact that some of the plants of interest are controlled using power converters, which are systems, changing between several circuits topologies. In section 2, the basic ideas of Sliding Mode Control (SMC) for VSS are presented, and a somewhat detailed exposition of its application to the control of a power converter is given. Most of section 3 is unpublished material, describing some preliminary results about the relation between (generalized) averaging and the port Hamiltonian description. The fundamentals of State Space Averaging (SSA) and Generalized Space State Averaging (GSSA) are presented, and averaged port Hamiltonian models for second order power converters are introduced. There is a summary of some rigorous mathematical results about GSSA, and a relationship between the Hamiltonians of the GSSA models and the original Hamiltonian is established for systems with quadratic Hamiltonian functions

A current-source DC-AC converter and control strategy for grid-connected PV applications

This paper presents a two-stage current-source DC-AC converter for grid-connected PV applications which is composed of an input step-up stage, followed by a step-down stage and an unfolding inverter. A decentralized control strategy of the DC-DC stage allows maximizing the renewable energy harvest using an Incremental Conductance MPPT algorithm and synthesizing an output current to be injected into the grid with low harmonic distortion. Double-loop PI controllers are used for the boost stage. The DC bus voltage of the buck stage is regulated using a PI controller, and an inner Proportional-Resonant (PR) controller tracks a sinusoidal reference. The PR controller proposed in this paper, includes a reduced number of resonant stages meeting the energy quality required by standards, which results in good stability margins. Finally, a SOGI-FLL algorithm synchronizes the inverter operation with the grid. Experimental results show an excellent dynamic response of the system, and the injected current complies with the IEEE Std. 1547–2018 specifications regarding harmonic content using a control law with a low computational burden.Fil: Buzzio, Christian. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ingeniería. Grupo de Electrónica Aplicada; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; ArgentinaFil: Poloni, Yamil Sergio. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; ArgentinaFil: Oggier, Germán Elías. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; ArgentinaFil: García, Guillermo Osvaldo. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Fisicoquímicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnologías Energéticas y Materiales Avanzados; Argentin

Fixed-switching frequency sliding mode control applied to power converters

The application of the sliding mode control in power converters has a well-known inconvenient from the practical point of view, which is to obtain fixed switching frequency implementations. This thesis deals with the development of a hysteresis band controller in charge of fixing the switching frequency of a sliding motion in power electronics applications. The proposed control measures the switching period of the control signal and modifies the hysteresis band of the comparator in order to regulate the switching frequency of the sliding motion. The proposed structure becomes in an additional control loop aside from main control loop implementing the sliding mode controller. In the first part of the thesis, the switching frequency control system is modelled and a design criteria for the control parameters are derived for guaranteeing closed loop stability, under different approaches and taking into account the most expectable working scenarios. In the second part of the thesis, the proposed strategies are applied to several power converters prototypes. Specifically, DC-to-DC and DC-to-AC power converters are built and the experimental results are shown. In this part, the strategies used for implementing the controllers are also deeply discussed.La aplicación del control en modo deslizante en el ámbito de la electrónica de potencia presente una problemática ampliamente conocida, obtener aplicaciones a frecuencia fija de operación. Es esta tesis se estudia el desarrollo de un comparador con histéresis variable encargado de regular el periodo de conmutación de controladores bajo regímenes deslizantes en convertidores de potencia. La estructura propuesta mide el periodo de conmutación de la señal de control y actualiza, de manera adecuada, la banda de histéresis del comparador a tal fin de regular la frecuencia de conmutación al valor deseado. La solución propuesta forma un segundo lazo de control, además del lazo de control principal que implementa el controlador en modo deslizante. En la primera parte de la tesis, éste segundo lazo es modelado, haciendo posible el estudio de las condiciones de estabilidad bajo realizaciones en tiempo continuo y en tiempo discreto. Además, se estudian las condiciones típicas de trabajo de los controladores utilizados en convertidores de potencia, como son los esquemas de regulación y de seguimiento de señales variantes en el tiempo. La segunda parte de la tesis se centra en evaluar, de manera experimental, los desarrollos teóricos de los controladores propuestos en convertidores de potencia. Concretamente, en la tesis se presentan los resultados experimentales obtenidos con diversos convertidores DC-DC y DC-AC. Adicionalmente, las metodologías y técnicas de implementación de los controladores son, de igual modo, ampliamente descritas.Postprint (published version

Fixed-switching frequency sliding mode control applied to power converters

The application of the sliding mode control in power converters has a well-known inconvenient from the practical point of view, which is to obtain fixed switching frequency implementations. This thesis deals with the development of a hysteresis band controller in charge of fixing the switching frequency of a sliding motion in power electronics applications. The proposed control measures the switching period of the control signal and modifies the hysteresis band of the comparator in order to regulate the switching frequency of the sliding motion. The proposed structure becomes in an additional control loop aside from main control loop implementing the sliding mode controller. In the first part of the thesis, the switching frequency control system is modelled and a design criteria for the control parameters are derived for guaranteeing closed loop stability, under different approaches and taking into account the most expectable working scenarios. In the second part of the thesis, the proposed strategies are applied to several power converters prototypes. Specifically, DC-to-DC and DC-to-AC power converters are built and the experimental results are shown. In this part, the strategies used for implementing the controllers are also deeply discussed.La aplicación del control en modo deslizante en el ámbito de la electrónica de potencia presente una problemática ampliamente conocida, obtener aplicaciones a frecuencia fija de operación. Es esta tesis se estudia el desarrollo de un comparador con histéresis variable encargado de regular el periodo de conmutación de controladores bajo regímenes deslizantes en convertidores de potencia. La estructura propuesta mide el periodo de conmutación de la señal de control y actualiza, de manera adecuada, la banda de histéresis del comparador a tal fin de regular la frecuencia de conmutación al valor deseado. La solución propuesta forma un segundo lazo de control, además del lazo de control principal que implementa el controlador en modo deslizante. En la primera parte de la tesis, éste segundo lazo es modelado, haciendo posible el estudio de las condiciones de estabilidad bajo realizaciones en tiempo continuo y en tiempo discreto. Además, se estudian las condiciones típicas de trabajo de los controladores utilizados en convertidores de potencia, como son los esquemas de regulación y de seguimiento de señales variantes en el tiempo. La segunda parte de la tesis se centra en evaluar, de manera experimental, los desarrollos teóricos de los controladores propuestos en convertidores de potencia. Concretamente, en la tesis se presentan los resultados experimentales obtenidos con diversos convertidores DC-DC y DC-AC. Adicionalmente, las metodologías y técnicas de implementación de los controladores son, de igual modo, ampliamente descritas

Recent Advances in Robust Control

Robust control has been a topic of active research in the last three decades culminating in H_2/H_\infty and \mu design methods followed by research on parametric robustness, initially motivated by Kharitonov's theorem, the extension to non-linear time delay systems, and other more recent methods. The two volumes of Recent Advances in Robust Control give a selective overview of recent theoretical developments and present selected application examples. The volumes comprise 39 contributions covering various theoretical aspects as well as different application areas. The first volume covers selected problems in the theory of robust control and its application to robotic and electromechanical systems. The second volume is dedicated to special topics in robust control and problem specific solutions. Recent Advances in Robust Control will be a valuable reference for those interested in the recent theoretical advances and for researchers working in the broad field of robotics and mechatronics

Sliding Mode Control

The main objective of this monograph is to present a broad range of well worked out, recent application studies as well as theoretical contributions in the field of sliding mode control system analysis and design. The contributions presented here include new theoretical developments as well as successful applications of variable structure controllers primarily in the field of power electronics, electric drives and motion steering systems. They enrich the current state of the art, and motivate and encourage new ideas and solutions in the sliding mode control area

Optimization and analysis of the current control loop of VSCs connected to uncertain grids through LCL filters

Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado 2011This thesis focuses on the design and analysis of the control of voltage source converters connected to the grid through LCL filters. Particularly it is centered on grids presenting uncertainty in their intrinsic dynamic parameters and their influence over the inner control loop of a grid converter: the current control. To that end, the thesis follows a three-fold discussion. Firstly, the thesis studies the grid model, its uncertain parameters and presents a proposal to recursively estimate them. The estimation is based on a recursive least-squares optimization procedure applied to the current and voltage measurements, performed in the point of common coupling, expressed in a synchronous reference frame. The synchronization and the reference frame transformation process is specially designed for the proposed system. The optimization process is complemented with an estimation evaluation block that gives a real-time measure of the estimation quality. The influence of those uncertain parameters over the stability of the current control loop of grid converters is the second topic of this thesis. For the case of linear controllers, the analysis is performed by applying the structured singular value mu theory to a parametric uncertainty model that is described in the document. The proposed method extracts safe grid parameters ranges from a previously defined controller and plant model. Special attention is payed to important practical considerations as pure real uncertainty and sampled-data systems analysis. To test the method performance and illustrate its behavior, this dissertation discusses the robustness of three particular examples: a SISO control approach, a MIMO servo-controller approach and a robust H_inf design. For the case of non-linear controllers, the thesis focuses on hysteresis controllers and presents some practical conclusions. After that analysis, the thesis deals with the complementary problem: the design of a robust controller for grid converters connected through LCL filters to grids whose parameters range between known values. As a prior stage, the thesis presents an LQ servo-controller design procedure that may be complemented with the use of state estimators. The control is faced in a synchronous reference frame and directly controls the grid injected current. Once the framework is settled, the thesis proposes a design technique based on a robust Loop-shaping H_inf design procedure complemented with the nu-gap analysis tool. The final part of this dissertation describes the experimental set-up used for testing the presented proposals. After this, a summary of experimental results and waveforms is presented

Robust Control of a Multi-phase Interleaved Boost Converter for Photovoltaic Application using µ-Synthesis Approach

The high demand of energy efficiency has led to the development power converter topologies and control system designs within the field of power electronics. Recent advances of interleaved boost converters have showed improved features between the power conversion topologies in several aspects, including power quality, efficiency, sustainability and reliability. Interleaved boost converter with multi-phase technique for PV system is an attractive area for distributed power generation. During load variation or power supply changes due to the weather changes the output voltage requires a robust control to maintain stable and perform robustness. Connecting converters in series and parallel have the advantages of modularity, scalability, reliability, distributed location of capacitors which make it favorable in industrial applications. In this dissertation, a design of µ-synthesis controller is proposed to address the design specification of multi-phase interleaved boost converter at several power applications. This thesis contributes to the ongoing research on the IBC topology by proposing the modeling, applications uses and control techniques to the stability challenges. The research proposes a new strategy of robust control applied to a non-isolated DC/DC interleaved boost converter with a high step voltage ratio as multi-phase, multi-stage which is favorable for PV applications. The proposed controller is designed based on µ-synthesis technique to approach a high regulated output voltage, better efficiency, gain a fast regulation response against disturbance and load variation with a better dynamic performance and achieve robustness. The controller has been simulated using MATLAB/Simulink software and validated through experimental results which show the effectiveness and the robustness