Simple Lossless Inductive Snubbers-Assisted Series Load Resonant Inverter Operating under ZCS-PDM Scheme for High-Frequency Induction Heating Fixed Roller

This paper presents a high-frequency pulse-density-modulated (PDM) soft-switching series load resonant inverter for use in induction heating (IH) fixed roller applications, which is used in copy and printing machines. The proposed simple high-frequency resonant inverter uses an asymmetrical pulse pattern PDM control scheme to achieve complete zero-current soft-switching commutations over a wide output range of input power regulation. Additionally, when the printer toner requires operation in very light load conditions, this causes difficulty in achieving zero-voltage or zero-current soft-switching operations in the IH high-frequency resonant inverters with pulse frequency modulation or pulse width modulation control schemes. The proposed resonant inverter demonstrates the capability to accomplish highly efficient power conversions. In this work, a fixed roller for printing machines is developed for doing experiments to verify the efficiency of the proposed circuit topology and its PDM control schemes. The inverter’s steady-state and transient operating principles are analyzed based on the proposed control strategy at a high-frequency PDM. Operating conditions such as power loss analysis, power conversion efficiency and temperature rise characteristics of the proposed inverter are presented and analyzed through experimental results. Finally, from a practical viewpoint, a comparative study of a conventional halogen lamp heater and the proposed IH fixed roller is deliberated.publishedVersio

Load Adaptive Modulation to Heat Non-Ferromagnetic Material

Department of Electrical EngineeringInduction heating (IH) cooktops are popular to heat various vessels fast and safely in the kitchen. Conventional IH cooktop system have been developed to heat the vessel of ferromagnetic materials. Because the vessel of non-ferromagnetic materials has low-resistance which induces large resonant current to power switches in series resonant IH inverters. Hence, the rated power cannot be transferred to the vessel due to overcurrent which is higher the rated switch current. In this thesis, a load adaptive modulation (LAM) method is proposed to heat the vessel of non-ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic materials in a single IH burner. The LAM can change the magnitude of the input voltage of the IH working coil and the operating frequency induced to the IH working coil according to the resistance of the vessel. The operational principle and the design method are analyzed to implement the proposed LAM and its power control. The validity of the design method and the control algorithm is experimentally verified using a 2 kW prototype series resonant full-bridge inverter with the IH working coil.ope

Towards a More Flexible, Sustainable, Efficient and Reliable Induction Cooking: A Power Semiconductor Device Perspective

Esta tesis tiene como objetivo fundamental la mejora de la flexibilidad, sostenibilidad, eficiencia y fiabilidad de las cocinas de inducción por medio de la utilización de dispositivos semiconductores de potencia: Dentro de este marco, existe una funcionalidad que presenta un amplio rango de mejora. Se trata de la función de multiplexación de potencia, la cual pretende resolverse de una manera más eficaz por medio de la sustitución de los comúnmente utilizados relés electromecánicos por dispositivos de estado sólido. De entre todas las posibles implementaciones, se ha identificado entre las más prometedoras a aquellas basadas en dispositivos de alta movilidad de electrones (HEMT) de Nitruro de Galio (GaN) y de aquellas basadas en Carburo de Silicio (SiC), pues presentan unas características muy superiores a los relés a los que se pretende sustituir. Por el contrario, otras soluciones que inicialmente parecían ser muy prometedoras, como los MOSFETs de Súper-Unión, han presentado una serie de comportamientos anómalos, que han sido estudiados minuciosamente por medio de simulaciones físicas a nivel de chip. Además, se analiza en distintas condiciones la capacidad en cortocircuito de dispositivos convencionalmente empleados en cocinas de inducción, como son los IGBTs, tratándose de encontrar el equilibrio entre un comportamiento robusto al tiempo que se mantienen bajas las pérdidas de potencia. Por otra parte, también se estudia la robustez y fiabilidad de varios GaN HEMT de 600- 650 V tanto de forma experimental como por medio de simulaciones físicas. Finalmente se aborda el cálculo de las pérdidas de potencia en convertidores de potencia resonantes empleando técnicas de termografía infrarroja. Por medio de esta técnica no solo es posible medir de forma precisa las diferentes contribuciones de las pérdidas, sino que también es posible apreciar cómo se distribuye la corriente a nivel de chip cuando, por ejemplo, el componente opera en modo de conmutación dura. Como resultado, se obtiene información relevante relacionada con modos de fallo. Además, también ha sido aprovechar las caracterizaciones realizadas para obtener un modelo térmico de simulación.This thesis is focused on addressing a more flexible, sustainable, efficient and reliable induction cooking approach from a power semiconductor device perspective. In this framework, this PhD Thesis has identified the following activities to cover such demands: In view of the growing interest for an effective power multiplexing in Induction Heating (IH) applications, improved and efficient Solid State Relays (SSRs) as an alternative to the electromechanical relays (EMRs) are deeply investigated. In this context, emerging Gallium Nitride (GaN) High‐Electron‐Mobility Transistors (GaN HEMTs) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) based devices are identified as potential candidates for the mentioned application, featuring several improved characteristics over EMRs. On the contrary, other solutions, which seemed to be very promising, resulted to suffer from anomalous behaviors; i.e. SJ MOSFETs are thoroughly analysed by electro‐thermal physical simulations at the device level. Additionally, the Short Circuit (SC) capability of power semiconductor devices employed or with potential to be used in IH appliances is also analysed. On the one hand, conventional IGBTs SC behavior is evaluated under different test conditions so that to obtain the trade‐off between ruggedness and low power losses. Moreover, ruggedness and reliability of several normally‐off 600‐650 V GaN HEMTs are deeply investigated by experimentation and physics‐based simulation. Finally, power losses calculation at die‐level is performed for resonant power converters by means of using Infrared Thermography (IRT). This method assists to determine, at the die‐level, the power losses and current distribution in IGBTs used in resonant soft‐switching power converters when functioning within or outside the Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS) condition. As a result, relevant information is obtained related to decreasing the power losses during commutation in the final application, and a thermal model is extracted for simulation purposes.<br /

Induction heating converter's design, control and modeling applied to continuous wire heating

Induction heating is a heating method for electrically conductive materials that takes advantage of the heat generated by the Eddy currents originated by means of a varying magnetic field. Since Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction in 1831, this phenomena has been widely studied in many applications like transformers, motors or generators' design. At the turn of the 20th century, induction started to be studied as a heating method, leading to the construction of the first industrial induction melting equipment by the Electric Furnace Company in 1927. At first, the varying magnetic fields were obtained with spark-gap generators, vacuum-tube generators and low frequency motor-generator sets. With the emergence of reliable semiconductors in the late 1960's, motor-generators were replaced by solid-state converters for low frequency applications. With regard to the characterization of the inductor-workpiece system, the first models used to understand the load's behavior were based on analytical methods. These methods were useful to analyze the overall behavior of the load, but they were not accurate enough for a precise analysis and were limited to simple geometries. With the emergence of computers, numerical methods experienced a tremendous growth in the 1990's and started to be applied in the induction heating field. Nowadays, the development of commercial softwares that allow this type of analysis have started to make the use of numerical methods popular among research centers and enterprises. This type of softwares allow a great variety of complex analysis with high precision, consequently diminishing the trial and error process. The research realized in last decades, the increase in the utilization of numerical modeling and the appearance and improvement of semiconductor devices, with their corresponding cost reduction, have caused the spread of induction heating in many fields. Induction heating equipments can be found in many applications, since domestic cookers to high-power aluminum melting furnaces or automotive sealing equipments, and are becoming more and more popular thanks to their easy control, quick heating and the energy savings obtained. The present thesis focuses on the application of induction heating to wire heating. The wire heating is a continuous heating method in which the wire is continuously feeding the heating inductor. This heating method allows high production rates with reduced space requirements and is usually found in medium to high power industrial processes working 24 hours per day. The first chapters of this study introduce the induction heating phenomena, its modeling and the converters and tanks used. Afterwards, a multichannel converter for high-power and high-frequency applications is designed and implemented with the aim of providing modularity to the converter and reduce the designing time, the production cost and its maintenance. Moreover, this type of structure provides reliability to the system and enables low repairing times, which is an extremely interesting feature for 24 hours processes. Additionally, a software phase-locked loop for induction heating applications is designed and implemented to prove its flexibility and reliability. This type of control allows the use of the same hardware for different applications, which is attractive for the case of industrial applications. This phase-locked loop is afterwards used to design and implement a load-adaptative control that varies the references to have soft-switching according to load's variation, improving converter's performance. Finally, the modeling of a continuous induction wire hardening system is realized, solving the difficulty of considering the mutual influence between the thermal, electromagnetic and electric parameters. In this thesis, a continuous process is modeled and tested using numerical methods and considering converter's operation and influence in the process.Postprint (published version

Multi-Frequency Modulation and Control for DC/AC and AC/DC Resonant Converters

Harmonic content is inherent in switched-mode power supplies. Since the undesired harmonics interfere with the operation of other sensitive electronics, the reduction of harmonic content is essential for power electronics design. Conventional approaches to attenuate the harmonic content include passive/active filter and wave-shaping in modulation. However, those approaches are not suitable for resonant converters due to bulky passive volumes and excessive switching losses. This dissertation focuses on eliminating the undesired harmonics from generation by intelligently manipulating the spectrum of switching waveforms, considering practical needs for functionality.To generate multiple ac outputs while eliminating the low-order harmonics from a single inverter, a multi-frequency programmed pulse width modulation is investigated. The proposed modulation schemes enable multi-frequency generation and independent output regulation. In this method, the fundamental and certain harmonics are independently controlled for each of the outputs, allowing individual power regulations. Also, undesired harmonics in between output frequencies are easily eliminated from generation, which prevents potential hazards caused by the harmonic content and bulky filters. Finally, the proposed modulation schemes are applicable to a variety of DC/AC topologies.Two applications of dc/ac resonant inverters, i.e. an electrosurgical generator and a dual-mode WPT transmitter, are demonstrated using the proposed MFPWM schemes. From the experimental results of two hardware prototypes, the MFPWM alleviates the challenges of designing a complicated passive filter for the low-order harmonics. In addition, the MFPWM facilitates combines functionalities using less hardware compared to the state-of-the-art. The prototypes demonstrate a comparable efficiency while achieving multiple ac outputs using a single inverter.To overcome the low-efficiency, low power-density problems in conventional wireless fast charging, a multi-level switched-capacitor ac/dc rectifier is investigated. This new WPT receiver takes advantage of a high power-density switched-capacitor circuit, the low harmonic content of the multilevel MFPWMs, and output regulation ability to improve the system efficiency. A detailed topology evaluation regarding the regulation scheme, system efficiency, current THD and volume estimation is demonstrated, and experimental results from a 20 W prototype prove that the multi-level switched-capacitor rectifier is an excellent candidate for high-efficiency, high power density design of wireless fast charging receiver

Power quality requirements and responsibilities at the point of connection

In the present power delivery environment, electricity as a product has become more competitive than before. Modern electrical devices are complex in terms of their functionalities and are more sensitive to the quality of the supplied electricity. A disturbance in supply voltage can cause significant financial losses for an industrial customer. Moreover, there are increasing number of disputes in different countries of the world among the network operators, the customers and the device manufacturers regarding their individual responsibility concerning 'Power Quality' (PQ) problems and solutions. In addition, the existing standards on PQ give very limited information about responsibility sharing among the involved parties. PQ disturbances can be originated in the network as well as at the customer's premises and can propagate to other parts of the network. The PQ level in the network is also highly influenced by PQ emission behaviors of customer's devices and the network characteristics. During the last decades, PQ related complaints have increased largely. Inadequate PQ can lead to various technical and financial inconveniences to the customers and the network operators. This research aims to find out a socio-economically optimum solution to PQ problems. The main objectives of this thesis are defined as: "Analyze main PO problems and their consequences to various involved parties in the network. Next, define optimal PQ criteria at the customer's point of connection (POC) and finally specify responsibilities of the involved parties". The thesis is based on practical field measurements of PQ parameters in the network, on analyzing the developed network models by using computer simulations and laboratory experiments. The most important part of the work is the verification of simulation results with thepractical measurements. Further, the obtained results are compared with the values given in the available standards. Lastly optimal PQ parameters at a poc are defined for flicker, harmonics and voltage dips. A summary of the research work reported in this thesis is as follows: • Obtained a deeper insight in PQ problems around the world • Developed typical network models for computer simulations on different PQ phenomena (such as flicker, harmonics and voltage dips) and verified the results with field measured data • Gathered practical information on various technical and financial consequences of inadequate PQ for different parties namely: the network operators, the customers and the equipment manufacturers • Made an inventory on various existing (and developing) standards and technical documents on PQ around the world. Then, compared the limits given on various PQ parameters in those standards/documents and discussed their relevance and applicability in the future • A proposal is given about optimal PQ limits (for flicker, harmonics) at the low voltage (LV) customer's POC Also, the average and maximum values of voltage dips in the networks are estimated • Suitable planning level limit values for flicker, harmonics and voltage dips are proposed • PQ related responsibilities of the customers, network operators and device manufacturer at the customer's POC are defined The main conclusions and thesis contributions are: • It is found that a harmonization among the presently available PQ standards is required and a dedicated set of global standards is needed to get optimal PQ at the customer's POC Various limiting values on different PQ parameters (e.g. flicker emission and harmonic current emission limits for a customer) at a POC are proposed in this thesis. Also, the average and maximum numbers of voltage dips in the Dutch high voltage (HV) and medium voltage (MV) networks are estimated. • A new set of planning level values for flicker severities at different voltage levels of a network is proposed. For harmonics, a proposal is given to change the planning level values for 'triple n' harmonic voltages and new values are suggested for the MV and LV networks. Moreover, it was proposed that the 3rd harmonic summation coefficient value of the standard can be modified to a higher value as sufficient diversity is found in the system. Regarding voltage dips, the numbers of planning and compatibility levels are proposed for a MV network in the Netherlands. In this thesis, PQ responsibility sharing procedures are defined for a network operator, customer and a device manufacturer. Network impedance is identified as an important parameter in deciding flicker and harmonics at a POC The network operator should provide information on the approximate number of occurrence of voltage dips in a year at a customer's POC To maintain sufficient PQ level in the network, all the involved parties should follow certain rules and duties. It was concluded that PQ regulation can be successfully implemented in the electricity business when all the involved parties are aware of their respective responsibilities in the network

Intelligent Circuits and Systems

ICICS-2020 is the third conference initiated by the School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at Lovely Professional University that explored recent innovations of researchers working for the development of smart and green technologies in the fields of Energy, Electronics, Communications, Computers, and Control. ICICS provides innovators to identify new opportunities for the social and economic benefits of society.　 This conference bridges the gap between academics and R&D institutions, social visionaries, and experts from all strata of society to present their ongoing research activities and foster research relations between them. It provides opportunities for the exchange of new ideas, applications, and experiences in the field of smart technologies and finding global partners for future collaboration. The ICICS-2020 was conducted in two broad categories, Intelligent Circuits & Intelligent Systems and Emerging Technologies in Electrical Engineering

Proceedings of the 6th International Conference EEDAL'11 Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances and Lighting

This book contains the papers presented at the sixth international conference on Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances and Lighting. EEDAL'11 was organised in Copenhagen, Denmark in May 2011. This major international conference, which was previously been staged in Florence 1997, Naples 2000, Turin 2003, London 2006, Berlin 200h9a s been very successful in attracting an international community of stakeholders dealing with residential appliances, equipment, metering liagnhdti ng (including manufacturers, retailers, consumers, governments, international organisations aangde ncies, academia and experts) to discuss the progress achieved in technologies, behavioural aspects and poliacineds , the strategies that need to be implemented to further progress this important work. Potential readers who may benefit from this book include researchers, engineers, policymakers, and all those who can influence the design, selection, application, and operation of electrical appliances and lighting.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

NCPV FY 1998 Annual Report

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontracted research and development (R and D) activities under the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) from October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998 (FY 1998). The NCPV is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Photovoltaics Program, as described in the DOE National Photovoltaics Program Plan for 1996-2000. The mission of the DOE National Photovoltaics Program is to make PV a significant part of the domestic economy--as an industry and as an energy resource. The two primary goals of the national program are to (1) maintain the U.S. industry's world leadership in research and technology development and (2) help the U.S. industry remain a major, profitable force in the world market. The NCPV provides leadership and support to the national program toward achieving its mission and goals