A comparative study of methods for estimating virtual flux at the point of common coupling in grid connected voltage source converters with LCL filter

Grid connected Voltage Source Converters (VSCs) with LCL filters usually have voltage measurements at the filter capacitors, while it can be important to control the active or reactive power injection at the grid-side of the LCL filter, for instance at a Point of Common Coupling (PCC). Synchronization to the PCC voltage can be obtained by Virtual Flux (VF) estimation, which can also allow for voltage sensor-less operation of VSCs. This paper is presenting a comparative evaluation of methods for estimating the VF at the PCC, considering a VSC connected to the grid through an LCL filter with a Proportional Resonant (PR) controller as the inner current control loop. The VF estimation is achieved by using frequency adaptive dual SOGI-QSGs (DSOGI-VF). The Frequency Locked Loop (FLL) is used in order to keep the positive and negative sequence (PNS) VF estimation inherently frequency adaptive. Three different methods are considered for obtaining the capacitor current needed for estimating the VF at the grid side of the LCL filter which are based on fully estimation by using the voltage sensor-less method, by estimating the capacitor current from the measured voltage or by using additional capacitor current sensors. The results have been compared and validated by simulation studies.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Performance of direct power controlled grid-connected voltage source converters

PhD ThesisIn this thesis the performance of direct power controlled grid-connected voltage source converters (VSCs) is investigated. Of particular interest is the stability of the controller with the third-order LCL filter employed as the grid filter, effect of grid impedance variations and grid voltage distortion, and current limitation during voltage dips. The control scheme implemented is virtual-flux direct power control with space vector modulation (VF-DPC-SVM). By mathematical modelling and stability analysis, it is found that the closed-loop power control system is stable for all values of proportional gain when the current sensors are on the inverter side of the LCL filter. The inverter current together with the estimated grid virtual-flux is used to estimate the active power and the reactive power. The difference between the estimated reactive power and the reactive power on the grid side is compensated for, using a new reactive power error compensation scheme based on the estimated capacitor current. The control system is found to be robust to changes in grid inductance, and remains stable for a range of grid inductance values, and controller proportional gain. It is demonstrated in simulation and experimentally that the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the current injected by the VSC is less than the limit of 5 %, set by standards, for all different values of grid inductance and proportional gain. This is true even in the presence of significant grid voltage distortion. To control the VSC during voltage dips without damaging the semiconductor devices, a new current limiting algorithm is proposed and implemented. The positive-sequence component of the virtual-flux is used for synchronization and power estimation to achieve balanced, undistorted currents during unsymmetrical voltage dips. Experimental results show that the current achieved during unsymmetrical voltage dips is balanced and has a THD of less than 3 %.Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, Copperbelt Universit

Grid Parameter estimation using Model Predictive Direct Power Control

This paper presents a novel Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control (FS-MPC) approach for grid-connected converters. The control performance of such converters may get largely affected by variations in the supply impedance, especially for systems with low Short Circuit Ratio (SCR) values. A novel idea for estimating the supply impedance variation, and hence the grid voltage, using an algorithm embedded in the MPC is presented in this paper. The estimation approach is based on the difference in grid voltage magnitudes at two consecutive sampling instants, calculated on the basis of supply currents and converter voltages directly within the MPC algorithm, achieving a fast estimation and integration between the controller and the impedance estimator. The proposed method has been verified, using simulation and experiments, on a 3-phase 2-level converter

Remote power control injection of grid-connected power converters based on virtual flux

Renewable Energy Source (RES)-based power plants need to control the active and reactive power at the Point of Common Connection (PCC) with the grid, in order to comply with the requirements of the Transmission System Operators (TSOs). This point is normally far away from the power converter station, and the cables and step-up transformers have a non-neglectable influence on the delivered power. In order to overcome this drawback, this paper presents a control algorithm that permits one to control remotely the power injected at the PCC, by adjusting the local controller of the Voltage Source Converters (VSCs). In this work, the synchronization with the grid is done based on the Virtual Flux (VF) concept. The results reveals that the VF estimation is able to produce a reliable estimation of the grid voltage in any point of the network, and makes it possible to calculate the necessary current reference for injecting a desired active and reactive power at a point that can be some kilometres away. In this paper the main principle for this remote power control is presented. Likewise, the simulation and experimental results will be shown in order to analyse the effectiveness of the proposed systemPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Predictive current control in electrical drives: an illustrated review with case examples using a five-phase induction motor drive with distributed windings

The industrial application of electric machines in variable-speed drives has grown in the last decades thanks to the development of microprocessors and power converters. Although three-phase machines constitute the most common case, the interest of the research community has been recently focused on machines with more than three phases, known as multiphase machines. The principal reason lies in the exploitation of their advantages like reliability, better current distribution among phases or lower current harmonic production in the power converter than conventional three-phase ones, to name a few. Nevertheless, multiphase drives applications require the development of complex controllers to regulate the torque (or speed) and flux of the machine. In this regard, predictive current controllers have recently appeared as a viable alternative due to an easy formulation and a high flexibility to incorporate different control objectives. It is found however that these controllers face some peculiarities and limitations in their use that require attention. This work attempts to tackle the predictive current control technique as a viable alternative for the regulation of multiphase drives, paying special attention to the development of the control technique and the discussion of the benefits and limitations. Case examples with experimental results in a symmetrical five-phase induction machine with distributed windings in motoring mode of operation are used to this end

Voltage sensorless based virtual flux control of three level NPC back-to-back converter dfigunder grid fault

In this paper, a harmonic elimination of grid and stator currents of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) in case of grid fault without line voltage sensors is proposed . This can be achieved by compensating power based on virtual flux voltage sensorless technique. Direct power control with space vector modulation (DPC-SVM) is used to control both grid-side (GSC)and rotor-side converters (RSC). To achieve the control objective, compensated active and reactive powers are calculated based on virtual flux technique with balanced and harmonic free current as a control target. A theoretical analysis of active and reactive powers under unbalanced voltage source is clearly demonstrated and the effect of grid fault on the performance of DFIG is profoundly discussed. Simulation results verified the effectiveness of the modified control strategy

Sliding mode approach for control and observation of a three phase AC-DC pulse-width modulation rectifier

Introduction. For AC-DC conversion systems, the electrical systems typically use thyristor or diode bridge rectifiers, which have relatively poor performance. Nowadays, three-phase pulse-width modulation rectifiers are widely applied in various applications for their well-known intrinsic benefits, such as adjustable DC link voltage, unity power factor, bidirectional power flow and very low total harmonic distortion. Purpose. The objective of this work is to achieve better stability and dynamic performance using sliding mode strategy for control and observation. Methods. For that purpose, first a sliding mode controller is introduced on the DC-link side to ensure a fast and accurate response of the output load voltage. Then, the sliding mode approach is employed to control the quadrature and direct components of power to maintain the input power factor at unity. Finally, this approach is used to design two observers for grid voltage estimation and online variation of load resistance. To overcome the problem associated with the use of the classical low-pass filter, an adaptive compensation algorithm is used to compensate the attenuation of the amplitude and phase delay of the observed grid voltages. This algorithm is based on the use of the two low-pass filters in cascade and ensures the minimization of chattering. Results. Comparative studies have been carried out between sliding mode control method for controlling the three-phase AC-DC pulse-width modulation rectifier and other conventional techniques. The validation by simulation and the tests carried out gave very satisfactory results and proved the effectiveness and feasibility of the sliding mode for both control and observation of three phase pulse-width modulation rectifier.Вступ. Для AC-DC систем перетворення електричні системи зазвичай використовують тиристорні або діодні мостові випрямлячі, які мають відносно погані характеристики. В даний час трифазні випрямлячі з широтно-імпульсною модуляцією широко застосовуються з різними цілями завдяки їх добре відомим внутрішнім перевагам, таким як регульована напруга у ланці постійного струму, одиничний коефіцієнт потужності, двонаправлений потік потужності та дуже низькі загальні гармонічні спотворення. Метою даної роботи є досягнення кращої стабільності та динамічних характеристик з використанням стратегії ковзного режиму для контролю та спостереження. Методи. З цією метою спочатку на стороні ланки постійного струму вводиться регулятор режиму ковзання, щоб забезпечити швидку і точну реакцію на вихідну напругу навантаження. Потім використовується метод ковзного режиму для управління квадратурною та прямою складовими потужності, щоб підтримувати вхідний коефіцієнт потужності рівним одиниці. Нарешті цей підхід використовується для розробки двох спостерігачів для оцінки напруги мережі та зміни опору навантаження в режимі онлайн. Для подолання проблеми, пов'язаної з використанням класичного низькочастотного фільтру, використовується алгоритм адаптивної компенсації, що компенсує загасання амплітуди і фазової затримки напруг мережі, що спостерігаються. Цей алгоритм заснований на використанні двох низькочастотних фільтрів у каскаді та забезпечує мінімізацію брязкоту. Результати. Були проведені порівняльні дослідження між методом керування ковзним режимом для керування трифазним випрямлячем AC-DC з широтно-імпульсною модуляцією та іншими традиційними методами. Перевірка за допомогою моделювання та проведені випробування дали дуже задовільні результати та довели ефективність та здійсненність ковзного режиму як для управління, так і для спостереження за трифазним випрямлячем з широтно-імпульсною модуляцією

Prädiktive Regelung und Finite-Set-Beobachter für Windgeneratoren mit variabler Drehgeschwindigkeit

This dissertation presents several model predictive control (MPC) techniques and finite-position-set observers (FPSOs) for permanent-magnet synchronous generators and doubly-fed induction generators in variable-speed wind turbines. The proposed FPSOs are novel ones and based on the concept of finite-control-set MPC. Then, the problems of the MPC techniques like sensitivity to variations of the model parameters and others are investigated and solved in this work.Die vorliegende Dissertation stellt mehrere unterschiedliche Verfahren der modellprädiktiven Regelung (MPC) und so genannte Finite-Position-Set-Beobachter (FPSO) sowohl für Synchrongeneratoren mit Permanentmagneterregung als auch für doppelt gespeiste Asynchrongeneratoren in Windkraftanlagen mit variabler Drehzahl vor und untersucht diese. Für die Beobachter (FPSO) wird ein neuartiger Ansatz vorgestellt, der auf dem Konzept der Finite-Control-Set-MPC basiert. Außerdem werden typische Eigenschaften der MPC wie beispielsweise die Anfälligkeit gegenüber Parameterschwankungen untersucht und kompensiert

Sliding-Mode Observer Based Voltage-Sensorless Model Predictive Power Control of PWM Rectifier under Unbalanced Grid Conditions

© 1982-2012 IEEE. A sliding-mode grid voltage observer (SMGVO) is proposed and experimentally verified in this paper for voltage-sensorless operation under an unbalanced network. The fundamental positive sequence component (FPSC) and fundamental negative sequence component (FNSC) are inherently separated in the observer without employing any additional filters. Due to embedded filtering effect, high frequency chattering and harmonic ripples can be well suppressed. Additionally, dc components can be completely rejected. As a result, dc offset would not cause fundamental frequency oscillations in magnitude and frequency of the estimated FPSC and FNSC. Owing to the predictive ability of SMGVO, one-step delay can be directly compensated using state variables in the observer. By combining estimation and prediction into one stage, the designed SMGVO turns out to be a compact solution for finite-control-set model predictive power control without voltage sensors. Theoretical proof is derived to verify that FPSC and FNSC can be accurately estimated and separated. Experimental results obtained from a two-level PWM rectifier confirm the effectiveness of the whole control system