A thermal improvement technique for phase windings of electrical machines

In electrical machines, a higher torque/force density can usually be achieved by increasing the current density in the windings. However, the resulting increase in copper losses leads to higher temperatures in the coils, especially in the centre of the slots where the thermal resistance to the ambient/cooling surfaces is highest. In this paper a novel, simple technique is presented in which a higher thermal conductivity path between the centre of the slot and the cooling arrangement is created, thus increasing the heat flow away from the slot centre. A lumped parameter thermal model is presented and used along with finite element analysis to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed technique. The lumped parameter model is also used for optimizing the high conductivity path for maximum air-gap shear stress and to obtain a compromise between the reduced slot area and the improved temperature distribution. Experimental validation is then presented to compare the predicted results with the measured results on a purposely built instrumented set-up

Model predictive control for a dual active bridge inverter with a floating bridge

This paper presents a Model Predictive Control technique applied to a dual active bridge inverter where one of the bridges is floating. The proposed floating bridge topology eliminates the need for isolation transformer in a dual inverter system and therefore reduces the size, weight and losses in the system. To achieve multilevel output voltage waveforms the floating inverter DC link capacitor is charged to the half of the main DC link voltage. A finite-set Model Predictive Control technique is used to control the load current of the converter as well as the floating capacitor voltage. Model predictive control does not require any switching sequence design or complex switching time calculations as used for SVM, thus the technique has some advantages in this application. A detailed analysis of the converter as well as the predictive control strategy is given in this paper. Simulation and experimental results to validate the approach are also presented

A multi-level converter with a floating bridge for open-ended winding motor drive applications

This paper presents a dual three phase open end winding induction motor drive. The drive consists of a three phase induction machine with open stator phase windings and dual bridge inverter supplied from a single DC voltage source. To achieve multi-level output voltage waveforms a floating capacitor bank is used for the second of the dual bridges. The capacitor voltage is regulated using redundant switching states at half of the main dc link voltage. This particular voltage ratio (2:1) is used to create a multi-level output voltage waveform with three levels. A modified modulation scheme is used to improve the waveform quality of this dual inverter. This paper also compares the losses in dual inverter system in contrast with single sided three-level NPC converter. Finally, detailed simulation and experimental results are presented for the motor drive operating as an open loop v/f controlled motor drive and as a closed loop field oriented motor controller

Self-tuning resonant control of a 7-leg back-to-back converter for interfacing variable speed generators to 4-wire loads

This paper considers the control of a 7-leg back-to-back Voltage Source Inverter (VSI) arrangement feeding a 4-wire load from a 3-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG) operating at variable speed. The PMSG is controlled using a sensorless Model Reference Adaptive System (MRAS) to obtain the rotor position angle. The 7-leg converter is regulated using Resonant Controllers (RCs) at the load side and self-tuning resonant controllers at the generator side. The control system is augmented by a feed-forward compensation algorithm which improves the dynamic performance during transients. Experimental results, obtained from a prototype, are presented and discussed

Power conversion for a novel AC/DC aircraft electrical distribution system

This paper proposes a novel and compact AC/DC electrical distribution system for new generation aircraft. In these new aircraft power systems, all loads are fed by two dc bus systems: at 28V and at +/-270V. The electrical distribution system, whose design and implementation are described in this paper, has only one primary AC source (360-900Hz at 230V) with all the required dc voltage levels being derived from this source. This solution enables elimination of the complex mechanical coupling apparatus currently used, for fixed frequency AC systems, to maintain the generator speed at constant level while the engines operate at variable speed. Under the proposed solution, all conversion stages needed to generate the various output voltage levels are implemented using power converters assembled in one unit. Each converter has a current control loop in order to regulate the output current even during output line short circuits and also to limit the inrush current to the circuit at turn-on. To prove the concept a 5 kW prototype was designed and tested, and demonstrated to meet all the specifications within relevant standards regarding input and output power quality

Active Magnetic Bearing system design featuring a Predictive current control

Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) technology is becoming attractive for several reasons such as high speed operations, high reliability and vibrations exemption. Moreover, AMB can behave as active vibration dampers and provide a real-time control of the shaft. For all these advantages, AMBs are particularly attractive for high power - high speed applications. These desirable features come at the cost of an increased complexity of the system, which now includes a power electronic converter and a control system dedicated to the AMBs. This paper focus on the overall system design, from the AMB design, to the power electronic converter design and control, for an AMB featuring Wheatstone bridge winding configuration. The magnetic design has been developed analytically and validated by means of Finite Elements simulation, to generate up to 2kN of axial forces. The power conversion system is based on three full bridges, one to magnetize the bearing and two to control the axial forces independently on the x and y axes. In order to achieve high bandwidth current control able to generate the desired orthogonal forces, a predictive control strategy has been proposed, for the several advantages it can provides such as fast dynamic response, no need of modulation, easy inclusion of nonlinearities and constraints of the system, possibility of incorporating nested control loops in only one loop and the flexibility to include other system requirements in the controller. The control system has been validated in Matlab/PLECS simulation, including the effect of parameters mismatches in the coils

Control of a hybrid modular multilevel converter during grid voltage unbalance

The recently proposed parallel hybrid modular multilevel converter is considered to be a low loss, low component count converter with soft switching capability of the ‘main’ bridge. The converter has similar advantages to other emerging modular multilevel converter circuits being considered for HVDC power transmission. However, during ac network unbalance the individual ‘chain-links’ exchange unequal amounts of power with the grid which requires appropriate remedial action. This paper presents research into the performance of the converter and proposes a suitable control method that enables the converter to operate during grid voltage unbalance. The proposed control concept involves the use of asymmetric third harmonic voltage generation in the ‘chain-links’ of the converter to redistribute the power exchanged between the individual ‘chain-links’ and the grid. Mathematical analysis and simulation modelling with results are presented to support the work described

Robustness analysis and experimental validation of a fault detection and isolation method for the modular multilevel converter

This paper presents a fault detection and isolation (FDI) method for open-circuit faults of power semiconductor devices in a modular multilevel converter (MMC). The proposed FDI method is simple with only one sliding mode observer (SMO) equation and requires no additional transducers. The method is based on an SMO for the circulating current in an MMC. An open-circuit fault of power semiconductor device is detected when the observed circulating current diverges from the measured one. A fault is located by employing an assumption-verification process. To improve the robustness of the proposed FDI method, a new technique based on the observer injection term is introduced to estimate the value of the uncertainties and disturbances, this estimated value can be used to compensate the uncertainties and disturbances. As a result, the proposed FDI scheme can detect and locate an open-circuit fault in a power semiconductor device while ignoring parameter uncertainties, measurement error and other bounded disturbances. The FDI scheme has been implemented in a field programmable gate array (FPGA) using fixed point arithmetic and tested on a single phase MMC prototype. Experimental results under different load conditions show that an open-circuit faulty power semiconductor device in an MMC can be detected and located in less than 50ms

Fault detection for modular multilevel converters based on sliding mode observer

This letter presents a fault detection method for modular multilevel converters (MMC) which is capable of lo¬cating a faulty semiconductor switching device in the circuit. The proposed fault detection method is based on a sliding mode observer (SMO) and a switching model of a half-bridge, the approach taken is to conjecture the location of fault, modify the SMO accordingly and then compare the observed and measured states to verify, or otherwise, the assumption. This technique requires no additional measurement elements and can easily be implemented in a DSP or micro-controller. The operation and robustness of the fault detection technique are confirmed by simulation results for the fault condition of a semiconductor switching device appearing as an open-circuit

Open circuit fault detection and diagnosis in matrix converters

With the increased use of power electronics in aerospace, automotive, industrial, and energy generation sectors, the demand for highly reliable and power dense solutions has increased. Matrix converters become attractive when taking into account demands for high reliability and high power density. With their lack of large bulky DC-link capacitors, high power densities are possible with the capability to operate with high ambient temperatures. When a power converter needs high reliability, under tight weight and volume constraints, it is often not possible to have an entirely redundant system. Taking into account these constraints it is desirable that the power converter continue to operate even under faulty conditions, albeit with diminished performance in some regard. This paper presents an open circuit switch fault detection and diagnosis system for matrix converters, which has been experimentally validated. The presented system requires no load models, averaging windows or additional sensors, this makes the proposed method fast and low cost