Real-Time Controller Design Test Bench for High-Voltage Direct Current Modular Multilevel Converters

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs), with their inherent features and advantages over other conventional converters, have gained popularity and remain an ongoing topic of research. Many scholars have solved issues related to the operation, control, protection, and reliability of MMCs using simulation software and small hardware prototypes. We propose a novel approach for an MMC controller design with real-time systems. By utilizing a key benefit of LabVIEW Multisim co-simulation, an MMC control algorithm that can be deployed on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) was developed in LabVIEW. The complete circuit was designed in Multisim, and a co-simulation was performed to drive an MMC model. The benefit of this topology is that control algorithms can be designed in a LabVIEW FPGA and tested with the Multisim co-simulation circuit to obtain simulation results. Once the controller works and provides satisfactory results, the same algorithm can be deployed in any NI (National Instruments) FPGA-based controller, like a compact remote input/output (RIO), to control real-time MMCs designed in an NI PCI eXtensions for Instrumentation (PXI) system. This method saves time and provides flexibility for effectively designing control algorithms and implementing them in an FPGA for real-time model implementation

Modified Nearest Level Modulation for Full-Bridge Based HVDC MMC in Real-Time Hardware-in-Loop Setup

Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is an emerging converter topology for medium and high voltage applications. Nearest level Modulation (NLM) is the conventional control topology used to control the MMC that produces the N+1 AC output waveform. In previous research work, the Modified NLM has been already proposed, producing a 2N+1 and 4N+1 output waveform while utilizing a half-bridge (HB) submodule (SM) topology. However, half-bridge-based MMC has a similar behavior as two-level Voltage Source Converter (VSC) and cannot block DC fault current in case of DC-side short circuit fault. So, in recent years, full-bridge-based MMC topology is preferably used by manufacturers as it has DC fault blocking capabilities. This paper presents the Modified NLM for Full bridge (FB) SM topology to take the critical benefits of FB SM topology and improve power quality. The proposed method is simpler to implement and produces a 4N+1 AC output waveform. The THD of the output voltage and current reduces to half compared to the conventional NLM method. The proposed method is verified using LabVIEW Multisim co-simulation and as well as real-time simulation

Power Quality Improvement in HVDC MMC With Modified Nearest Level Control in Real-Time HIL Based Setup

The Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is the best topology for medium and high voltage applications. The performance of MMC and the quality of the output waveform completely depends on the control applied. Nearest Level Modulation (NLM) is the conventional method used to control MMC that produces N+1 (N is the number of submodules per arm) AC output voltages. This article proposes a modified NLM control method for the MMC, which produces 2N+1 level which is twice the number of levels produced by conventional NLM. The proposed method is easy to implement and is extended in the article to produce a 4N+1 output voltage level which is never done in the literature. The THD of the output waveform is reduced to more than one-fourth compared to conventional NLM. The cost of switching devices, capacitors and size of circuit is also reduced to one-fourth for 4N+1 output waveform compared to conventional NLM. The method is verified through LabVIEW Multisim Co-simulation and real-time simulation using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based NI PXI

Radiation induced degradation of Congo red dye: a mechanistic study

Synthetic dyes are persistent pollutants with poor biodegradability. The present study is about the degradation of direct Congo red dye in aqueous media using the Co-60 gamma radiation source. The experimental conditions such as gamma-ray absorbed doses, amount of oxidant (H2O2) and pH conditions were evaluated. The λmax of dye solution was noted as 498 nm, and then, decrease in absorbance and reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) were examined. The complete colour removal of dye was observed at 5 kGy, while a significant COD removal was observed at 15 kGy gamma-ray absorbed dose in conjunction with oxidant for 50 mg/L concentration. It was found that pH has no influence on degradation efficiency. A possible degradation pathway was proposed. The radiolytic end products were monitored by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to explore the degradation mechanism. It was imperative to study the oxidative degradation pathway to provide directions for potential applicability of advanced oxidation process (AOP) in industrial wastewater treatment