A Novel Induction Heating System Using Multilevel Neutral Point Clamped Inverter

Contribution to Knowledge: The main knowledge contribution of the dissertation can be summarized as follows: 1-A new design of induction heating power supply configuration with two categories of LLC topologies: A Novel induction heating power supply topology using multilevel neutral point clamped inverter (MNPCI) is investigated and verified. The proposed converter topology decreases the switching losses by decreasing the DC link voltage to half its DC rail voltage value with the aid of operation under soft switching mode condition. Depending on the modified LLC optimum design being introduced, it shares the advantage features of both voltage fed and current fed inverters with the capability to absorb the undesired parasitic components in the design. The new design involves adding new circuit parameter that helps in controlling the power transfer from the MNPCI to the resonant load tank. All the analytical analysis made and the corresponding experimental work verifies the prototype configuration. This contribution was presented by the author and published in: {B.M. Flayyih; M.Z. Ahmed; M. Ambroze, ''A Novel Hybrid Voltage-Current Fed Induction Heating Power Supply System Using Multilevel Neutral Point Clamped Inverter '', Energycon 2014 IEEE International Energy Conference, Dubrovnik-Croatia. From 13th - 16th May 2014}. 2-An optimum power control of induction heating system by reducing harmonic distortion content: The development of IH system has become a pressing need to improve the power transfer from power supply to the IH load of the application required, and due to variable characteristic of IH load workpiece during the heating cycle, it is necessary to develop an IH system that operates using resonant inverters with switching frequency that changes according to changing load conditions during the IH application process, in order to keep tuning with natural resonant frequency of the system and keep working under optimal operational point. A novel super frequency induction heating power supply using MNPCI with optimum control algorithm is introduced. The control strategy is to keep phase shift angle between voltage and current approximately zero at all load conditions to ensure maximum power transfer whatever the load parameters changes, that is necessary to reduce the switching losses and increase the efficiency. The load topology being used consists of variable LLC resonant tank with values chosen carefully to coincide with the design. Afterword, an Optimum Harmonic Control of a proposed induction heating power supply with MNPCI is also introduced in this research. The proposed system achieves the soft switching mode for both current and voltage with low harmonic distortion and the capability to maximize the heating power by controlling the harmonics. The modulation strategy depends on changing the ON switching time of the prototype to an optimized value that achieves natural switching with lowest possible harmonic distortion and thus, gaining highest heating power efficiency. This contribution was also presented by the author and published in {B.M. Flayyih; M.Z. Ahmed; S. MacVeigh, ''A Comprehensive Power Analysis of Induction Heating Power Supply System Using Multilevel Neutral Point Clamped Inverter With Optimum Control Algorithm '', 2015 IEEE 11th International Conference on Power Electronics and Drive Systems (PEDS), From 9th - 12th June 2015, Sydney, Australia}. This contribution is also presented by the author in: {B.M. Flayyih; M.Z. Ahmed; M. Ambroze, ''An Optimum Harmonic Control of Induction Heating Power Supply System Using Multilevel Neutral Point Clamped Inverter'', The IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference and Expo Asia-Pacific (ITEC2016), Busan, Korea on 1st - 4th June, 2016}.This thesis investigates a novel DC/AC resonant inverter of Induction Heating (IH) system presenting a Multilevel Neutral Point Clamped (MNPCI) topology, as a new part of power supply design. The main function of the prototype is to provide a maximum and steady state power transfer from converter to the resonant load tank, by achieving zero current switching (ZCS) with selecting the best design of load tank topology, and utilizing the advantage aspects of both the Voltage Fed Inverter (VFI) and Current Fed Inverter (CFI) kinds, therefore it can considered as a hybrid-inverter (HVCFI) category . The new design benefits from series resonant inverter design through using two bulk voltage source capacitors to feed a constant voltage delivery to the MNPCI inverter with half the DC rail voltage to decrease the switching losses and mitigate the over voltage surge occurred in inverter switches during operation which may cause damage when dealing with high power systems. Besides, the design profits from the resonant load topology of parallel resonant inverter, through using the LLC resonant load tank. The design gives the advantage of having an output current gain value of about Quality Factor (Q) times the inverter current and absorbs the parasitic components. On the contrary, decreasing inverter current means decreasing the switching frequency and thus, decreasing the switching losses of the system. This aspect increases the output power, which increases the heating efficiency. In order for the proposed system to be more reliable and matches the characteristics of IH process , the prototype is modelled with a variable LLC topology instead of fixed load parameters with achieving soft switching mode of ZCS and zero voltage switching (ZVS) at all load conditions and a tiny phase shift angle between output current and voltage, which might be neglected. To achieve the goal of reducing harmonic distortion, a new harmonic control modulation is introduced, by controlling the ON switching time to obtain minimum Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) content accompanied with optimum power for heating energy.Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.Al Shuhadaa Establishment of Iraq