Solar Photovoltaic and Thermal Energy Systems: Current Technology and Future Trends

Solar systems have become very competitive solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial applications for both standalone and grid connected operations. This paper presents an overview of the current status and future perspectives of solar energy (mainly photovoltaic) technology and the required conversion systems. The focus in the paper is put on the current technology, installations challenges, and future expectations. Various aspects related to the global solar market, the photovoltaic (PV) modules cost and technology, and the power electronics converter systems are addressed. Research trends and recommendations for each of the PV system sectors are also discussed.Junta de Andalucía P11-TIC-7070Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2016-78430-

The Essential Role and the Continuous Evolution of Modulation Techniques for Voltage-Source Inverters in the Past, Present, and Future Power Electronics

The cost reduction of power-electronic devices, the increase in their reliability, efficiency, and power capability, and lower development times, together with more demanding application requirements, has driven the development of several new inverter topologies recently introduced in the industry, particularly medium-voltage converters. New more complex inverter topologies and new application fields come along with additional control challenges, such as voltage imbalances, power-quality issues, higher efficiency needs, and fault-tolerant operation, which necessarily requires the parallel development of modulation schemes. Therefore, recently, there have been significant advances in the field of modulation of dc/ac converters, which conceptually has been dominated during the last several decades almost exclusively by classic pulse-width modulation (PWM) methods. This paper aims to concentrate and discuss the latest developments on this exciting technology, to provide insight on where the state-of-the-art stands today, and analyze the trends and challenges driving its future

Recent advances in high-power industrial applications

The industrial electronics market is continuously changing following the users demand. This paper introduces the current industrial electronics applications and is focused in the medium-voltage high-power ones. The multilevel approach is the most attractive solution to achieve the challenges that medium voltage-high power applications arise. Several commercial examples are introduced and some of the last research advances related to multilevel power electronic converters are presented in this paper

New trends and topologies for high power industrial applications: The multilevel converters solution

This paper reviews briefly the current scenarios where power electronics converters are being applied. In the paper, the main focus moves towards the high power applications, reviewing the different alternatives and topologies. The multilevel approach is studied in more depth, showing that is a good solution to the challenges that medium voltage-high power applications pose. Several industry examples are introduced and the most suitable modulation techniques for multilevel high power converters are explained. Among them, the recent selective harmonic mitigation method appears as a good solution to achieve a high performance. Finally the conclusions are addressed

DC-Voltage-Ratio Control Strategy for Multilevel Cascaded Converters Fed With a Single DC Source

Recently, a multilevel cascaded converter fed with a single DC source has been presented. An analysis of the steady-state working limits of this type of converter is presented in this paper. Limits of the maximum output voltage and the minimum and maximum loading conditions for stable operation of the converter are addressed. In this paper, a way to achieve any DC voltage ratio (inside the stable operation area of the converter) between the H-bridges of the single-DC-source cascaded H-bridge converter is presented. The proposed DC-voltage-ratio control is based on a time-domain modulation strategy that avoids the use of inappropriate states to achieve the DC-voltage-ratio control. The proposed technique is a feedforward-modulation technique which takes into account the actual DC voltage of each H-bridge of the converter, leading to output waveforms with low distortion. In this way, the dc voltage of the floating H-bridge can be controlled while the output voltage has low distortion independently of the desired DC voltage ratio. Experimental results from a two-cell cascaded converter are presented in order to validate the proposed DC-voltage-ratio control strategy and the introduced concepts.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TEC2006-03863Junta de Andalucía EXC/2005/TIC-117

Space Vector Modulation Techniques for Multilevel Converters – a survey

This paper presents a survey of most recent, simple and efficient Space Vector Modulation algorithms for multilevel converters. These algorithms avoid trigonometric and other complex operations, leading to more simple and cost efficient implementations. They can be applied to multilevel topologies and present freedom degrees that can be Exploited in order to optimize system parameters in the system like: capacitors voltages balancing or voltage/current ripples. Experimental results are presented to show the good performance of the algorithms

High-performance motor drives

This article reviews the present state and trends in the development of key parts of controlled induction motor drive systems: converter topologies, modulation methods, as well as control and estimation techniques. Two- and multilevel voltage-source converters, current-source converters, and direct converters are described. The main part of all the produced electric energy is used to feed electric motors, and the conversion of electrical power into mechanical power involves motors ranges from less than 1 W up to several dozen megawatts

Analysis of the power balance In the cells of a multilevel cascaded H-Bridge converter

Multilevel cascaded H-Bridge converters (CHB) have been presented as a good solution for high power applications. In this way, several control and modulation techniques have been proposed for this power converter topology. In this paper the steady state power balance in the cells of the single phase two cell CHB is studied. The capability to be supplied with active power from the grid or to deliver active power to the grid in each cell is analyzed according to the dc-link voltages and the desired ac output voltage value. Limits of the maximum and minimum input active power for stable operation of the CHB are addressed. Simulation results are shown to validate the presented analysis

Selective Harmonic Mitigation Technique for High-Power Converters

In high-power applications, the maximum switching frequency is limited due to thermal losses. This leads to highly distorted output waveforms. In such applications, it is necessary to filter the output waveforms using bulky passive filtering systems. The recently presented selective harmonic mitigation pulsewidth modulation (SHMPWM) technique produces output waveforms where the harmonic distortion is limited, fulfilling specific grid codes when the number of switching angles is high enough. The related technique has been previously presented using a switching frequency that is equal to 750 Hz. In this paper, a special implementation of the SHMPWM technique optimized for very low switching frequency is studied. Experimental results obtained applying SHMPWM to a three-level neutral-point-clamped converter using a switching frequency that is equal to 350 Hz are presented. The obtained results show that the SHMPWM technique improves the results of previous selective harmonic elimination pulsewidth modulation techniques for very low switching frequencies. This fact highlights that the SHMPWM technique is very useful in high-power applications, leading its use to an important reduction of the bulky and expensive filtering elements.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TEC2006-03863Junta de Andalucía EXC/2005/TIC-117

Guidelines for Weighting Factors Adjustment in Finite State Model Predictive Control of Power Converters and Drives

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY () (.2009.VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA)Model Predictive Control with a finite control set has emerged as a promising control tool for power converters and drives. One of the major advantages is the possibility to control several system variables with a single control law, by including them with appropriate weighting factors. However, at the present state of the art, these coefficients are determined empirically. There is no analytical or numerical method proposed yet to obtain an optimal solution. In addition, the empirical method is not always straightforward, and no procedures have been reported. This paper presents a first approach to a set of guidelines that reduce the uncertainty of this process. First a classification of different types of cost functions and weighting factors is presented. Then the different steps of the empirical process are explained. Finally, results for several power converters and drives applications are analyzed, which show the effectiveness of the proposed guidelines to reach appropriate weighting factors and control performance