Showing papers on "Inverter published in 2015"

Modern Power Electronics And Ac Drives

Abstract: (NOTE: Each chapter begins with an Introduction and concludes with a Summary and References.) Preface. List of Principal Symbols. 1. Power Semiconductor Devices. Diodes. Thyristors. Triacs. Gate Turn-Off Thyristors (GTOs). Bipolar Power or Junction Transistors (BPTs or BJTs). Power MOSFETs. Static Induction Transistors (SITs). Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs). MOS-Controlled Thyristors (MCTs). Integrated Gate-Commutated Thyristors (IGCTs). Large Band-Gap Materials for Devices. Power Integrated Circuits (PICs). 2. AC Machines for Drives. Induction Machines. Synchronous Machines. Variable Reluctance Machine (VRM). 3. Diodes and Phase-Controlled Converters. Diode Rectifiers. Thyristor Converters. Converter Control. EMI and Line Power Quality Problems. 4. Cycloconverters. Phase-Controlled Cycloconverters. Matrix Converters. High-Frequency Cycloconverters. 5. Voltage-Fed Converters. Single-Phase Inverters. Three-Phase Bridge Inverters. Multi-Stepped Inverters. Pulse Width Modulation Techniques. Three-Level Inverters. Hard Switching Effects. Resonant Inverters. Soft-Switched Inverters. Dynamic and Regenerative Drive Braking. PWM Rectifiers. Static VAR Compensators and Active Harmonic Filters. Introduction to Simulation-MATLAB/SIMULINK. 6. Current-Fed Converters. General Operation of a Six-Step Thyristor Inverter. Load-Commutated Inverters. Force-Commutated Inverters. Harmonic Heating and Torque Pulsation. Multi-Stepped Inverters. Inverters with Self-Commutated Devices. Current-Fed vs Voltage-Fed Converters. 7. Induction Motor Slip-Power Recovery Drives. Doubly-Fed Machine Speed Control by Rotor Rheostat. Static Kramer Drive. Static Scherius Drive. 8. Control and Estimation of Induction Motor Drives. Induction Motor Control with Small Signal Model. Scalar Control. Vector or Field-Oriented Control. Sensorless Vector Control. Direct Torque and Flux Control (DTC). Adaptive Control. Self-Commissioning of Drive. 9. Control and Estimation of Synchronous Motor Drives. Sinusoidal SPM Machine Drives. Synchronous Reluctance Machine Drives. Sinusoidal IPM Machine Drives. Trapezoidal SPM Machine Drives. Wound-Field Synchronous Machine Drives. Sensorless Control. Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) Drives. 10. Expert System Principles and Applications. Expert System Principles. Expert System Shell. Design Methodology. Applications. Glossary. 11. Fuzzy Logic Principles and Applications. Fuzzy Sets. Fuzzy System. Fuzzy Control. General Design Methodology. Applications. Fuzzy Logic Toolbox. Glossary. 12. Neural Network Principles and Applications. The Structure of a Neuron. Artificial Neural Network. Other Networks. Neural Network in Identification and Control. General Design Methodology. Applications. Neuro-Fuzzy Systems. Demo Program with Neural Network Toolbox. Glossary. Index.

Distributed Secondary Voltage and Frequency Restoration Control of Droop-Controlled Inverter-Based Microgrids

Abstract: In this paper, restorations for both voltage and frequency in the droop-controlled inverter-based islanded microgrid (MG) are addressed. A distributed finite-time control approach is used in the voltage restoration which enables the voltages at all the distributed generations (DGs) to converge to the reference value in finite time, and thus, the voltage and frequency control design can be separated. Then, a consensus-based distributed frequency control is proposed for frequency restoration, subject to certain control input constraints. Our control strategies are implemented on the local DGs, and thus, no central controller is required in contrast to existing control schemes proposed so far. By allowing these controllers to communicate with their neighboring controllers, the proposed control strategy can restore both voltage and frequency to their respective reference values while having accurate real power sharing, under a sufficient local stability condition established. An islanded MG test system consisting of four DGs is built in MATLAB to illustrate our design approach, and the results validate our proposed control strategy.

Modular Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel PV Inverter With Distributed MPPT for Grid-Connected Applications

Abstract: This paper presents a modular cascaded H-bridge multilevel photovoltaic (PV) inverter for single- or three-phase grid-connected applications. The modular cascaded multilevel topology helps to improve the efficiency and flexibility of PV systems. To realize better utilization of PV modules and maximize the solar energy extraction, a distributed maximum power point tracking control scheme is applied to both single- and three-phase multilevel inverters, which allows independent control of each dc-link voltage. For three-phase grid-connected applications, PV mismatches may introduce unbalanced supplied power, leading to unbalanced grid current. To solve this issue, a control scheme with modulation compensation is also proposed. An experimental three-phase seven-level cascaded H-bridge inverter has been built utilizing nine H-bridge modules (three modules per phase). Each H-bridge module is connected to a 185-W solar panel. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach.

A Single-Phase Cascaded Multilevel Inverter Based on a New Basic Unit With Reduced Number of Power Switches

Abstract: In this paper, a new single-phase cascaded multilevel inverter is proposed. This inverter is comprised of a series connection of the proposed basic unit and is able to only generate positive levels at the output. Therefore, an H-bridge is added to the proposed inverter. This inverter is called the developed cascaded multilevel inverter. In order to generate all voltage levels (even and odd) at the output, four different algorithms are proposed to determine the magnitude of dc voltage sources. Reduction in the number of power switches, driver circuits, and dc voltage sources is the advantage of the developed single-phase cascaded multilevel inverter. As a result, the installation space and cost of the inverter are reduced. These features are obtained by the comparison of the conventional cascaded multilevel inverters with the proposed cascaded topology. The ability of the proposed inverter to generate all voltage levels (even and odd) is reconfirmed by using the experimental results of a 15-level inverter.

Nonisolated High Step-Up DC–DC Converters Adopting Switched-Capacitor Cell

Abstract: In a photovoltaic (PV)- or fuel-cell-based grid-connected power system, a high step-up dc-dc converter is required to boost the low voltage of a PV or fuel cell to a relatively high bus voltage for the downstream dc-ac grid-connected inverter. To integrate the advantages of the high voltage gain of a switched-capacitor (SC) converter and excellent output regulation of a switching-mode dc-dc converter, a method of combining the two types of converters is proposed in this paper. The basic idea is that when the switch is turned on, the inductor is charged, and the capacitors are connected in series to supply the load, and when the switch is turned off, the inductor releases energy to charge multiple capacitors in parallel, whose voltages are controlled by a pulsewidth modulation technique. Thus, a high voltage gain of the dc-dc converter can be obtained with good regulation. Based on this principle, a series of new topologies are derived, and the operating principles and voltage gains of the proposed converters are analyzed. Finally, the design of the proposed converter is given, and the experiment results are provided to verify the theoretical analysis.

Single phase transformerless inverter topologies for grid-tied photovoltaic system: A review

Abstract: Grid-tied inverters are the key components of distributed generation system because of their function as an effective interface between renewable energy sources and utility. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the use of transformerless inverter for low-voltage single-phase grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system due to higher efficiency, lower cost, smaller size and weight when compared to the ones with transformer. However, the leakage current issues of transformerless inverter, which depends on the topology structure and modulation scheme, have to be addressed very carefully. This review focuses on the transformerless topologies, which are classified into three basic groups based on the decoupling method and leakage current characteristics. Different topologies under the three classes are presented, compared and evaluated based on leakage current, component ratings, advantages, and disadvantages. An examination of demand for the inverter, the utility grid, and the PV module are presented. A performance comparison in MATLAB/Simulink environment is done among different topologies. Also an analysis has been presented to select a better topology. Finally, based on the analysis and simulation results, a comparison table has been presented. Furthermore, some important experimental parameters have been summarized.

Reliability Improvement of a T-Type Three-Level Inverter With Fault-Tolerant Control Strategy

Abstract: This paper proposes a fault-tolerant control strategy for a T-type three-level inverter when an open-circuit fault occurs. The proposed method is explained by dividing fault into two cases: the faulty condition of half-bridge switches and neutral-point switches. In case of the open-circuit fault in a neutral-point switch, two methods will be proposed and compared based on thermal analysis and neutral-point voltage oscillation. The reliability of T-type inverter systems is improved considerably by the proposed algorithm when a switch fails. The proposed method does not require any additional components. Simulation and experimental results verify the validity and feasibility of the proposed fault-tolerant control strategy.

Bearing Currents and Shaft Voltage Reduction in Dual-Inverter-Fed Open-End Winding Induction Motor With Reduced CMV PWM Methods

Abstract: Exploiting the rich switching redundancies of the dual inverter, new hybrid pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) switching methods are proposed in this paper using the degree of freedom of operating the individual inverters independently, in addition to exercising the degree of freedom of controlling the switching action of the individual legs independently. Two voltage entities, namely, common-mode voltage (CMV) and differential-mode voltage are identified in the dual inverter, and all hybrid PWMs are envisaged aimed at reducing and also eliminating the CMV in it. The effects of such attempts on motor shaft voltage and also the motor bearing currents are presented in detail. Furthermore, bearing current profiles of an open-end winding induction motor are also presented with both conventional and hybrid PWMs proposed in this paper. Electric discharge machining discharge currents are completely eliminated with the use of all hybrid PWM methods proposed in this paper. In addition, implications of completely eliminating the CMV are also presented in this paper. All hybrid PWMs proposed in this paper are first simulated using MATLAB and are experimentally verified on a dual two-level inverter feeding a 1.1-kW 415-V 3-φ open-end winding induction motor drive.

A Class of Quasi-Switched Boost Inverters

Abstract: A switched boost inverter (SBI) can replace a $Z$ -source inverter (ZSI) in low-power applications because it has one less $LC$ pair than the ZSI. This paper presents a class of quasi-SBIs (qSBIs) that offers several advantages when compared with a conventional SBI, including reducing the voltage stress on the capacitor, increasing the boost voltage factor, and improving input current profiles. Operating principles, steady-state analysis, and comparisons with conventional inverters are presented. A prototype based on a TMS320F28335 digital signal processor is built to verify the operating principle of the proposed qSBIs.

High-Performance WSe2 Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Technology and Integrated Circuits.

Abstract: Because of their extraordinary structural and electrical properties, two-dimensional materials are currently being pursued for applications such as thin-film transistors and integrated circuit. One of the main challenges that still needs to be overcome for these applications is the fabrication of air-stable transistors with industry-compatible complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate a novel high performance air-stable WSe2 CMOS technology with almost ideal voltage transfer characteristic, full logic swing and high noise margin with different supply voltages. More importantly, the inverter shows large voltage gain (∼38) and small static power (picowatts), paving the way for low power electronic system in 2D materials.

A Real-Time Computation Method With Dual Sampling Mode to Improve the Current Control Performance of the $LCL$ -Type Grid-Connected Inverter

Abstract: Due to the higher attenuation of switching frequency current harmonics, the $LCL$ filter has been widely used in grid-connected inverters. To deal with the resonance of the $LCL$ filter, the capacitor current is usually fed back to damp the resonance actively. However, the computation and pulsewidth modulation (PWM) delays in the digital control system have a significant influence on the active damping method, resulting in poor system robustness. Meanwhile, these delays also reduce the control bandwidth greatly and thus impose a severe limitation on the low-frequency gains. In this paper, a real-time computation method with dual sampling mode is proposed to remove the computation delay from the inner active damping loop and the outer grid-current control loop simultaneously; thus, the system robustness and the control performance can be greatly improved. Moreover, the time duration between the sampling instant and the switching transition of the inverter bridge is extended by the proposed method, which effectively prevents the switching noise distorting the sampled signals. Therefore, the noise immunity of the inverter is also improved greatly. Experimental results from a 6-kW $LCL$ -type single-phase grid-connected inverter confirm the theoretical expectations and the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Extended Boost Active-Switched-Capacitor/Switched-Inductor Quasi- Z -Source Inverters

Abstract: This paper proposes a new topology named the active-switched-capacitor/switched-inductor quasi- Z -source inverter (ASC/SL-qZSI), which is based on a traditional qZSI topology. Compared to other qZSI-based topologies under the same operating conditions, the proposed ASC/SL-qZSI provides higher boost ability, requires fewer passive components such as inductors and capacitors, and achieves lower voltage stress across the switching devices of the main inverter. Another advantage of the topology is its expandability. If a higher boosting rate is required, additional cells can easily be cascaded at the impedance network by adding one inductor and three diodes. Both the simulation studies and the experimental results obtained from a prototype built in the laboratory validate proper operation and performance of the proposed ASC/SL-qZSI.

Speed and Current Sensor Fault Detection and Isolation Technique for Induction Motor Drive Using Axes Transformation

Abstract: This paper presents a new technique for fault detection and isolation to make the traditional vector-controlled induction motor (IM) drive fault tolerant against current and speed sensor failure. The proposed current estimation uses d- and q-axes currents and is independent of the switching states of the three-leg inverter. While the technique introduces a new concept of vector rotation to generate potential estimates of the currents, speed is estimated by one of the available model reference adaptive system (MRAS) based formulations. A logic-based decision mechanism selects the right estimate and reconfigures the system (by rejecting the signal from the faulty sensors). Such algorithm is suitable for different drives, including electric vehicles to avoid complete shutdown of the system, in case of sensor failure. The proposed method is extensively simulated in MATLAB/SIMULINK and experimentally validated through a dSPACE-1104-based laboratory prototype.

A Fault-Tolerant Single-Phase Five-Level Inverter for Grid-Independent PV Systems

Abstract: In this paper, a fault-tolerant single-phase five-level inverter configuration is proposed for photovoltaic (PV) generation systems. Conventional two-level inverters are popularly used in PV applications, but these inverters provide the output voltage with considerable harmonic content. One of the efficient ways to improve the power quality of PV generation systems is to replace a two-level inverter with a multilevel inverter. Conventional multilevel inverters reduce total harmonic distortion and filter requirements effectively, but it has limitations in terms of reliability due to increased device count and capacitor voltage balancing issues. Therefore, a fault-tolerant single-phase five-level inverter is presented, which is constructed by using a half-bridge two-level inverter, a three-level diode clamp inverter, and a bidirectional switch. The proposed inverter topology can tolerate the system faults due to failure of the source and/or switching devices with least modification in the switching combinations. It has less number of switching devices compared to conventional five-level inverters. The topology also has the energy-balancing capability between sources which helps in reducing uneven charge of batteries in case of partial shading or hotspots on one side of the PV panels. The proposed system under normal and faulty condition is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink environment, and results are verified with a laboratory prototype.

Single phase three-level neutral-point-clamped quasi-Z-source inverter

Abstract: This study presents a novel three-level neutral-point-clamped quasi-Z-source inverter in the single-stage buck-boost multilevel inverter family. The topology was derived by combining the properties of the quasi-Z-source network with those of a three-level neutral point clamped inverter. It features such advantages as low voltage stress of the switches, single-stage buck-boost power conversion, continuous input current, short-circuit withstandability and low total harmonic distortion of the output voltage and current. The authors present a steady state analysis of the topology along with a special modulation technique to distribute shoot-through states during the whole fundamental period. Component design guidelines for a single-phase case study system are described. All the findings have been confirmed by simulations and experiments. The topology could be recommended for applications requiring continuous input current, high input voltage gain and enhanced quality of the output voltage.

Open-Switch Fault Detection Method of a Back-to-Back Converter Using NPC Topology for Wind Turbine Systems

Abstract: In wind turbine generation (WTG) systems, a back-to-back converter with a neutral-point-clamped (NPC) topology is widely used because this topology has more advantages than a conventional two-level topology, particularly when operating at high power. There are 12 switches in the NPC topology. An open-switch fault in the NPC rectifier of the back-to-back converter leads to the distortion of the input current and torque vibration in the system. Additionally, an open-switch fault in the NPC inverter of the back-to-back converter causes the distortion of the output current. Furthermore, the WTG system can break down in the worst case scenario. To improve the reliability of WTG systems, an open-switch fault detection method for back-to-back converters using the NPC topology is required. This study analyzes effects of inner and outer open-switch faults of the NPC rectifier and inverter and describes a novel open-switch fault detection method for all possible open-switch faults in the back-to-back converter.

Multilevel Medium-Frequency Link Inverter for Utility Scale Photovoltaic Integration

Abstract: A multilevel topology with medium-frequency ac link for medium-voltage grid integration of utility photovoltaic (PV) plants is discussed in this paper. A megawatt-scale PV plant is divided into many zones, each comprising of two series-connected arrays. Each zone employs a medium-frequency transformer with three secondaries, which interface with the three phases of the medium voltage grid. An insulated-gate bipolar transistor full-bridge inverter feeds the MF transformer. The voltages at the transformer secondaries are then converted to three-phase line frequency ac by three full-bridge ac-ac converters. Second line frequency harmonic power does not appear in the dc bus, thereby reducing the dc capacitor size. Cascading several such cells, a high-quality multilevel medium-voltage output is generated. A new control method is proposed for the cascaded multilevel converter during partial shading while minimizing the switch ratings. The proposed topology eliminates the need for line frequency transformer isolation and reduces the dc bus capacitor size, while improving the power factor and energy yield. This paper presents the analysis, design example, and operation of a 10-MW utility PV system with experimental results on a scaled-down laboratory prototype.

Power Decoupling Method for Single-Phase H-Bridge Inverters With No Additional Power Electronics

Abstract: An active method for double-frequency power ripple decoupling in single-phase inverters is presented in this paper, exhibiting the main advantage of not using additional power semiconductors besides the H-bridge. The proposed method requires only two capacitors placed between the midpoint and one end of each inverter leg. An original control solution of the inverter ensures the power ripple transfer toward the two decoupling capacitors without affecting the inverter output voltage. The simple design makes the proposed solution easy to adapt for single-phase inverters in H-bridge configuration. This paper focuses on the autonomous operation mode of the inverter, detailing its operating principle and the control analysis. The system performances, including the impact of the decoupling circuit on the inverter efficiency, are assessed by means of experimental results.

Evaluation of Switching Performance of SiC Devices in PWM Inverter-Fed Induction Motor Drives

Abstract: Double pulse test (DPT) is a widely accepted method to evaluate the switching characteristics of semiconductor switches, including SiC devices However, the observed switching performance of SiC devices in a PWM inverter for induction motor drives is almost always worse than the DPT characterization, with slower switching speed, more switching losses, and more serious parasitic ringing This paper systematically investigates the factors that limit the SiC switching performance from both the motor side and inverter side, including the load characteristics of induction motor and power cable, two more phase legs for the three-phase PWM inverter in comparison with the DPT, and the parasitic capacitive coupling effect between power devices and heat sink Based on a three-phase PWM inverter with 1200 V SiC MOSFETs, test results show that the induction motor, especially with a relatively long power cable, will significantly impact the switching performance, leading to a switching time increase by a factor of 2, switching loss increase up to 30% in comparison with that yielded from DPT, and serious parasitic ringing with 15 μs duration, which is more than 50 times of the corresponding switching time In addition, the interactions among the three phase legs cannot be ignored unless the decoupling capacitors are mounted close to each phase leg to support the dc bus voltage during switching transients Also, the coupling capacitance due to the heat sink equivalently increases the junction capacitance of power devices; however, its influence on the switching behavior in the motor drives is small considering the relatively large capacitance of the motor load

Modulation Techniques to Reduce Leakage Current in Three-Phase Transformerless H7 Photovoltaic Inverter

Abstract: Recently, reduced common-mode voltage (CMV) pulsewidth modulation (RCMV-PWM) methods have been proposed to reduce the leakage current in three-phase transformerless photovoltaic (PV) systems. However, most of these studies only focus on leakage current elimination and neglect the overall performance of the PV systems on issues such as cost, voltage linearity, dc-link current ripples, and harmonic distortion. In this paper, a three-phase transformerless inverter, adapted from the single-phase H5 topology, is investigated. Since the H5 topology has been conventionally developed for a single-phase system, its adaptation to the three-phase system requires the development of corresponding three-phase modulation techniques. Hence, modulation techniques are proposed based on conventional PWM. The performances of the proposed PWM, in terms of CMV, leakage current, voltage linearity, output current ripples, dc-link current ripples, and harmonic distortion are studied and discussed via simulation and experiment. It is proven that the proposed topology is able reduce the leakage current without sacrificing the overall performance of the system.

Seventeen-Level Inverter Formed by Cascading Flying Capacitor and Floating Capacitor H-Bridges

Abstract: A multilevel inverter for generating 17 voltage levels using a three-level flying capacitor inverter and cascaded H-bridge modules with floating capacitors has been proposed. Various aspects of the proposed inverter like capacitor voltage balancing have been presented in the present paper. Experimental results are presented to study the performance of the proposed converter. The stability of the capacitor balancing algorithm has been verified both during transients and steady-state operation. All the capacitors in this circuit can be balanced instantaneously by using one of the pole voltage combinations. Another advantage of this topology is its ability to generate all the voltages from a single dc-link power supply which enables back-to-back operation of converter. Also, the proposed inverter can be operated at all load power factors and modulation indices. Additional advantage is, if one of the H-bridges fail, the inverter can still be operated at full load with reduced number of levels. This configuration has very low dv/dt and common-mode voltage variation.

Prediction of bond wire fatigue of IGBTs in a PV inverter under long-term operation

Abstract: Bond wire fatigue is one of the dominant failure mechanisms in IGBT modules. However, the bond wire lifetime is not easily predictable and measurable to date due to several challenges. To overcome this challenge, this paper proposes a Monte Carlo based analysis method to predict the lifetime consumption of bond wires in a Photovoltaic (PV) inverter under long-term operation. The parameter distributions of IGBTs due to manufacturing variation and the annual stress profiles due to intermittent nature of solar irradiance and ambient temperature are taken into consideration. The proposed method enables a more realistic lifetime prediction with a specified confidence level compared to the state-of-the-art approaches. A study case on IGBT modules in a 10 kW three-phase PV inverter demonstrates the procedure and the results of the analysis. Finally, the lifetime distribution of bond wires permits to estimate the risk of unreliability of a single IGBT in a Photovoltaic (PV) inverter.

Predictive Torque Control Scheme for Three-Phase Four-Switch Inverter-Fed Induction Motor Drives With DC-Link Voltages Offset Suppression

Abstract: The four-switch three-phase (B4) inverter, having a lower number of switches, was first presented for the possibility of reducing the inverter cost, and it became very attractive as it can be utilized in fault-tolerant control to solve the open/short-circuit fault of the six-switch three-phase (B6) inverter. However, the balance among the phase currents collapses due to the fluctuation of the two dc-link capacitor voltages; therefore, its application is limited. This paper proposes a predictive torque control (PTC) scheme for the B4 inverter-fed induction motor (IM) with the dc-link voltage offset suppression. The voltage vectors of the B4 inverter under the fluctuation of the two dc-link capacitor voltages are derived for precise prediction and control of the torque and stator flux. The three-phase currents are forced to stay balance by directly controlling the stator flux. The voltage offset of the two dc-link capacitors is modeled and controlled in the predictive point of view. A lot of simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed control scheme.

Seven-Level PWM Inverter Employing Series-Connected Capacitors Paralleled to a Single DC Voltage Source

Abstract: This paper presents an effective circuit configuration of a multilevel inverter that can increase the number of output voltage levels with a reduced number of circuit components. The proposed seven-level pulsewidth-modulation inverter consists of a single dc voltage source with a series of capacitors, diodes, active switches for synthesizing output voltage levels, and an H-bridge cell. After theoretical analysis, we carry out computer-aided simulations and experiments to verify the validity of the proposed approach. Here, we also introduce a modified switching strategy to solve the capacitor voltage unbalancing that occurs in series-connected capacitors.

A Control Method for Inverter-Based Islanded Microgrids Based on V-I Droop Characteristics

Abstract: Microgrids’ performance and stability mostly depend on power-flow control strategy. In order to allow for coordinated control while maintaining reliable operation, decentralized control methods based on $P$ and $Q$ droop characteristics have been utilized. Inherently, the power droop control methods have slow dynamics. In this paper, a novel control method based on V-I characteristics is introduced to exploit the flexibility and fast dynamics of the inverter-based distributed energy resources. In the proposed method, the direct and quadrature axis voltage components are drooped with the corresponding currents according to a piecewise linear droop function. Eigenvalue analysis of a sample microgrid shows that the proposed method features faster dynamics and improved damping compared to the conventional droop scheme. Simulation results are presented to verify the efficacy of the proposed method.

Design of Single-Switch Inverters for Variable Resistance/Load Modulation Operation

Abstract: Single-Switch inverters such as the conventional Class-E inverter are often highly load sensitive, and maintain zero-voltage switching over only a narrow range of load resistances. This paper introduces a design methodology that enables rapid synthesis of Class E and related single-switch inverters that maintain ZVS operation over a wide range of resistive loads. We treat the design of Class-E inverters for variable resistance operation and show how the proposed methodology relates to circuit transformations on traditional Class-E designs. We also illustrate the use of this transformation approach to realize $\Phi _{2}$ inverters for variable-resistance operation. The proposed methodology is demonstrated and experimentally validated at 27.12 MHz in a Class E and $\Phi _{2}$ inverter designs that operate efficiently over 12:1 load resistance range for an 8:1 and 10:1 variation in output power, respectively, and a 25-W peak output power.

Ultraslim S-Type Power Supply Rails for Roadway-Powered Electric Vehicles

Abstract: An ultraslim S-type power supply rail, which has a width of only 4 cm, for roadway-powered electric vehicles (RPEVs) is proposed in this paper. The cross section of the core has a thin S-shape, and a vertically-wound multiturn coil is displaced inside the core. In this way, the most slim power supply rail is designed, which is crucial for the commercialization of RPEVs. The construction of roadway infrastructure, which is responsible for more than 80% of the total deployment cost for RPEVs, can be much easier when the width of the power supply rail is so small. To increase portability and to minimize construction time, a foldable power supply module is also proposed in which flexible power cables connect each foldable power supply module such that no connectors are needed during deployment. An effective winding method for minimizing the cable length is proposed, and an optimum core thickness of the proposed power supply rail is determined by FEA simulations and verified by a prototype power supply module. By virtue of the ultraslim shape, a large lateral displacement of 30 cm at an air gap of 20 cm was experimentally obtained, which is 6 cm larger than that of the I-type power supply rail. In addition to the larger lateral displacement, it is estimated that the S-type one has lower EMF than the I-type one because the width of the S-type one is narrower than that of I-type one. The maximum efficiency, excluding the inverter, was 91%, and the pick-up power was 22 kW.

Reliability Oriented Design Tool For the New Generation of Grid Connected PV-Inverters

Abstract: This paper introduces a reliability-oriented design tool for a new generation of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) inverters. The proposed design tool consists of a real field mission profile (RFMP) model (for two operating regions: USA and Denmark), a PV panel model, a grid-connected PV inverter model, an electrothermal model, and the lifetime model of the power semiconductor devices. An accurate long-term simulation model able to consider the one-year RFMP (solar irradiance and ambient temperature) is developed. Thus, the one-year estimation of the converter device thermal loading distribution is achieved and is further used as an input to the lifetime model. The proposed reliability-oriented design tool is used to study the impact of mission profile (MP) variation and device degradation (aging) in the PV inverter lifetime. The obtained results indicate that the MP of the field where the PV inverter is operating has an important impact (up to 70%) on the converter lifetime expectation, and it should be considered in the design stage to better optimize the converter design margin. In order to have correct lifetime estimation, it is crucial to consider also the device degradation feedback (in the simulation model), which has an impact of 20-30% on the precision of the lifetime estimation for the studied case.

Design of a Generalized Control Algorithm for Parallel Inverters for Smooth Microgrid Transition Operation

Abstract: A modified hierarchical control structure for distributed generation (DG) in microgrid is applied in accordance to the recommendations by the IEEE Std. 1676. In the inverter control layer, a generalized control algorithm is developed to enable the DGs to operate in all three modes (i.e., grid-forming, grid-feeding, and grid-supporting modes) with a single control structure, facilitating the seamless transition between the operating modes. This feature is obtained by designing the multiloop controller in the inverter control layer using inverse plant modeling techniques so that the dynamics of the inverter and the $LC$ filter are fully compensated, virtually transforming the controlled DG in the unity gain from the application layer perspective. Thus, effects of disturbances associated with the mode transitions are thus fully eliminated. The effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm is validated by numerical simulations and hardware-in-the-loop experiments. The results show that the DGs can fulfill the tasks defined in the system control layer with fast dynamics, desired accuracy, and good transient behavior.

Flexible Control Strategy for Grid-Connected Inverter Under Unbalanced Grid Faults Without PLL

Abstract: Power oscillation and current quality are the important performance targets for the grid-connected inverter under unbalanced grid faults. First, the inherent reason for the current harmonic and power oscillation of the inverter is discussed with a quantitative analysis. Second, a new control strategy is proposed to achieve the coordinate control of power and current quality without the need for a phase-locked loop (PLL) or voltage/current positive/negative sequence extraction calculation. Finally, the experimental tests are conducted under unbalanced grid faults, and the results verify the effectiveness of the propose method.