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Voltage source back-to-back power converters are widely used in grid-tied applications. This paper presents a quasi-centralized direct model predictive control (QC-DMPC) scheme for back-to-back converter control without a dc-link outer-loop controller. Furthermore, the QC-DMPC is experimentally compared with a conventional proportional-integration (PI) dc-link controller-based DMPC (PI-DMPC) scheme. For the QC-DMPC scheme, the dc-link voltage is directly controlled by a grid-side predictive controller using a dynamic reference generation concept and load-side power estimation. For the PI-DMPC scheme, the dc-link voltage is controlled by an external PI controller. Both schemes are implemented on a field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based platform. Effectiveness of the proposed QC-DMPC is verified by both simulation and experimental data. Moreover, FPGA implementation issues (resource usage and timing information), dc-link control performance, and robustness to parameter variation of the two DMPC schemes are compared in detail. The results emphasize that the QC-DMPC may outperform the PI-DMPC scheme in normal operation but with a slightly higher usage of FPGA resources. However, PI-DMPC scheme is more robust when parameter variations are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is a newly introduced switch-mode converter topology with the potential for high-voltage and high-power applications. This paper focuses on the design and control methods for fault-tolerant operation using redundant submodules (SMs), which is one of the most important features in the MMC topology. By comparing three design schemes of redundant SMs, the most economic and reliable scheme is identified. In addition, a mathematical model of the MMC with arms containing different numbers of SMs is developed. Based on the identified scheme and mathematical model, an energy-balancing control strategy is proposed to keep the MMC operating normally under SM fault conditions. Finally, time-domain simulations of a 61-level MMC system are performed, using the PSCAD/EMTDC software, while experiments are carried out on a 41-level MMC prototype. The simulation and experimental results validate the design scheme, mathematical model, and proposed energy-balancing control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converters (MMC) are considered a top converter alternative for voltage-source converter (VSC) high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) applications. Main circuit design and converter performance evaluation are always important issues to consider before installing a VSC-HVDC system. Investigation into a steady-state analysis method for an MMC-based VSC-HVDC system is necessary. This paper finds a circular interaction among the electrical quantities in an MMC. Through this circular interaction, a key equation can be established to solve the unknown circulating current. A new steady-state model is developed to simply and accurately describe the explicit analytical expressions for various voltage and current quantities in an MMC. The accuracy of the expressions is improved by the consideration of the circulating current when deriving all the analytical expressions. The model's simplicity is demonstrated by having only one key equation to solve. Based on the analytical expressions for the arm voltages, the equivalent circuits for MMC are proposed to improve the current understanding of the operation of MMC. The feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method are verified by comparing its results with the simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new topology of a cascaded multilevel converter is proposed. The proposed topology is based on a cascaded connection of single-phase submultilevel converter units and full-bridge converters. Compared to the conventional multilevel converter, the number of dc voltage sources, switches, installation area, and converter cost is significantly reduced as the number of voltage steps increases. In order to calculate the magnitudes of the required dc voltage sources, three methods are proposed. Then, the structure of the proposed topology is optimized in order to utilize a minimum number of switches and dc voltage sources, and produce a high number of output voltage steps. The operation and performance of the proposed multilevel converter is verified by simulation results and compared with experimental results of a single-phase 49-level converter, too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]