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This paper proposes a multiloop framework for current control of grid-connected voltage source inverters (VSIs) with LCL output filter. The discrete-time model is of third-order with a nonminimum phase zero when controlling the grid side current. This poses some difficulties on the design of most types of controllers. Motivated by this problem, the inner loop is implemented by a discrete-time sliding mode control law to ensure the tracking of the converter side current. This can be achieved regardless the grid impedance and voltage, making the converter to behave like a current source inverter with a capacitive+inductive (CL) filter. Thus, the problem of current control falls from a third-order system to a second-order system. Several types of controllers can be designed to implement the outer loop based on the equivalent CL circuit. In this work, a resonant controller with a virtual resistor was applied. Simulations and experimental results are presented to validate the proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper extends the trans-Z-source concept to ac–ac power conversion and proposes a novel single-phase trans-Z-source ac–ac converter. The proposed converter retains the advantages of its existing Z-source/quasi-Z-source counterparts in which the output voltage can be boosted and in-phase with the input voltage or bucked/boosted and out-of-phase with the input voltage. Meanwhile, a coupled inductor is introduced into the proposed converter, and the turns ratio of the coupled inductor become another control variable beside the duty cycle to obtain extreme voltage gain. Importantly, the input voltage and output voltage share the same ground, and the input current could be continuous, which is a benefit for reducing input current harmonics. Most important of all, the safe-commutation strategy for the proposed converter is deep developed, and analytic expression between the switches state and loop circuit voltage/current condition is derived out. Hence, the current/voltage ripple can be avoided without a loss snubber circuit, which benefits a reduced cost and enhanced reliability. The performance analysis is discussed in consideration of parasitic resistance, and system parameter design is optimized based on theoretic calculation. A laboratory prototype is fabricated, and experiments are performed to verify the validation of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A common ground switched-quasi-Z-source bidirectional dc–dc converter is proposed for electric vehicles with hybrid energy sources. The proposed converter is based on the traditional two-level quasi- Z-source bidirectional dc–dc converter, changing the position of the main power switch. It has the advantages of a wide-voltage-gain range, a lower voltage stress across the power switches, and an absolute common ground. The operating principle, the voltage and current stresses on the power switches, the comparisons with the other converters, the small signal analysis, and the controller design are presented in this paper. Finally, a 300 W prototype with $U_{{\rm{high}}}= {240 \ \rm{V}}$ and $U_{{\rm{low}}}= {40\sim 120\ \rm{V}}$ is developed, and the experimental results validate the performance and the feasibility of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Direct current voltages unbalance of respective power cells is an inherent and critical problem in a cascaded multilevel converter, which is widely used in the solid-state transformer. In this paper, an n -dimension space vector pulse width modulation is presented to address this issue in a three-level H-bridge-based cascaded multilevel converter. This algorithm utilizes the redundant switching pairs of the inner cell and the redundant vectors of mutual cells to balance capacitors’ and cells’ voltages. Meanwhile, a smooth vector transition strategy is included in this algorithm to avoid the level-skip phenomenon. The calculation processes are analyzed in one-cell, two-cells, and three-cells modes, respectively. It is simple, calculable, and flexible to extend in n-cells mode. Finally, the voltage balancing capacity of the inner cell and mutual cells with smooth level transition are verified by simulations and experiments not only at startup but also with unbalanced loads. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The control loop stability in boost converters operating in continuous conduction mode has been restricted due to its nonminimum phase nature: the presence of a positive zero (right-half plane zero) in the control to output voltage transfer function. This paper proposes a method to mitigate the effect of the zero on the control loop by shifting the position of the zero to the left-half plane and hence leading to increased stability for the control loop of the boost converter. Superior performance of the proposed method has been clearly demonstrated using simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, finite-set model-predictive control (FS-MPC) methodologies for a grid-connected three-level neutral-point-clamped converter are investigated. The proposed control strategies produce fixed switching frequency, maintaining all the advantages of predictive control such as fast dynamic response, inclusion of nonlinearities and restrictions, and multivariable control using a single control loop. The first of the proposed FS-MPC strategies is based on a multiobjective cost function, designed to regulate both the inverter currents and the balancing of the dc-link capacitor voltages. The second FS-MPC strategy is derived from the first one, and it is based on a cost function that regulates only the grid current, with the balancing of the capacitor voltages being realized by controlling the duty cycles of the redundant vectors. The proposed control systems are experimentally validated using a 5-kW prototype. The experimental results show a good performance for both strategies, in steady-state and transient response, with a total harmonic distortion lower than \text2\% for the currents supplied to the grid. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A nonisolated single-stage electronic lighting system with a high power factor for driving power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is proposed in this paper. The presented topology is based on the integration of a bridgeless boost rectifier with a nonresonant half-bridge converter. Accurate steady-state analyses of the nonresonant- and resonant-based circuits are reported, serving as the basis for designing the lighting systems. The LEDs current is adjusted by means of frequency modulation, being the converter switches driven by complementary symmetrical signals. A small-signal analysis is detailed for the proposed nonresonant scheme, providing fundamental information regarding its dynamic behavior. Also, a step-by-step design procedure based on the performed mathematical analysis is elaborated, allowing the adequate design of the proposed lighting system. In order to confirm the validity and the feasibility of the proposed converter, experimental results for a 42-W, 127- \rmV{\rm{rms}}, 50-kHz, 94.2% peak efficiency prototype are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The hybrid modulation strategy using both low-frequency square-wave modulation and high-frequency pulse-width modulation can extend the stable operating region of a cascaded H-bridge converter. However, it does not control accurately dc voltages of converter but balances them by charging or discharging dc capacitors based on the state of system, which could aggravate fluctuation of dc voltages. If cascaded H-bridge converter is used in photovoltaic field, the aggravated fluctuation on dc capacitor voltages will result in further losses in energy harvesting of solar cells. To address this issue, a modified hybrid modulation strategy is presented in this paper. When dc-bus measured voltages are close to their reference voltages, these H-bridges operate in a zero mode. Adding appropriate zero state can prevent grid current charging or discharging the dc capacitors whose voltages have already reached their control goals. Therefore, the proposed technique is capable of suppressing dc voltage fluctuation, and, thus, improving the output power of solar cells. Simulation and experimental results validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an optimized topology of 3-$\phi$ , multilevel inverter (MLI) configuration for five or higher level operation with reduced switch count. The proposed solution consists of two basic units (BUs) of multilevel converter and a T-structured 3-level inverter (3-LI). Both BUs are equally shared by the three phases maintaining symmetry among the phases. Moreover, for a higher level operation of the proposed MLI, the modifications required are at two BUs only and not at three legs of the inverter. It further helps in reducing the requirement of extra components for higher level operation compared to the conventional solutions. Furthermore, the topology also has the benefits of reduced switching and conduction loss. An algorithm is also devised to generate the switching pulses for the BUs and the 3-LI, using a carrier-based space vector modulation technique. Presented topology is compared with other existing topologies to prove its advantage. All the details regarding the operating modes and pulse width modulation techniques employed for the proposed system are given and supported by the simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding the auxiliary switches to the conventional H-bridge inverter is an effective way to eliminate the leakage current for transformerless PV systems, such as H5, H6, etc. Inspired by the newly developed embedded-switch H6 topology, a novel embedded-switch inverter (ESI) is proposed in this paper for three-phase transformerless PV systems. First, the operation principle and characteristics of the proposed ESI are analyzed. Second, the common-mode model of the three-phase ESI is established, based on which the main factors that affect the leakage current are discussed. The finding reveals that the switching states with conventional modulation strategy result in high-frequency common-mode voltage, which is the source of leakage current. In order to solve the problem, a new modulation strategy is presented for ESI to eliminate the high-frequency leakage current. Finally, the time-domain simulation and the experimental tests are carried out. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an interleaved-stage ac–dc bidirectional power converter topology feasible to medium-voltage railway systems. It is based on an arrangement that uses input-series-output-parallel configuration with identical power modules. Each module consists of two interleaved legs employing coupled windings so that it is possible to connect a medium-frequency transformer. The topology conception is presented, followed by the adopted control and modulation technique. An estimation of semiconductor losses is also discussed, while a comparative analysis by means of simulation results validates the improved performance of the introduced approach if compared with similar solutions. The topology results are obtainedt through a medium-voltage high-power railway application, demonstrating the converter functionalities and performance under both steady-state and dynamic conditions. It is then possible to state that good performance in terms of efficiency is achieved even though the power stage presents higher component count if compared with the topology that presents the best result, thus making it suitable to high-power ac–dc machine drive applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The battery energy-stored quasi-Z-source (BES-qZS)-based photovoltaic (PV) power generation system combines advantages of the qZS inverter and the battery energy storage system. However, the second-harmonic ( \text2\omega ) power ripple degrades the system's performance and affects the system's design. An accurate model to analyze the \text2\omega ripple is very important. The existing models did not consider the battery, or assumed a symmetric qZS network with $L_{{1}}= L_{{2}}$ and $C_{{1}}= C_{{2}}$, which limits the design freedom and causes oversized impedance parameters. This paper proposes a comprehensive model for the single-phase BES-qZS-PV inverter system, where the battery is considered and there is no restriction of $L_{{1}}= L_{{2}}$ and $C_{{1}}= C_{{2}}$ . Based on the built model, a BES-qZS impedance design method is proposed to mitigate the \text2\omega ripple with asymmetric qZS network. Simulation and experimental results verify the proposed \text2\omega ripple model and impedance design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with multilevel space vector modulation, level-shifted multicarrier sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation (SPWM) for nested neutral point-clamped (NNPC) inverters requires much less calculations and implementation efforts, but the existing conventional SPWM cannot suppress the severe flying-capacitor (FC) voltage ripples under low output-frequency conditions. In order to solve this problem, a multicarrier-based PWM strategy with complete voltage balance control (VBC) capacity is proposed in this paper. For NNPC inverters operating under low output-frequency conditions, two preprocessing steps, the zero-sequence injection and the modulation-signal rearrangement, are proposed before the comparisons between level-shifted carriers and modulating signals. These preprocessing steps make the average currents flowing through FCs zero, which is beneficial to greatly reduce the FC voltage ripples under low output-frequency conditions. Together with additional VBC, the proposed modulation can assure the FC voltages balanced under the entire output-frequency conditions. Principles and implementation processes of proposed modulation techniques and VBC methodsare elaborated in detail and compared with conventional modulation methods. Both simulation results from a 5-MVA system and experimental results based on a 5-kVA platform are presented to verify the effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In high-voltage output applications, the rectifier diodes in the conventional full-bridge converter have to bear the whole secondary voltage of a transformer. In this paper, a three-level rectifier structure with flying capacitors is proposed for the dc–dc converter. Compared with the conventional dc–dc converter, the converter with the proposed rectifier structure has the following advantages: low-voltage diodes could be used for high-voltage output applications; due to the secondary flying capacitors, there are no voltage spikes on the rectifier diodes even if no snubber circuits are attached; not only can the leading switches realize zero voltage switching (ZVS) as the same as the conventional converters, but also the lagging switches can realize zero current switching in discontinuous-conduction mode and ZVS in continuous-conduction mode; and the rectified voltage has no zero-state voltage, it has been raised to half of the input voltage, so the voltage fluctuation is lower than the conventional converter under the same modulation strategy, and the current ripple of the filter inductor can be reduced by half. The operation principle of the proposed rectifier structure is analyzed in details, and a prototype is fabricated to verify the features of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an isolated bidirectional interleaved converter with minimum active switches to achieve high conversion ratio. The proposed converter has symmetric structure for easy control, and incorporates two coupled inductors for galvanic isolation and high voltage ratio achievement. A dual-inductor-capacitor-diode (LCD) snubber with common resonant inductor at low-voltage side is in charge of leakage energy recycling for efficiency improvement. In addition, the converter can obtain interleaved terminal current at low-voltage side for lowering current ripples, no matter in boost mode or buck mode. Finally, a 400-W prototype is built for validation, where the experimental results indicate that the highest efficiencies in boost and buck modes are 95.5% and 95.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two main problems, including unbalanced grid input and circuit parameters uncertainty in the three-phase soft-switching converter control system, are considered in this paper. First, the constant-switching-frequency model-predictive control (CF-MPC) is improved for application in compound active-clamp zero-voltage-switching three-phase power factor correction converter. Second, a robust-constant-frequency model-predictive control (RCF-MPC) method is proposed for current loop; the novel contributions are: 1) the negative-sequence current component is introduced into the cost function of the model-predictive control to decrease the influence of unbalanced grid input; and 2) a robust item is added into the predictive model to reduce the influence of the circuit parameter uncertainty. Third, a robust variable structure controller is proposed for voltage loop considering the capacitor and load uncertainty. The simulation and experiment results show that, compared with the original CF-MPC method and the traditional proportional–integral control method, the proposed RCF-MPC method decreases the total harmonic distortion under the unbalanced grid condition. Meanwhile, the voltage loop robust variable structure controller has better transient and steady-state performance with respect to the load perturbation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes an improved offset selection method for discontinuous-pulse-width-modulation (DPWM)-based back-to-back converters to reduce dc-link current ripple. DPWM is introduced to power converters to diminish the stress on power transistors and prolong their lifespan. However, when using the DPWM method, the dc-link current ripple is increased in nonswitching regions of the power transistors. Moreover, in DPWM-based back-to-back converters, the dc-link current ripple reaches its maximum when the two transistors of both inverters are clamped in opposite directions. Therefore, the dc-link capacitors endure more stress, resulting in decreased life duration. To overcome this issue, the switching method should consider the clamping periods, when the current ripple increases. This can be achieved by modifying the DPWM offset, so that the clamping states of both converters are matched. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by both simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Wireless power transfer (WPT) has drawn more and more attention and has many applications, such as wireless electric vehicle charging systems, which require high power, high efficiency, and high power factor. In this paper, a single-stage WPT resonant converter with bridgeless boost power-factor-correction (PFC) rectifier is proposed to improve efficiency and power quality of line input, and reduce production cost and complexity for high-power WPT system. The bridgeless single-stage topology is creatively proposed to apply in WPT system, which is much more advantageous than conventional two-stage WPT converter with individual boost PFC stage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a high-efficiency two-stage three-level grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) inverter. The proposed two-stage inverter comprises a three-level step-up converter and a three-level inverter. The three-level step-up converter not only improves the power-conversion efficiency by lowering the voltage stress but also guarantees the balancing of the dc-link capacitor voltages using a simple control algorithm; it also enables the proposed inverter to satisfy the VDE 0126-1-1 standard of leakage current. The three-level inverter minimizes the overall power losses with zero reverse-recovery loss. Furthermore, it reduces harmonic distortion, the voltage ratings of the semiconductor device, and the electromagnetic interference by using a three-level circuit configuration; it also enables the use of small and low-cost filters. To control the grid current effectively, we have used a feed-forward nominal voltage compensator with a mode selector; this compensator improves the control environment by presetting the operating point. The proposed high-efficiency two-stage three-level grid-connected PV inverter overcomes the low efficiency problem of conventional two-stage inverters, and it provides high-power quality with maximum efficiency of 97.4%. Using a 3-kW prototype of the inverter, we have evaluated the performance of the model and proved its feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a family of novel flying capacitor transformerless inverters for single-phase photovoltaic (PV) systems. Each of the new topologies proposed is based on a flying capacitor principle and requires only four power switches and/or diodes, one capacitor, and a small filter at the output stage. A simple unipolar sinusoidal pulse width modulation technique is used to modulate the inverter to minimize the switching loss, output current ripple, and the filter requirements. In general, the main advantages of the new inverter topologies are: 1) the negative polarity of the PV is directly connected to the grid, and therefore, no leakage current; 2) reactive power compensation capability; and 3) the output ac voltage peak is equal to the input dc voltage (unlike neutral-point-clamped and derivative topologies, which requires twice the magnitude of the peak ac voltage). A complete description of the operating principle with modulation techniques, design guidelines, and comprehensive comparisons is presented to reveal the properties and limitations of each topology in detail. Finally, experimental results of 1-kVA prototypes are presented to prove the concept and theoretical analysis of the proposed inverter family for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a novel 49-level stacked inverter topology for drives. The 49 levels are achieved by stacking three 17-level inverters. Each of the 17-level inverter is developed by cascading a flying capacitor (FC) inverter with three capacitor-fed H-bridges. The device count can be reduced by making the FC and the three cascaded H-bridges common to the dc link in each phase using selector switches in between them. The selector switches need to operate at fundamental frequency only. Also, the devices need to block very low voltages. Hence, MOSFETs can be used. This topology requires three dc sources, each of V\text{dc} /6 only, which can be replaced with stacked batteries for electric vehicle applications. The reduction in the dc voltage requirement is achieved by using a normal symmetric six-phase induction motor with parallel connection of the opposite phase windings. All the floating capacitors in the topology can be balanced irrespective of any modulation index or load power factor. Due to the high number of voltage levels, nearest level control can be used instead of pulse width modulation, which reduces the switching losses. The $dv/dt$ during the inverter operation is also less. Detailed experimental results at different speeds of operation and during transients ensure that the novel topology can be a viable option for high-power adjustable speed drives. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a soft-switching topology is proposed for the bidirectional dc–dc converter. In order to achieve soft-switching conditions, the auxiliary circuits including a small inductor and two capacitors are introduced to the bidirectional dc–dc converter. By generating and keeping a recycle current in the auxiliary circuits, the proposed topology can provide soft-switching conditions for both switches of the bidirectional dc–dc converter in fixed frequency control application. Meanwhile, no auxiliary switches are introduced. Due to the existence of the auxiliary circuits, the proposed topology can also reduce the current ripple in the main inductor. Based on this soft-switching method, a family of bidirectional soft-switching dc–dc topologies is derived. These topologies have the similar structures and the same characteristics. The topology deduction, operating principles, and design guidelines are presented in detail. Finally, an experimental prototype is built to verify the analysis and characteristics of the proposed topologies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DC microgrids are popular due to the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaics and fuel cells. Owing to the low output voltage of these dc power generators, high efficient high gain dc–dc converters are in need to connect the dc microgrid. In this paper, a nonisolated high gain dc–dc converter is proposed without using the voltage multiplier cell and/or hybrid switched-capacitor technique. The proposed topology utilizes two nonisolated inductors that are connected in series/parallel during discharging/charging mode. The operation of switches with two different duty ratios is the main advantage of the converter to achieve high voltage gain without using extreme duty ratio. The steady-state analysis of the proposed converter using two different duty ratios is discussed in detail. In addition, a 100 W, 20/200 V prototype circuit of the high gain dc–dc converter is developed, and the performance is validated using experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a novel structure for a boost dc/dc converter. The presented structure is based on the SEPIC converter. Therefore, the converter benefits from various advantages that the SEPIC converter has such as continuous input current. Also, high voltage conversion gain and higher efficiency are the other advantages of the proposed converter. Input current continuity makes the presented converter suitable for renewable energy sources. Employing a coupled inductor with a voltage multiplier cell in this structure increases its high voltage gain. In addition, lower voltage stress on the main power switch leads to higher conversion efficiency. Also, the energy stored in the leakage inductance of the coupled inductor is recycled, which improves the efficiency more. The steady state analysis and the design of the converter are discussed thoroughly. Experimental results are provided by a 220 W prototype. The results verify the proper operation and feasibility of the presented converter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a new bidirectional direct pulse width modulation (PWM) three-phase buck-boost ac–ac converter. It requires six switches and three inductors and can provide wide range buck-boost voltage operation. It has high reliability due to no short-circuit and open-circuit risks in the converter. Therefore, it solves the commutation problem without using lossy snubber circuits, soft commutation strategies, and coupled inductors. It can be designed with metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) without their body diodes conducting, which eliminate reverse recovery issues and losses of body diodes. In addition, to reduce the ripples in input and output voltages and currents, the proposed converter can be operated with a PWM strategy-II. The PWM strategy-II is a type of interleaved PWM strategy with dead- and overlap-times operating modes. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed converter extensive analysis followed by detailed experimental results are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a single-phase multilevel ac/ac converter with reduced number of power semiconductor devices is proposed. For the simple case of a three-level converter, only three bidirectional switches and two capacitors are required. The proposed converter provides a highly sinusoidal and regulated output voltage with a simple topology. The efficiency is high because in each state of operation only one semiconductor conducts. The converter can be easily extended to any desired levels in the output voltage to even more reduce the output total harmonics distortion. Another advantage of the proposed converter is that by increasing the voltage levels, the stress on the switches will decrease. The proper performance of the proposed converter is confirmed through extensive simulation and experimental tests. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a power factor correction (PFC)-based switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive is proposed. Generally, the SRM drive is fed with a simple diode bridge rectifier followed by a bulky capacitor, which draws peaky current at low power factor and high-input-current total harmonic distortion (THD). Here, a dual output converter is proposed to control the SRM and to provide power quality improvement as well. This converter is a combination of Cuk and SEPIC converters, which produces two equal output voltages with neutral point N, to feed a midpoint converter of the SRM drive. The converter is designed to operate in discontinuous conduction mode of operation to obtain inherent PFC at supply side. The motor control is attained by regulating dc link voltage over a wide range. Test results on a prototype of the SRM drive demonstrate the excellent performance with high power factor and reduced input current THD. The observed power quality indices depict the improved power quality as per the standard IEC 61000-3-2. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Three-level buck dc–dc converters have advantages over the traditional buck converters: half switch voltage stress, doubling effective switching frequency, smaller inductor size, and the higher power density. To benefit from those advantages, the flying capacitor voltage must be balanced at half of the input voltage. Most existing methods of balancing the flying capacitor voltage require current sensing, which increases the cost and noise sensitivity. This paper proposes a novel state-machine structure of second-order sliding-mode (SOSM) control for three-level buck dc–dc converters without sensing currents. With insensitivity to parameter variations of SOSM control, the proposed control approach tackles the strongly coupled problem of output voltage and flying capacitor voltage in three-level buck dc–dc converters. Compared to existing approaches, the controller achieves fast start-up without overshoots, fast load disturbances rejection, and robustness against parameter uncertainties for the output voltage, and balance of the flying capacitor voltage without sensing the current of flying capacitor. The proposed approach is verified with experimental results of a 1.25 V, 2.5 A prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a soft switching nonisolated dc/dc interleaved converter incorporating coupled inductors and switched capacitors for high step-up applications. The converter integrates the interleaved structure and winding-cross-coupled inductors technique to reduce current stress of semiconductor devices and diminish the input current ripple considerably. In addition, the interleaved converter has the automatic current sharing characteristic. The applied zero voltage transition cell provides soft switching in a wide range of load variations with a minimum number of elements. In this topology, all semiconductor devices are soft switched, having eliminated switching losses and alleviating the reverse recovery problem of the output diodes. In addition, the voltage stress across the switches is very low. The theoretical analysis and design procedure of the introduced topology are presented. Also, the proposed converter is compared to the latest similar soft switched high step-up converters. The accuracy of the theoretical analysis is validated by a 200-W prototype operating at 100 kHz. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, an improved transformerless single-phase single-stage grid-tied flying inductor inverter is presented. The negative terminal of the photovoltaic (PV) array is grounded in the improved topology, which increases reliability and suppresses the leakage current. The proposed topology has buck–boost capability without increasing the number of required components and has a high efficiency. An improved control algorithm for proper operation of the proposed topology which decreases switching losses has been investigated. Moreover, a perturbation and observation maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm has been adapted to the proposed inverter, which does not utilize proportional–integral (PI) controllers, for the purpose of the MPPT. Furthermore, a design procedure of the passive elements of the converter based on the corresponding operating has been demonstrated. Simulation in MATLAB Simulink plus an experimental prototype is developed to reconfirm the designed results. Finally, a comparison study has been investigated for better clarification of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, an input-series two-transistor forward converter is proposed and investigated, which is aimed at high-input voltage multiple-output applications. In this converter, all of the switches are operating synchronously, and the input voltage sharing (IVS) of each series-module is achieved automatically by the coupling of primary windings of the common forward integrated transformer. The active IVS processes are analyzed based on the model of the forward integrated transformer. Through the influence analysis when the mismatches in various series-modules are considered, design principles of the key parameters in each series-module are discussed to suppress the input voltage difference. Finally, a 96-W laboratory-made prototype composed of two forward series-modules is built, and the feasibility of the proposed method and the theoretical analysis are verified by the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a new zero-voltage switching and resonant core reset pulse width modulation forward converter with a simple auxiliary circuit is introduced. The proposed auxiliary circuit can be applied to both single-switch and two-switch forward converters. The main and the auxiliary mosfets of the proposed converters operate under soft switching condition independent of line and load variation. Also, due to the capability of operating at duty cycles higher than 0.5, the proposed converters can be used for wide input voltage applications. In comparison to the existing zero-voltage transition (ZVT) forward converters, this auxiliary circuit has low number of components and also does not require any additional magnetic element which has improved the power density. The proposed converter is compared with exiting ZVT forward converters in details. The converter steady-state operation is analyzed and various operating modes are explained. Also, in addition to a design example, a comprehensive design procedure is presented. The experimental results of a laboratory prototype of the converter with 85–180 V input voltage and 24 V output voltage at 150 W are provided which verify the theoretical analysis and confirm the converter operation. The overall efficiency of 93.5% is achieved for the proposed converter at full load. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The asymmetrical modulation strategy is widely used in various types of three-level (TL) dc/dc converters, while the current imbalance among the power switches is one of the important issues. In this paper, a novel periodically swapping modulation (PSM) strategy is proposed for balancing the power switches’ currents in various types of TL dc/dc converters. In the proposed PSM strategy, the driving signals of the switch pairs are swapped periodically, which guarantees that the currents through the power switches are kept balanced in every two switching periods. Therefore, the proposed PSM strategy can effectively improve the reliability of the converter by balancing the power losses and thermal stresses among the power switches. The operation principle and performances of the proposed PSM strategy are analyzed in detail. Finally, the simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the proposed modulation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a low-power batteryless energy harvesting system for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. A dual-mode dc–dc converter is used to harvest the energy of a microscale photovoltaic (PV) transducer and provides energy, in the boost mode, to a super capacitor for storage. In the buck mode, the dc–dc converter provides energy to the load on demand. A piezoelectric transducer is used as a secondary input source to guarantee system self startup. The proposed system includes a smart control to adaptively adjust the number of sensors at the load, leading to better usage of the available energy at any given time. The implementation also includes a programmable switch sizing to optimize the overall system's efficiency for different load conditions. A maximum power point tracking is used to extract the maximum power of the PV transducer under various illumination conditions. The system has been implemented in a CMOS 130-nm technology and tested in various modes of operation. Self startup has been verified, and a peak efficiency of 90.5% has been measured. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a new bridge modular switched-capacitor-based ac–ac converter, which is intended to replace conventional transformers in commercial and residential applications, especially for microgrids. The main advantages of the proposed converter lie in high efficiency and power factor, bidirectional operation, and capacitor voltage self-balancing ability. Another distinct merit is its symmetric construction, with which the voltage ripple of charge/pump capacitors can be cancelled out, and the output voltage will be smooth with significant ripple reduction. It is also noteworthy that the symmetric construction ensures that the two symmetric parts can work independently under a simplified control strategy. In addition, the modular configuration contributes to convenient voltage extension. Compared with the reported flying-capacitor switched-capacitor ac–ac converter, the proposed converter requires fewer switches and capacitors per unit of voltage conversion, thus suffering lower voltage stress. To demonstrate the performance of the converter, a prototype with 600-W 220-Vrms high-side voltage, 55-Vrms low-side voltage, and a switching frequency of 100 kHz was designed and fabricated. The relevant experimental results are reported herein. The maximum and rated power efficiency obtained were 95.9% and 94.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a new negative output (N/O) buck–boost converter, which can be applied for applications that need wide range of inverse voltage, is proposed. The steady-state, small-signal model and power losses of the proposed converter operating in a continuous conduction mode are analyzed. Comparisons among the traditional buck–boost converter, N/O hybrid buck–boost converter and N/O self-lift Luo converter are presented, and it is found that the proposed converter possesses a widest voltage conversion ratio in these four converters. Finally, a prototype is built, and the simulated waveforms from the PSIM software and the experimental results are presented for validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying model predictive control (MPC) to cascaded H-bridge multilevel converters, while improving the dynamic performance, suffers from high computation burden due to substantial voltage vectors and switching combinations. In this paper, a simplified branch and bound approach is proposed to reduce the computation of the MPC for a cascaded H-bridge Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM). The underlying optimization problem of the current predictive control is a two-variable integer quadratic programming problem. With the proposed approach, the global optimal voltage vector can be selected within linear time instead of polynomial time. This is achieved by selecting the possible values of one variable as the branch, and enumerating the optimal integer results of each branch. The execution time of the proposed approach and conventional methods are compared to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Simulation and experimental results for a seven-level cascaded H-bridge STATCOM system are presented to verify the usability and reliability of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Impedance networks have been already investigated in various literature with the main goals of increasing the attainable voltage gain and reducing the components number. Recently, coupled inductors found popularity because they let converters with lower weight and cost. It seems that coupled inductances are a proper answer to the increasing voltage gain while keeping down the components number. This paper proposes a novel impedance network circuit based on three coupled inductors with a Δ connection. The proposed Δ-source converter offers smaller magnetizing current and winding losses compared to the successful Y-source circuit. Moreover, with the Δ-connected three coupled inductors, the adverse effect of leakage inductance on the converter performance is significantly reduced. The effectiveness of the proposed structure is analytically proved. The theoretical achievements over the conventional Y-source structure are confirmed through extensive simulations and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A simple current-feed single-switch forward resonant converter with secondary diode-clamping is proposed for low-power high-density bus converter applications in this paper. The quasi-zero-voltage-switching turn-on and quasi-zero-current-switching (ZCS) turn-off for switch are both achieved. Due to the quasi-ZCS turn-off , the high voltage spike in traditional single forward converter with a reset winding is much reduced. A small diode connected to the output capacitor is utilized to clamp the voltage stress of the switches. The operating principle of the proposed converter is analyzed and a MHz 66 W 24 V-to-12 V prototype with all Si devices is built up. Experimental results show good soft-switching features, and the prototype achieves 95.3% peak efficiency with 270 W/in3 power density. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A resonant zero-voltage and zero-current-switching (ZVZCS) dc–dc converter is proposed in this paper for a medium-voltage dc collection system of offshore wind farms. The resonant converter is composed of two full-bridge cells sharing a bridge leg, two transformers with uneven power ratings and different functions, whose secondary windings are connected in series and a voltage-doubler rectifier. The converter operates in discontinuous current mode and can achieve zero-current switching for four main power switches and rectifier diodes over the whole load range. The two auxiliary switches with small forward current can be turned on with ZVZCS, and turned off with zero-voltage switching. Hence, the switching loss can be reduced and efficiency is improved. The operation principle of the converter is analyzed and design rules of main parameters are presented. The influences of the turn ratios of auxiliary transformer and resonant capacitance on the peak and switching-off currents are discussed in detail. Furthermore, a model is built in PLECS and simulation results are given. A 150–1500 V/2 kW prototype is established and tested to verify the operation principle and design rules. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a new cascaded high step-up multilevel converter topology is designed, which is based on the series connection of several switched-capacitor submultilevel units. The voltage gain of proposed multilevel converter is related to the number of used switches-capacitor units. The main advantage of proposed topology is inherent voltage balancing of used capacitors. The proposed cascade topology is optimized to minimize the number of capacitors, power switches, and the value of voltage on switches for given levels. The proposed topology is compared with other high step-up multilevel converter topologies and conventional structures. The comparison results show that the presented structure requires the least number of switches and dc sources. Moreover, the voltage on the switches of proposed topology is low. In order to confirm the operation of proposed high step-up multilevel converter, both experimental and simulation works are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a new type of matrix converter (MC) also called a single-phase high-frequency transformer isolated (HFTI) buck MC is proposed. The proposed converter can provide step-down operation of the input voltage with various types of output voltages such as in-phase and out-of-phase output voltages, rectified (or positive) output voltage, and output voltage with step-changed frequency. By incorporating HFT isolation, the proposed MC saves an extra bulky line frequency transformer, which is required for the conventional MCs to provide electrical isolation and safety, when used in application such as dynamic voltage restorers, etc. Two different circuit variations of the proposed HFTI MC are presented with and without continuous output currents, with the latter having less passive components. The safe-commutation strategy is also employed for the proposed HFTI MC to provide current path for the inductor during dead-time, which avoids switch voltage spikes without adding any snubber circuits. The operation principle and circuit analysis of the proposed MC are presented, and switching strategies are also developed to obtain various output voltages. Moreover, a prototype of the proposed MC is fabricated, and experiments are performed to produce in-phase/out-of-phase and rectified output voltages, and output voltage with step-changed frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel hybrid LLC resonant and dual active bridge (DAB) linear dc–dc converter is proposed as bus converter, which can achieve soft switching and constant output voltage gain at both the open-loop light load and closed-loop heavy load conditions. This paper focuses on its continuous-time average modeling in detail based on the dc output voltage, the first order terms of two transformer currents and the resonant capacitor voltage, which results in a seven-order model. Additionally, the total control-to-output transfer function is derived for the proposed hybrid converter dynamic analysis. The experimental results have verified that the proposed model can correctly match the small-signal frequency response, and compare with DAB, the related analysis based on the proposed model shows the novel hybrid converter can have a better output voltage response. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a digitally implemented charge control for LLC resonant converters. By analyzing the small-signal characteristics of the resonant capacitor, it is revealed that the resonant capacitor has exactly the same functionality as a resettable integrator in the charge control for a PWM converter. Based on the analyzed results, the proposed charge control is implemented simply by sensing the voltage across the resonant capacitor in a switching period. The proposed method features simple implementation with resistive voltage divider and suitability for digital control as well as good performance as other multiloop controls have. The design guideline for the charge controller is given based on the loop gain analysis. Finally, the operation and performance of the proposed method are verified with a 240-W LLC resonant converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel load regulation methods for switched-capacitor converter (SCC) system operating in parallel mode are proposed. SCCs are ready for integrated design which is ideal for mass production and also enables power conversion in compact footprint. At the same time, they are excellent candidates for parallel mode operation since the load current sharing among them is automatically allocated by the inherent droop characteristic, which is determined by the equivalent internal resistance. Instead of controlling the individual switching frequency of SCC units, this paper proposes a number of unit commitment schemes which regulate the output voltage by adjusting the number of activated SCC units. In addition to conventional discrete unit commitment, intermediate number of activated units is realized by employing pulse-dropping pulse width modulation. The proposed methods are verified by simulation and the experiment of a parallel SCC system consists of a number of double-mode zero-current switching SCC units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) microinverters dispense with the line frequency transformer, however at the cost of system grounding and ground leakage current problems. These have been erstwhile resolved by the topologies derived from buck, boost, buck–boost, Zeta, Watkins–Johnson, and Ćuk converters, or combinations of these. The Ćuk derived inverters, employing second-order input and output filters, offer the most efficient, lightweight, and economical solution in the class. This paper presents design and detailed operation of a Ćuk derived, common-ground PV microinverter in continuous conduction mode operation. The inverter is shown to be compatible with both linear and nonlinear loads, in stand-alone and grid-connected modes of operation. Optimal design rules of passive components are rigorously derived to ensure attenuation of input voltage ripples arising from the twin effects of switching and double-frequency output power oscillation. Additionally, the design rules also incorporate considerations of efficiency maximization and some aspects of easing control complexity. Inverter performance is experimentally validated with a 300 VA, 110 V, and 50/60 Hz laboratory prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Current-fed converters offer enormous potential as power conditioning units for fuel cell applications, owing to precise fuel cell stack current control, short-circuit protection, voltage gain, and stiff fuel cell dc current. Aspects such as low current ripple and smaller input current slope ensure energy efficient operation and better fuel utilization, and enhance the lifetime of the fuel cell stack. However, the demerits of turn-off voltage spike across semiconductor devices limits the operating frequency. This paper proposes, analyzes, and implements a simple and cost-effective impulse commutated modular three-phase circuit to eliminate and solve the associated turn-off spike problem. Impulse commutation permits soft turn-off of devices and clamps the device voltage. The converter efficiently handles the variations in the fuel cell stack voltage and current with variable frequency modulation. Detailed steady-state operation, analysis, and performance of the proposed modular converter with impulse commutation are reported. The proposed impulse commutated three-phase circuit is a potential candidate for high-current applications. The validation of the converter operation on a 1-kW proof-of-concept hardware prototype is performed to substantiate the claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new interleaved single-stage ac–dc converter is proposed in this paper to reduce line current harmonics while achieving power factor correction (PFC). The proposed rectifier can produce input currents that do not have deadband regions with high PFC, operate with a continuous output current, and minimize the input electromagnetic interference filter size. In this paper, the operation of the new converter is explained, its features and design are discussed in results, and its operation is confirmed with experimental results obtained from a prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design and implementation of a simple neutral point potential (NPP) regulator for a three-level diode-clamped inverter employing a sine-triangle regulator in conjunction with a closed-loop controller with reduced switching losses. The regulator principle is based on adding a continuous variable offset voltage which regulates the midpoint potential of the dc bus. The novelty of the proposed NPP regulator is in the determination of the magnitude of variable offset voltage based upon the average value, peak-to-peak amplitude, total harmonic distortions, and third harmonic content in NPP. Aside from maintaining dc-bus voltage balance, the proposed regulator leads to a significant reduction in the voltage distortion at the NP, resulting in the reduction of the required dc-bus capacitance. It also reduces the switching losses of the inverter by inserting the “no-switching” zone within each half cycle of the fundamental voltage wave. Analytical, computer simulation, and experimental results verifying the approach are presented in this paper for various load power factor angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a phase-shift interleaving control method for variable-phase switched-capacitor (SC) converters that can perform voltage conversions with little electromagnetic interference over a wide range of operating condition. This is achieved by having multiple units of SC converter connected in parallel and an N-state hysteresis unit selection control scheme which works along the interleaving control to vary the number of converters in operation. By having the capacitors of inactive units connected to the output and the converters operating with output interleaving operation, the output capacitor that is typically required in SC converters for maintaining a small voltage ripple is made redundant in this configuration. A three-unit SC converter of the proposed configuration is described in this paper. Experimental results show that the proposed solution works satisfactorily with good regulation, input and output interleaving operations, and dynamic response for a wide operating range. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]