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This paper presents an approach for dealing with the control of five-level, diode-clamped rectifiers. The control of such converters is challenging, as voltage balancing among capacitors is not a trivial task. Some of the existing approaches that cope with this problem use specific modifications of one of the traditional modulation techniques, such as using redundant vectors in space vector modulation (SVM). The main feature of the proposed technique is that part of the modulation is considered in the system equations and, in this way, the voltage balance can be solved designing a specific controller for this problem. As a result, several levels are used within a switching period. Furthermore, it is shown that the proposed approach hardly affects the control of active and reactive powers and total dc-link voltage in such a way that the well-known direct power control can be applied. As a consequence, the resultant modulation stage is simpler than other techniques based on, e.g., SVM. The effectiveness and good performance of the system under the proposed control approach are validated by both simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a cooperative triple-phase-shift (CTPS) control for the isolated dual active bridge dc–dc converter is proposed first to eliminate the dual-dc side flow back currents. Furthermore, the current characteristics of the proposed CTPS control with the main variable (the primary side inner phase shift) tuned in two different regions are derived in detail and compared with each other. The tuning region of the main variable with the optimal current characteristics is finally determined based on the comparison results. As a result, the current stress is reduced and the efficiency is enhanced. The detailed experimental results of CTPS control verify its validity and practicability. The advantages of CTPS control are also highlighted by comparing it with some conventional phase shift controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a highly efficient 3.3-kW single-stage on-board charger (OBC). The proposed OBC consists of two interleaved cells sharing a full-bridge diode rectifier. Each cell is composed of an active clamp circuit and a series resonant circuit. The proposed OBC provides zero-voltage switching of all switches and reduces the reverse-recovery problem by zero-current switching of the output diodes. The interleaved technique maintains the proper power level with high efficiency. The proposed control algorithm enables power factor correction by the OBC without any auxiliary circuit and balances the input current between the two cells. In addition, the proposed converter requires no electrolytic dc-link capacitor, ensuring compact size and a long lifetime. Owing to these features, the proposed OBC efficiently outputs a high power factor over a wide power range and achieves reliability with a simply structured, single-power processing step. Therefore, the proposed OBC is potentially feasible for automotive applications. Finally, the theoretical analysis is confirmed in a 3.3-kW prototype and validated in experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to the favorable advantage of low cost, integrated three-port dc–dc converters with reduced switches have attracted extensive attention. In order to provide more new topologies, this paper aims to propose a programmable topology derivation method, which effectively simplifies the cumbersome process of the conventional combination method. Instead of the manual connection and examination, the proposed alternative can quickly and rigorously derive multiple viable integrated three-port dc–dc topologies from a great number of possible connections with the aid of computer program. Besides, generalized analysis is also accomplished, with which performance characteristics of all derived converters are simultaneously obtained and then a comprehensive comparison can be easily conducted to select a preferred one for the practical application. Finally, an example-specific application with one input and two outputs is given, with topology selection, design, and experimental results demonstrated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel compact low loss switchable bandpass filter (BPF) with self-packaging by using substrate-integrated suspended line (SISL) technology. The proposed self-packaged switchable BPFs are designed by using two kinds of suspended controllable resonators, which are smaller than a quarter-wavelength resonator and the commercial p-i-n diodes are used as the control elements. The designed method of suspended controllable resonator is investigated by using an equivalent circuit model. The center frequency of the proposed low loss SISL switchable BPF is designed at 1 GHz with 56% fractional bandwidth. The measurement results show that insertion loss is 0.9 dB of the turn on state. Furthermore, a high isolation SISL self-packaged switchable BPF with more compact size is proposed for comparison. Measurement results show that the isolation is higher than 40 dB and insertion loss is 1.57 dB at 1 GHz, and its core circuit size is only ${\text{0.09}}\,\lambda _{g}\times {\text{0.04}}\,\lambda _{g}$. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-level Vienna rectifier is an attractive topology for power factor correction applications. However, for practical high-frequency applications, the nonlinearity caused by snubber circuit and parasitic capacitance of Vienna rectifier's switching device will distort input current. This paper proposes a carrier-based discontinuous space-vector modulation (CB-DSVM) method with varying clamped area for Vienna rectifier in high switching frequency applications. The equivalent circuit of Vienna rectifier considering the nonlinear factors is built and the effect of pulse shaping around current zero-crossing point is investigated. The voltage errors caused by the nonlinearity of switching device will distort terminal voltage, which mainly appears at the zero-crossing time. A DSVM method with the fixed clamped area around the zero-crossing point is proposed to reduce the voltage errors and then the simplified CB-DSVM method with varying clamped area by adding a clamped factor to the judging conditions is further studied, which will reduce low-order harmonics of the CB-DSVM method. Simulations and experiments are carried out in a 600 W Vienna rectifier platform, which demonstrates the validity of the proposed method. Compared with the CB-SVM method, the proposed CB-DSVM method with varying clamped area has comparative neutral-point voltage balancing ability and better input current quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic resonant wireless power transfer (WPT) system with a class E inverter has wide application in mid-range power transmission, especially for several megahertz scenario. However, it is cumbersome for the existing modeling and analysis methods to obtain the analytical solution to the system variables, which limits the evaluation of system characteristic. This paper proposes a nonlinear mathematical model for the WPT system with a class E inverter. The equivalent small parameter method (ESPM) is first adopted to solve the proposed six-order nonlinear model, and symbolic-form steady-state periodic solutions are yielded. During the whole solving process, only three iteration steps are needed for the proposed method. Compared with other existing modeling and analysis methods, the symbolic periodic results acquired by the ESPM exhibit sufficient accuracy by virtue of the combination of more higher harmonics. Meanwhile, the calculation complexity is simplified remarkably. Simulation and available experiments validate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power converter is critical but prone to be failure in switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives. The open- and short-circuit fault characteristics of freewheeling diode in asymmetric bridge power converter are analyzed in details. Based on logic judgment, four online fault diagnostic methods with digital phase current analysis of power converter are proposed in this paper. The fault features are extracted by analyzing the relationship between chopping signal and the current information from some special positions. The four fault diagnostic methods are carried out according to the current obtained by detecting dc bus current and the lower freewheeling bus current, the chopped bus current, the upper excitation bus current and lower freewheeling bus current, the lower excitation bus current, and dc bus current, respectively. Comparisons between the four diagnostic methods are conducted. Simulations and experiments on a 12/8 SRM validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synchronous rectification (SR) is one of the well-known methods to reduce the conduction losses by replacing the power diodes. The control of SR requires the phase information of the device current. In this paper, a novel extended harmonics approximation modeling approach is introduced for CLLC resonant converters to estimate the phase of its secondary side current accurately. Conventionally, the first harmonic approximation (FHA) is used to model any resonant converter; however, FHA works more accurately near the resonant frequency operation. But in case of a set of unmatched LC tank parameters in the primary and secondary side of a CLLC converter, there is no uniquely defined resonant frequency, which reduces the accuracy of the FHA model. Unlike FHA-based approach, our proposed modeling considers the effects of other odd order harmonics present in the square wave voltage waveform towards determining the zero-crossing instant or phase information of the resonant currents. The proposed concept is verified through experimental results obtained at 3.3-kW load condition, and the converter efficiency is improved by 1.8% with the proposed phase tracking technique, compared to FHA modeling approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cascaded H-bridge (CHB) is a promising topology for medium-voltage high-power applications. CHB consists of low-power H-bridge modules in each phase, and these modules are connected in a cascade manner to achieve multilevel operation. However, CHB requires a phase-shifting transformer with multiple secondary windings to generate an isolated dc source for each module, and this requirement increases the overall system cost. In this paper, a series connection of low-power modules is employed to realize a new power converter called a series-connected multilevel converter. Each phase of the proposed topology requires a single isolated dc source. Hence, the required number of secondary windings is considerably reduced. This approach also minimizes the complexity and cost of the overall system. The operation of the proposed topology is presented by using three-level neutral point clamped modules in each phase. Model predictive control (MPC) is employed to control the dc-bus capacitor voltage and output currents of the proposed topology. A discrete-time mathematical model of the proposed topology is also developed to predict the future behavior of control variables. The performance of the proposed topology with MPC is verified through MATLAB simulations and a scaled-down laboratory prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Switching-linear hybrid envelope tracking (SLH ET) power supplies can achieve both high efficiency and high bandwidth. However, the switching frequency is often required to be far higher than or at least equal to the envelope bandwidth. With the modulation methods advance, the increasing envelope bandwidth may lead to a too high switching frequency to implement. This paper proposes an SLH ET power supply, consisting of a multilevel converter and a linear amplifier connected in series. Based on the multicell configuration of the multilevel converter, a pulse edge independent distribution method is proposed, which can break the control pulses for the multilevel converter into independent rising and falling edges, and rebuild them with new sequences. It can not only reduce the switching frequency to 1/n (n ∊ N) of the envelope bandwidth but also extend the pulsewidths to provide a more reliable and effective driving for high bandwidth applications. A prototype for 2 MHz sine-wave tracking, with 7–27-V output voltage and 90-W peak output power, is fabricated and tested. It is also verified by a 5- and a 10-MHz bandwidth communication envelope. The experimental results validate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a fully soft-switched bidirectional dc–dc converter is proposed. All semiconductor devices are soft switched, while its control circuit remains pulsewidth modulated. This condition is achieved only by one auxiliary switch. So, the proposed topology has less complexity in comparison with other similar structures. The energy conversion through the proposed topology during buck and boost modes is highly efficient due to achieved soft-switching condition. The auxiliary circuit operates once during each switching cycle. The converter is analyzed and a 250-W laboratory prototype of the proposed converter is constructed. The experimental results are presented that confirm the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical Preisach model, which is built by the superposition of a great number of relay operators, is one of the most popular models to represent the hysteretic behaviors in various applications, such as the smart materials-based actuators. However, the construction of the inverse compensator for the classical Preisach model is very challenging for some reasons, first, the analytical inverse of the classical Preisach model is not available, and, second, due to a huge amount of the relay operators the implementation of the inverse compensator is troublesome and causes heavy computational burden. To overcome these drawbacks, a simplified discrete Preisach model is developed in this paper. The simplified model has an explicit expression with respect to the input of the model, thus it is simple to construct its inverse compensator using the inverse multiplicative structure approach. To reduce the computational effort in implementing the inverse compensator, the model-order reduction method is employed to reduce the complexity of the inverse compensator. Experimental tests are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a generalized switching modification method is proposed to reduce the root-mean-square (rms) current flowing into a dc-link capacitor in a dc–dc–ac structure consisting of a boost converter and a three-phase inverter. To analyze the current flowing into the capacitor, we analyze the currents at the respective converter and inverter sides. Based on this analysis, we derive an analytical method to find the modification time between the converter and inverter pulsewidth modulation (PWM) carriers through a Fourier series and approximation to facilitate real-time implementation. Real-time implementation of the modification time calculated by the derived method is described. To verify the validity of the proposed method, experimental results are presented based on a 1-kVA dc–dc–ac prototype. The proposed method has a better capacitor rms current reduction performance than the conventional method in various inverter power factors and PWM strategies. Especially, it has an excellent performance in mid-power factor level (0.95–0.1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a light, flexible, and yet reliable multiparametric estimation algorithm for grid-connected voltage-source-converter-based systems. This approach combines the nonlinear least squares (NLSQ) fitting algorithm and the steady-state extended harmonic domain (EHD) model to take into account the harmonic effects. The EHD model is used to take advantage of the harmonic content of the electrical signals to provide robustness and improved performance to the NLSQ estimation methodology. In addition, this harmonic formulation reduces the necessity of synchronized measurements. Details of the implementation are provided by an experimental case study, in which the grid equivalent (Thevenin voltage, inductance, and resistance), the ac-side filter (inductance and resistance), and the converter switching and conduction loss resistance are accurately estimated for three different operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes two coupled-inductors-based Z-source networks, called the modified series and tapped switched-coupled-inductors quasi-Z-source networks (mSSCL-qZSN and mTSCL-qZSN, respectively). These networks offer high voltage gains with less-than-unity winding turn ratios $(n < {\text{1)}}$ , resulting in a reduced inductive element size. Other advantages include a less number of active components and their lower ratings and a higher efficiency. In addition, a lower magnetic core size is required for the proposed ZSNs due to the lower peak magnetizing current. The performance principles and detailed comparative analysis are provided and confirmed through experiments on a 200-W dc–dc converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discrete-time control of power converters without modulation blocks have been considered in recent times in modern high-performance electromechanical drives, particularly with the appearance of model predictive control in its finite set version. The shortcomings produced by the fixed discretization of time used in this kind of control systems has been analyzed, and several methods have been put forward to deal with them. Most of the alternatives increase the complexity of the controller introducing different analytical modulation methods. However, a variable sampling time can be a simpler and more natural solution, at the expense of using a less-known paradigm for implementation. This paper introduces a new control approach based on a model of the system as in predictive controllers but using variable sampling time. It can be applied to modern power converters and drives, including conventional three-phase or advanced multiphase ones. Experimental results are provided to test the ability of the controller using a five-phase induction motor drive as a case example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed high-order models of the insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and the diode are rarely included in power converters for large-scale system-level electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation on the CPU, due to the nonlinear characteristics albeit they are more accurate. The massively parallel architecture of the graphics processing unit (GPU) enables a lower computational burden by avoiding the computation of complex devices repetitively in a sequential manner and thus is utilized in this paper to simulate the wind farm-integrated multiterminal dc (MTdc) grid based on the modular multilevel converter (MMC). Fine-grained circuit partitioning is proposed so that the nonlinear switching elements are physically separated with the smallest circuit unit. By implementing these subsystems with the same attributes as a GPU program and computing it in a massively parallel manner, it is demonstrated that the GPU is able to achieve a significant speedup over multicore CPUs and its computation time incremental is much smaller when the MMC level scales up. The improved insight and accuracy of the proposed modeling methodology and the designed GPU program are validated at the system- and device-level by off-line commercial simulation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Condition monitoring of aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) is essential for predictive maintenance of power electronic converters. The AEC is considered at the end of its life when its capacitance or equivalent series resistance (ESR) reaches corresponding critical values. In the literature, it is found that either of these parameters may reach its critical limit depending on the operating conditions and applications. However, most of the existing health monitoring techniques of the AEC in dc–dc converters are based on the estimation of ESR. To address the aforementioned issue, this paper proposes to estimate the low-frequency impedance of the AEC, which is dominated by its capacitance value, thereby allowing health monitoring based on the capacitance value. The technique is based on injection of a low-frequency current ripple into the AEC using duty ratio control of the dc–dc converter. The parameters of new and aged capacitors are experimentally obtained at various temperatures and are used to establish the failure criteria. Furthermore, the proposed method is applicable for both the continuous conduction mode and the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) of operation. For DCM operation, a sampling instant to recover a low-frequency waveform is suggested based on mathematical analysis. Detailed simulation studies are performed and results are included in this paper. Experimentation is carried out on a dc–dc boost converter integrating solar photovoltaic with the dc system. Experimental results are found to be in agreement with simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, an improved direct torque control (DTC) technique of a two-level inverter-fed five-phase induction motor (FPIM) drive for low-speed operation is presented. The operation of the FPIM with distributed winding requires the elimination of third-harmonic voltage, which, if not taken care of, would generate distorted stator current. For this, the concept of virtual vectors (VVs) is utilized. Before selecting the VVs for the DTC operation, a theoretical analysis is carried out to find the effects of these VVs on the torque and flux response of the FPIM under different speed and loading conditions. It is found that the rotor speed plays a crucial role in the selection of VVs. A particular VV has different effects on the torque change as speed varies. This analysis helps in the selection of VVs, hysteresis torque bandwidth, flux bandwidth, and efficient formation of sectors. Furthermore, in this paper, the performance of the FPIM during low-speed operation is improved by avoiding the demagnetization of the stator flux. To achieve this, a new modified lookup table is proposed. Superiority of the proposed method over the reported approaches is illustrated by experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Chaotic sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) can be used to suppress the electromagnetic interference in power converters. In this paper, a mathematical method for estimating power losses in insulated-gate bipolar transistors and freewheeling diodes occurring under chaotic frequency modulation SPWM (CFM-SPWM) switching is proposed. This method is based on the features of the chaotic mapping and uses semiconductor datasheet information to calculate the power losses in a discrete way. Analytical expressions and approximations for estimating the losses for the cases of SPWM and CFM-SPWM switching, respectively, are presented. This paper includes a quantitative comparison of the losses under the two previously mentioned cases. It is confirmed that CFM-SPWM does not result in higher power losses when it greatly improves electromagnetic compatibility of power converters, and hence, its adoption will not require any modified converter thermal design. Experimental results taken from a single-phase ac–dc converter are presented to prove the validity of the proposed method and associated results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The shunt regulator is a key part of the power conditioning unit, which is becoming more and more important in the spacecrafts. Due to the nonlinear link, the switch operating with hysteresis control, the shunt regulator is a nonlinear system; however, the stability analysis method for the system is still grounded on the approximate linearization method, which neglects some of the ac and dc characteristics. In this paper, a novel stability analysis method for the nonlinear systems is proposed based on the describing function, which can be used to model the nonlinear link in the shunt regulator system. Further, the different conclusion of the shunt regulator system stability are drawn, by the approximate linearization method and the stability analysis method proposed in this paper, respectively. Finally, the simulation and experimental results prove the correctness of the stability analysis method with describing function and discover the incompletion of the approximate linearization methods on the stability analysis. Therefore, this paper provides a new way to analyze the stability of the nonlinear systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes unified non-inverting and inverting ac–ac converter (UNI-AC) using pulse width modulation (PWM) for the utility voltage compensation. It offers four effective switching states to regulate the output voltage in bipolar manner, facilitating versatile modes of operation with different number of switching states being modulated. Each mode of the proposed UNI-AC is able to compensate both the grid voltage sag and swell problems due to its bipolar voltage gain. The operational principle and comparison for all these modes are investigated in details. Also, the UNI-AC is reversible and compatible with full range of power factor. Other technical merits offered by the proposed approach include the compact hardware installation, reduced switch voltage stress (also low dv/dt) and decreased control complexity. Detailed analysis and experimental verification are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new soft switching flyback dc–dc converter with a simple zero-voltage and zero-current switching (ZVZCS) cell is proposed. The auxiliary resonant cell consists of one switch, one diode, one inductor, and two capacitors. It provides ZVZCS not only for the main switch but also for the auxiliary switch at both turn-on and turn-off times. In addition, all the auxiliary diodes and body diodes of the switches operate under full ZVZCS except the output diode which turns off only with zero current switching. This soft switching technique makes the proposed converter have less switching losses which leads the converter to operate in higher frequencies and efficiency. Another outstanding feature of the proposed converter is using the auxiliary resonant cell out of the main power path to have lower voltage stress on the switches. In this paper, pulse width modulation (PWM) is employed to control the main switch. A detailed mode analysis of the proposed converter operation is presented along with design procedure. Finally, the accuracy performance of the converter is verified through a 60 W experimental prototype results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequency synthesizer is a key component used in electronic systems. Two important features for judging its performance are frequency granularity and frequency switching speed. In this paper, a synthesizer built on the principle of time-average-frequency (TAF) is implemented on an FPGA system. The synthesizer is constructed entirely on the FPGA's configurable elements. The granularity is measured as 2 ppb; the frequency switching speed is experimentally illustrated as two cycles. The configuration of the synthesizer can be adjusted in the field for accommodating various performance versus cost scenarios. The aim of this paper is to provide a field-programmable frequency generator as a handy tool to FPGA users, to enable user create innovations at application level. The key contributions are the 2 ppb frequency granularity and the reconfigurable implementation of the time-average-frequency direct period synthesis (TAF-DPS) synthesizer on FPGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new topology for half-bridge Z-source inverter is proposed. The proposed topology has only one impedance network. Unlike to the conventional half-bridge inverter, the proposed topology can provide zero voltage level at the output. It also increases output voltage level and stabilizes it in the desired value. Capacitor voltage stress in the proposed topology is low, and, therefore, nominal voltage of capacitor and cost decreases. In this paper, the steady-state analysis of the proposed inverter in two new operations which are named synchronous operation of diodes and asynchronous operation of diodes is conducted based on mathematics calculations. A method to obtain high-voltage gains by cascading the Z-network and combining middle inductors is presented that leads to cost, size, and weight reduction. Comparison among the proposed converter with conventional ones shows its excellent performance. The experimental results have good agreement with analytical analysis for the proposed topology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In a conventional finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) formulation, active and reactive power control loops rely on the predictive controller, whereas the dc-bus voltage is usually governed by a PI-based control loop. This originates from fact that the dynamic equations for describing the predictions of these variables are heavily coupled. In this paper, a cascade-free FCS-MPC for single-phase grid-connected power converters is presented. The proposed control algorithm is formulated in terms of established dynamic references design, which was originally proposed to directly govern active and reactive power, and dc-voltage in three-phase power converters. In this paper, the dynamic reference design concept is extended to control single-phase grid-connected power converters. The proposed control algorithm does not use instantaneous ac-power calculations; instead, it directly formulates the optimal control problem on the grid-current in the original stationary reference frame. The experimental results obtained with a single-phase grid-connected neutral point clamped (NPC) converter confirm a successful design, where system constraints, e.g., maximum power and weighted switching frequency, are easily taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a model predictive control (MPC) based on optimal switching sequences (OSSs) for a single-phase grid-connected full-bridge neutral-point-clampled (NPC) power converter is presented. The predictive control algorithm is formulated in terms of OSSs, which was originally proposed to govern three-phase power converters. In this paper, the OSS concept is extended to control single-phase power converters. The proposed MPC algorithm belongs to the continuous control set MPC and is able to provide fixed switching frequency while handling system constraints. The proposed algorithm has been experimentally tested in an NPC power converter prototype. Experimental results show the desired fixed switching behavior in the steady-state condition and the intrinsic fast dynamic provided by MPC during transients. Furthermore, the test outcomes demonstrate the robustness of the proposed controller under large system parameter deviations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-common-mode-voltage (CMV) operation of multilevel inverters results in reduced dc-bus utilization and reduced linear modulation range. In this paper, a method to increase the linear modulation range for zero-CMV operation without increasing the dc-bus voltage using a cascaded multilevel inverter with a single dc supply is presented. Using this method, the peak fundamental output voltage can be increased from 0.499 to 0.637  \textV\text{dc} with zero CMV inside the linear modulation range. Also, various pulse width modulation (PWM) switching sequences are analyzed in this paper, and the PWM sequence that gives minimum current ripple is used for the zero-CMV operation of the inverter. The inverter topology with single dc supply is realized by cascading a two-level inverter with two floating-capacitor-fed full-bridge modules. Simulation and experimental results for steady-state and dynamic operating conditions are presented to validate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new structure for symmetric and cascade multilevel converter is presented. This structure requires the least power electronic components, gate driver circuits, power diode, and dc voltage source. The number of output levels is high. Reduction of the number of power electronic switches against voltage levels is an important factor in multilevel converters due to safety in switches, circuit size, cost, installation area, and complexity in control. To maximize the number of output level in the proposed optimized structure in order to attain different goals, such as reduction of stress on switches, the result of comparing the proposed structure and other structures present. The proposed method is robust against the switching faults in multilevel converter for dc source and the equipment. The simulation and experimental results presented in this paper show the performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large number of semiconductors typically implemented in multilevel converters generates large stray inductances in their commutation loops. As a consequence, high-voltage overshoots appear in the semiconductors during commutation which may limit the operation of the converter. The paper analyzes these overvoltages in the five-level active neutral-point-clamped (5L­ANPC) converter, one of the most popular five level converters and employed by ABB in its ACS­2000 drive. Experimental results show overvoltages almost three times higher than those corresponding to a two-level converter. In order to overcome this problem, the paper presents a new 5L­ANPC with the same characteristics (number of semiconductors, output waveform, switching frequency, efficiency, etc.), but with smaller overvoltages. This is achieved by adding some small capacitors to the busbar that behave like lossless snubbers but with a much simpler implementation. The experimental results illustrate the working principle of these capacitors and demonstrate the reduction of the overvoltages. As a result, the new converter can reach a higher output current or speed-up the commutations reducing, therefore, the losses and increasing the efficiency compared with the previous 5L­ANPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model predictive control (MPC) has been widely advocated as a design strategy for many aspects of industrial electronics. The methodology has been strongly promoted by some researchers but has also attracted criticism from others. In this context, the purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we show that many existing and popular control strategies, including finite set MPC and linear controllers [proportional integral, proportional resonant (PR)], can be viewed as special cases of MPC. Second, we show that the predictive control framework allows one to embellish these classical control architectures with novel features and to design new and advanced control architectures to address various challenges posed by power electronics applications. The findings of the paper are supported by a practical example of designing of a novel form of PR controller with superior tracking performance and delay compensation, confirmed via simulation and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a model predictive control technique applied to a dual-active bridge inverter where one of the bridges is floating. The proposed floating bridge topology eliminates the need for isolation transformer in a dual inverter system and therefore reduces the size, weight, and losses in the system. To achieve multilevel output voltage waveforms, the floating inverter dc-link capacitor is charged to the half of the main dc-link voltage. A finite-set model predictive control technique is used to control the load current of the converter as well as the floating capacitor voltage. Model predictive control does not require any switching sequence design or complex switching time calculations as used for space vector modulation; thus, the technique has some advantages in this application. A detailed analysis of the converter as well as the predictive control strategy is given in this paper. Simulation and experimental results to validate the approach are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we deal with a problem of local damage detection in bearings in the presence of a high-energy impulsive noise. Such a problem was identified during diagnostics of bearings in raw materials crusher. Unfortunately, classical approaches cannot be applied due to the impulsive character of the noise. In this paper we propose, a procedure that cancels out impulsive noise rather than extracts signal of interest. The methodology is based on the regime switching model with two regimes: first corresponding to high-energy noncyclic impulses and second to the rest of the signal. We apply the proposed technique to a simulated signal as well as to the real one. Effectiveness of the method is presented graphically using time series, time-frequency spectrogram, and classical envelope analysis. The obtained results indicate efficiency of the method in impulsive noise cancellation and improve the ability to detect a damage. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a three-phase open-end winding induction motor drive. The drive consists of a three-phase induction machine with open stator phase windings and dual-bridge inverter supplied from a single dc voltage source. To achieve multilevel output voltage waveforms, a floating capacitor bank is used for the second of the dual bridges. The capacitor voltage is regulated using redundant switching states at half of the main dc-link voltage. This particular voltage ratio (2:1) is used to create a multilevel output voltage waveform with three levels. A modified modulation scheme is used to improve the waveform quality of this dual inverter. This paper also compares the losses in the dual-inverter system in contrast with a single-sided three-level neutral point clamped converter. Finally, detailed simulation and experimental results are presented for the motor drive operating as an open-loop v /f controlled motor drive and as a closed-loop field-oriented motor controller. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents predictive current-mode control for a single-phase high-frequency transformer-isolated dual-active bridge dc-to-dc converter. The predictive control algorithm increases the bandwidth of the current loop of the converter which enables tracking of the current reference within one switching cycle. The paper further demonstrates that the application of the predictive control algorithm can remove transient dc offset from the current in high-frequency isolation transformer within one switching cycle. Direct control of the converter current protects the transformer from saturation even at transient conditions. The control algorithm has been implemented on an experimental setup and transient tests have been performed to validate controller performance. Since the predictive control algorithm is dependent on the measured value of the leakage inductance of the transformer, a compensator has been implemented to improve the parameter insensitivity of the proposed controller. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a nonisolated bidirectional dc–dc converter is presented. The proposed converter consists of two boost converters to enhance the voltage gain. Four power switches with their body diodes are employed in the proposed converter. Also, two inductors and a capacitor are used as passive components. The input current is divided to the inductors which causes the efficiency to be high. The voltage gain of the proposed converter is higher than the conventional cascaded bidirectional buck/boost converter (CCBC) in step-up mode. Besides, the voltage gain in step-down mode is lower than CCBC. Besides, the efficiency of the proposed converter more than CCBC while the total stress on active switches are same. The simple structure of the proposed converter causes its control to be easy. The steady-state analysis of the proposed converter is discussed in this paper thoroughly. The stress on converters’ devices and the efficiency of the proposed converter and CCBC are compared in this paper. Finally, the proposed converter prototype circuit is implemented to justify the validity of the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Two three-level inverters driving an open-end winding induction motor can generate equivalent voltage waveforms as a single five-level inverter-based drive. In addition, it can bring in benefits such as reduced dc-link voltage, less number of devices, and fault-tolerant capability, which is favored in high-power motor drive applications. The main challenge with this type of configuration is the appearance of large zero-sequence current circulating between the two inverters, which generates extra losses in the switching devices and the motor as well as affects the normal operation of the machine. Another challenge is to balance the dc-link neutral point voltage of the two three-level inverters. This paper has proposed a simplified decoupled space-vector pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) strategy to eliminate the averaged zero-sequence voltage in each switching cycle by the placement of redundant vectors of each individual inverter using a time shift. Neutral point voltage balance is further achieved by adjusting the time duration of the redundant vectors. In this paper, it is shown that it is possible to operate this kind of drive configuration with a single dc power supply and achieve averaged zero-sequence voltage elimination and neutral-point voltage balancing at the same time. Experimental results of a 5.5-kW dual three-level inverter drive using the proposed PWM strategy are presented, which validates the control method and drive configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

More electric aircrafts (MEAs) comprise a vast amount of power electronic loads, which usually behave as constant power loads (CPLs). The incremental negative impedance of CPLs threatens system stability. To ensure an effective control of power flow in MEAs, eliminating the undesired behavior of CPLs is a necessity. This aim requires spontaneous power estimation of the time-varying uncertain loads. In this paper, an adaptive backstepping controller, which is interconnected to a third-degree cubature Kalman filter, is developed for a dc microgrid (MG) feeding nonideal CPLs. At first, the load power is considered as an artificial state and augmented into the system states, which enables estimation of not only the dc MG states but also the unknown value of the load power. The estimated load power is then forwarded to a backstepping controller. The systematic approach of this controller allows obtaining the control signal, which is the duty ratio of the switch, to not only system stabilizing but also tracking a desired voltage of the dc bus under the load power variations. The proposed adaptive controller is tested on a dc MG that has one CPL. The conducted experimental results verify the proposed nonlinear control in tracking the desired voltage of the dc bus under slow and fast variations of the load power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a widely adaptive time-delayed control (WATDC) without imposing any restrictions on allowable control gains to make the most of the advantages of time-delayed control (TDC) and, then, applies the WATDC to robot manipulators. Since the proposed WATDC can provide arbitrarily high gains by using the time-varying bounds of time-delayed estimation errors, it has a room for improving the tracking performance and robustness of the existing stabilizing TDCs that have narrow range of control gains depending on system parameters comprising the inertia of a robot manipulator. Furthermore, the proposed WATDC employs a fast adaptive law to generate wide-ranging and well-timed control gains that depend on the magnitude of tracking errors. In other words, timely adaptation over a wide range of control gains makes the WATDC provide suitable control effort for desirable output responses. Additionally, to suppress unfavorable inherent time-delayed estimation errors arising from one sample delayed measurements, the proposed WATDC works together with a sliding-mode control that has switching gains based on the time-varying bounds of time-delayed estimation errors. In simulations and experiments with robot manipulators, the proposed WATDC has better tracking performance and robustness than the existing TDCs due to a wide range of adaptive control gains and the time-delayed-estimation-error-dependent switching gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carrier-based pulsewidth modulation (CBPWM) and virtual space vector pulsewidth modulation (VSVPWM) for neutral point clamped three-level converter are reviewed briefly in this paper. A novel modulation strategy is proposed to maintain unconditional neutral point voltage balance under the full range of power factor and modulation index. The proposed PWM strategy is featured with three switching actions in one switching cycle, which is named 3SNPBPWM hereafter. In 3SNPBPWM, one phase is clamped to a certain level without switching action, and the other two phases have one and two switching actions in one switching cycle (SC), respectively. Moreover, a neutral point voltage recovery algorithm for 3SNPBPWM is also proposed. The performance of 3SNPBPWM is analyzed and compared with CBPWM and VSVPWM in terms of switching loss, waveform quality, and ability of neutral point voltage recovery. Finally, the feasibility and superiority of 3SNPBPWM are verified by experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a dual-function dynamic voltage restorer (DFDVR) with fault current-limiting capability. The new topology can operate under different modes: the short-circuit fault current-limiting mode and the compensation mode for voltage fluctuation. Different functions of the DFDVR are achieved by controlling a brake chopper circuit and antiparallel thyristors. During fault conditions, the antiparallel thyristors are deactivated to protect the dc-side capacitor, and the duration of the on- and off-periods of the semiconductor switch in the brake chopper circuit is controlled to adjust fault current amplitudes. During voltage sags, the antiparallel thyristors are activated, and the brake chopper circuit is turned off by controlling the gate turn-off thyristor in the brake chopper circuit, thus making the DFDVR similar to a conventional DVR. The control scheme and optimal parameter selection of the DFDVR are provided. The design methodology of the DFDVR was verified through simulations performed using the PSCAD/EMTDC software. The experimental results prove the capability and effectiveness of the DFDVR topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel model predictive control (MPC) for the T-type single-phase three-level inverters. The cumbersome procedure in tuning of weighting factors is eliminated so that the implementation of the proposed MPC becomes easy. The constant switching frequency is achieved during the control implementation in order to facilitate the filter design. In order to optimize the distribution of the output current harmonics, multiple voltage vectors are employed in each control cycle with their application times setting inversely proportion to the respective cost function. The redundant small voltage vectors are utilized to balance the neutral point voltage of the inverter by directly regulating the upper and lower dc-link capacitors voltages. Finally, the proposed MPC algorithm is experimentally evaluated and compared with other two unfixed switching frequency MPC algorithms in terms of the steady state, transient performance, and parameter sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new multi-input multi-output (MIMO) dc–dc converter with high step-up capability is proposed for wide power ranges. Also, in order to increase each output voltage, diode–capacitor voltage multiplier (VM) stages are utilized in the proposed converter. The number of input stages, output stages, and VM stages are arbitrary and dependent on design conditions. At first, the general structure of proposed MIMO converter is presented. Then, in order to explain the converter operation, we walk through the design of a 1-kW four-input two-output example, including loss and efficiency calculations. We validate the design with a prototype that matches efficiency calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When fast voltage control is used in a power factor control, the ripple of the dc link causes current harmonics. This paper proposes a method to reduce the harmonic content of a fast voltage loop in a power factor correction, which can both produce low distortion during steady-state operation and fast recovery from a load transient. The performance is achieved by using a Takagi–Sugeno-type nonlinear controller for dc-link voltage control. The proposed nonlinear control is compared with linear proportional–integral (PI) control, which is tuned to meet the standardized regulations for the harmonic content in a 3-kW single phase power supply. The results show that the presented nonlinear voltage controller can maintain the dynamic performance of the linear control with reduced current harmonics. It is also shown that the used nonlinear control method requires only marginally more complex control algorithm compared to commonly used linear PI control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring electrification of remote locations continues to be a major challenge for power engineers. To deal with the effect of intermittent nature of wind, this paper presents the design and implementation of a composite sliding mode controller (CSMC) for a battery energy storage (BES) supported solar photovoltaic (PV)–wind hybrid system in a remote location. This control technique comprises of a soft-switching sliding-mode observer (SS-SMO) and a nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller (NTSMC). The SS-SMO is used to observe the disturbances, whereas the NTSMC is used as a speed controller. The chattering problem caused by the conventional sliding mode controller is alleviated by replacing the conventional signum switching function with the smooth hyperbolic tangent function in disturbance observer loop. The fast and finite time convergence NTSMC based speed controller along with the SS-SMO based disturbance rejection unit, serves the benefits of CSMC. This technique exhibits robustness against model uncertainties and external disturbances. Moreover, the complexity of the system is reduced by replacing the mechanical speed and position sensors with parameter estimation. A double-stage configuration using a dc/dc boost converter is adopted for a PV system. A comparative analysis is presented between the proposed and conventional techniques. A prototype of the hybrid system is developed in the laboratory with permanent magnet synchronous generator. The CSMC-based controller with disturbance rejection ability is implemented to harvest peak wind power. A perturb and observe maximum power point tracking technique is adopted to harvest peak solar power. A voltage control technique is adopted to maintain the voltage at the point of common coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new reconfiguration module for asymmetrical multilevel inverters in which the capacitors are used as the dc links to create the levels for staircase waveforms. This configuration of the multilevel converter makes a reduction in dc sources. On the other hand, it is possible to generate 13 levels with lower dc sources. The proposed module of the multilevel inverter generates 13 levels with two unequal dc sources (2VDC and 1VDC). It also involves two chargeable capacitors and 14 semiconductor switches. The capacitors are self-charging without any extra circuit. The lower number of components makes it desirable to be used in wide range of applications. The module is schematized as two back-to-back T-type inverters and some other switches around it. Also, it can be connected as a cascade modular which leads to a modular topology with more voltage levels at higher voltages. The proposed module makes the inherent creation of the negative voltage levels without any additional circuit (such as H-bridge circuit). Nearest level control switching modulation scheme is applied to achieve high-quality sinusoidal output voltage. Simulations are executed in MATLAB/Simulink and a prototype is implemented in the power electronics laboratory in which the simulation and experimental results show a good performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interleaved bidirectional buck–boost converter dual active half-bridge (IBBC-DAHB) dc–dc converter consists of two converters IBBC and DAHB and a coupled inductor. The IBBC-DAHB converter has significant features such as low ripple current at the low-voltage side, low current stress on the input inductors, voltage stress across the switches less than the high-voltage side, high voltage gain, and zero-voltage soft switching. The converter offers high efficiency using phase-shift modulation when it operates at a nominal design operating point. However, the efficiency decreases due to high circulating current, high current stress, and limited soft-switching range when the source and load voltages deviate from their nominal values. This paper employs both duty cycle and phase-shift modulation methods to improve the above mentioned shortcomings using voltage matching for the DAHB converter. The proposed converter is analyzed and a 500-W experimental prototype with 40–60 V input voltage and 400 V output voltage under 100 kHz switching frequency is implemented to verify the theoretical results. The maximum efficiency of 97.15% is achieved at 60 V and 400 W. A flat efficiency characteristic for the converter is derived by the proposed control method, where the efficiency at 20% of nominal load is 91% and much higher than the phase-shift control, which is 70.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an isolated high-frequency converter with optimal switch impedance is proposed, which can achieve soft-switching characteristics and a low switch voltage stress. Meanwhile, the topology makes full use of the parasitic components of the transformer, which can reduce the number of system components and improve the system efficiency. The detailed design method of the proposed converter is analyzed. Simultaneously, an air core printed circuit board (PCB) transformer is employed to eliminate the core loss and reduce the vertical space. On the basis of the mathematical analysis, the transformer parameters can be effectively designed. A 20-MHz prototype based on the proposed topology is built. The experimental results verify the advantages of the proposed converter and the corresponding design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a generalized topology for multilevel converters based on flying capacitor multicell structure. The proposed topology consists of two modular high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) sections or cells. The HF cells consist of flying capacitors and semiconductor switches operating at carrier frequency. The LF cells consist of dc sources and semiconductor switches operating at line frequency and its multiples. The proposed topology can be implemented with arbitrary number HF and LF cells. An important advantage of the proposed topology is its reduced components when compared to other multilevel converter topologies in the same family. Another interesting feature is the relatively low blocking voltage requirement for HF switches, making it an attractive choice for high-power applications. A modulating algorithm is devised to generate the gating pulses for the HF and LF cells using phase-shifted carrier-based pulsewidth modulation. As a particular case, the operation of a 25-level topology is explained by the help of illustrating waveforms. A comprehensive comparative study is presented to illustrate the advantages of the proposed topology in terms of the number of components and other performance criteria. Various simulations are carried out to verify the operation of the proposed topology at different operating conditions. The theoretical analysis is experimentally verified using a scaled-down laboratory setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]