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This paper provides an experimental discussion on a real-time real-power emulator that plays an important role in achieving a total test of medium-voltage, high-power, high-speed induction motor drives. The use of the emulator brings cost and time savings to the test. The test bench including the emulator is characterized by connecting two modular multilevel double-star chopper-cell (DSCC) converters connected in a front-to-front way. This paper designs, builds, and tests a 400- ${\rm V}_{\rm dc}$ , 10-kW downscaled test bench. It mainly consists of the following two identical DSCC converters: 1) one DSCC converter is used as an inverter under test; and 2) the other as a real-time real-power high-fidelity emulator. Experimental waveforms confirm that the emulator can reproduce electrical and mechanical operating performance of the three-phase 200-V, 10-kW, four-pole, 9000-r/min induction motor loaded with a centrifugal compressor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper starts with a historical review of the family of modular multilevel cascade converters, and the topology and terminology of the family. Then, it answers the following question: ‘What motivated the author to apply phase‐shifted‐carrier pulse‐width modulation (PSC PWM) to the family?’ The success in academic research on this application owes to integrating inter‐cluster balancing or inter‐arm balancing control into the middle layer of a hierarchical control system consisting of three layers. This integration makes it easy to expand the PSC PWM to any bridge‐cell or chopper‐cell count per cluster or arm. Finally, this paper ends with future scenarios of a few promising family members and their practical applications, from the personal experience and view of the author. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses and compares phase-shifted pulse-width modulation (PS-PWM) and level-shifted PWM (LS-PWM) in a modular multilevel single-delta bridge-cell (SDBC) inverter for utility-scale grid-tied photovoltaic applications. This three-phase SDBC inverter provides the capability of operating even under power-distribution imbalances not only among three clusters, but also among cascaded bridge cells in each cluster. The main focus of this research lies in analyzing the capability of operation under severe power-distribution imbalances and presenting power-balancing methods based on zero-sequence current injection, which result in an extended power-balancing capability. This paper highlights that LS-PWM is superior to PS-PWM in both power-balancing capability and harmonic performance at the ac side of the SDBC inverter when operating under power-distribution imbalances. Experimental results obtained from a three-phase 10-kW downscaled system show good agreement with those from the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a theoretical discussion on a new phase-shifted rotating-carrier (PSRC) pulsewidth modulation (PWM) method for a modular multilevel double-star chopper-cell (DSCC) converter. The new method enables the DSCC converter to operate at a low switching frequency in a range of 50 to 100 Hz where the ac grid or line frequency is 50 Hz. The phase shift of each carrier signal is rotated to enable capacitor–voltage balancing in such a low-carrier-frequency range while maintaining the same voltage in each arm as that of the original phase-shifted-carrier PWM. Theoretical analysis of harmonic-voltage spectrum at the arm side of a chopper cell is conducted on the basis of double-variable Fourier series. Then, the analytical results are compared to numerical ones. A three-phase grid-connected DSCC converter rated at 66 kV, 50 Hz, and 100 MW with 64 chopper cells per leg is used in circuit simulation to confirm the validity of the proposed PSRC-PWM method. The simulation results show that the PSRC-PWM can maintain stable operation of the DSCC converter even if the carrier frequency goes lower than 100 Hz. Several performance criteria conclude that the optimal carrier frequency is 75 Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides theoretical and experimental discussions on an optimal carrier frequency for a phase-shifted pulsewidth modulation modular multilevel cascade converter for grid connections. The theoretical discussion concludes that a ratio of the optimal carrier frequency with respect to the supply (ac) frequency is 5/2. A three-phase downscaled front-to-front system is designed, constructed, and tested to confirm validity of the theoretical discussion. It consists of a pair of three-phase modular multilevel cascade converters rated at 400 Vdc and 10 kW, where the carrier frequency is set to 450 Hz and the ac frequency to 180 Hz, that is, their ratio is equal to 5/2. Moreover, simulated waveforms are compared to experimental ones under the same operating conditions. Both experimental and simulated waveforms agree well with each other not only in steady states but also in transient states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a theoretical and experimental discussion about the performance, availability, and flexibility of a battery energy storage system (BESS) using a modular multilevel cascaded converter based on single-star bridge cells (MMCC-SSBC). The SSBC-based BESS produces three-phase multilevel voltage waveforms, and eliminates both harmonic filters and a complicated zig-zag transformer from the ac side. The circuit modularity of the SSBC enables the usage of multiple individual low-voltage battery modules. Along with control strategy based on zero-sequence-voltage injection, this modularity enhances the availability and flexibility of the BESS. A three-phase laboratory downscaled system rated at 140 V, 10 kW, and 21 kW·h is designed, constructed, and tested to verify the operating principles and performance. The tested BESS produces a current total harmonic distortion (THD) of 3.0% even when it operates with different active-power commands for individual bridge cells. In addition, zero-voltage ride-through capability is verified for the severest single-phase, two-phase, and three-phase voltage sags. Mathematical analysis and experimental verification validate the downscaled system and performance, making the BESS prospective. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Model predictive control (MPC) is a powerful and emerging control algorithm in the field of power converters and energy conversion systems. This paper proposes a model predictive algorithm to control the power flow between the high-voltage and low-voltage DC buses of a bidirectional isolated full-bridge DC–DC converter. The predictive control algorithm utilises the discrete nature of the power converters and predicts the future nature of the system, which are compared with the references to calculate the cost function. The switching state that minimises the cost function is selected for firing the converter in the next sampling time period. The proposed MPC bidirectional DC–DC converter is simulated with MATLAB/Simulink and further verified with a 2.5 kW experimental configuration. Both the simulation and experimental results confirm that the proposed MPC algorithm of the DC–DC converter reduces reactive power by avoiding the phase shift between primary and secondary sides of the high-frequency transformer and allow power transfer with unity power factor. Finally, an efficiency comparison is performed between the MPC and dual-phase-shift-based pulse-width modulation controlled DC–DC converter which ensures the effectiveness of the MPC controller. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents and discusses a phase-shifted-PWM distribution static synchronous compensator (D-STATCOM) using the modular multilevel cascade converter based on single-star bridge cells (MMCC-SSBC). A three-phase 140-V 10-kVA SSBC-based STATCOM with a cascade count $N=6$ is designed, constructed, and tested for verifying the performance and functionality of the medium-voltage D-STATCOM in both steady and transient states. The 13-level line-to-neutral (25-level line-to-line) voltage at the ac side yields an almost sinusoidal line current with a total harmonic distortion value of 1.7%. An analytical model for the phase-shifted PWM is proposed to design the current control gains. Two phase-shifted PWM methods, which are named as one-cell and all-cells update methods, are theoretically and experimentally compared. The all-cells update method can reduce the inherent time delay, thus resulting in a faster and more stable system response than the one-cell update method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the average power balancing (APB) control method for the modular multilevel cascaded converter based on single-star bridge cells in the static synchronous compensator applications. The proposed control method accomplishes both the reactive power compensation and the dc bus voltage balancing control even under grid voltage sags. The low-voltage ride-through capability of the proposed method will become more and more important as more distributed generation resources are integrated into the grid. Laboratory test results are provided to validate the proposed APB control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a modular multilevel cascade converter based on triple-star bridge cells (MMCC-TSBC), devoting itself to control and experiment. The TSBC is one of the direct ac-to-ac power converters capable of bidirectional power flow with three-phase sinusoidal currents with any power factor at both supply (input) and motor (output) sides. Therefore, it is suitable for medium-voltage high-power motor drives with regenerative braking, intended to replace a conventional line-commutated cycloconverter using thyristors. This paper provides an intensive discussion on how to control the whole TSBC system, how to regulate and balance the dc mean voltages of all the dc capacitors, and how to mitigate their ac voltage fluctuations. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy and tactics are verified by a three-phase 400-V 15-kW downscaled model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an intensive discussion on analysis, simulation, and experiment of a back-to-back (BTB) systemunifying two modular multilevel cascade converters based on double-star chopper cells (MMCCs-DSCCs). Each of the twoDSCCs connected back-to-back consists of multiple cascaded chopper cells and a center-tapped inductor per leg. Lowvoltage steps bring significant reductions in harmonic voltage and current to the BTB system. Neither dc-link capacitornor voltage sensor is required for regulating the dc-link voltage and controlling the dc-link current. A three-phase200-V, 10-kW, 50-Hz downscaled BTB system with phase-shifted PWM is designed, constructed, and tested to verify itsoperating principles and performance. Analytical, simulated, and experimental results agree well with each other insteady and transient states. Experimental waveforms confirm the effectiveness of a self-starting/restartingprocedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a modular push–pull PWM converter (MPC) for a battery energy storage system, which is intended for grid connections to medium- or high-voltage power systems. The converter per phase consists of a center-tapped transformer and two arms based on a cascade connection of multiple bidirectional PWM chopper-cells with floating dc capacitors. This paper discusses the operating performance and control method of the MPC, focusing on voltage balancing of all the floating dc capacitors. Moreover, a comparison is made between the MPC and a modular multilevel converter (MMC), under an assumption that both are used as the same battery energy storage system. The validity of the operating performance and control method is confirmed by both computer simulation using the “PSCAD/EMTDC” software package and experiment using a three-phase, 200-V, 5-kW downscaled model. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a five-level diode-clamped pulse width-modulated (PWM) inverter intended for a medium-voltage motor drive with a constant-torque load but no regenerative braking. It is applicable to drilling rigs, extruders, and rubber mixers. The power conversion system consists of a three-phase six-pulse diode rectifier, a five-level diode-clamped PWM inverter, and a dc- voltage-balancing circuit including a single coupled inductor. The five-level inverter is characterized by injecting a common ninth-harmonic zero-sequence voltage on each of the three-phase reference voltages in a low-modulation-index region. This injection contributes not only to mitigating magnetic-flux fluctuation of the coupled inductor but also to making uniform the power losses produced by eight insulated-gate bipolar transistor modules per leg. In addition, the dc-voltage-balancing circuit introduces a control method capable of reducing an amplitude of magnetic flux of the coupled inductor. The combination of this control method and the ninth-harmonic zero-sequence voltage injection keeps the peak value of the magnetic flux within its designed value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources such as wind turbine generators and photovoltaics are intermittent in nature, thus resulting in fluctuating electric power. Leveling of their electric power is indispensable to realize large-scale renewable energy sources and to avoid severe power quality problems when they are interconnected into the grid. A battery energy storage system (BESS), combining batteries with a power converter and digital control, should be installed in the vicinity of an intermittent energy source. The fluctuating power is compensated by appropriately controlling active power stored in, or released from, the battery. This paper describes a 6.6-kV transformerless battery energy storage system based on a cascade multilevel PWM (pulse-width-modulation) converter, with focus on a control method for active power and SOC (state-of-charge) balancing. A down-scaled 200-V, 10-kW, 3.6-kWh (13-MJ) laboratory model using nine NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) battery packs was designed, constructed, and tested to verify the viability and effectiveness of the 6.6-kV system. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 177(1): 43-54, 2011; Published online in Wiley Online Library (). DOI 10.1002/eej.21127 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the control and design of the 6.6-kV back-to-back (BTB) system combining bidirectional isolated dc/dc converters and modular multilevel cascade pulsewidth modulation (PWM) converters. The system consists of multiple converter cells connected in cascade per phase at both front ends. Each converter cell consists of a bidirectional isolated medium-frequency dc/dc converter and two voltage-source H-bridge (single-phase full-bridge) PWM converters. Extremely low-voltage steps bring a significant reduction in harmonics and electromagnetic interference emissions to the BTB system. This paper designs, constructs, and tests a single-phase downscaled BTB system rated at 120 V and 3.3 kW to verify the viability and effectiveness, leading to the actual system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an intensive discussion on conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) emissions from an inverter-driven air conditioner. Common-mode voltages produced by the pulsewidth-modulated (PWM) inverter may cause a high-frequency leakage current. The use of a spectrum analyzer and a line-impedance stabilization network (LISN) makes it possible to refer the leakage current in the time domain to the conducted-EMI emission levels in the frequency domain, which are prescribed by the EMI regulations. Simulation-based estimation of the conducted-EMI emission levels in advance allows engineers to efficiently design a cost-effective EMI filter intended for meeting the regulations. This paper achieves modeling of the inverter-driven air conditioner with focus on common-mode voltages and leakage-current propagation paths. The simulation circuit developed can be used to predict conducted-EMI emission levels and to design the cost-effective EMI filter. Simulated results agree fairly with experimental ones in both cases of the EMI filter being connected and disconnected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new dc-voltage-balancing circuit for a five-level diode-clamped inverter intended for a medium-voltage motor drive with a three-phase diode rectifier used as the front end. This circuit consists of two unidirectional choppers and a single coupled inductor with two galvanically isolated windings. The inductor produces no net dc magnetic flux because the individual dc magnetic fluxes generated by the two windings are canceled out with each other. This makes the inductor compact by a factor of six, compared with the balancing circuit including two noncoupled inductors. Moreover, introducing phase-shift control to the new balancing circuit makes it possible to adjust the midpoint voltage. As a result, the dc mean voltages of all the four split dc capacitors can be balanced, independent of inverter control. Experimental results obtained from a 200-V 5.5-kW downscaled model verify the effectiveness of the new balancing circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the control and operating performance of a modular multilevel PWM inverter for a transformer-less medium-voltage motor drive. The inverter is prominent in the modular arm structure consisting of a cascaded stack of multiple bidirectional chopper-cells. The dominant ac-voltage fluctuation with the same frequency as the motor (inverter) frequency occurs across the dc capacitor of each chopper-cell. The magnitude of the voltage fluctuation is inversely proportional to the motor frequency. This paper achieves theoretical analysis on the voltage fluctuation, leading to system design. A downscaled model rated at 400 V and 15 kW is designed and built up to confirm the validity and effectiveness of the nine-level (17-level in line-to-line) PWM inverter for a medium-voltage motor drive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes position-sensorless control of an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPM motor), which is characterized by real-time position estimation based on magnetic saliency. The real-time estimation algorithm proposed in this paper determines the inductance matrix including rotor position information from current harmonics produced by switching operations of an inverter driving the IPM motor, and then estimates the rotor position every period of pulse-width modulation (PWM). Position estimation without any special signal injection is achieved with a satisfactory response and accuracy even at a standstill and at low speed. An experimental system consisting of an IPM motor and a voltage-source PWM inverter has been implemented and tested to confirm the effectiveness and versatility of the approach. Some experimental results show that the experimental system has the function of electrically locking the loaded motor, along with a position response of 20 rad/s and a settling time of 300 ms. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 131(2): 68–79, 2000 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an equivalent circuit for high-frequency leakage currents in pulsewidth modulation inverter-fed ac motors. Common mode voltage; Measurement of line inductance; Leakage current waveform; Theoretical analysis; Characteristic impedance.