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Pulsed electric field (PEF) can be used effectively in water treatment applications by passing infected water through two electrodes excited from a high voltage pulsed power supply which guarantees killing the harmful germs. In this paper, a new high-voltage pulse-generator with closed loop control of its output voltage is presented for treating water via underwater pulsed streamer corona discharge. The proposed generator is fed from a low AC voltage source (utility mains 220 V, 50 Hz) which makes it suitable for domestic applications. The proposed topology provides transformer-less operation which reduces the system size and enhances the overall efficiency. The proposed topology is based on capacitor-diode voltage multiplier (CDVM) circuits in conjunction with DC-DC converters (Boost and Buck-Boost converters). The simulation and experimental results elucidate the proposed configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The four-switch three-phase (FSTP) inverter has been proposed as an innovative inverter design to reduce the cost, complexity, size, and switching losses of the dc–ac conversion system. Traditional FSTP inverter usually operates at half the dc input voltage; hence, the output line voltage cannot exceed this value. This paper proposes a novel design for the FSTP inverter based on the topology of the single-ended primary-inductance converter (SEPIC). The proposed topology provides pure sinusoidal output voltages with no need for output filter. Compared to traditional FSTP inverter, the proposed FSTP SEPIC inverter improves the voltage utilization factor of the input dc supply, where the proposed topology provides higher output line voltage which can be extended up to the full value of the dc input voltage. The integral sliding-mode control is used with the proposed topology to optimize its dynamics and to ensure robustness of the system during different operating conditions. Derivation of the equations describing the parameters design, components ratings, and the operation of the proposed SEPIC inverter is presented in this paper. Simulation model and experimental setup are used to validate the proposed concept. Simulations and experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

DC fault protection is one challenge impeding the development of multiterminal dc grids. The absence of manufacturing and operational standards has led to many point-to-point HVDC links built at different voltage levels, which creates another challenge. Therefore, the issues of voltage matching and dc fault isolation are undergoing extensive research and are addressed in this paper. A quasi two-level operating mode of the modular multilevel converter is proposed, where the converter generates a square wave with controllable dv/dt by employing the cell voltages to create transient intermediate voltage levels. Cell capacitance requirements diminish and the footprint of the converter is reduced. The common-mode dc component in the arm currents is not present in the proposed operating mode. The converter is proposed as the core of a dc to dc transformer, where two converters operating in the proposed mode are coupled by an ac transformer for voltage matching and galvanic isolation. The proposed dc transformer is shown to be suitable for high-voltage high-power applications due to the low-switching frequency, high efficiency, modularity, and reliability. The dc transformer facilitates dc voltage regulation and near instant isolation of dc faults within its protection zone. Analysis and simulations confirm these capabilities in a system-oriented approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a new architecture of flywheel energy storage system (FESS) which can be implemented at generating unit (GU) level (e.g. wind turbine) or scaled up for application in grid‐side converter (GSC) stations of a multi‐terminal direct current (MTDC) system. The proposed architecture suppresses DC voltage leaps under grid faults, and performs power levelling duty at grid connection points. When implemented at GU level, the proposed FESS features a doubly‐fed induction machine (DFIM) – the flywheel machine – where its six stator winding terminals are connected in series between the grid and the GSC. The flywheel converter is of partial power rating, and is connected to the DFIM rotor. When employed at an MTDC GSC station, several submodules are connected to build an FESS station. The study proposes the control concept and the general topology of the FESS station. The performance parameters of the system are tested under normal and abnormal operating conditions. Results and analyses indicate smooth dynamic operation, the economic advantage and the improved fault ride‐through capability because of the proposed system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-level voltage-source converters and half-bridge modular multilevel converters are among the most popular types of HVDC converters. One of their serious drawbacks is their vulnerable nature to dc-side faults, since the freewheeling diodes act as a rectifier bridge and feed the dc faults. The severity of dc-side faults can be limited by connecting double thyristor switches across the semiconductor devices. By turning them on, the ac current contribution into the dc side is eliminated and the dc-link current will freely decay to zero. The main disadvantages of this method are: high dv/dt stresses across thyristors during normal conditions, and the absence of bypassing for the freewheeling diodes during dc faults since they are sharing the fault current with thyristors. This paper proposes combining and connecting the double thyristor switches across the ac output terminals of the HVDC converter. The proposed protection scheme provides advantages, such as lower dv/dt stresses and lower voltage rating of thyristor switches in addition to providing full segregation between the converter semiconductor devices and ac grid during dc-side faults. A simulation case study has been carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an algorithm that enables single-sensor operation of vector-controlled three-phase permanent-magnet-synchronous-motor voltage source inverter (VSI)-based drive systems. The closed-loop operation is performed through measuring only the VSI dc-link current. The measured VSI dc-link current is fed to a space-vector-based lookup table, which reconstructs the motor line currents. Three Luenberger-style observers are used to filter out the reconstructed motor line currents and estimate the rotor position and speed. The effect of observer bandwidth on the accuracy of the motor's estimated parameters is also investigated. The drive system's physical dynamic stiffness is used as a key metric to compare the drive system performance in single-sensor mode and fully sensored mode, in order to find the lowest steady-state speed limit for the single-sensor drive system operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind energy is now seen as a key contributor for the future renewable energy mix. HVDC technology is among the chief technologies enabling widespread use of offshore wind. Thanks to their numerous advantages, voltage-source converter-based-HVDC (VSC-HVDC) systems are expected to be the technology of choice. Unfortunately, most of VSCs are defenseless against dc-side faults, such as two-level VSCs, and half-bridge modular multilevel converters. This paper proposes the buck-boost inverter-based-HVDC system (BBI-HVDC) as a means to overcome the limitations of the classical VSC-HVDC systems. The proposed configuration does not only provide sinusoidal three-phase voltage, but also provides complete blocking capability of ac-side contributions during a dc-side fault. The latter is achieved by simply disabling the gating signals to the switches upon fault detection. The performance of the proposed system is illustrated during normal conditions, ac-side faults, and dc-side faults. A simulation case study comparing the performance of the conventional HVDC converters with the proposed system during dc-side faults is conducted. The simulation results reveal the promising performance under normal operation as well as a significant decrease in the dc fault current due to the ac-side contribution blocking capability of the BBI-HVDC system during dc-side faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interline dynamic voltage restorer (IDVR) is invariably employed in distribution systems to mitigate voltage sag/swell problems. An IDVR merely consists of several dynamic voltage restorers (DVRs) sharing a common dc link connecting independent feeders to secure electric power to critical loads. While one of the DVRs compensates for the local voltage sag in its feeder, the other DVRs replenish the common dc-link voltage. For normal voltage levels, the DVRs should be bypassed. Instead of bypassing the DVRs in normal conditions, this paper proposes operating the DVRs, if needed, to improve the displacement factor (DF) of one of the involved feeders. DF improvement can be achieved via active and reactive power exchange (PQ sharing) between different feeders. To successfully apply this concept, several constraints are addressed throughout the paper. Simulation and experimental results elucidate and substantiate the proposed concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power generation through wind is expected to play a major role in the world's future energy portfolio. Nevertheless, wind power integration remains a challenging research area due to the special characteristics of wind power generation. Specifically, offshore wind has received significant attention worldwide due to the vast generation potential available. The electrical infrastructure of offshore wind farms is thus of significant importance. The multi-terminal HVDC solution represents a preferable solution and has shown promise in solving wind farm interconnection problems. Droop control techniques have been proposed as a means to regulate the DC voltage and facilitate the automatic coordination between different converters without the need for fast communication between units. Different methodologies have been developed to select the droop gains to satisfy the system performance specifications. In this work, a control design methodology is proposed for power sharing among the multi-terminal HVDC feeders providing that the power transmission efficiency is optimized. A simulation study on a 400-kV/1000-MW four-terminal HVDC transmission topology is conducted to ensure the validity of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) technology has become a major area of research due to environ-mental concerns. This article studies the feasibility of cladding high-rise towers in Doha with solar photovoltaic modules. Specifically, the case of the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) is discussed. The major aim of the work is to evaluate the technical feasibility, economic impact and environmental effects of using photovoltaic panels on commercial towers in Qatar. Experimental data on solar irradiance and the effect of shading on the QFC Tower are presented. Numerical calculations are done using solar pathfinder software. The studies show that, although there is a significant amount of saving in CO2 emission by using BIPV on towers in Doha, the payback period is still very long due to the cheaper cost of grid electricity in Qatar and poor conversion efficiency of PV panels. The complete system layout is presented and viable solutions are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiphase induction motor is considered to be the promising alternative to the conventional three-phase induction motor, especially in safety-critical applications because of its inherent fault-tolerant feature. Therefore, the attention of many researchers has been paid to develop different techniques for detecting various fault types of multiphase induction motors, to securely switch the control mode of the multiphase drive system to its post-fault operation mode. Therefore, several fault detection methods have been researched and adapted; one of these methods is the indices-based fault detection technique. This technique was firstly introduced to detect open-phase fault of multiphase induction motors. The main advantage of this technique is that its mathematical formulation is straightforward and can easily be understood and implemented. In this paper, the study of the indices-based fault detection technique has been extended to test its applicability in detecting some other stator and rotor fault types of multiphase induction motors, namely, open-phase, open-switch, bad connection and broken rotor bar faults. Experimental and simulation validations of this technique are also introduced using a 1 kW prototype symmetrical six-phase induction motor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) has received global support as initiatives and legislation are introduced in support of a zero-emissions future envisaged for transportation. Integrated on-board battery chargers (OBCs), which exploit the EV drivetrain elements into the charging process, are considered an elegant solution to achieve this widespread adoption of EVs. Surface-mounted permanent-magnet (SPM) machines have emerged as plausible candidates for EV traction due to their nonsalient characteristics and ease of manufacturing. From an electric machine design perspective, parasitic torque ripple and core losses need to be minimized in integrated OBCs during both propulsion and charging modes. The optimal design of EV propulsion motors has been extensively presented in the literature; however, the performance of the optimal traction machine under the charging mode of operation for integrated OBCs has not received much attention in the literature thus far. This paper investigates the optimal design of a six-phase SPM machine employed in an integrated OBC with two possible winding layouts, namely, dual three-phase or asymmetrical six-phase winding arrangements. First, the sizing equation and optimized geometrical parameters of a six-phase 12-slot/10-pole fractional slot concentrated winding (FSCW)-based SPM machine are introduced. Then, variations in the output average torque, parasitic torque ripple, and parasitic core losses with the slot opening width and the PM width-to-pole pitch ratio are further investigated for the two proposed winding layouts under various operation modes. Eventually, the optimally designed machine is simulated using analytical magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) models. The obtained results are validated using 2D finite element (FE) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In rural and remote areas, solar photovoltaic energy (PV) water pumping systems (SPWPSs) are being favored over diesel-powered water pumping due to environmental and economic considerations. PV is a clean source of electric energy offering low operational and maintenance cost. However, the direct-coupled SPWPS requires inventive solutions to improve the system's efficiency under solar power variations while producing the required amount of pumped water concurrently. This paper introduces a new quadratic V/f (Q V/f) control method to drive an induction motor powered directly from a solar PV source using a two-stage power converter without storage batteries. Conventional controllers usually employ linear V/f control, where the reference motor speed is derived from the PV input power and the dc-link voltage error using a simple proportional–integral (PI) controller. The proposed Q V/f-based system is compared with the conventional linear V/f control using a simulation case study under different operating conditions. The proposed controller expectedly enhances the system output power and efficiency, particularly under low levels of solar irradiance. Some alternative controllers rather than the simple PI controller are also investigated in an attempt to improve the system dynamics as well as the water flow output. An experimental prototype system is used to validate the proposed Q V/f under diverse operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the authors. The article duplicates multiple figures that had previously appeared in Desalination, 453 (2019) 22-36 without proper citation. (Box 6) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]