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This article presents an advanced method for power-loss breakdown of a high-power bidirectional isolated dual-active-bridge (DAB) dc-to-dc converter using SiC-mosfet/SBD H-bridge modules. This method is so simple and practical as to extract a switching loss from accurately measured overall losses. A test bench designed and built in this article is characterized by cascading the two identical 750-V 100-kW 16-kHz DAB converters equipped with the two identical unity-turns-ratio transformers. The test bench allows power-loss breakdown at buck and boost operation. When a dc-input voltage of 750 V is different from a dc-output voltage of 850 V at 100 kW and 16 kHz, “hybrid” phase-shift control makes the overall power loss lower by 158 W than “pure” phase-shift control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, based on modeling and scaling as well as simulation and experiment, provides a comprehensive discussion on a real-time real-power emulator for a medium-voltage, high-power, high-speed motor drive. A three-phase modular multilevel double-star chopper-cell (DSCC) inverter under test is connected in front-to-front (FTF) with the emulator. The DSCC inverter is the same in circuit configuration as the DSCC rectifier. This emulator is characterized by integrating mechanical dynamics of both motor and load into it. The power-electronic circuit of the emulator consists of a three-phase DSCC rectifier, three ac inductors, and a single two-winding common-mode inductor at the dc side. This article starts with modeling and scaling of a three-phase 6.6-kV 10.9-MW four-pole 9000-r/min induction motor drive. Then, the authors design, build, and test a three-phase 200-V 10-kW downscaled test bench. Experimental waveforms from the 10-kW test bench, as well as simulated waveforms from the 10.9-MW full-scale and 10-kW downscaled systems, lead to the following conclusion: The emulator can reproduce both electrical and mechanical dynamics of the three-phase 200-V, 10-kW, four-pole, 9000-r/min induction motor coupled with a centrifugal compressor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article designs, builds, and tests the 850-V 100-kW 16-kHz bidirectional isolated dc–dc converter using the latest 1.2-kV 400-A SiC-mosfet/SBD H-bridge modules, with focus on efficiency improvement. Here, SBD stands for Schottky barrier diode. It proposes intermittent operation with continuous-current mode (CCM), to reduce switching losses in partial loads. Experimental results verify that the conversion efficiency from the dc input to the dc output is as high as 99.3% at the rated power of 100 kW, and 99.2% at a partial load of 10 kW. These are measured and calculated, discarding auxiliary power losses of 82 W in total, which are produced by the digital controller, gate-drive circuits, and cooling fans. Experimental transient waveforms show that no dc magnetic flux is included in the 850-V 100-kW 16-kHz transformer at intervals of switchover between the continuous operation and the CCM intermittent operation when power reversal from − 100 to 100 kW is performed at an interval of 1 ms. Finally, this article presents an experimental and theoretical discussion on the voltage ripples appearing across the dc capacitor of each bridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 presents two high-voltage direct-current circuit breakers that have the capability of interrupting a short-circuit current within several milliseconds. They consist of a current-limit inductor, a current-control inductor, one or two mechanical switches, and a multilevel converter with phase-shifted-carrier pulsewidth modulation. The two breakers can commutate an almost zero current from the main branch to the auxiliary branch. This paper proposes an original breaker with low-voltage and high-voltage mechanical switches connected in series, followed by a simplified breaker with a single high-voltage mechanical switch. Finally, this paper includes experimental verification by two slightly different downscaled breakers rated at 300 Vdc and 150 Adc, as well as confirmation of an actual original breaker by circuit simulation using the “PSCAD/EMTDC” software package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an analytical and experimental discussion on a power hardware-in-the-loop (P-HIL) test bench for a medium-voltage high-power high-speed synchronous motor drive. This test bench consists of two modular multilevel double-star chopper-cell (DSCC) converters connected front-to-front without a transformer. An experimental downscaled P-HIL test bench is designed, constructed, and tested to confirm its operating performance. The three-phase 400-Vdc 10-kW DSCC inverter with eight chopper cells per arm is used as a “real” inverter under test. The other DSCC rectifier is used as a set of a “virtual” three-phase 200-V 10-kW 300-Hz four-pole 9000-r/min synchronous motor and a “virtual” high-speed centrifugal compressor with a quadratic torque-to-speed load characteristic. [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 presents an intensive discussion on a high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) long-distance transmission system combining two modular multilevel double-star chopper-cells (DSCC) converters with dc power cables. Hereinafter, each converter is referred to simply as a DSCC converter, or just as a DSCC for more simplicity. Such an HVDC transmission system is required to provide low-voltage-ride-through (LVRT) capability to enhance system availability. This paper proposes a practical LVRT control characterized by the use of power-line communications between the two DSCC converters. The validity and effectiveness of the LVRT control is verified not only by simulated waveforms obtained from the software package “PSCAD/EMTDC” but also by experimental waveforms from a three-phase 200-V, 400-Vdc, 10-kW, 50-Hz downscaled system with 300-m-long dc power cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This paper presents an intensive discussion on a long-distance high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission system that combines two modular multilevel cascade converters based on double-star chopper cells (MMCC-DSCC) with DC power cables. Hereinafter, a single MMCC-DSCC is referred to as a DSCC converter or just as a DSCC for the sake of simplicity. The HVDC transmission system is required to provide low-voltage-ride-through (LVRT) capability to enhance transmission system availability. This paper proposes a new LVRT method without any direct information exchange between the two DSCC converters. The validity of the method is verified, using simulated waveforms from the software package of 'PSCAD/EMTDC' and experimental waveforms from a three-phase 200-V, 400-Vdc, 10-kW, 50-Hz downscaled HVDC system with a set of 300-meter-long DC power cables. [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 a theoretical discussion and comparison in energy balancing between a modular multilevel cascade inverter based on single-star bridge cells (SSBC) and that on single-delta bridge cells (SDBC). Attention is paid to applications involving asymmetric active-power generation in utility-scale grid-tied photovoltaic systems. Both qualitative and quantitative evaluation metrics to assess the energy-balancing capability are introduced and applied to both SSBC and SDBC inverters. As for the SSBC inverter, six zero-sequence voltage waveforms with different harmonic content enabling enhanced energy-balancing capability are analyzed and compared regarding their effectiveness. This paper also emphasizes on the SDBC as an alternative to the SSBC and highlights its superior operating characteristics under asymmetric active-power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the design, construction, and testing of a 750-V 100-kW 20-kHz bidirectional isolated dual-active-bridge dc–dc converter using four 1.2-kV 400-A SiC-MOSFET/SBD dual modules. The maximum conversion efficiency from the dc-input to the dc-output terminals is accurately measured to be as high as 98.7% at 42-kW operation. The overall power loss at the rated-power (100 kW) operation, excluding the gate-drive and control circuit losses, is divided into the conduction and switching losses produced by the SiC modules, the iron and copper losses due to magnetic devices, and the other unknown loss. The power-loss breakdown concludes that the sum of the conduction and switching losses is about 60% of the overall power loss and that the conduction loss is nearly equal to the switching loss at the 100-kW and 20-kHz operation. [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]

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 an overvoltage appearing at the motor terminals of an adjustable-speed drive that consists of a voltage-source pulsewidth-modulated inverter, an induction motor, and a three-phase symmetric long cable. It describes a design procedure for a simple passive electromagnetic-interference filter based on parallel connection of an inductor and a resistor, which is intended for mitigating the overvoltage at the motor terminals. The modeling of the cable and the motor is characterized by focusing on the natural frequency or ringing frequency inherent in the cable used, which is inversely proportional to cable length. Impedance mismatch at the inverter and motor terminals causes the overvoltage that may reach double the inverter dc-link voltage. The effectiveness and validity of the simple design procedure of the filter are confirmed on the 400-V 15-kW experimental system with either a 100- or 200-m-long cable, as well as on computer simulation based on the modeling of the cable and the motor. [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 presents a transformerless hybrid active filter integrated into a medium-voltage motor drive for energy savings. This hybrid filter is intended for line harmonic-current mitigation of the three-phase diode rectifier used as the front end of themotor drive. It is based on direct connection of a passive filter tuned to the seventh-harmonic frequency in series with an active filter using a three-level pulsewidth modulated (PWM) converter. This paper provides a theoretical discussion on voltage-balancing control of two split dc capacitors of the active filter. The 400-V 15-kW motor drive system is designed, constructed, and tested, which can be considered as a downscaled model from a medium-voltage motor drive without regenerative braking. Experimental results verify that the hybrid filter has the capability of satisfactory harmonic filtering and stable voltage balancing in all the load conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modular multilevel converter (MMC) is one of the next-generation multilevel converters intended for high- or medium-voltage power conversion without transformers. The MMC is based on cascade connection of multiple bidirectional chopper-cells per leg, thus requiring voltage-balancing control of the multiple floating dc capacitors. However, no paper has made an explicit discussion on voltage-balancing control with theoretical and experimental verifications. This paper deals with two types of pulsewidth-modulated modular multilevel converters (PWM-MMCs) with focus on their circuit configurations and voltage-balancing control. Combination of averaging and balancing controls enables the PWM-MMCs to achieve voltage balancing without any external circuit. The viability of the PWM-MMCs, as well as the effectiveness of the voltage-balancing control, is confirmed by simulation and experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses shaft end-to-end and shaft-to-frame voltages that appear in the 400-V, 15-kW induction motor driven by a voltage-source pulsewidth modulation (PWM) inverter. A shaft-to-frame voltage can be observed at either shaft end with respect to the grounded motor frame. A shaft end-to-end voltage can be observed as a voltage difference between the shaft-to-frame voltage at the drive end (DE) and that at the nondrive end (NDE). Experimental waveforms lead to the following interesting observations: motor internal coupling and parasitic capacitance, along with the high-frequency common-mode voltage generated by the PWM inverter, cause a shaft-to-frame voltage with a peak of 8 Vat both DE and NDE. When the shaft-to-frame voltage at either DE or NDE exceeds a dielectric breakdown voltage of thin bearing lubricating grease films, a shaft end-to-end voltage with a peak of 2 V and a width of 30 ns occurs along the motor shaft. This paper makes experimental discussions on the shaft end-to-end voltage generation. Installing a differential-mode filter and/or a common-mode filter on the motor drive system gives a hint on the mechanisms of the occurrence of the shaft end-to-end voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative analysis between results from applications of the p-q and the p-q-r theories in shunt active power filters for three-phase four-wire systems, discussing aspects related to the influence of the system voltage in the control methods that calculate the compensating currents. It is shown that in some cases, a preprocessing of the system voltage is required if the goal is to achieve sinusoidal compensated currents. On the other hand, when the goal is to compensate zero-sequence current, the need of energy storage elements in the active filter is discussed. In this case, if zero-sequence components are present simultaneously in the system voltage and load current, they produce zero-sequence power flow, and the control methods based on both theories must contain additional calculations to allow the elimination of energy storage elements in the active filter. A control strategy based on the p-q theory is proposed to eliminate the neutral current without the need of energy storage elements, with the advantage of avoiding the extra transformation from αβ0 to pqr coordinates that is needed in the p-q-r theory. Simulation results are presented for the purpose of comparing the performance of both control methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a transformerless hybrid active filter integrated into the 6.6-ky, 1-MW adjustable-speed motor drive having a three-phase diode rectifier at the front end. The hybrid filter consists of an active filter using a three-level diode-clamped pulse width modulator converter rated at 60 kVA, and a 250-kVA passive filter tuned to the seventh harmonic frequency. They are directly connected in series without a transformer. This circuit configuration enables one to use 1.2-ky insulated gate bipolar transistors because the dc voltage of the three-level converter is 1.32 kV (20% of 6.6 kV). Voltage balancing control characterized by superimposing a sixth harmonic zero-sequence voltage on the active filter voltage reference in each phase is introduced to the three-level converter with triangle carrier modulation. Experimental waveforms obtained from a 400-V, 15-kW downscaled system verify the viability and effectiveness of the proposed hybrid filter, keeping the two dc capacitor voltages well-balanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the effect of a passive EMI filter on preventing bearing current from flowing inside an inverter-driven motor. Motor-bearing damage is often caused by bearing currents resulting from the breakdown of grease films in the motor bearing. The high-frequency common-mode voltage generated by the PWM inverter induces a shaft voltage between the rotor and the frame. When the shaft voltage exceeds the breakdown voltage of the grease films, a destructive instantaneous discharge current with a peak value of about 1 A flows through the motor bearing. The passive EMI filter, which is unique in access to the motor neutral line, can reduce the shaft voltage as a result of eliminating the high-frequency common-mode voltage from the motor terminals. Hence, no breakdown occurs in the grease film, so that no bearing current flows. The viability and effectiveness of the passive EMI filter is verified by experimental results obtained from a 400-V, 3.7-kW laboratory system. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 166(2): 78– 87, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20489 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a bidirectional isolated DC/DC converter considered as a core circuit for next-generation 3.3-kV/6.6-kV high-power-density power conversion systems. The DC/DC converter is intended to use power switching devices based on SiC and/or GaN, which will be available on the market in the near future. A 350-V, 10-kW, and 20-kHz DC/DC converter is designed, constructed, and tested in this paper. It consists of two single-phase full-bridge converters with the latest trench-gate Si-IGBTs and a 20-kHz transformer with a nano-crystalline soft-magnetic material core and litz wires. The transformer plays an essential role in achieving galvanic isolation between the two full-bridge converters. The overall efficiency from the DC-input to DC-output terminals is accurately measured to be as high as 97%, excluding gate drive circuit and control circuit losses from the whole loss. Moreover, loss analysis is carried out to estimate effectiveness in using SiC-based power switching devices. The loss analysis clarifies that the use of SiC-based power devices may bring a significant reduction in conducting and switching losses to the DC/DC converter. As a result, the overall efficiency may reach 99% or higher. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 163(2): 75–83, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20505 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the potential of a transformer-less STATic synchronous COMpensator (STATCOM) intended for installation on the 6.6-kV industrial and utility distribution systems. The STATCOM consists of a five-level diode-clamped pulsewidth-modulation converter rated at 1 MVA and a voltage-balancing circuit rated at 6 kVA. Moreover, this paper designs, constructs, and tests a 200-V 10-kVA STATCOM based on a five-level converter with a carrier frequency of 3 kHz and a voltage-balancing circuit with a switching frequency of 3 kHs. The STATCOM and its experimental waveforms verify the viability and effectiveness of the 6.6-kV transformerless STATCOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses a specific filter for integration into a motor drive system with an active front end. Three circuit configurations are investigated with focus on the high-frequency leakage current flowing out of a common grounded heat sink for two insulated-gate bipolar transistor modules. The motor drive system used in this experiment consists of a voltage-source pulsewidth modulation rectifier and inverter with the same carrier frequency as 14 kHz, together with an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPM-SM) rated at 190 V and 5.5 kW. Experimental waveforms, along with putting an interpretation on their filtering performance, lead to the best filter configuration among the three. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides theoretical and experimental discussions on conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) emissions from an inverter-driven motor rated at 400 V and 15 kW. It focuses on a line EMI filter and its combination with a motor EMI filter, along with their effects on attenuation of conducted emission voltage. When no EMI filter is connected, the motor drive cannot meet the conducted emission limits prescribed by Category 3 in the IEC61800-3 regulations. The reason is that the common-mode voltage generated by a voltage-source pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter causes a common mode leakage current flowing into the ground wire lead through parasitic capacitors inside the motor. When the line EMI filter is connected, the motor drive can meet Category 3. The motor EMI filter eliminates the common-mode voltage from the motor terminals, thus bringing a drastic reduction to the leakage current. The combination of the two EMI filters can comply with the limits prescribed by Category 2, which are much stricter than those by Category 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses a bidirectional dc-dc converter suitable for an energy storage system with an additional function of galvanic isolation. An energy storage device such as an electric double layer capacitor is directly connected to a dc side of the dc-dc converter without any chopper circuit. Nevertheless, the dc-dc con- verter can continue operating when the voltage across the energy storage device drops along with its discharge. Theoretical calculation and experimental measurement reveal that power loss and peak current impose limitations on a permissible dc-voltage range. This information may be useful in design of the dc-dc converter. Experimental results verify proper charging and discharging operation obtained from a 200-V, 2.6-kJ laboratory model of the energy storage system. Moreover, the dc-dc converter can charge the capacitor bank from zero to the rated voltage without any external precharging circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a three-phase transformerless cascade pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) STATic synchronous COMpensator (STATCOM) intended for installation on industrial and utility power distribution systems. It proposes a control algorithm that devotes itself not only to meeting the demand of reactive power but also to voltage balancing of multiple galvanically isolated and floating dc capacitors. The control algorithm based on a phase-shifted carrier modulation strategy is prominent in having no restriction on the cascade number. Experimental waveforms verify that a 200-V 10-kVA cascade PWM STATCOM with star configuration has the capability of inductive to capacitive (or capacitive to inductive) operation at the rated reactive power of 10 kVA within 20 ms while keeping the nine dc mean voltages controlled and balanced even during the transient state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a shunt active filter intended for installation on a power distribution system. The active filter has an additional capability to regulate the distribution-line voltage by means of adjusting reactive power. Theoretical analysis investigates the dynamic performance of combined harmonic damping and voltage regulation. As a result, harmonic damping makes it possible to improve the stability of the control loop for voltage regulation, and the combined harmonic damping and voltage regulation lead to good voltage regulation performance. Experimental results are shown to verify the effectiveness of the combined harmonic damping and voltage regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a small-sized passive EMI filter for the purpose of eliminating high-frequency shaft voltage and ground leakage current from an AC motor. The motor is driven by a general-purpose PWM inverter connected to a three-phase grounded voltage source. The passive EMI filter requires access to the ungrounded neutral point of the motor. This unique circuit configuration makes the common-mode inductor effective in reducing the high-frequency common-mode voltage generated by the PWM inverter with a carrier frequency of kHz. As a result, both high-frequency shaft voltage and ground leakage current can be eliminated very efficiently. However, the common-mode inductor may not play any role in reducing the low-frequency common-mode voltage generated by the diode rectifier, so that a low-frequency component still remains in the shaft voltage. Such a low-frequency shaft voltage may not produce any bad effect on motor bearings. The validity and effectiveness of the EMI filter are verified by experimental results obtained from a 200-V 5-kVA laboratory system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(2): 80–87, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20243 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a bidirectional isolated dc-dc converter considered as a core circuit of 3.3-kV/6.6-kV high-power-density power conversion systems in the next generation. The dc-dc converter is intended to use power switching devices based on silicon carbide (SIC) and/or gallium nitride, which will be available on the market in the near future. A 350-V, 10-kW and 20 kHz dc-dc converter is designed, constructed and tested. It consists of two single-phase full-bridge converters with the latest trench-gate insulated gate bipolar transistors and a 20-kHz transformer with a nano-crystalline soft-magnetic material core and litz wires. The transformer plays an essential role in achieving galvanic isolation between the two full-bridge converters. The overall efficiency from the dc-input to dc-output terminals is accurately measured to be as high as 97 %, excluding gate drive and control circuit losses from the whole loss. Moreover, loss analysis is carried out to estimate effectiveness in using SiC-based power switching devices. Loss analysis clarifies that the use of SiC-based power devices may bring a significant reduction in conducting and switching losses to the dc-dc converter. As a result, the overall efficiency may reach 99% or higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The so-called three-level inverters have been widely used for industry applications because of high-voltage output ability and low harmonic contents. These applications are mainly suitable for AC motor drives. Recent attention has been paid to larger-capacity inverters applicable to power system control. This paper describes their applications to power systems. First, harmonic analysis of a three-level inverter is achieved under the condition that its two DC capacitor voltage are unbalanced. Second, a control method for balancing the two DC capacitor voltages is described. Finally, applications of single-phase three-level inverters to STATCOM and BTB are introduced. Their control performance is confirmed by computer simulation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 157(1): 54–62, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20306 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a practical approach to eliminating both bearing current and ground leakage current from an inverter-driven motor rated at 400 V and 3.7 kW. When the shaft voltage with respect to the motor frame exceeds the dielectric breakdown voltage of thin lubricating grease films in two metal bearings at the drive and non-drive ends, an electrical discharge machining (EDM) current flows through the bearings. A passive electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter can keep the shaft voltage in check, as a result of having eliminated high-frequency common-mode voltage from the motor terminals. Hence, no dielectric breakdown occurs in the grease films, so that no EDM current flows in the bearings. Experimental results verify the viability and effectiveness of the passive EMI filter designed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents dynamic control and performance of a unified power flow controller (UPFC) intended for installation on a transmission system consisting of two sets of three-phase transmission lines in parallel. When no UPFC is installed, interruption of either three-phase line due to a fault reduces an active power flow to half, because the line impedance becomes double before the interruption. Installing the UPFC makes it possible to control an amount of active power flowing through the transmission system. The validity of the theoretical analysis developed in this paper is verified by experiments using a 10-kVA laboratory setup, as well as a computer simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A voltage-source back-to-back system for the purpose of achieving power flow control and/or line-frequency change in transmission systems has the attractive features of reliable and continuous operation, even during power line faults. However, an over- voltage appearing across the dc link during the faults should be limited to as low a value as possible because it does affect the power device ratings. This paper proposes a dc-link voltage regulator for effectively suppressing the overvoltage during power line faults. This regulator is characterized by compensating for a time delay inherent in each current controller, and for a power flow imbalance occurring during power line faults. The validity of the proposed regulator is confirmed by theory and computer simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the high-frequency leakage current flowing through the grounded heat sink of a voltage-source pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) inverter in an adjustable-speed motor drive system. A passive electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter is proposed, designed, and tested for a 200-V 3.7-kW drive system. This filter does require access to the ungrounded motor neutral point. An equivalent common-mode circuit for the drive system equipped with the EMI filter is derived from experimental waveforms along with theoretical discussions. Experimental results verify that the EMI filter is viable and effective in eliminating both heat-sink and motor-frame leakage currents from the drive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a fully-digital-controlled shunt hybrid filter for damping of harmonic propagation in power distribution systems. The harmonic propagation is caused by resonance between line inductances and power capacitors installed for power factor correction. possible solution to damping out harmonic propagation is based on installation of a shunt pure active filter at the end of a feeder. This paper proposes a shunt hybrid active filter characterized by series connection of a seventh-tuned LC filter per phase and a small-rated three-phase active filter. Like the pure filter, the hybrid filter is connected to the end bus of a feeder. The capacitor of the LC filter imposes a high impedance to the fundamental frequency, so that the fundamental voltage appears across the capacitor. This unique feature allows us to directly connect the hybrid filter to the 6.6-kV power line without step-down transformers. Furthermore, the capacitor used in this hybrid filter is lighter, cheaper and smaller than the transformer used in the pure filter. Theoretical analysis, along with experimental results obtained from a 200-V, 20-kW laboratory system, verifies the viability and effectiveness of the proposed hybrid filter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common form of chronic glomerulonephritis with IgA deposits present mainly in the mesangial areas. We performed a 10-year retrospective case-control study of 71 patients with IgAN to evaluate the long-term effects and prognostic factors associated with tonsillectomy. Forty-one patients (19 males and 22 females) underwent tonsillectomy (Group A) and 30 patients (13 males and 17 females) did not (Group B). These patients were followed for more than 10 years after renal biopsy. The average age at initial renal biopsy was 29.78 years in Group A and 33.0 years in Group B. The average follow-up period was 13 years and 3 months in Group A, and 12 years and 7 months in Group B. Glomerular damage demonstrated on renal biopsy was more extensive in Group A than in Group B. Prognosis after 10 years of follow-up was compared between the two groups. The clinical remission rate was 24.4% in Group A and 13.3% in Group B, the stable renal function rate was 82.9% in Group A and 70.0% in Group B, and the renal survival rate was 95.1% in Group A and 73.3% in Group B. The renal survival rate in Group A was significantly higher than that in Group B ( p <0.05). Although evaluation of renal pathology based on renal biopsy was useful in predicting the long-term effects of tonsillectomy in IgAN patients, the results of tonsillar provocation tests were not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a small-sized passive electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter for the purpose of eliminating high-frequency shaft voltage and ground leakage current from an ac motor driven by a voltage-source pulsewidth-modulation inverter. The filter requires access to the neutral point of the motor. A common-mode inductor is connected between the inverter and the motor. The neutral point of the motor is connected to the dc-bus midpoint via a resistor. The dc-bus midpoint is created by using two capacitors in series across the dc positive and negative buses. This unique circuit configuration makes the common-mode inductor effective in reducing the common-mode voltage appearing at the motor terminals. The validity and effectiveness of the EM! filter is verified by experimental results obtained from a 5-kVA laboratory system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with integrating a small-sized passive electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter with a voltage-source pulse-width modulated (PWM) inverter. The purpose of the filter is to eliminate both high-frequency common-mode and normal-mode voltages from the three-phase output voltages of the inverter. A laboratory system consisting of a 5-kVA inverter, a 3.7-kW induction motor, and a specially-designed passive EMI filter was constructed to verify the viability and effectiveness of the filter. As a result, both line-to-line and line-to-neutral output voltages look purely sinusoidal as if the inverter were an ideal three-phase variable-voltage, variable-frequency power supply when viewed from the motor terminals. This results in a complete solution to serious EMI issues related to high-frequency common-mode and normal-mode voltages produced by the PWM inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A retrospective case-control study of 71 patients with IgA nephropathy was performed to evaluate the long-term prognostic effect of tonsillectomy. Forty-one patients (19 males and 22 females) underwent tonsillectomy (Group A) and 30 patients (13 males and 17 females) did not (Group B). These patients were followed for more than 10 years after renal biopsy. The average age at the initial renal biopsy was 29.78 years in Group A and 33.0 years in Group B. The average follow-up period was 13 years and 3 months in Group A, and 12 years and 7 months in Group B. Glomerular damage demonstrated on renal biopsy was more extensive in Group A than in Group B. Renal prognosis after 10 years of follow-up was compared between these two groups. The clinical remission rate was 24.4% in Group A and 13.3% in Group B; the stable renal function rate was 82.9% in Group A and 70.0% in Group B; and the renal survival rate was 95.1% in Group A and 73.3% in Group B. The renal survival rate in Group A was significantly higher than that in Group B (p<0.05). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Proposes a transformerless alternating current-to-direct current power conversion system consisting of a three-phase six-pulse diode rectifier and a shunt hybrid filter. Information on the system configuration; Control of the active filter; Design of the passive filter; Simulation results; Conclusion.

Analyzes a series of active filter integrated with a double-series diode rectifier. Details of the survey of dynamic models for power electronic systems; Information on the system configuration; Experimental results.

This paper deals with a self-commutated BTB (Back-To-Back) system for the purpose of power flow control and/or frequency change in transmission systems. Each BTB unit consists of two sets of 16 three-phase voltage-source converters, and their AC terminals are connected in series to each other via 16 three-phase transformers. Hence, the BTB unit uses totally 192 switching devices capable of achieving gate commutation. This results in a great reduction of voltage and current harmonics without performing PWM control. Simulation results verify the validity of the proposed system configuration and control scheme not only under a normal operating condition but also under a single line-to-ground fault condition. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 143(3): 68–78, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.10124 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses automatic gain adjustment in a fully-digital-controlled shunt active filter intended for installation on power distribution systems. This is the first step in cooperative control of multiple shunt active filters based on voltage detection for harmonic damping throughout power distribution systems. In general, an optimal control gain is equal to the characteristic impedance of a distribution line. However, it is difficult to know the circuit parameters of a real distribution line, which depend strongly on feeder connections, shunt capacitors, and loads. Therefore, the main purpose of the gain adjustment is to help the active filter to damp out harmonic propagation without considering the circuit parameters. Moreover, the gain adjustment can reduce the compensating current and losses in the active filter. The active filter having the function of automatic gain adjustment is experimentally compared to that with a constant gain. Experiment results verify the effectiveness of the active filter having the function of automatic gain adjustment. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 142(4): 56–65, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.10094 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the automatic gain adjustment in a shunt active filter. Basis for the cooperative control of the multiple active filters; Purpose for the gain adjustment; Efficacy of active filter with automatic gain adjustment.

Proposes a new control strategy for an adjustable speed doubly-fed induction machine intended as a low-speed flywheel energy storage system. Induction machine parameters; Effects of disagreement between machine parameters and control constants; System configuration of the doubly-fed flywheel generator-motor.

This paper discusses “the p–q theory” and “the cross-vector theory” in three-phase four-wire systems, with the focus on similarities and differences between the two theories. They are perfectly identical if no zero-sequence voltage is included in a three-phase three-wire system. However, they are different in definition of the instantaneous active power and instantaneous reactive power in each phase if a zero-sequence voltage or current is included in a three-phase four-wire system. Based on both theory and computer simulation, this paper leads to the following conclusions: An instantaneous reactive-power compensator without energy storage components can fully compensate for the neutral current even in a three-phase four-wire system including a zero-sequence voltage or current, when a proposed control strategy based on the p–q theory is applied: However, the compensator cannot compensate for the neutral current fully, when a conventional control strategy based on the cross-vector theory is applied. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 135(3): 74–86, 2001 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]