As inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) such as photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) penetrate within the distribution system. New challenges regarding how to utilize these devices to improve power quality arises. Before, PV systems were required to disconnect from the grid during a large disturbance, but now smart inverters are required to have dynamically controlled functions that allows them to remain connected to the grid. Monitoring power flow at the point of common coupling is one of the many functions the controller should perform. Smart inverters can inject active power to pick up critical load or inject reactive power to regulate voltage within the electric grid. In this context, this thesis focuses on a high level and local control design that incorporates DERs. Different controllers are implemented to stabilize the microgrid in an Islanding and resiliency mode. The microgrid can be used as a resiliency source when the distribution is unavailable. An average model in the D-Q frame is calculated to analyze the inherent dynamics of the current controller for the point of common coupling (PCC). The space vector approach is applied to design the voltage and frequency controller. Secondly, using inverters for Volt/VAR control (VVC) can provide a faster response for voltage regulation than traditional voltage regulation devices. Another objective of this research is to demonstrate how smart inverters and capacitor banks in the system can be used to eliminate the voltage deviation. A mixed-integer quadratic problem (MIQP) is formulated to determine the amount of reactive power that should be injected or absorbed at the appropriate nodes by inverter. The Big M method is used to address the nonconvex problem. This contribution can be used by distribution operators to minimize the voltage deviation in the system. / Master of Science / Reliable power supply from the electric grid is an essential part of modern life. This critical infrastructure can be vulnerable to cascading failures or natural disasters. A solution to improve power systems resilience can be through microgrids. A microgrid is a small network of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources (DERs) such as microturbines, wind power, solar power, or traditional internal combustion engines. A microgrid can operate being connected or disconnected from the grid. This research emphases on the potentially use of a Microgrid as a resiliency source during grid restoration to pick up critical load. In this research, controllers are designed to pick up critical loads (i.e hospitals, street lights and military bases) from the distribution system in case the electric grid is unavailable. This case study includes the design of a Microgrid and it is being tested for its feasibility in an actual integration with the electric grid. Once the grid is restored the synchronization between the microgrid and electric must be conducted. Synchronization is a crucial task. An abnormal synchronization can cause a disturbance in the system, damage equipment, and overall lead to additional system outages. This thesis develops various controllers to conduct proper synchronization. Interconnecting inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) such as photovoltaic and battery storage within the distribution system can use the electronic devices to improve power quality. This research focuses on using these devices to improve the voltage profile within the distribution system and the frequency within the Microgrid.

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Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T16:41:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissert Jonattan Emanuel Sarmiento2.pdf: 1326992 bytes, checksum: eeb1918a0e5e9c45ad54043cd1ea9c5e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In recent years there has been a great increase in the use of distributed generators. This occurred not only by advances in production technologies of small generators and frequency inverters, but also by the benefits that brings to the distribution systems and the incentive policies. In the analysis of these systems is essential to calculate the power flow and properly solve it and the modeling of the inverter should be reviewed together with its implementation in the method employed, attempting to the fact that the inverters are beginning to use advanced functions that can to provide ancillary services. In this work the modelling of inverter with advanced functions such as Basic Intelligent Volt-Var Control (BIVV) and Intelligent Volt-Var With Hysteresis (IVVH) are reviewed, therefore it is propose methods the implements this models in the method sweep. In proposal implementation it is use of elements of the sensitivity matrix of nodes PV defined in the compensation method. In the analyzed cases, the implementations were effectiveness achieving solutions in convergent values and in accordance to the control strategies. In the results of simulations there were differences in the operating points of the inverter acting on a node of the distribution system comparing the different modeling analyzed in different system load conditions and different levels of active power supply. When comparing the voltage profiles of the various modeling, in general notice that there is a greater variation when it has large reactive power capacity. If in the future of distributed generation evolve to provide reactive support as the ancillary service, it shall be careful properly modelling the inverter avoiding mistaken results that will affect the plans of the concessionaires. / Nos últimos anos verificou-se um grande aumento no uso de geradores distribuídos. Isso ocorreu não apenas pelos avanços nas tecnologias de produção de pequenos geradores e inversores de frequência, mas também pelos benefícios que estes trazem aos sistemas de distribuição e pelas políticas de incentivos. Nas análises desses sistemas é fundamental calcular o fluxo de potência e, para resolvê-lo adequadamente, deve-se revisar a modelagem do inversor e sua implementação no método empregado, atentando-se ao fato de que os inversores estão começando a utilizar funções avançadas passíveis de fornecer serviços ancilares. Neste trabalho são revisadas as modelagens dos inversores com funções avançadas, tais como o controle Basic Intelligent Volt-Var (BIVV) e Intelligent Volt-Var With Hysteresis (IVVH), além de propor métodos de implementação para o método da varredura. Nas implementações propostas se faz uso de elementos da matriz de sensibilidade dos nós PV definida no método da compensação. Nos casos analisados, as implementações tiveram eficácia, conseguindo atingir soluções em valores convergentes e em concordância às estratégias de controle. Já nos resultados das simulações, ilustram-se as diferenças dos pontos operativos do inversor atuando em um nó do sistema de distribuição comparando-se as diferentes modelagens analisadas em distintas condições de carga do sistema e diversos níveis de fornecimento de potência ativa. Ao comparar-se os perfis de tensão das diversas modelagens, em geral, nota-se que há uma variação maior quando se tem maior capacidade de potência reativa. Se no futuro a geração distribuída evoluir para prestar suporte de potência reativa como um serviço ancilar, é necessário tomar precauções para modelar adequadamente o inversor, de modo a evitar obter resultados equivocados que afetarão os planejamentos das concessionárias.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται τη μελέτη, την ανάλυση καθώς και την κατασκευή μιας νέας τοπολογίας για τη διασύνδεση φωτοβολταϊκών (Φ/Β) γεννητριών, μικρής ισχύος, με το ηλεκτρικό δίκτυο των αστικών περιοχών. Η εργασία αυτή εκπονήθηκε στο Εργαστήριο Ηλεκτρομηχανικής Μετατροπής Ενέργειας του Τμήματος Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών της Πολυτεχνικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. Στόχος της διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η συμβολή της στον τομέα των Φ/Β μονάδων διεσπαρμένης παραγωγής, με την κατασκευή μιας ηλεκτρονικής διάταξης, η οποία θα χρησιμοποιηθεί για τη διασύνδεση φωτοβολταϊκών (Φ/B) γεννητριών μικρής ισχύος, στο ηλεκτρικό δίκτυο χαμηλής τάσης. Συγκεκριμένα, διερευνάται και κατασκευάζεται ένας υψίσυχνος αντιστροφέας ρεύματος τοπολογίας Flyback, ο οποίος θα είναι κατάλληλος για εφαρμογές «Φωτοβολταϊκών Πλαισίων Εναλλασσόμενου Ρεύματος» (AC-PV Modules), δηλαδή Φ/Β διατάξεων, ηλεκτρικής ισχύος έως 300W, στις οποίες ενσωματώνεται ένας ηλεκτρονικός μετατροπέας συνεχούς τάσης σε μονοφασική εναλλασσόμενη (Micro-inverter). Ιδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικά του αντιστροφέα που κατασκευάστηκε είναι ο μικρός βαθμός πολυπλοκότητας του κυκλώματος ισχύος με άμεση συνέπεια την υψηλή αξιοπιστία του, η γαλβανική απομόνωση που παρέχει ανάμεσα στη Φ/Β γεννήτρια και το ηλεκτρικό δίκτυο εναλλασσόμενου ρεύματος (Ε.Ρ.), η ικανότητα σημαντικής ανύψωσης της τάσης εισόδου του, ο υψηλός συντελεστής ισχύος, καθώς και ο υψηλός βαθμός απόδοσης (ο οποίος αγγίζει το 94,25%) για ένα ευρύ φάσμα λειτουργίας του. Ο μικρός όγκος και το μικρό βάρος (σε περίπτωση βιομηχανοποίησης), είναι επιπρόσθετα χαρακτηριστικά της συγκεκριμένης τοπολογίας. Αρχικά, αναλύεται διεξοδικά η λειτουργία του αντιστροφέα ρεύματος τοπολογίας Flyback, η οποία έχει αναπτυχθεί στη Διδακτορική Διατριβή του Αναστάσιου Χ. Κυρίτση, «Βέλτιστος Σχεδιασμός Υψίσυχνου Μονοφασικού Αντιστροφέα για τη Διασύνδεση Φωτοβολταϊκών Συστημάτων Μικρής Ισχύος με το Δίκτυο Χαμηλής Τάσης». Ταυτόχρονα, διερευνώνται δύο διαφορετικές τεχνικές ελέγχου, οι οποίες οδηγούν σε διαφορετικές καταστάσεις λειτουργίας (λειτουργία σε ασυνεχή αγωγή, DCM - λειτουργία στο όριο μεταξύ συνεχούς και ασυνεχούς αγωγής, BCM) και εξασφαλίζουν τη δημιουργία εναλλασσόμενου ημιτονοειδούς ρεύματος συμφασικού με την τάση του ηλεκτρικού δικτύου. Αναπτύσσονται τα κυκλώματα ελέγχου του αντιστροφέα, ενώ παρουσιάζεται ένας αποτελεσματικός τρόπος μέτρησης του υψίσυχνου διακοπτικού ρεύματος που διαρρέει τα τυλίγματα του μετασχηματιστή του αντιστροφέα. Τέλος, πραγματοποιείται η κατασκευή της διάταξης στο εργαστήριο, με σκοπό τη διεξαγωγή πειραματικών μετρήσεων για την επιβεβαίωση και αξιολόγηση της θεωρητικής ανάλυσης. / This degree thesis deals with the study, the analysis and the manufacture of a new topology that will be used for the interconnection of small photovoltaic (PV) generators with the electric network of urban regions. This work was conducted in the Laboratory of Electromechanical Energy Conversion, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Patras. The goal of the present thesis is to contribute in the sector of Dispersed Power Generation PV systems, with the development of an electronic device that will be used for the interconnection of small photovoltaic (PV) generators with the low voltage electric network. Specifically, a high frequency current source Flyback inverter is investigated and manufactured, that will be suitable for “Alternative Current Photovoltaic Modules” (AC-PV Modules) applications. An AC-PV Module is the combination of a single PV module (whose power production varies under 300W) and a single-phase power electronic micro-inverter in a single electrical device. Special characteristics of the inverter are the simple power electronic circuit structure, having high reliability as an immediate consequence, the electrical isolation provided between the PV generator and the electric network, the high power factor and the high efficiency (reaching 94.25%) for a wide range of its power. Moreover, small volume and weight are particular characteristics, attributes very important considering its applications (incorporation in PV generators that will be placed in aspects or roofs of buildings). For this topology - whose theory is in the Ph.D. thesis of A. Ch. Kyritsis “Optimum Design of a High Frequency Singe - Phase Inverter for the Interconnection of Small Power PV Systems with the Low Voltage Network” developed - two different control techniques were investigated, leading to different operation modes (Discontinuous Conduction Mode - DCM, Boundary between Continuous and Discontinuous Mode - BCM) and ensuring alternative sinusoidal current, in phase with the electric network voltage. Simultaneously, their suitability is studied for different power levels. Moreover, the control circuits of the inverter were developed and an effective way of measuring the high - frequency switching currents of the inverter’s transformer is presented. Last but not least, the design of the whole system is completed in the laboratory, in order to carry out the experimental measurements required, to confirm and evaluate the studied theory.

Grid-connected inverters have wide application in the field of distributed generation and power quality. As the power level demanded by these applications increase, the design and performance evaluation of these converters become important. In the present work, a 50 kVA three-phase back-to-back connected inverter with output LCL filter is built to study design and performance evaluation aspects of grid-connected inverters. The first part of the work explores the split-capacitor resistive-inductive (SC-RL) passive damping scheme for the output LCL filter of a three-phase grid-connected inverter. The low losses in the SC-RL scheme makes it suitable for high power applications. The SCRL damped LCL filter is modelled using state space approach. Using this model, the power loss and damping are analysed. A method for component selection that minimizes the power loss in the damping resistors while keeping the system well damped is proposed. Analytical results show the losses to be in the range of 0.05-0.1% and the quality factor to be in the range of 2.0-2.5. These results are validated experimentally. In the second part of the work, a test method to evaluate the thermal performance of the semi-conductor devices of a three-phase grid-connected inverter is proposed. The method eliminates the need for high power sources, loads or any additional power converters for circulation of power. Only energy corresponding to the losses is consumed. The capability of the method to evaluate the thermal performance of the DC bus capacitors and the output filter components is also explored. The method can be used with different inverter configurations -three-wire or four-wire and for different PWM techniques. The method has been experimentally validated at a power level of 24kVA. In the third part of the work, the back-to-back connected inverter is programmed as a hardware grid simulator. The hardware grid simulator emulates the real-time grid and helps create grid disturbances often observed at the point of common coupling in an ac low voltage grid. A novel disturbance generation algorithm has been developed, analysed and implemented in digital controller using finite state machine model for control of the grid simulator. A wide range of disturbance conditions can be created using the developed algorithm. Experimental tests have been done on a linear purely resistive load, a non-linear diode-bridge load and a current-controlled inverter load to validate the programmed features of the grid simulator.

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In the past two decades the core aircraft technology is going through a drastic change. The traditional technologies that is almost half a century old, is going through a complete revamp. In the new “More Electric Aircraft” technology many mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems are being replaced by electrical and power electronic systems. Airbus-A380, Boeing B-787 are the pioneers in the family of these new breed of aircrafts. As the aircraft technology is moving towards “More Electric”, more and more electric motors and motor controllers are being used in new aircrafts. Number of electric motor drive systems has increased by about ten times in more electric aircrafts compared to traditional aircrafts. Weight of any electric component that goes into aircraft needs to be low to reduce the overall weight of aircraft so as to improve the fuel efficiency of the aircraft. Hence there is an increased need to reduce weight of motors and motor controllers in commercial aircraft. High speed ironless axial flux permanent magnet brushless dc motors are becoming popular in the new more-electric aircrafts because of their ability to meet the demand of light weight, high power density, high efficiency and high reliability. However, these motors come with very low inductance, which poses a big challenge to the motor controllers in controlling the ripple current in motor windings. Multilevel inverters can solve this problem. Three-level inverters are proposed in this thesis for driving axial flux BLDC motors in aircraft. Majority of the motors in new more electric aircrafts are in the power range of 2kW to 20kW, while a few motor applications being in the range of 100kW to 150kW. Motor controllers in these applications run from 270Vdc or 540Vdc bus which is the standard in new more electric aircraft architecture. Multilevel Inverter is popular in the industry for high power and high voltage applications, where high-voltage power switching devices like IGBT, GTO are popularly used. However multilevel inverters have not been tried in the low power range which is appropriate for aircraft applications. A detail analysis of practical feasibility of constructing three-level inverter in lower power and voltage level is presented in this thesis. Analysis is presented that verify the advantages of driving low voltage and low power (300Vdc to 600Vdc and less than 100kW) motors with multilevel inverters. Practical considerations for design of MOSFET based three-level inverter are investigated and topological modifications are suggested. The effect of clamping diodes in the diode clamped multilevel inverters play an important role in determining its efficiency. SiC diodes are proposed to be used as clamping diodes. Further, it is realised that power loss introduced by reverse recovery of MOSFET body diode prohibits use of MOSFET in hard switched inverter legs. Hence, a technique of avoiding the reverse recovery losses of MOSFET body diode in three-level NPC inverter is conceived. The use of proposed multilevel inverter topology enables operation at high switching frequency without sacrificing efficiency. High switching frequency of operation reduces the output filter requirement, which in turn helps reducing size of the inverter. In this research work elaborate trade-off analysis is done to quantify the suitability of multilevel inverters in the low power applications. For successful operation of three-level NPC inverter in aircraft electrical system, it is important for the DC bus structure in aircraft electric primary distribution system to be compatible to drive NPC inverters. Hence a detail study of AC to DC power conversion system as applied to commercial aircraft electrical system is done. Multi-pulse rectifiers using autotransformers are used in aircrafts. Investigation is done to improve these rectifiers for future aircrafts, such that they can support new technologies of future generation motor controllers. A new 24-pulse isolated transformer rectifier topology is proposed. From two 15º displaced 6-phase systems feeding two 12-pulse rectifiers that are series connected, a 24-pulse rectifier topology is obtained. Though, windings of each 12-pulse rectifiers are isolated from primary, the 6-phase generation is done without any isolation of the transformer windings. The new 24-pulse transformer topology has lower VA rating compared to standard 12-pulse rectifiers. Though the new 24-pulse transformer-rectifier solution is robust and simple, it adds to the weight of the overall system, as compared to the present architecture as the proposed topology uses isolated transformer. Non-isolated autotransformer cannot provide split voltage at the dc-link that creates a stable mid-point voltage as required by the three-level NPC inverter. Hence, a new front-end AC-DC power conversion system with switched capacitor is conceived that can support motor controllers driven by three-level inverters. Laboratory experimental results are presented to validate the new proposed topology. In this proposed topology, the inverter dc-link voltage is double the input dc-link voltage. An intense research work is performed to understand the operation of Trapezoidal Back EMF BLDC motor driven by three-Level NPC inverter. Operation of BLDC motor from three-Level inverter is primarily advantageous for low inductance motors, like ironless axial flux motors. For low inductance BLDC motor, very high switching frequency is required to limit the magnitude of ripple current in motor winding. Three-level inverters help limiting the magnitude of motor ripple current without increasing the switching frequency to very high value. Further, it is analysed that dc link mid-point current in three-level NPC inverter for driving trapezoidal BLDC motor has a zero average current with fundamental frequency same as switching frequency. Because of this, trapezoidal BLDC motors can easily be operated from three-level NPC inverter without any special attention given to mid-point voltage unbalance. One non-ideal condition arrives in practical implementation of the inverter that leads to non-zero average mid point current. Unequal gate drive dead time delays from one leg to other leg of inverter introduce dc-link mid-point voltage unbalance. For the motoring mode operation of trapezoidal BLDC motor drive, simple gate drive logic is researched that eliminates need of the gate drive dead-time, and hence solves the mid-point voltage unbalance issue. Simple closed loop control scheme for mid-point voltage balancing also is also proposed. This control scheme may be used in applications where very precise control of speed and torque ripple is warranted. All the investigations reported in this thesis are simulated extensively on MATHCAD and MATLAB platform using SIMULINK toolbox. A laboratory experimental set-up of three-Level inverter driving axial flux BLDC motor is built. The three-level inverter, operating from 300Vdc bus is built using 500V MOSFETs and 600V SiC diodes. All the control schemes are implemented digitally on digital signal processor TMS320F2812 DSP platform and GAL22V10B platforms. Experimental results are collected to validate the theoretical propositions made in the present research work. At the end, in chapter 5, some future works are proposed. A new external voltage balance circuit is proposed where the inverter dc-link voltage is same as the input dc-link voltage. This topology is based on the resonant converter principle and uses a lighter resonant inductor than prior arts available in literature. Detail simulation and experimentation of this topology may be carried out to validate the industrial benefits of this circuit. It is also thought that current source inverters may work as an alternative to voltage source inverters for driving BLDC motors. Current source inverters eliminate use of bulky DC-link capacitors. Long term reliability of current source inverters is higher than voltage source inverters due to the absence of possibility of shoot-through. Further, in voltage source inverters, the voltage at the motor terminal is limited by the source voltage (dc-link voltage). This issue is eliminated in current source inverters. An interface circuit is conceived to reduce the size of dc-link inductors in current source inverters, pending detail analysis and experimental verification. The interface circuit bases its fundamentals on the principles of operation of multilevel inverters for BLDC motors that is presented in this thesis.

High frequency link power converters for DC – 3Φ AC applications are investigated. Low cost, reduced size, galvanic isolation and efficient large boosting of voltage level are the key motivations behind the selection of such topologies. This thesis proposes high frequency link 3Φ inverters for three wire and four wire systems. The proposed topologies have the simplest power circuit configuration and commutation requirements among all high frequency link topologies reported in the literature. A full load efficiency greater than 90% is achieved with a passive snubber. The effect of various circuit non-idealities are common and important for desirable performances of these topologies. A few such issues are highlighted. Firstly, the special commutation requirement of the power circuit causes a non-linear distortion in the output voltages and thus makes the gain of the power converter time varying. A simple compensation technique is adopted to mitigate the problem. Secondly, the high frequency transformer should operate with only switching frequency component. However, in the practical situations a significant amount of low frequency component gets injected into the transformer and results in peaky transformer magnetizing current unless it is over designed. A suitable measure is incorporated in the proposed topologies to achieve a magnetic protection. The power circuit topology is used as stand-by AC power supply. These are of interest for Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) and Micro-grid applications. One of the main objectives of such supplies is to provide a high quality and highly reliable power to the connected loads. A voltage regulation loop based on proportional + multiresonant controller is proposed to achieve excellent quality of the output voltage with unbalanced and nonlinear loadings. The factors influencing regulation and stability of the voltage waveform are identified and necessary modifications are carried out to improve the performance. The potential of this voltage regulation loop along with P/Q droop technique and a simple resistive virtual output impedance loop is exploited to achieve decentralized paralleling of inverters. A trade off between the output voltage power quality and the sharing accuracy is examined. The total harmonic distortion and degree of unbalance in the output voltage waveform are experimentally measured well below the specified limit for stand alone AC supplies with an excellent sharing accuracy. Some of the grid interactive modes are addressed for the completeness of the work. A shunt compensator system and a double conversion system based on the same high frequency link converter are experimentally evaluated. These systems can find their application in UPS systems. A few important observations on the power circuit performances are indicated.

Inversores de sistemas fotovoltaicos são equipamentos de eletrônica de potência que fornecem energia elétrica em corrente alternada (CA) a partir de uma fonte de energia elétrica em corrente contínua (CC), no caso, os módulos fotovoltaicos. Estes inversores quando em operação aumentam sua temperatura. Este aumento de temperatura é indesejável, porém é inerente ao seu funcionamento. Equipamentos eletrônicos possuem um limite seguro de temperatura de operação, acima do qual podem ocorrer instabilidades de operação, redução da vida útil ou até mesmo falha drástica. O conhecimento da eficiência de conversão elétrica e das perdas responsáveis pelo aquecimento é importante para o adequado dimensionamento de inversores quando aplicados em sistemas fotovoltaicos conectados à rede, assim como para o desenvolvimento do inversor como produto. Para proteção, para aumento da vida útil, para maior confiabilidade, para maior estabilidade e para maior segurança de operação de componentes, inversores possuem rotinas em seus algoritmos de controle com estratégias automatizadas dedicadas ao gerenciamento térmico. Estas rotinas de proteção e gerenciamento térmico, sempre quando acionadas, tendem a reduzir a capacidade de conversão de potência do inversor, seja pelo acionamento de um ventilador auxiliar, seja pelo deslocamento do ponto de operação em máxima potência. Fabricantes de inversores tratam deste assunto pelo termo “temperature derating” (em inglês) Esta tese apresenta um estudo relacionado a influência da temperatura sobre o desempenho de inversores fotovoltaicos conectados à rede. Avalia tipos de estratégias de gerenciamento térmico e proteção de uso corrente em inversores comerciais. Apresenta resultados de ensaios experimentais para determinação de parâmetros térmicos característicos dos inversores. Descreve um modelo preditivo da temperatura de operação em regime transiente. A partir da determinação experimental de parâmetros térmicos, o modelo preditivo de temperatura de operação foi implementado no software de simulação dinâmica para dimensionamento e avaliação de sistemas fotovoltaicos FVCONECT, desenvolvido no LABSOL/UFRGS, estando o mesmo apto para simular a operação e estimar perdas anuais de desempenho energético decorrentes das rotinas de gerenciamento térmico, dos seus efeitos e das limitações impostas durante a operação de inversores fotovoltaicos conectados à rede. Um dos resultados da simulação é a evolução da temperatura do inversor, permitindo avaliar a frequência e amplitude dos ciclos térmicos ao qual o inversor é submetido e, consequentemente, determinar uma estimativa para durabilidade do inversor. / Photovoltaic inverters are electronic power devices that provide electrical energy in alternating current (AC) from a source of electrical energy in direct current (DC) - a photovoltaic generator, in this case. Inverters increase their temperature when in operation. This rise in temperature is not desirable, but inherent to its operation. Any electronic equipment has a safe operating temperature limit. When this limit is surpassed, operating instability, life reduction or even drastic failure may occur. The knowledge of the electrical conversion efficiency and the losses responsible for the heating is important for the proper sizing of grid-tie inverters in photovoltaic systems, as well as for the development of the inverter as a product. In order to increase the useful life of the device and its components, for greater reliability, safety, stability and security of operation, inverters have routines in their algorithms of control with automated strategies dedicated to the thermal management. These protection and thermal management routines, whenever activated, tend to reduce the power conversion capacity of the inverter, either by the activation of an auxiliary fan or by the displacement of the operating point at maximum power. Inverter manufacturers address this issue by the term "temperature derating". This thesis presents a methodology to evaluate the influence of the performance of different strategies to avoid excessive temperature of the inverter components on its performance and durability It is also made an evaluation of different thermal management strategies and protection used in commercial inverters. Results of experimental tests for determination of thermal parameters characteristic of the inverters are presented. A predictive model of transient operating inverter temperature is also described. From the experimental determination of thermal parameters, the predictive model of operating temperature was implemented to the FVCONECT, a dynamic simulation software for sizing and evaluation of photovoltaic systems developed in LABSOL / UFRGS. With this modification, the software was able to simulate the operation and estimate losses of energy due to the thermal management routines, their effects and the limitations imposed during the operation of grid-tie inverters. One of the results of the simulation is the evolution of the inverter temperature, allowing to evaluate the frequency and amplitude of thermal cycles to which the inverter is subjected and, as a consequence, an estimate of durability of the inverter.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Visando superar os desafios inerentes à conversÃo de energia elÃtrica em sistemas de alta potÃncia, minimizando as perdas e melhorando a qualidade da energia processada, este tra-balho tem por objetivo analisar e implementar uma tÃcnica de modulaÃÃo para ser aplicada nas duas topologias de inversores multinÃveis mais disseminadas - com neutro grampeado (NPC), e com capacitor flutuante (FC) - a fim de reduzir os esforÃos nos semicondutores, bem como melhorar o Ãndice de distorÃÃo harmÃnica da tensÃo de saÃda. Ao longo do trabalho foi evidenciada a necessidade da digitalizaÃÃo da tÃcnica proposta, visto que o desenvolvimento analÃgico da mesma acarretaria em um circuito complexo e de baixa confiabilidade. Dessa forma, escolheu-se como plataforma digital um FPGA, devido à sua facilidade de programa-ÃÃo e reconfiguraÃÃo, alÃm da alta velocidade e quantidade de pinos de entrada e saÃda. AlÃm da tÃcnica proposta, foram tambÃm desenvolvidas outras modulaÃÃes para fins de compara-ÃÃo, apresentando os padrÃes de chaveamento para cada uma delas, bem como o comporta-mento da corrente atravÃs dos semicondutores em cada perÃodo de chaveamento. Foi tambÃm realizada a anÃlise teÃrica das topologias e suas respectivas etapas de operaÃÃo, caracterÃsticas e levantamento das equaÃÃes que ditam a anÃlise das perdas para as diferentes situaÃÃes de tÃcnicas aplicadas a cada uma das estruturas. O desenvolvimento digital das tÃcnicas mostrou-se correta atravÃs da anÃlise das formas-de-onda colhidas por meio de um circuito digital-analÃgico. AlÃm disso, a comparaÃÃo da aplicaÃÃo dessas modulaÃÃes em inversores a trÃs nÃveis NPC e FC de 6 kW mostrou-se favorÃvel à tÃcnica proposta em termos de eficiÃncia e reduÃÃo da distorÃÃo harmÃnica em ambas as topologias, comprovando sua utilidade em con-versores multinÃveis de alta potÃncia. Por fim, foi apresentado o desenvolvimento da tÃcnica proposta em inversores com mais de trÃs nÃveis, onde se pode comprovar sua eficiente aplica-ÃÃo para tais fins, bem como sua expansibilidade para inversores de n nÃveis. / In order to overcome the challenge of processing electric energy in high power systems with minimal losses and high energy quality, this work presents the implementation and anal-ysis of a modulation technique applicable on both most well-known multilevel inverter struc-tures - neutral point-clamped (NPC), and flying capacitors (FC) - to reduce the stresses across the semiconductors devices, and to improve the total harmonic distortion of the output volt-age. Throughout the work, the necessity to digitalize the proposed technique has been evi-denced due to the high complexity and low reliability inherent to the analogical approach. Thus, the digital controller FPGA has been chosen, as it is easy to program and reconfigure, works at high speed, and has a lot of input and output pins. Additionally, other modulation techniques were also implemented to compare their performance with the proposed one, pre-senting the switching patterns and the behavior of the electrical currents through the semicon-ductors for each modulation. A theoretical analysis was also performed for both topologies and their respective operation principle, characteristics, and equations used on the losses anal-ysis for the different combinations of modulation applied to each structure. Finally, the digital development of the various techniques has proved to be correct by observing the waveforms obtained through the digital/analogical circuit. Besides, the comparison of the modulation techniques on 6 kW NPC and FC three-level prototype inverters proved to be favorable to the proposed technique in terms of efficiency and total harmonic distortion reduction on both topologies, confirming its usefulness on high power multilevel converters. At last, it was pre-sented the application of the proposed modulation technique to inverters with more than three levels, where it was observed its eligibility for n-levels topologies.