Thesis (PhD (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The multicell inverter, being a widely used multilevel converter, has received much attention in recent years due to problems associated with cell capacitor voltage. In this dissertation we study the balancing problem with a focus on steady-state unbalance. This is achieved by systematic and mathematically rigorous study of the natural balancing mechanisms of the three-phase 2-cell and 3-cell multicell converter, undertaken by using dynamic modelling of the multicell converter, Bennet’s geometric model, steady-state and time constant analysis. Space vector analysis is also performed for the three-phase 2-cell multicell converter. The theory is verified by comparing theoretical results with simulation results / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die multisel omkeerder as algemeen-gebruikte meervlakkige omsetter het die afgelope jare groot belangstelling gewek op grond van die probleme wat met selkapasitor stroomspanning geassosieer word. In hierdie proefskrif word die balanseringsprobleem met die klem op die ewewigswanbalans bestudeer. Dit is verrig deur ’n sistematiese en streng wiskundige studie van die natuurlike balanseringsmeganismes van die drie-fase 2-sel en 3- sel multisel omsetter te maak. Dit is gedoen deur die gebruik van dinamiese modellering van die multisel omsetter, Bennet se geometriese model, ewewigtoestand tydkonstante analises, en ruimtevektoranalise is vir die drie-fase 2-sel multisel omsetter gedoen. Die teorie word bevestig deur die teoretiese resultate met die simuleringsresultate te vergelyk

Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The dissertation presents an alternative approach to the control of power electronic converters. The conventional approach is to use a centralized controller with one or more measurement systems providing feedback. As converters become larger, in both power rating and complexity, a number of drawbacks to this approach emerge. The number of physical data paths increases and voltage isolation becomes a problem. This has an adverse effect on the manufacturability as well as the reliable operation of the system as a whole. An alternative is to use a distributed control approach, where a number of smaller integrated control and measurement units are used. These units communicate with the central controller via a serial daisy-chain communications link. The dissertation investigates the design of such a controller as well as the application of distributed control in a number of emerging converter topologies. It was shown that centralized control has its limitations in modem power electronics in terms of reliability, maintainability and manufacturability. A feasible distributed control strategy was proposed and implemented and the operation was verified in an experimental converter system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proefskrif ondersoek 'n alternatiewe manier om drywings omsetters te beheer. Huidiglik word die meerderheid van omsetters beheer vanaf 'n sentrale beheereenheid, wat dan stelsel data versamel vanaf een of meer meetstelsels. Soos die drywingsvermoë van die omsetters toeneem, raak spannings isolasie en die aantal beheerseine 'n probleem, wat nadelig is vir die betroubaarheid en vervaardigbaarheid van die stelsel. As 'n alternatief, kan 'n aantal kleiner beheereenhede en meetstelsels gebruik word. Die beheerders kommunikeer met mekaar, sowel as die hoof stelselbeheerder deur middel van 'n optiese vesel netwerk, verbind in 'n ring struktuur. Die proefskrif ondersoek die ontwerp van die beheerder en die toepassing van gedesentraliseerde beheer in 'n aantal nuwe omsetter topologië. Die studie toon dat sentrale beheer problematies kan raak soos die omsetters meer kompleks raak. Die studie bewys dat 'n stelsel suksesvol bedryf kan word deur gebruik te maak van gedesentraliseerde beheer deur dit in 'n praktiese opstelling toe te pas.

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis discusses a 23 kW three-phase AC bus system that is utilized together with the “Stirling Energy System (SES) Integrated Solar Dish-Stirling Module” to function as a mini-grid for off-grid locations. The system is designed to supply power to 27 rural households. This three-phase AC bus system includes a bidirectional 4-wire PWM converter and a battery bank for energy storage. The simulations and results presented show that the system can function as a rectifier and as an inverter. The system operates as an inverter when the SES starts up and when different AC loads are connected to the AC bus. The unit functions as a rectifier when the battery bank is charged. The design was implemented successfully in a practical system and measurements revealed that the system functioned as a standalone unit. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis bespreek ‘n 23 kW drie-fase vier-draad WS bus stelsel wat saam met die “Stirling Energy System (SES) Integrated Solar Dish-Stirling Module” gebruik word om as ‘n alleenstaande stelsel in ’n plattelandse omgewing te laat funksioneer. Die sisteem is ontwerp om vir 27 plattelandse huise drywing te lewer. Hierdie stelsel behels ‘n drie-fase GS na WS omsetter, saam met loodsuur batterye as energiestoor. Die simulasies en resultate wat gegee word, dui aan dat die omsetter as ‘n wisselrigter en ook as ‘n gelykrigter kan werk. Die stelsel funksioneer as ‘n wisselrigter as die SES aanskakel, en as ekstra laste op die WS bus gekoppel word. Die sisteem funksioneer as ‘n gelykrigter as die batterye gelaai word. Die ontwerp is suksesvol in ‘n praktiese stelsel geimplimenteer wat as ‘n alleenstaande stelsel funksioneer.

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Spoornet is one of South-Africa’s largest railway companies. It is very important to operate the railway system as cost effectively as possible. A large portion of the railway operates from 3 kV DC traction supplies. One method of cost saving is to utilise the regenerative braking mechanism of the electric trains.

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Although regenerative braking has been in used in railway systems for a long time already, the energy generated was dissipated in resistor banks. The rapid advances in the power electronics field, accompanied by the development of faster and higher power switching devices in recent years, now make it possible to convert the regenerated electrical energy from DC to AC, which can then be injected into the Eskom grid. A 1.5 MW full scale prototype system was built, installed and tested in a Spoornet DC traction substation. A seven level series-stacked converter topology was used along with a specially designed injection transformer. The system was controlled by the PEC 33 controller board, which was developed at the University of Stellenbosch. The primary function of the system is to function as a regeneration converter and as a secondary function act as an active power filter.

published_or_final_version / Electrical and Electronic Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / The naval vessels of the future will require lighter, more compact, and more versatile power electronics systems. With the advent of the DC Zonal Electrical Distribution System, more innovative approaches to the conversion of the dc bus power to ac power for motor drives will enhance the efficiency and warfighting capability of tomorrow's ships. This thesis explores the concept of a hybrid dc-ac power converter that combines a hysteresis controlled inverter with a six-step bulk inverter. A six-step bulk inverter is built from discrete components and tested in simulation and hardware. The two inverters are connected in parallel to provide a high-fidelity current source for a three-phase load. The addition of the hysteresis inverter to the bulk inverter adds a closed current loop for more robust control and improves the quality of the output load current. / Major, United States Marine Corps

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Electrical Power Engineering, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / Voltage instability and increased power loss on transmission lines are major challenges in power transmission due to ever increasing load growth. This work investigates the effect of Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) to mitigate power losses and enhance the voltage stability of a transmission system. STATCOM, a shunt-connected power electronic device, operate as a Voltage Source Converter (VSC) to improve power transfer capacity of transmission lines by injecting a set of three-phase balanced sinusoidal current with controllable magnitude and phase angle into the transmission lines to regulate the line voltage and compensate for reactive power at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC). To validate the capacity of STATCOM in this light, a modified model of IEEE 14 bus test system was simulated using DIgSILENT PowerFactory v15. Four different load profiles were included by increasing the base load in a step of 10%. In each case, power flow was run with and without STATCOM incorporated in the network with a view to determine the impact of STATCOM on bus voltage and transmission line losses. The simulation results are obtained were recorded and analyzed. It is noted that there was sufficient improvement in the new voltage profile obtained for the weak buses of the system, the active and reactive power losses were mitigated by 17.73% and 24.80% respectively when STATCOM was incorporated at normal load. The results showed that STATCOM could give quick voltage support to reduce the likelihood of voltage collapse and mitigate power losses along the transmission lines. Reduction of reactive power losses along the lines is higher than the active power losses resulting in the improvement of the voltage profile as the device is connected to the system. / M

Many issues related to the design and implementation of a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) converter as part of a photovoltaic (PV) system are addressed. To begin with, variations of the single diode model for a PV module are compared, to determine whether the simplest variation may be used for MPPT PV system modeling and analysis purposes. As part ot this determination, four different DC/DC converters are used in conjunction with these different PV models. This is to verify consistent behavior across the different PV models, as well as across the different converter topologies. Consistent results across the different PV models, will allow a simpler model to be used for simulation ana analysis. Consistent results with the different converters will verify that MPPT algorithms are converter independent. Next, MPPT algorithms are discussed. In particular,the differences between the perturb and observe, and the incremental conductance algorithms are explained and illustrated. A new MPPT algorithm is then proposed based on the deficiencies of the other algorithms. The proposed algorithm's parameters are optimized, and the results for different PV modules obtained. Realistic system losses are then considered, and their effect on the PV system is analyzed ; especially in regards to the MPPT algorithm. Finally, a PV system is implemented and the theoretical results, as well as the behavior of the newly proposed MPPT algorithm, are verified. / by Thomas Bennett. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Finally, the PSRR performance of LDO is studied. An energy-efficient embedded ripple feed-forward path is proposed to improve the PSRR of LDO. Comparing with some state-of-the-art techniques for PSRR improvement, the proposed LDO features very simple structure thus low-power consumption. A LDO implemented in 0.18-mum CMOS technology with 0.042-mm2 active area has been designed to verify the idea. With an external 4.7-muF output capacitor, in the maximum load condition (i.e. at 25 mA), the PSRR is -77 dB at 1 MHz, -85 dB at 2.5 MHz and -55 dB at 5 MHz, respectively. The quiescent current is 15 muA only, while the transient voltage overshoot or undershoot is less than 40 mV when load current changes between 1 mA and 25 mA with 40-ns step time. The LDO achieves good line and load regulations of 3 mV/V and 50 muV/mA, respectively. / Remotely- or battery-powered wireless system-on-a-chip (SoC) needs energy-efficient and high-integration power-management solutions due to their energy-aware characteristics. Low-dropout regulator (LDO) is a good solution because of its excellent performances such as low power consumption, fast load-transient response and high power-supply ripple rejection (PSRR). Moreover, it is easy to be fully integrated since no inductor is needed to be the energy-storage element. Recent development of output-capacitorless LDO (OCL-LDO) realizes on-chip, local voltage regulation to enable more effective integrated power management for SoC. In this thesis, OCL-LDOs with low power consumption and fast load-transient response are investigated and presented in this thesis. LDO with output capacitor for high-PSRR operation to provide clean power supply to RF circuits is also reported. Three LDOs are developed and fabricated to verify the proposed ideas. / The first design is an ultra low-power voltage regulator for remotely powered energy-autonomous devices. It has been fabricated in a commercial 0.18-mum CMOS technology and applied to a passive UHF RFID tag IC. With the low-power voltage reference circuit and sub-threshold operations, the total quiescent current is 700 nA under a 1.8-V power supply. The output voltage of the regulator is 1.45 V with load capability of 50 muA. The temperature coefficients of the voltage reference and the output voltage are only 9 and 43 ppm/°C, respectively. A POR signal with 150-ns-width pulse is also generated to reset the digital processing part in the tag IC. / The second design is a fast-transient OCL-LDO, which has been implemented in a commercial 90-nm CMOS technology. Experimental result verifies that it is stable for a capacitive load from 0 to 50 pF and with load capability of 100 rnA. Moreover, the gain-enhanced structure provides sufficient loop gain to improve line regulation to 3.78 mV/V and load regulation to 0.1 mV/mA, respectively. The embedded voltage-spike detection circuit enables pseudo Class-AB operation to drive the power transistor promptly. The maximum overshoot and undershoot under a 1.2-V supply are less than 66 mV for full load current changes within 100-ns edge time, and the recovery time is less than 5 mus. While the measured power consumption is only 6 muW under a 0.75-V supply. / Guo, Jianping. / Adviser: Ka Nang Leung. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-06, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.