Due to increasing concerns on the power quality, power factor correction (PFC) has become an important issue in light-emitting diode (LED) lighting applications. A boost converter is one of the most well-known PFC topologies, due to its simple circuitry, simple control scheme and small number of passive components. Even though a boost converter is recognized as a typical PFC converter, its output voltage must be higher than its input voltage. This feature is disadvantageous because the device requires an additional buck-stage for LED lighting systems. As an alternative to the boost converter, a single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC) allows output voltage to be lower or higher than the input voltage. Thus, the SEPIC converter is gaining popularity as a LED driver because it does not require additional power conversion stage. However, designing a controller to meet stability requirements and international standards is quite challenging for SEPIC converters. Additionally, if the digital controller is adopted for its built-in communication features, creating a digitally controlled SEPIC converter would be even more challenging. This thesis focuses on the state-space averaging modeling of the SEPIC PFC converter and the design of controllers based on both analog and digital controls with precise modeling. The proposed SEPIC converter incorporates RC damping circuits to avoid the instability, and thus the entire SEPIC converter becomes a 5th order system. Such a high-order system model was derived mathematically and verified with circuit simulator modeling. After verification of the circuit model, the controller was designed with analog transfer functions and converted to and the discrete domain for digital controller implementation. A 150-W single-switch bridgeless SEPIC PFC converter prototype was built accordingly to verify the design. In addition to the current loop controller design for stability, a feed-forward compensator for is introduced and derived for better waveform quality. Simulation results and experiment results are also presented to verify the complete controller with feed-forward compensation. The Texas Instruments (TI) digital signal processor (DSP) TMS320F28335 was adopted for digital controller implementation. For comparison purpose, the TI UC3854 controller was implemented to verify the analog controller design results. / Master of Science

This work explores how GaN devices and advanced control can improve the power density of battery chargers for the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Gallium nitride (GaN) devices are used to increase switching frequency and shrink passive components. An innovative DC link reduction technique is proposed and several practical design issues are solved. A multi-chip-module (MCM) approach is used to integrate multiple GaN transistors into a package that enables fast, reliable, and efficient switching. The on-resistance and output charge are characterized. In a double pulse test, GaN devices show fast switching speed. The loss estimation based on the characterization results shows a good match with the measurement results of a 500 kHz GaN-based boost converter. Topology selection is conducted to identify candidates for the PHEV charger application. Popular topologies are reviewed, including non-isolated and isolated solutions, and single-stage and two-stage solutions. Since the isolated two-stage solution is more promising, the topologies consisting of an AC/DC front-end converter and an isolated DC/DC converters are reviewed. The identified candidate topologies are evaluated quantitatively. Finally, the topology of a full bridge AC/DC plus dual active bridge DC/DC is selected to build the battery charger prototype for fixed switching-frequency, low loss, and low realization complexity. The DC link capacitor is one of the major power density barriers of the charger, as its size cannot be reduced by increasing the switching frequency. This work proposed a charging scheme to reduce the DC link capacitance by balancing the ripple power from input and output given that the double-line-frequency current causes minor impact to the battery pack in terms of capacity and temperature rise. An in-depth analysis of ripple power balance, with converter loss considered, unveils the conditions of eliminating the low-frequency DC link capacitors. PWM-zero-off charging where the battery is charged by a current at double-line-frequency and DC/DC stage is turned off at the zero level of the waveform, is also proposed to achieve a better tradeoff between the DC link capacitor size and the charger efficiency. The practical design issues are outlined and the solutions are given at different levels of implementations, including the full bridge building block, the AC/DC stage, and the DC/DC stage. The full bridge section focuses on the solution of a reliable driving and sensing circuitry design. The AC/DC stage portion stresses the modulator improvement, which solves the often-reported issues of the current spike at the zero-crossing of the line voltage for the high frequency totem-pole bridgeless converter. In the DAB section, analytical expressions are given to model the converter operation at various operating conditions, which match well with the measurement results. The overall charging-system operation including the seamless transition of bi-directional power flow and the charging-profile control is verified on a laboratory GaN charger prototype at 500 kHz and 1.8 kW with an efficiency of 92.4%. To push the power density, some bulky components including the control board, the cooling system, and the chassis are redesigned. Together with other already-verified building blocks including full bridges, magnetics, and capacitors, a high-density mock-up prototype with 125 W/in3 power density is assembled. / Ph. D.

Proliferation of non-linear, single-phase power electronics loads, such as personal computers, television sets, CFLs, has resulted in thousands of individual small harmonic current injectors connected to a distribution feeder network. Harmonic standard: IEC 1000-3-2 classifies such loads as Class D, “low-voltage” equipment with current emissions limited to 16A/Phase. Individual harmonic contributions of such loads appear insignificant; their collective contribution, however, is a matter of concern. The average order of voltage distortion usually varies between 4-6%; current distortion, however, is usually of the order of 100%. Limitations and high-costs associated with conventional harmonic mitigation measures, has furthered the need for regulation and alternative strategies. The objective of this research is to predict, and mitigate the effects of harmonic proliferation in the main supply current measured at the point of common coupling (PCC). An equivalent circuit model – an aggregation of single phase power electronics loads connected to the distribution feeder network is proposed as a part of a forward solution. Each load, individually, behaves as a harmonic current source; the proposed model combines these individual harmonic current injectors into a single harmonic source connected at the PCC and their collective contribution as a single composite harmonic signal. It represents harmonic conditions at the PCC and provides a theoretical measure of harmonic distortion in the supply current. Such a model finds application during harmonic compliance testing for single-phase power electronics loads; it simulates and predicts the harmonic response of such loads using a theoretical pure 60 Hz sine wave as the supply voltage diffcult to obtain physically, yet critical to such tests. The accuracy of the equivalent circuit model in predicting a harmonic response is pivotal to a successful forward solution. A feed-backwards mechanism is proposed. For a given harmonic supply voltage and circuit configuration of the equivalent circuit model, the feed-backwards method generates the modeled response and compares it to a reference physical response. Finally, it optimizes the circuit configuration to a unique Correction Factor that facilitates an accurate modeled response. Three optimization algorithms, labeled as Response Optimization algorithms have been developed to execute the feed-backwards mechanism. These algorithms are written in FORTRAN-90. / text

Väl inställda reläskydd för ställverk är en nödvändighet för en personoch driftsäker anläggning. Rapportens mål är att undersöka om oriktade skydd med enbart signalering är tillräckligt för att skydda anläggningen som undersöks, och om riktade skydd har fördelen att förbättra felutpekning, minska risken för felaktig funktion eller minska funktionstiden. Anläggningen som undersökts är ett 6,3 kV industrinät med resistansjordning. I rapporten kontrolleras isolationsvärden och strömtoleranser för utrustningen, som sedan jämförs med beräknade spänningar och strömmar vid enfasiga jordfel. Rapporten beskriver också kort riktade skydd och dess funktioner i förhållande till frågeställningen om den eventuella fördelen med riktade skydd. Resultatet blev att överspänningar på grund av jordfel inte är något problem, men felströmmen genom nollpunktsmotståndet är för stor för enbart signalering. Vid stumma jordfel klarar nollpunktsmotståndet av att hantera felströmmen i 30 sekunder, varefter värmeutvecklingen resulterar i att nollpunktmotståndet kopplas bort och anläggningen blir isolerad från nollpunkten. Riktade skydd behövs enligt studien inte i en anläggning som denna. Detta är baserat på att kabelsträckorna är för korta för att orsaka kapacitiva strömmar tillräckligt stora för att felaktig funktion ska uppstå i oriktade skydd, och att nätstrukturen inte genererar strömmar i oväntade riktningar. Rapportens resultat visar att oriktade skydd är tillräckligt men att funktionen bör ställas om till bortkoppling av felande krets. / Well-adjusted relay protection for electrical substations is a necessity for personal safety and reliable operation. The aim of the report is to investigate whether non-directional protection with signaling alone is sufficient to protect the facility being investigated, and if directional protection has the advantage of improving fault detection, reducing the risk of unnecessary operation or reducing the function time. The facility under investigation is a 6.3 kV industrial network with resistance grounding. The report checks the insulation values and current tolerances for the equipment, which are then compared with calculated voltages and currents at single-phase earth faults. The report also briefly describes directional protection and its functions in relation to the issue of the potential benefit of directional protection. The result was that overvoltages due to earth faults are not a problem, but the fault current through the neutral point resistance is too large for signaling alone. In the case of earth faults with very low fault impedance, the neutral point resistance can handle the fault current for 30 seconds. After which the heat development results in the neutral point resistance being disconnected and the facility being isolated from the neutral point. According to the study, targeted protection is not needed in a facility like this. This is based on the fact that the cable paths are too short to cause capacitive currents large enough to cause unnecessary operation in non-directional protection, and that the network structure does not generate currents in unexpected directions. The result of the report shows that non-directional protection is sufficient, but that the operation function should be changed to tripping of faulty circuits

O objetivo do trabalho é apresentar o funcionamento de um gerador a relutância chaveado monofásico. Para isso, foi desenvolvido um modelo computacional em ambiente Matlab Simulink, fazendo-se a comunicação entre diferentes partes do sistema. O comportamento da dinâmica de geração é apresentado para diferentes pontos do sistema, e testes experimentais realizados em um pequeno protótipo confirmam as características funcionais desta máquina. Ensaios realizados comprovam sua funcionalidade e simplicidade de operação, tendo estabilidade de geração para ampla faixa de velocidade de funcionamento, caracterizando uma máquina promissora, robusta e eficiente para aplicações especiais. / This work presents a single-phase switched reluctance machine operating as a generator. For that purpose, a computational model was developed in Matlab Simulink environment, wherein all the system components, such as voltage source, drive and machine model, and load were integrated. The current and voltage behavior for several points of operations are presented. Furthermore, experimental tests were also carried out in a simple prototype to validate its functionality and simplicity of operation, providing a stable power generation over a wide range of speed. The results showed that the single-phase switched reluctance generator can be robust, efficient, and promising for especial applications.

Tightly regulated power converters behave as constant power loads which may introduce instability in power systems. Prior to this work, the design-oriented stability criteria of DC and three-phase AC systems has been extensively studied, while the stability of single-phase AC power systems has received less attention. In this research, the modeling and stability analysis of single-phase AC power systems is studied. In particular, this research focuses on a system architecture where loads are connected in series and powered by a current source. Based on the proposed current source and load power electronic based topologies, which are typically used in airfield lighting systems, three types of system characterization are developed: waveform-level model, average-value <i>qd</i> model, and <i>qd</i> impedance/admittance measurement. Each approach has its own advantages and drawbacks, but the result - a frequency-domain (s-domain) representation of the system, is identical. Applying the generalized Nyquist stability criterion, the small-signal stability criteria of the system is developed. It is shown that the predictions of the system stability using these three approaches are consistent.

A grande aplicação residencial de motores de indução monofásicos é em sistemas de refrigeração doméstica/comercial. O desenvolvimento de motores mais eficientes, associado ao controle de velocidade, fez com que, dentro os mais diversos tipos de motores, o motor síncrono de imã permanente tornasse objeto para a criação de uma metodologia de projeto, construção e realização de ensaios. Assim, para adequar o projeto do motor MSIP para substituição do motor de indução monofásico, foram feitos estudos de como aproveitar as laminações já existentes, através de definições das características básicas do estator e do rotor. O imã permanente a ser utilizado foi definido principalmente em função do custo do material e de suas propriedades magnéticas estarem adequadas à necessidade do projeto. O projeto magnético foi feito para maximizar o fluxo nos dentes, considerando as características construtivas e a curva de trabalho dos imãs. O projeto elétrico, a partir de um circuito equivalente do motor, permitiu explicar as relações de torque, corrente e tensão do motor MSIP, bem como a definição das bobinas do motor, quanto ao espaçamento destas entre as ranhuras, o cálculo do número de espiras e o diâmetro dos fios em função da área permitida pela ranhura da lamina do estator. Com as informações obtidas após o cálculo do motor MSIP, passou-se a construção de um protótipo constituído pelo estator, rotor e um sistema de suporte que permitisse o levantamento dos parâmetros do motor. Os parâmetros necessários foram definidos levando-se em consideração a necessidade para o projetista do conversor elétrico, sendo estes dados utilizados em simulações computacionais para a determinação do projeto do acionador. Com isto, os ensaios do motor MSIP permitiram o levantamento dos seguintes parâmetros: resistência, indutância, curvas de tensão de fase e linha da eletromotriz por velocidade em diversas rotações, momento de inércia e atrito viscoso, concluindo assim a proposta deste trabalho, e finalizando a metodologia para o motor MSIP. / A major residential application of single-phase induction motors is in domestic refrigeration. The development of more efficient motors, associated with speed control, has made that, among the most diverse types of electrical motors, the permanent magnet synchronous machine becomes an object of study for a design, construction and testing methodology. Therefore, to suit the PMSM design to replace the single phase induction motor, studies were made on how to take advantage of existing laminations, through definitions of the basic characteristics of the stator and rotor. The permanent magnet used was defined mainly as a function of the cost of the material and its magnetic properties since they suit the design requirements. PMSM magnetic design was made to maximize the magnetic flow in the slots considering the constructive characteristics and the magnet curve. The electric design, starting from a motor equivalent circuit, allowed to explain torque, current and voltage of the PMSM motor, as well as the definition of the motor windings regarding their filling in the slots, the calculation of coil number and the wire diameter as a function of the area allowed by the stator lamination slot. With the information obtained after the PMSM motor calculation, a prototype construction was initiated consisting of the stator, rotor and a support system to allow determining the motor parameters. The required parameters were defined taking into account the need the designer had of an electronic drive had. This data was used in computational simulations to determine the electronic driver design. After this, the motor testing allowed to identify the parameters, namely: winding resistance and inductance, various speed curves versus phase to phase and line voltage for back emf´s, moment of inertia and viscous friction, thus completing this work proposal, finalizing the project methodology for PMSM motor.

A grande aplicação residencial de motores de indução monofásicos é em sistemas de refrigeração doméstica/comercial. O desenvolvimento de motores mais eficientes, associado ao controle de velocidade, fez com que, dentro os mais diversos tipos de motores, o motor síncrono de imã permanente tornasse objeto para a criação de uma metodologia de projeto, construção e realização de ensaios. Assim, para adequar o projeto do motor MSIP para substituição do motor de indução monofásico, foram feitos estudos de como aproveitar as laminações já existentes, através de definições das características básicas do estator e do rotor. O imã permanente a ser utilizado foi definido principalmente em função do custo do material e de suas propriedades magnéticas estarem adequadas à necessidade do projeto. O projeto magnético foi feito para maximizar o fluxo nos dentes, considerando as características construtivas e a curva de trabalho dos imãs. O projeto elétrico, a partir de um circuito equivalente do motor, permitiu explicar as relações de torque, corrente e tensão do motor MSIP, bem como a definição das bobinas do motor, quanto ao espaçamento destas entre as ranhuras, o cálculo do número de espiras e o diâmetro dos fios em função da área permitida pela ranhura da lamina do estator. Com as informações obtidas após o cálculo do motor MSIP, passou-se a construção de um protótipo constituído pelo estator, rotor e um sistema de suporte que permitisse o levantamento dos parâmetros do motor. Os parâmetros necessários foram definidos levando-se em consideração a necessidade para o projetista do conversor elétrico, sendo estes dados utilizados em simulações computacionais para a determinação do projeto do acionador. Com isto, os ensaios do motor MSIP permitiram o levantamento dos seguintes parâmetros: resistência, indutância, curvas de tensão de fase e linha da eletromotriz por velocidade em diversas rotações, momento de inércia e atrito viscoso, concluindo assim a proposta deste trabalho, e finalizando a metodologia para o motor MSIP. / A major residential application of single-phase induction motors is in domestic refrigeration. The development of more efficient motors, associated with speed control, has made that, among the most diverse types of electrical motors, the permanent magnet synchronous machine becomes an object of study for a design, construction and testing methodology. Therefore, to suit the PMSM design to replace the single phase induction motor, studies were made on how to take advantage of existing laminations, through definitions of the basic characteristics of the stator and rotor. The permanent magnet used was defined mainly as a function of the cost of the material and its magnetic properties since they suit the design requirements. PMSM magnetic design was made to maximize the magnetic flow in the slots considering the constructive characteristics and the magnet curve. The electric design, starting from a motor equivalent circuit, allowed to explain torque, current and voltage of the PMSM motor, as well as the definition of the motor windings regarding their filling in the slots, the calculation of coil number and the wire diameter as a function of the area allowed by the stator lamination slot. With the information obtained after the PMSM motor calculation, a prototype construction was initiated consisting of the stator, rotor and a support system to allow determining the motor parameters. The required parameters were defined taking into account the need the designer had of an electronic drive had. This data was used in computational simulations to determine the electronic driver design. After this, the motor testing allowed to identify the parameters, namely: winding resistance and inductance, various speed curves versus phase to phase and line voltage for back emf´s, moment of inertia and viscous friction, thus completing this work proposal, finalizing the project methodology for PMSM motor.

For the application of minichannel heat exchangers, it is necessary to have accurate design tools for predicting heat transfer and pressure drop. Until recently, this type of heat exchangers was not well studied, and in the scientific literature there were large discrepancies between results reported by different investigators. The present thesis aims to add to the knowledge of the fundamentals of single- and two-phase flow heat transfer and pressure drop in narrow channels, thereby aiding in the development of this new, interesting technology with the possibility of decreasing the size of electronics through better cooling, and of increasing the energy efficiency of thermal processes and thermodynamic cycles through enhanced heat transfer. A comprehensive experimental single-phase flow and saturated flow boiling heat transfer and pressure drop study has been carried out on vertical stainless steel tubes with inner diameters of 1.700, 1.224 and 0.826 mm, using R-134a as the test fluid. The heat transfer and pressure drop results were compared both to conventional correlations developed for larger diameter channels and to correlations developed specifically for microscale geometries. Contrary to many previous investigations, this study has shown that the test data agree well with single-phase heat transfer and friction factor correlations known to be accurate for larger channels, thus expanding their ranges to cover mini/microchannel geometries. The main part of the study concerns saturated flow boiling heat transfer and pressure drop. Tests with the same stainless steel tubes showed that the heat transfer is strongly dependent on heat flux, but only weakly dependent on mass flux and vapor fraction (up to the location of dryout). This behavior is usually taken to indicate a dominant influence of nucleate boiling, and indicates that the boiling mechanism is strongly related to that in nucleate boiling. The test data for boiling heat transfer was compared to several correlations from the literature, both for macro- and mini-channels. A new correlation for saturated flow boiling heat transfer of refrigerant R-134a correlation was obtained based on the present experimental data. This correlation predicts the presented data with a mean absolute deviation of 8%. The frictional pressure drop results were compared to both macro- and mini channel correlations available from the literature. The correlation suggested by Qu and Mudawar (2003) gave the best prediction to the frictional two-phase pressure drop within the studied ranges. A unique visualization study of saturated flow boiling characteristics in a vertical 1.332 mm inner diameter quartz tube, coated with a transparent heater has also been conducted. The complete evaporation process in a heated circular mini-channel has been studied visually in detail using high speed CCD camera. The study revealed the developments of the flow patterns and the behavior from bubble nucleation to the dry out of the liquid film. The bubble departure frequency, diameter, growth rate, and velocity were determined by analyzing the images. Finally, a flow pattern map for boiling flow in microchannels has been developed based on the test data. / QC 20100812

A comprehensive study of heat transfer and pressure drop of refrigerant R410A during condensation and supercritical cooling at near-critical pressures was conducted. Investigations were carried out at five nominal pressures: 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2xpcrit. The refrigerant was tested in commercially available horizontal smooth tubes of 6.2 and 9.4 mm I.D. Heat transfer coefficients were measured using a thermal amplification technique that measures heat duty accurately while also providing refrigerant heat transfer coefficients with low uncertainties. For condensation tests, local heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops were measured for the mass flux range 200 G 800 kg/m2-s in small quality increments over entire vapor-liquid region. For supercritical tests, local heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops were measured for the same mass flux range as in the condensation tests for temperatures ranging from 30 110oC. Condensation heat transfer coefficients and pressure drops increased with quality and mass flux. The effect of reduced pressure on heat transfer is not very significant, while this effect is more pronounced on the pressure gradient. The flow regime transition criteria of Coleman and Garimella (2003) were used to initially designate the prevailing flow regimes for a given combination of mass flux and quality. The condensation data collected in the present study were primarily in the wavy and annular flow regimes. During supercritical cooling, the sharp variations in thermophysical properties in the vicinity of the critical temperature resulted in sharp peaks in the heat transfer coefficients and sudden jumps in the pressure drop. Based on the characteristics of the specific work of thermal expansion (contraction), the data from the supercritical tests were grouped into three regimes: liquid-like, pseudo-critical transition and gas-like regimes. Flow regime-based heat transfer and pressure drop models were developed for both condensation and supercritical cooling. For condensation, the overall heat transfer model predicts 98% of the data within 15% while the overall pressure drop model predicts 87% of the data within 15%. For supercritical cooling, the heat transfer model predicted 88% of the data within 25% while the pressure gradient model predicts 84% of the data within 25%.