Power electronics building blocks (PEBBs) are standardized building blocks used to integrate power electronics systems. The PEBB approach can achieve low cost, high redundancy, high reliability, high flexibility and easy maintenance for large-scale power electronics systems. This thesis presents the implementation of a 100kW PEBB-based soft-switched bus regulator for an 800V DC distributed power system. The zero current transition (ZCT) soft-switching technique is used to improve the performance of the bus regulator by minimizing switching loss and improving overall efficiency. PEBB modules and a digital control building block are the subsystems of the DC bus regulator. This thesis addresses the design issues at subsystem and system levels. These include: operational principles and design of ZCT PEBB modules; design and implementation of the digital control block, based on DSP and EPLD; and modeling and control design of the DC bus regulator. There are several considerations when using the ZCT soft-switching technique in three-phase applications: the timing of the auxiliary switch gate signals must be arranged differently; there are low-frequency harmonics caused by the pulse width limits; and there is high thermal stress on the resonant capacitors. These issues are resolved by utilizing the sensed phase current information and the design freedom in the PWM modulator. A PWM modulation technique is proposed that can considerably reduce the switching events and further remove the associated loss while keeping THD low. Reduced switching events alleviate the thermal issue of the resonant capacitors. The same modulation technique can avoid the low-frequency harmonics caused by the pulse width limits and double the sampling frequency. The phase current information is used to deal with the control timing issue of the auxiliary switches and to control the three-phase soft-switching operation in order to achieve better efficiency. Additionally, the phase current information is used to implement dead time compensation to reduce THD. The soft-switched DC bus regulator has been tested up to a 100kW power level with 20kHz switching frequency. Experimental results demonstrate that high performance of the DC bus regulator is accomplished in terms of wide control bandwidth, low THD, unity power factor, high efficiency and high power density. / Master of Science

The dissertation documents research work carried out on Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) strategies for hard switched Voltage Source Inverters (VSI) for variable speed electric drives. This research is aimed at Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV). PWM is at the heart of all variable speed electric drives; they have a huge influence on the overall performance of the system and may also help eventually give us an extra degree of freedom in the possibility to rethink the inverter design including the re-dimensioning of the inverter components.HEVs tend to cost more than conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as they have to incorporate two traction systems, which is the major discouraging factor for consumers and in turn for manufacturers. The two traction system increases the maintenance cost of the car as well. In addition the electric drives not only cost extra money but space too, which is already scarce with an ICE under the hood. An all-electric car is not yet a viable idea as the batteries have very low energy density compared with petrol or diesel and take considerable time to charge. One solution could be to use bigger battery packs but these add substantially to the price and weight of the vehicle and are not economically viable. To avoid raising the cost of such vehicles to unreasonably high amounts, autonomy has to be compromised. However hybrid vehicles are an important step forward in the transition toward all-electric cars while research on better batteries evolves. The objective of this research is to make electric drives suitable for HEVs i.e. lighter, more compact and more efficient -- requiring less maintenance and eventually at lower cost so that the advantages, such as low emissions and better fuel efficiency, would out-weigh a little extra cost for these cars. The electrical energy source in a vehicle is a battery, a DC Voltage source, and the traction motor is generally an AC motor owing to the various advantages it offers over a DC motor. Hence the need for a VSI, which is used to transform the DC voltage into AC voltage of desired amplitude and frequency. Pulse width modulation techniques are used to control VSI to ensure that the required/calculated voltage is fed to the machine, to produce the desired torque/speed. PWM techniques are essentially open loop systems where no feedback is used and the instantaneous values differ from the required voltage, however the same average values are obtained. Pulse width modulated techniques produce a low frequency signal (desired average value of the switched voltage) also called the fundamental component, along with unwanted high frequency harmonics linked to the carrier signal frequency or the PWM period. In modern cars we see more and more mechanical loads driven by electricity through digital processors. It is very important to eliminate the risk of electromagnetic interference between these systems to avoid failure or malfunction. Hence these unwanted harmonics have to be filtered so that they do not affect the electronic control unit or other susceptible components placed in the vicinity. Randomised modulation techniques (RPWM) are used to dither these harmonics at the switching frequency and its multiple. In this thesis a random modulator based on space vector modulation is presented which has additional advantages of SVM. Another EMI problem linked to PWM techniques is that they produce common mode voltages in the load. For electric machines, common mode voltage produces shaft voltage which in turn provokes dielectric stress on the motor bearings, its lubricant and hence the possibility of generating bearing currents in the machine that can be fatal for the machine. To reduce the common mode voltage a space vector modulation strategy is developed based on intelligent placement of zero vectors. (...)

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Wind energy has proven to be a viable source of clean energy, and the worldwide demand is growing rapidly. Variable speed topologies, with synchronous generators and full-scale converters, are becoming more popular, and the e ective control of these systems is a current trend in wind energy research. The purpose of this study is the modelling, design, simulation and implementation of a small-scale, variable speed wind energy conversion system, incorporating the position sensorless direct torque control with space vector modulation, of a permanent magnet synchronous generator, including an RLC converter lter. Another aim is the development of a gain scheduling algorithm that facilitates the high level control of the system. Mathematical models of the combined lter-generator model, in the stationary and rotating reference frames, are presented and discussed, from which equivalent approximate transfer functions are derived for the design of the controller gains. The design of the controller gains, RLC lter components, gain scheduling concept and maximum power point tracking controller are presented. It is discovered that the RLC lter damping resistance has a signi cant e ect on the resonance frequency of the system. The system is simulated dynamically in both Simulink and the VHDL-AMS programming language. Additionally, the maximum power point tracking controller is simulated in the VHDL-AMS simulation, including a wind turbine simulator. The simulation results demonstrate good dynamic performance, as well as the variable speed operation of the system. The practical results of torque and speed controllers show satisfactory performance, and correlate well with simulated results. The detailed gain scheduling algorithm is presented and discussed. A nal test of the complete system yields satisfactory practical results, and con rms that the objectives of this thesis have been reached.

Orientador: Prof. Dr. José Alberto Torrico Altuna / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Elétrica, 2016. / O presente trabalho estuda as técnicas de modulação de inversores trifásicos com aplicação principal em controle de máquinas de indução. Na primeira parte é realizada a pesquisa bilbiográfica considerando as principais técnicas de modulação, sendo apresentado depois o princípio de funcionamento destes moduladores. A operação do inversor é estudada apresentando os sinais trifásicos gerados a partir de uma fonte de tensão C.C. É feita a descrição do PWM senoidal baseado em portadora seno¿triangulo e o PWM baseado em vetores espaciais. Também é apresentada uma estratégia de modulação na região de sobre modulação. O principio de modulação aleatorea é estudado citando as contribuições principais nesta área. Finalmente é apresentada a modulação por eliminação seletiva de harmônicas e as principais referências. São apresentados resultados de simulação dos principais métodos de modulação considerando os principais parâmetros de desempenho. Como aplicação de técnicas de modulação em inversores, é apresentada uma estratégia para compensação de tensão usando restauradores dinâmicos de tensão DVR. / This dissertation studies modulation techniques for three-phase inverters intended to induction motor control. The First part is literature review regarding the main modulation techniques. Secondly it is described the operation principle of voltage source inverter showing three-phase signals generated from a C.C voltage. It is made a PWM description based on carrier (sine-triangle) and space vector modulation in both linear and over modulation region. The principle of random modulation is presented mentioning the main contributions in this area. It is showed the modulation by selective elimination of harmonics and the main references. Simulation results from modulation schemes are presented taking into account performance of each method. As application it is presented a strategy for Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR).

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Multilevel converters are being increasingly employed nowadays, specially in mediumand high-voltage industrial applications. Even though these converters are able to synthesize output line-to-line voltages with a high number of levels, close to a sinusoidal waveform, their modulation is more complex than the one for two- and three-level converters. In this context, this dissertation proposes new modulation strategies for multilevel converters, specifically symmetrical and asymmetrical cascaded multilevel ones, composed of many full-bridges, or power cells, per phase. If the converter has one or more faulty cells, they can be bypassed and the converter can continue to feed the load, increasing the process reliability. However, the converter phase voltages must be modified so as to keep the output line-to-line voltages balanced. With the objective of proposing modulation strategies that allow the cascaded multilevel converters to satisfactorily operate under these conditions, an extensive bibliographical review of the existing modulation techniques has been carried out. The carrier-based modulation approaches were studied first. It could be noticed that all these strategies belong to a larger set of solutions for the obtention of the converter modulating phase voltages. This set is derived in this work, resulting in a generalized geometrical modulation strategy for symmetrical and asymmetrical cascaded multilevel converters with any number of levels and operating under normal or faulty conditions. As the faulty cells are restrictions for converter operation, for each fault condition the region that contains all the possible converter common-mode voltages, that compensate for the loss of cells, is derived. The choice of a common-mode pertaining to this set allows the entire converter synthesis capability to be explored. The modulating voltages are the sum of the reference and the common-mode voltages, maximizing the amplitudes of the output line-to-line voltages. For asymmetrical cascaded multilevel converters, the voltages synthesized by the highervoltage cells are restrictions for the operation of the lower-voltage ones. Concerning the Space Vector (SV) modulation, it was derived only for the asymmetrical cascaded multilevel converter. The higher-voltage and lower-voltage cells switch, respectively, with low frequency by the choice of the nearest vector to the reference, and with high frequency, by the choice of the three nearest vectors to the reference, in one switching period. The voltage synthesized by the higher-voltage cells is subtracted from the reference, resulting in the new reference for the lower-voltage cells, and so successively, until the cells with the lowest voltages. A specific switching sequence is defined off-line for each sector of the SV diagram. The algorithm is carried out in a modified αβo coordinate system, resulting in switching vector with only integer entries. The choice of the switching vectors considers all the possible redundancies in abc coordinates. At last, simulation and experimental results Abstract that prove the good performance of the proposed modulation strategies are presented. / Conversores multiníveis são cada vez mais empregados, especialmente em aplicações industriais de média e alta tens~ao. Apesar de serem capazes de sintetizar tensões de linha de saída com um grande número de níveis, se aproximando de uma forma de onda senoidal, sua modulação é mais complexa, quando comparada com conversores de dois ou três níveis. Neste contexto, esta dissertação propõe novas estratégias de modulação para conversores multiníveis, especificamente multiníveis em cascata simétricos e assimétricos, compostos por diversos full-bridges, ou células de potência, por fase. Caso uma ou mais células sofram faltas, estas podem ser retiradas de operação, e o conversor pode continuar a alimentar a carga, aumentando a confiabilidade do processo. Contudo, as tensõe de fase do conversor devem ser modificadas, a fim de manter as tensões de linha de saída equilibradas. Com o objetivo de propor estratégias de modulação que permitam aos conversores multiníveis em cascata operar satisfatoriamente nestas condições, foi realizada uma extensa pesquisa bibliográfica a respeito dos métodos de modulação já existentes na literatura. Primeiramente, foram estudadas estratégias de modulação baseadas em portadora. Pode-se perceber que estas pertencem a um conjunto maior de possíveis soluções para a obtenção das tensões modulantes para as fases do conversor. Este conjunto é derivado neste trabalho, resultando em uma estratégia generalizada de modulação com abordagem geométrica para conversores multiníveis em cascata simétricos e assimétricos com qualquer número de níveis, em operação normal ou sob faltas. Como as células com falta são restrições para o funcionamento do conversor, para cada condição de falta é definida a região que contém todas as possíveis tensões de modo comum que podem ser sintetizadas pelo conversor a fim de compensar a perda de células. A escolha de uma tensão de modo comum pertencente a este conjunto permite explorar toda a capacidade de síntese de tensão do conversor. As tensões modulantes são obtidas como a soma das tensões de referência de fase e de modo comum, maximizando as amplitudes das componentes fundamentais das tensões de linha de saída. Para os conversores multiníveis em cascata assimétricos, as tensões sintetizadas pelas células de maior tensão são restrições para a operação das demais. Quanto à modulação Space Vector (SV), optou-se por desenvolvê-la apenas para conversores multiníveis em cascata assimétricos. As células de alta tensão comutam em baixa frequência pela escolha do vetor mais próximo da referência, e as células de baixa tensão comutam em alta frequência pela escolha dos três vetores mais próximos da referência, em um período de comutação. A tensão sintetizada pelas células de alta tensão é subtraída da referência, resultando na nova referência para as próximas células, e assim sucessivamente até as células de menor tensão. Para cada setor do Resumo diagrama SV é definida off-line uma sequência de comutação específica. O algoritmo implementado realiza todos os cálculos em um sistema de coordenadas αβo modificado, resultando em vetores de comutação apenas com elementos inteiros. A escolha dos vetores de comutação a serem implementados considera todas as suas possíveis redundâncias em coordenadas abc. Por fim, são apresentados resultados de simulação e experimentais que comprovam o ótimo desempenho das estratégias de modulação propostas neste trabalho.

La topologie onduleur à six bras associé à une machine triphasée à phases indépendantes a la propriété de d'offrir, dans le cadre applicatif de l'automobile, une double fonctionnalité, traction et chargeur forte puissance. Cet avantage nécessite, par contre, le contrôle des composantes homopolaires classiquement nulles lors de la présence d'un couplage en étoile. Cette thèse propose alors, d'une part une étude et une modélisation des onduleurs multi-bras et, d'autre part, développe des stratégies de contrôle-commande adaptées à la présence des grandeurs homopolaires. Les algorithmes de commande classiques de l'onduleur sont comparés et une stratégie vectorielle originale, dite Z-SVM permettant d'annuler le courant homopolaire haute fréquence, est développée. Enfin, il est montré comment la gestion des composantes homopolaires aux valeurs moyennes permet d'accroître les performances de l'ensemble à faible comme à haute vitesse, en jouant sur les zones avant et après défluxage des caractéristiques couple-vitesse. Les solutions proposées sont validées sur un banc expérimental composé d'une machine prototype spécialement développée pour une application automobile et alimentée par un onduleur six-bras commandé par des composants de type FPGA. Les stratégies proposées sont comparées en termes de performances et de complexité algorithmique. / For an automotive application, a six leg-VSI connected to a three-phase open-end winding machine has the ability to offer a dual-function. In this case, an additional zero-sequence component, usually absent when a star-coupling is used, needs to be controlled. Firstly, a study, modeling and control of a multi-leg inverter are proposed. Secondly, control structures capable of handling the presence of zero-sequence components are investigated. The conventional control algorithms applied to the inverter are analyzed and an original vector control strategy, called Z-SVM, capable to cancel the high frequency zero-sequence current is developed. Finally, it is shown how the management of the zero-sequence components enhances the performance of the drive at low as well as at high-speed, corresponding on the areas of the torque-speed characteristics before and after flux weakening. The proposed solutions are validated on an experimental test bench consisting of a machine prototype especially developed for automotive application and powered by a six-leg inverter controlled by an FPGA-based device. The proposed strategies are compared in terms of performance and computational complexity.

This master’s thesis deals with the implementation of existing algorithms of electric AC motor control in Matlab Simulink to LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation. The first part of the thesis treats with the deduction of a mathematical model of an asynchronous motor, permanent magnet synchronous motor and with the theory of vector control of AC motors. In the next part there is a brief guide to create simulation algorithms in LabVIEW environment and to create the model of a motor with EMI functions in language C. The last part contains the comparison of Matlab Simulink and LabVIEW simulation tools.

Ce travail concerne l'étude théorique,l’analyse numérique et la validationexpérimentale d'une topologie de convertisseurd’électronique de puissance basée sur unconvertisseur multiniveau modulaire entrelacéavec transformateur moyenne fréquence.L’architecture est adaptée pour l’étage deconversion AC-DC dans les applications detransformateur d'électronique de puissance pourla connexion entre un réseau alternatif moyennetension et un réseau continu basse tension.L’entrelacement réduit les pertes par conductiondans les interrupteurs. Le transformateurmoyenne fréquence 10 kHz assure une isolationgalvanique et connecte le convertisseurmultiniveau modulaire entrelacé à unconvertisseur pont complet. Avec comme pointde départ la structure, le principe defonctionnement, la modélisation, la technique demodulation et le schéma de commande sontdiscutés. Une caractéristique du convertisseur estla génération simultanée de la tension du réseaubasse fréquence et de la tension primaire dutransformateur moyenne fréquence.L'équilibrage de la tension des condensateurs etla minimisation du courant de circulation sontcombinés dans un seul algorithme. La commanderégule le courant alternatif et la tension du buscontinu, du côté haute tension, ainsi que latension continue et le flux de puissance, du côtébasse tension. La validation expérimentale duconvertisseur est réalisée avec un prototype de720 W monophasé à l’échelle réduite. Lesrésultats démontrent la stabilité du système decommande lors d'opérations en régimepermanent et dynamiques (pas de charge,inversion du flux de puissance). / This work aims to present thetheoretical study, the numerical analysis and theexperimental validation of a power electronicsconverter topology based on an interleavedmodular multilevel converter with mediumfrequencytransformer. The architecture issuitable for the AC-DC stage in solid-statetransformer applications for the connectionbetween a medium-voltage AC grid and a lowvoltageDC grid. The interleaving reduces theswitch conduction losses. The 10 kHz mediumfrequencytransformer provides galvanicisolation and connects the interleaved modularmultilevel converter to a full-bridge converter.From the converter structure, the principle ofoperation, the modeling, the modulationtechnique, and the control scheme are discussed.One feature of the converter is the simultaneousgeneration of the low-frequency grid voltageand the medium-frequency transformer primaryvoltage. The capacitor voltage balancing and thecirculating currents minimization are combinedtogether in a single algorithm. The controlsystem regulates the AC current and the DC busvoltage, on the high-voltage side, and the DCvoltage and power flow, on the low voltage side.The experimental validation of the converter ismade with a scaled-down single-phase 720 Wprototype. The results demonstrate the controlsystem stability in steady-state and dynamic(load step, power flow inversion) operations.

A systematic and versatile method to derive accurate and efficient Circuit Oriented Large Signal Average Models (COLSAMs) that approximate the slow dynamics manifold of the moving average values of the relevant state variables for Pulse-Width Modulated (PWM) dc to dc and three-phase to dc power converters is developed. These COLSAMs can cover continuous conduction mode (CCM) as well as discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) of operation and they are over one order of magnitude cheaper, computation wise, than the switching models. This method leads primarily to simple and effective input-output oriented models that represent transfer as well as loading characteristics of the converter. Sine these models consist of time invariant continuous functions they can be linearized at an operating point in order to obtain small-signal transfer functions that approximate the dynamics of the original PWM system around an orbit. The models are primarily intended for software circuit simulators (i.e. Spice derived types, Saber, Simplorer, etc), to take advantage of intrinsic features such as transient response, linearization, transfer function, harmonic distortion calculations, without having to change simulation environment. Nevertheless, any mathematics simulator for ordinary differential equations can be used with the set of equations obtained through application of Kirchoff's laws to the COLSAMs. Furthermore, the COLSAMs provide physical insight to help with power stage and control design, and they allow easy interconnection among themselves, as well as with switching models, for complete analysis at different scales (time, signal level, complexity; interconnectivity). A new average model for the Zero-Voltage Switched Full-Bridge (ZVS-FB) PWM Converter is developed with the above method and its high accuracy is verified with simulations from a switching behavioral model for several circuit component values for both CCM and DCM. Intrinsic positive damping effects and special delay characteristics created by an energy holding element in a saturable reactor-based Zero-Voltage Zero-Current Switched Full-Bridge (ZVZCS-FB) PWM converter are explained for the first time by a new average model. Its large signal predictions match very well those from switch model simulations whereas its small-signal predictions are verified with experimental results from 3.5 kW prototype modules. The latter are used in a multi-module converter to supply the DC power bus in and aircraft. The design of control loops for the converter is based on the new model and its linearization. The ZVZCS-FB PWM converter's average model above is extended to deal with interconnection issues and constraints in a Quasi-Single Stage (QSS) Zero-Voltage Zero-Current Switched (ZVZCS) Three-Phase Buck Rectifier. The new model reveals strong nonlinear transfer characteristics for standard Space Vector Modulation (SVM), which lead to high input current distortion and output voltage ripple inadmissible in telecommunications applications. Physical insight provided by this average model led to the development of a combined modified SVM and feed-forward duty-cycle compensation scheme to reliably minimize the output voltage ripple. Experimental results from a 6 kW prototype validate large signal model for standard and modified SVM, with and without duty-cycle compensation scheme. / Ph. D.

This thesis is about the development and performance enhancement of an induction motor electric vehicle drive system. The fundamental operation of the induction motor drive hardware and control software are introduced, and the different modulation techniques tested are described. A software simulation package is developed to assist in the control design and analysis of the drive system. Next, to establish the efficiency gains obtained by using space vector modulation in the improved drive system, an inverter with hysteresis current control is compared to the same inverter with space vector modulation in steady state and on separate driving profiles. A method for determining induction motor harmonic losses is introduced and is based on obtaining the phase current harmonics from sampled induction motor stator phase currents obtained. Using a semi-empirical loss model, the induction motor losses are compared between different pulse width modulation control strategies throughout the torque versus speed operating region. Next, several issues related to the robustness of the control design are addressed. To obtain good performance in the actual vehicle, a new method for driveline resonance compensation is developed and proven to work well through simulation and experiment. Lastly, this thesis discusses the development of a new method to compensate for the gain and phase error obtained in the feedback of the d-axis and q-axis stator flux linkages. Improved accuracy of the measured stator flux linkages will be shown to improve the field oriented controller by obtaining a more accurate measurement of the feedback electromagnetic torque. / Master of Science