Search

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) in high-voltage dc applications usually adopt a distributed control architecture to manage a large number of submodules (SMs) through a communication network. The communication congestion and network disconnection might lead to communication interruption (CI) and eventually cause the system to malfunction. In this article, a resilient operation strategy is proposed and studied to ride-through the CI fault, in order to prevent frequent fault SM bypassing, replacement, or even system shutdown. The analysis of the MMC distributed control system with the presence of CI indicates that the insertion index of the faulted SM might become constant, which distorts the output current and results in overvoltage of the communication interrupted SM (CI-SM). The CI-SM capacitor voltage prediction can be used to determine the MMC safe operation period after CI occurs. During the safe operation period, the CI-SM power balance is sustained by utilizing prestored phase signals to generate a sinusoidal insertion index according to its capacitor voltage tracking error. Two operation modes are proposed and analyzed to ensure the MMC stable operation under various conditions. The system protection is sensibly used only if the CI duration exceeds a safe operation period, which avoids frequent SM cut-off. Good agreement of the CI-SM capacitor voltage is achieved between the theoretical and simulation results. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed MMC resilient operation are experimentally confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a circulating current and second harmonic current (SHC) suppression method by introducing virtual impedance into the circulating current and output current feedback control loops of the dc solid-state transformer (DCSST). The virtual impedance is employed to adjust impedance in the circulating current feedback control loop to decrease the circulating current when the transmission efficiency of each dual active bridge is different. And a SHC suppression method, which introduces the virtual impedance containing a bandpass filter, is adopted to reduce the SHC and improve the dynamic performance of the DCSST. Moreover, a relatively independent modular control method, which is conducive to the modular expansion of the DCSST, is proposed. Compared with traditional DCSST control methods, the proposed method can simultaneously realize the output current sharing and effectively reduce the SHC with modular control. Finally, a DCSST prototype is built and the results of the experiment verify the validity and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy and solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]