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Summary: Multilevel inverters (MLIs) are widely used in various sectors of power electronics. Some major benefits of using MLI are the high‐quality voltage output, harmonic reduction, and efficiency. However, MLIs also bear a range of disadvantages including an excessive number of components, high total standing voltage (TSV), and complicated control scheme. Thus, a novel cross‐switched neutral point clamped (CSNPC) nine‐level inverter is proposed. Many of the suggested MLIs use a large number of DC supplies and additional switches that are not fully utilized and generate high power loss. However, the proposed MLI topology has a smaller number of power electronic switches and DC supplies, leading to higher energy efficiency. Moreover, a simplified high frequency modulation technique, named hysteresis‐band‐based discontinuous pulse width modulation (DPWM) is devised to control the proposed MLI. This modulation scheme has effectively minimized capacitor voltage imbalance. Furthermore, the designed structure is extendable to a modular MLI, without any additional H‐bridge circuit. To verify its benefits over other recent similar types of MLIs, a thorough comparison is presented for the number of components and power losses. The proposed MLI has showed 95.54% efficiency, and the modular CSNPC can achieve a total harmonic distortion (THD) of 6.43%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In a unidirectional five‐level ac motor drive system with open‐end winding connection, because of the variation of operating frequency of ac motor, the instantaneous power fluctuation of rectifier stage and inverter stage will generate larger voltage ripple on each phase dc‐link capacitors, and further lead to a large amount of current harmonics in output currents of inverter. To cope with this problem, an improved space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) strategy based on dc‐link voltage feedforward is proposed. In this paper, the effects of zero sequence current harmonics caused by dc‐link voltage ripple on ac motor are firstly analyzed, including the stator winding flux linkage equation, voltage equation, and electromagnetic torque. Then, the generating mechanism of dc‐link voltage ripple and the current harmonics are discussed in detail in terms of instantaneous power fluctuation of each single‐phase converter. Based on this, an improved SVPWM strategy by modifying the modulation signal is proposed to suppress the generation of current harmonics. Finally, a 2.2 kW prototype experimental results are given, which verify the feasibility and advancement of the proposed modulation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple-level inverters are often used in extreme voltages and high-energy applications because of their excellent efficiency lately. Because of the considerable quantity of semiconductor switches involved in powers conversion, multilevel inverters (MLIs) are more likely to experience switch faults. Therefore, it is essential to find and discover defects as soon as possible. In this context, a technique depending on the level-shifted pulse width modulations (PWM) methodology is developed for diagnosing open-circuits errors in H-bridges multiple-level inverters (HMLI). Instead of utilizing an algorithm to detect faults, the proposed method uses subtle fault features and only requires a little amount of logical judgment. The loads current and H-bridges outputs voltages are utilized to diagnose faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical model predictive control (MPC) usually aims to minimize the current error at the end of the control period. This method is equivalent to minimizing the current total harmonic distortion (THD) when the control period tends to be infinitely small. However, due to the limitations of hardware in practice, the optimization effect of current THD is not obvious. Aiming at the above problem, an improved double-vector model predictive control method is proposed for the single-phase active-neutral-point-clamped five-level (ANPC-5L) inverter. Two voltage vectors in each control cycle are used in this method to reduce the current THD by minimizing the area enclosed by the actual and reference current. In addition, a capacitor voltage control method is designed for the problem of multiple control objectives coupling in this structure. In this method, an idea of hierarchy is designed for voltage jump and switching transition limits, neutral point (NP) voltage, and flying capacitor (FC) voltage, achieving the effect of weightless factor and good dynamic and static performance. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces a generalized version of the pulse width modulation (PWM) switch model applied in the small-signal modeling of converters based on the multistate switching cell (MSSC) operating in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). It consists of extending the concept formerly introduced by Vorperian for the representation of multiphase converters in DCM, yielding a circuit-based approach that does not rely on matrix manipulations unlike state-space averaging (SSA). The derived dc and ac models are valid for any number of switching states and any operating region defined in terms of the duty cycle, thus allowing for determining the voltage gain and distinct transfer functions. A thorough discussion of results is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the derived models to represent distinct configurations of the MSSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional topological approach to eliminate the multiple-input DC voltage requirement in multilevel inverter configurations for synthesizing high-output voltage levels is to deploy split capacitor banks at the input terminal. This method stipulates a less expensive, light weight, and reduced size inverter system. However, the excessive demand for several capacitor banks and the complex voltage balancing strategy associated with this conceptual approach poses numerous limitations in their deployment. In view of these drawbacks, this study proposes a self-balanced, single-phase, nine-level switched-capacitor-based inverter topology consisting of a single-input DC voltage, an auxiliary circuit, and an H-bridge circuit unit. A commensurate single carrier-based sinusoidal pulse-width modulation scheme is developed for the proposed power circuit control, enabling the synthesis of a nine-level output voltage waveform whose amplitude is four times the input voltage value. Detailed power circuit operations and switching functions are adequately provided in the proposed topology. A comparison between the proposed inverter and its recent counterparts in terms of component count, cost involvement, and output voltage-boosting ability is duly carried out using Python data visualization. Results reveal that the proposed inverter competes well in these three criteria. For varying R–L load values, the inverter has the capability of high active and reactive power delivery. Its dynamic response for step changes in the modulation index under these power-mode operations is presented in this paper. For high active power-mode operation, efficiencies of 98.27% and 98.92% under light- and heavy-load conditions, respectively, are obtained on a 3-kW-rated inverter prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, many inverters employ inductors to boost the AC voltage. However, this leads to increased current distortion and limits the voltage boosting capability of the inverter. To address the above issue, a triple two-level inverter is proposed in this paper. The proposed inverter adopts a switched-capacitor boost circuit to boost the AC output voltage and to generate a multi-level voltage. Simultaneously, a three-phase full-bridge circuit is assigned to convert the DC voltage into AC voltage. In addition, a novel space vector modulation strategy is introduced to achieve capacitor voltage self-balance. Finally, simulation and experimental platforms have been established to verify the effectiveness of proposed inverter. The obtained results show that the proposed inverter meets the requirements for the expected inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In many practical applications such as motor drives, the inverter is required to produce a variable output voltage within a wide range (e.g., 0.1 to 1 pu). In such cases, when the inverter operates in low modulation index (low output voltage), the harmonic distortion of the output voltage increases due to considerable reduction in the magnitude of the fundamental component. Also, the ratio of the switching losses to the output power will be high in the low modulation index. In this paper, a simple solution is proposed to overcome the problems. The principle of the proposed solution is to adjust the DC‐link voltage so that the modulation index of the inverter remains within a specific high range. Different practical ways of obtaining controlled DC‐link voltage are presented. Also, for operation of the DC‐DC converter used for DC‐link voltage control, three strategies are proposed. The proposed solution is simple, and it is very effective and feasible to implement. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the idea has not been presented in this form previously. In order to verify the proposed solution, the simulation and experimental results are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper presents a new high voltage gain quasi Z‐source inverter consisting of a switched‐inductor unit. A coupled inductor including three windings is utilized in structure of the switched inductor in a way to increase voltage gain effectively. In addition, the configuration includes an active switch with low number of components that has positive effects on voltage gain and two of its components recycles stored energy of the coupled inductor similar to a clamp circuit. The converter boosts voltage appropriately in low shoot‐through duty cycles and transfers power with a continuous input current, leading to a reduction in losses, requiring smaller output filter and improving the efficiency. Also, the converter can operate in high modulation index for similar voltage gains compared to the other works which improves quality of outputs. Low number of components and fewer cores for inductors are considered during the design of the converter, causing some superiorities for it in comparisons. In addition, the presented converter has appropriate condition from the viewpoint of voltage stress on its diodes. To validate quality of the converter performance, a 240‐W prototype is prepared that converts 35‐ to 60‐V DC to three‐phase sinusoidal voltages where effective voltage of each phase is equal to 110 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern days, MLIs comprise a lot of concentrations in academia and industry. As they are altering interest in a feasible technology in supporting frequent applications of renewable energy conversion systems and drives, these huge power and medium/higher voltage applications and MLIs are extensively used as one of the sophisticated powers converter topography. The MLIs are divided into two types such as asymmetric and symmetric. MLIs of the asymmetric kind have more amount of output AC voltage stage with fewer DC input source voltage and switching components. In this research paper, asymmetric single-phase cascade full-bridge MLI is developed with carrier-based unipolar PWM techniques. This MLI can generate nine-stage of output AC voltage through eight switches and two input DC sources. It is tested through a variety of multicarrier unipolar PWM control combinations. The Phase Disposition (PD), Alternating Phase Opposition Disposition (APOD), Carrier Overlapping (COP) and Variable Frequency (VF) are all PWM control which included in support of preference of single-phase nine-stage ternary cascade multilevel inverters. With various modulation indices (ma), the harmonic substance of output AC voltage for each approach is observed and tabulated. The proposed design for generating nine-stage output AC voltage is demonstrated using MATLAB-SIMULINK and confirmed using a laboratory-based prototype model. The results show that the unipolar Alternating Phase Opposition Disposition PWM technique that provides a high-quality output voltage with less harmonic distortion. Besides, the performance of Carrier Overlapping PWM techniques is greater since it produces a superior fundamental RMS output AC voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the high performance requirements of pulse width modulation (PWM) converters in grid-connected power systems, H-Infinity (H∞) control has attracted significant research interest due to its robustness against parameter variations and external disturbances. In this work, an advanced robust H∞ control is proposed for a grid-connected three-phase PWM rectifier. A two-level control strategy is adopted, where cascaded H∞ controllers are designed to simultaneously regulate the DC bus voltage and input currents even under load disturbances and non-ideal grid conditions. As a result, unit power factor, stable DC bus voltage, and sinusoidal input currents with lower harmonics can be accurately achieved. The design methodology and stability of the proposed controller are verified through a comprehensive analysis. Simulation tests and experimental implementation on a dSPACE 1103 board demonstrate that the proposed control scheme can effectively enhance disturbance rejection performance under various operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a comprehensive power system designed for the use of a more electric aircraft power distribution system. Instead of traditional Nicad battery solutions as the energy source of the aircraft power system, lithium battery structures, which are a recent and promising solution in the field of aviation power systems, are modeled and analyzed. In this study, a WPWM-based, single-phase, multi-level pure sine wave static aircraft-inverter system is designed and integrated to improve the performance of conventional aircraft power systems. In the designed power system, a boost converter structure is proposed that boosts 28 VDC-to-270 VDC voltage coming from the lithium–ion battery pack and can reach a steady state in 0.032 s. The performance of the modeled WPWM-based aircraft-inverter system, compared to SPWM Bipolar and Unipolar switching techniques commonly used in single-phase inverter designs, reveals a THD reduction of approximately 27% with WPWM, resulting in a THD value below 2% for both load current and load voltage. As a result of the study, a power system that will enable the aircraft avionics, ventilation, and navigation systems to perform better than conventional power systems and comply with aircraft electric-power characteristic standards has been designed and detailed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a state‐space average model of a three‐level photovoltaic (PV) inverter to understand short‐circuit currents transient characteristics. Analytical solution of the model is also derived. The proposed model is validated with PV system controller hardware in‐loop (HIL) test method. The errors between simulation and HIL tests results under various conditions are evaluated, testifying the validity of the proposed model. With the model and analytical solution, the decaying time constants of sub‐transient and transient processes are derived, which shows that the time constants of a three‐level PV inverter are not fixed and they vary with voltage dips. The analytical expression of short‐circuit currents is also formulated. The findings from this study are essential to short‐circuit current calculations of a power grid with large‐scale PV plants, coordination of power system protections, and grid planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the THD and AC losses on the DC cables of offshore wind farm-based multi-terminal HVDC systems when they extract and deliver power from and to more than one connection point. In the paper, the study of a full system PLECS + Simulink model with two branches, including a wind resource, a wind turbine, a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG), a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) rectifier, a Single Active Bridge (SAB) DC–DC converter, an Input Parallel Output Series (IPOS) DC–DC converter, HVDC cables, and a simplified onshore system, is presented. It focuses on the investigation of the output ripple content of multiple DC–DC converters on DC cables under different wind conditions with different voltage and power ratings. The importance of the study is providing a general understanding of the operation of the innovative offshore wind farm-based DC system, as well as the interaction between different DC–DC converters and their influence on cable ripple content under different situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a novel double closed-loop robust control strategy based on a power switching affine model of three-phase voltage source converters (VSCs). The aim is to overcome the challenges posed by inaccurate mathematical models, complex controller configurations, indirect switching control, and performance degradation under circuit parameters uncertainty or load variation in conventional methods. These conventional methods rely on linearization models, duty ratio regulation, and pulse width modulation (PWM) technologies. The contributions of work are the following: (1) A two-dimensional (2D) power switching affine model is constructed without any approximation or averaging. (2) The proposed approach achieves direct switching control of three-phase VSCs, eliminating the need for complex rotation coordinate transformation, PWM, and phase locking loop (PLL), which are utilized in traditional control methods. (3) The rigor of the system stability analysis is enhanced based on the 2D power switching model compared to the existing three-dimensional (3D) current switching model. (4) A simple control structure with only two control parameters is employed to address circuit parameter uncertainties. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method is validated through simulation and experimental comparison results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to different output voltages, capacitor voltage imbalance occurs between half-bridge sub-modules (HBSM) and full-bridge sub-modules (FBSM) in hybrid modular multilevel converters (MMCs) under a boosted modulation index (m). To address this issue, a capacitor voltage balancing method based on second-harmonic voltage injection is proposed in this paper. The mechanism of the proposed method is to eliminate the DC component in the charging power of sub-modules under the restriction that the HBSM cannot output negative voltage. The proposed method is divided into two cases according to m. Case 1 is used when m ≤ 1.4, while Case 2 is implemented when m > 1.4. When compared with similar capacitor voltage balancing methods, the proposed SVI method has a simpler structure that can greatly reduce the number of computations. Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed capacitor voltage balancing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parallel three-level neutral point clamped (3L-NPC) inverters are widely used in power conversion applications, such as new energy generation and high voltage inverters. However, the zero-sequence circulating current (ZSCC) between two inverters degrades the whole performance of the system. To suppress the ZSCC in parallel inverters and improve the quality of output current, this study proposes an MPC strategy based on the virtual location vector. First, to reduce the computational burden of MPC, the virtual location vector is constructed by the output current of two inverters so that the control of the parallel inverters is similar to that of a single inverter. Then, the virtual location vector is obtained by using the direct power control method. Finally, the sets of candidate voltage vectors for MPC are determined on the basis of this reference voltage vector and the magnitude of ZSCC. Moreover, the optimal vectors calculated by MPC are assigned to the two inverters. Compared with the traditional MPC strategy, the MPC strategy proposed in this study has better steady state and transient performance with less computational burden. The proposed method is validated in simulation and experimental platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The auxiliary power supply unit for railway vehicles delivers various power to the passenger car. Maintaining isolation between the catenary power line and the auxiliary power in the compartment is typically essential. To ensure electrical isolation, an efficient LLC resonant converter is utilized among isolated DC-DC converters. Generally, LLC resonant converter primarily employ PFM control method. However, there is a limitation in increasing the switching frequency at high input voltages, making it difficult to handle wide input voltage fluctuations from the overhead catenary power line. To overcome this limitation, the PFM control method is introduced alongside the existing PFM control method, resulting in the presence of two controllers. However, since these two controllers regulate the output voltage differently, there is a potential for output voltage overshoot due to significant input voltage fluctuations. This paper proposes a method that combines PFM and PWM controllers, along with feed-forward compensation, to address these issues. The effectiveness of this proposed method is validated through PSIM simulation and experimentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel switched capacitor converter has been proposed to generate 7-levels using seven semiconductor switches (7S7L) to get triple gain in the output voltage which is supplied by a single dc source. A PWM technique, phase disposition pulse width modulation (PD-PWM) has been designed to achieve a suitable switching operation for the 7S7L inverter. In addition, the capacitor voltage is balanced and the suggested inverter uses a charging inductor to decrease the capacitor inrush current, which is a shortcoming in the switched-capacitor multilevel inverters. Moreover, the 7S7L inverter is used to interface the solar panels with the utility grid using a synchronous reference frame-based controller. To check the efficiency, taking actual data, power loss calculation has been discussed for the 7S7L inverter. To illustrate the better performance of the proposed 7S7L inverter than the existing seven-level SC-MLI presented in the literature, a comparative study is also undertaken. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed topology, a converter is simulated using Matlab/Simulink. To validate the simulation results, a real-time study is completed using the OPAL-RT 4510 real-time platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a proportional–derivative (PD) type output voltage regulator without the current feedback, taking into account system parameter and load variations. The main advantages are given as follows: First, the first-order output voltage derivative observer is developed without the requirement of system parameter information, which makes it possible to stabilize the system without current sensing. Second, a simple self-tuner implements the feedback-loop adaptation by updating the desired dynamics accordingly. Third, the observer-based active damping injection for the PD-type controller results in the closed-loop system order reduction to 1 by the pole-zero cancellation, including the disturbance observer as a feed-forward term. The prototype uninterruptible power supply system comprised of a 3 kW three-phase inverter, inductors, and capacitors verifies the practical merits of the proposed technique for linear and nonlinear loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the controller modelling and design for the Active Switched Capacitor/Switched Inductor Quasi-Z-Source with Multilevel Inverter (ASC/SL-QZSI) related three-phase grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) power system is proposed. The ASC/SL-QZSI control method consists of two phases: these are assessed with the use of the proposed effective controller. The proposed control system is the hybridization of the Student Psychology-Based Optimization (SPBO) and the Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN), hence it is named SPBO–RBFNN control scheme. The ASC/SL-QZS offers greater boost capability, uses fewer passive components, like inductors and capacitors, and reduces the voltage stress across main inverter switching devices. The expandability of this topology is another advantage. Extra cells can simply be cascaded at the network's impedance if a higher boost rate is required by adding an inductor and three diodes. In the proposed control scheme, SPBO is developed for determining the total PV voltages. The input PV reference voltages and gain parameters of the SPBO are created as output for optimal tuning of the Proportional Integral (PI) controller. RBFNN is trained with offline process and it is used to extract the reference currents of the grid, and the output of RBFNN is provided with SPBO. It delivers the corresponding tuning parameters to accomplish the grid current. With this proper control, the input power is reduced and the current, voltage and frequency conditions of DC-link are regulated. Finally, the performance of the QZS-CMI is executed in MATLAB and the performance is compared with existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores an improved operation of a recently studied converter, the so-called two-phase sixth-order boost converter (2P6OBC). The converter consists of a symmetric design of power stations followed by an LC filter; its improved operation incorporates an asymmetric pulse width modulation (PWM) scheme for transistor switching, sometimes known as an interleaved PWM approach. The new operation leads to improved performance for the 2P6OBC. Along with studying the 2P6OBC, one of the contributions of this research is providing design equations for the converter and comparing it versus the interleaved (or multiphase) boost converter, known for its competitiveness and advantages; the single-phase boost topology was also included in the comparison. The comparison consisted of a design scenario where all converters must achieve the same power conversion with an established maximum switching ripple, and then the stored energy in passive components is compared. Although the 2P6OBC requires a greater number of components, the total amount of stored energy is smaller. It is known that the stored energy is related to the size of the passive components. Still, the article includes a discussion of this topic. The new operation of the converter offers more streamlined, cost-effective, and efficient alternatives for a range of applications within power electronics. The final design of the 2P6OBC required only 68% of the stored energy in inductors compared to the multiphase boost converter, and 60% of the stored energy in capacitors. This result is outstanding, considering that the multiphase boost converter is a very competitive topology. Experimental results are provided to validate the proposed concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the design and implementation of a Direct Power Control (DPC) based on a virtual flux estimator and an optimal Switching Table (VF-ST-DPC) for a three-phase PWM rectifier. The proposed approach combines DPC principles, a virtual flux estimator concept, and an optimal switching table (ST) to select the optimal converter vector control. The objectives of this approach are to solve the cross-coupling between instantaneous active and reactive powers for each sector and to enhance harmonic line currents. Thus, the proposed method is carried out in a fixed coordinate frame. It therefore does not require a Park transformation or the synchronization of the grid voltage, which is achieved by a virtual flux estimation method. Experimental results, based on the dSpace DS1104 board, show that the VF-ST-DPC ensures smooth and decoupled control of instantaneous active and reactive power, as well as low harmonic levels (THD = 4.6%), verifying the expected performances of the proposed method under both steady-state and transient operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase uninterrupted power supply is widely used in various important electric equipment, and is used to provide voltage supply with a small harmonic output. The core part of the uninterrupted power supply is the inverter circuit, which is of great significance to the control of the output voltage of the inverter circuit. This article uses the single-phase full-bridge inverter circuit as the research object. Based on the principle of the circuit, the model of the system is obtained. Then a continuous switching sliding mode controller with double sliding mode surface was proposed, which composed of inverse system plus sliding mode control. The measurement of capacitive current replaces the differential of capacitive voltage to form a sliding mode surface, which solves the problem that the differential of capacitive voltage cannot directly form a stable sliding mode surface. Double sliding mode surface are used instead of traditional single sliding surface to reduce the chattering of the output voltage. For the same sinusoidal expected output waveform, the proposed method and the double closed-loop cascade control are used to control the output waveform of a single-phase full bridge inverter circuit. The control experimental results show that the maximum instantaneous voltage error and total harmonic distortion rate of the proposed method have significantly improved, and have practical engineering value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the total efficiency of a dual-bridge series resonance converter, a pulse width modulation plus phase-shifted modulation with voltage balance condition is proposed for a hybrid dual-bridge series resonance converter. The control scheme is unified for the whole operating condition and with simple calculation. By employing the proposed voltage balance control, the equivalent unity voltage gain operation can always be achieved, while a simplified two degrees of freedom control can be easily formed. Wide soft-switching range and reduced tank current can be ensured by the pulse width modulation in active hybrid bridge, and power level is adjusted by the phase-shifted modulation. In addition, a magnetizing current compensation method is also employed to improve the soft-switching performance of low voltage side four MOSFETs. The effectiveness of the proposed control is verified by the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the fault current contributions of small‐scale single‐phase photovoltaic inverters under grid‐connected operation and their potential impact on the protection of distribution systems. To conduct this analysis, an autotransformer‐based voltage dip generator is proposed as a means to test the photovoltaic inverters' contribution to short‐circuit currents. Laboratory tests are then performed to obtain the short‐circuit current contribution of eight single‐phase photovoltaic inverters. Using the short‐circuit current data obtained, a behaviour model is developed and simulated on Matlab‐Simulink. The model is then applied to a real distribution system and case studies are conducted to simulate the potential impacts on the protection system. Results indicate that while the massive penetration of small‐scale single‐phase photovoltaic inverters can alter the protection system's operating time, the impacts are not significant. Only in very specific scenarios, such as events related to high impedance faults, some impact can be observed. In these situations, the presence of photovoltaic inverters further complicates the already difficult task of identifying high impedance faults through conventional overcurrent protections. This study provides valuable insights into the integration of photovoltaic inverters into distribution systems, and can aid in the development of effective protection measures for future grid designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of bearing current is common in wind power generation system, which leads to the attenuation of generator life and great economic losses. Bearing voltage of a 5.5 MW wind‐turbine permanent magnet synchronous generator is studied. The bearing voltage equivalent circuit is modelled by studying the internal system structure of the generator, and an extraction method of cable parameters, generator winding parameters and stray capacitance parameters based on experiments is proposed to simulate the system. A system test platform is built to test the common mode voltage, common mode current and bearing voltage, and the test results are compared with the simulation results in time domain and frequency domain. The result indicate that the common mode equivalent model can accurately simulate the actual bearing voltage. Finally, rotor flange insulation is adopted to suppress bearing voltage. The relationship between the design of rotor flange insulation with suppressing effect is discussed. Finally, an optimisation design method is presented for the proposed suppression scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved AC-link voltage matching control (IVM) strategy is proposed for the multiport modular multilevel DC transformer (M3DCT), which comprises a single-phase modular multilevel converter (MMC) and a series of cascaded H-bridge units. The objective of the proposed IVM strategy is to address the AC-link voltage mismatch phenomenon. Distinct from existing control methods, such as various phase-shifting control methods and the conventional AC-link voltage matching control strategy, the proposed IVM strategy orchestrates the operation of the M3DCT in an innovative fashion. It allows the sum of inserted submodule (SM) numbers in the upper and lower arms to be flexible, no longer confined to a specific SM number per arm. Consequently, the AC-link voltage of the M3DCT is maintained proximate to the matched operating condition, regardless of the degree of mismatch in the DC side voltage of the M3DCT. This enables the enhancement of the M3DCT's overall operational performance, particularly under conditions of light loads within medium-voltage DC (MVDC) distribution systems. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy and the corresponding analysis are substantiated through simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear induction launchers (LILs) are a specific subtype of linear motors. However, LILs are air-core machines that consistently operate in a transient rather than a steady state. Moreover, their operating currents and voltages exceed those of traditional machines. The execution time of LILs often remains within a few milliseconds, and it is essential to manage extremely high-power levels quickly. The control methods for LILs differ from those used for regular machines due to the differences from conventional linear motors. In this respect, there are still challenges to be overcome in power systems designed for LILs in the literature. This study has developed a novel power energization system to address these challenges, particularly in terms of inadequate V/f control and the unnecessary energization of regions along the barrel where no projectile is present. It focuses on the system's design using multi-stage H-bridge inverters to produce a sinusoidal current for section-by-section polyphase excitation. An FPGA-based electronics control system generates bipolar PWM fiber-optical signals for IGBT switches for scalar V/f control of the inverters. Distributed multi-inverters power each stage of the launcher's barrel and are controlled by the FPGA to create the travelling electromagnetic wave package. Three-dimensional FEM analysis is used for observation of the trigger timing to ensure positive force along the barrel. By driving each inverter independently, the coils on the barrel are excited sequentially based on the position of the projectile. This study also explains the implementation of a laboratory-scale barrel prototype, a 40 mm aluminum projectile, its power electronics, and the control part of the multi-stage inverters. In this study, 3300 V–1200 A IGBTs and 8.8 mF–2000 V DC-Link capacitors were used in the H-bridge inverter modules. Experimental studies have been conducted on the launcher, and the results obtained, including achieving a velocity of 30 m/s, are consistent with the electromagnetic simulations. It has been observed that the launcher, powered by the proposed system, is approximately 57.14% more efficient compared to the version energized by a single inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy ripples are among the common problems in renewable energies as a result of using less efficient strategies. In this work, a new technique is suggested to control a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) using the pulse width modulation (PWM). The new technique is based on the combination of neural networks and fractional-order control to minimize the reactive and active power ripples of the DFIG-based variable speed dual-rotor wind turbine system. The suggested fractional-order neural control (FONC) with the PWM is a simple, robust and a high-performance strategy. Simulation is performed using Matlab software to validate the effectiveness of the designed control of 1.5 MW DFIG and the obtained results are compared with the traditional direct power control (DPC) in different working conditions. In addition, the comparison between the suggested control and the DPC is performed in the cases of changing or not changing the device parameters in terms of ripple ratio, dynamic response, steady-state error, current quality, and overshoot of active and reactive power of the DFIG. As compared to the DPC, the proposed FONC technique improves the active and reactive power ripples by 65.71% and 84.74%, respectively. Also, improves the overshoot of the active and reactive power by 71.33% and 91.72%, respectively. The simulation results demonstrate the high performance and robustness of the FONC technique for the parametric variations of the DFIG-based variable speed dual-rotor wind turbine system compared to the DPC control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Single‐phase high‐frequency resonant inverters (SPHFRIs) with high power density, fast dynamic response, and high energy conversion efficiency have been widely studied and used in academia and industry. With the development of the modularization concept, the operation of multiple inverter modules is desirable because it can remove the limitations of cost, heat dissipation, and component volume in single inverter operation. However, a critical challenge in multiple inverter systems is that the both the phase and magnitude of the output voltage of each inverter module must be controllable to eliminate circulating currents between inverter modules. Great efforts have been made to solve this problem from three aspects: topology, modulation, and control strategy. In this paper, modulation strategies and topologies of different inverters are presented and reviewed to provide guidance to researchers working in this field. Firstly, multiple inverter system based on the SPHFRI is described and its advantages and disadvantages are analyzed. An important issue in the study of multiple inverter systems is presented, that is, the suppression of circulating current. Secondly, the circulating currents in a multiple inverter system are analyzed and derived from two aspects: (1) magnitude and phase angle and (2) active and reactive currents. Thirdly, the inverters used in the multiple inverter system are introduced, and their operating principles, advantages, and disadvantages are reviewed. A key comparison of several inverters is presented for the benefit of the readers. Fourth, through PI closed‐loop simulation, the performance of different multiple inverter systems for suppressing the circulating current is compared in two situations: (1) with magnitude discrepancy only and (2) with both magnitude and phase discrepancy. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of each inverter are summarized, and the state of the art and future trends are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper proposes a new floor function single carrier‐based modulated model predictive current control technique (FF‐SC‐M2PC2T) by considering conventional nine‐level T‐type packed U‐cell (9L‐TPUC) inverter topology. To get desired peak value of load current with low harmonic distortion, the finite control set‐based model predictive control technique (FCS‐MPCT) has been reported in the literature considering load dynamics and minimization of the cost function. However, inherently it suffers from variable switching frequency (VSF) of operation. To diminish this issue, an M2PC2T has been implemented and it provides a constant switching frequency (CSF) of operation. Especially coming to the modulation stage, most authors generally use level‐shifted pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques which inherently require more carriers, if‐else conditions, and additional logical gate blocks to generate particular level output. Hence, the control complexity increases as going to higher‐level inverter topologies. In this manuscript, a new simple floor function single carrier‐based pulse width modulation (FF‐SC‐PWM) technique has been proposed which applies to any single‐phase switched capacitor type multilevel inverter topology and it can be easily integrated with a predictive control algorithm to regulate the inverter output current (IOC). Finally, to check the effectiveness of the proposed control technique (PCT) in a closed loop, a laboratory prototype has been employed on 9L‐TPUC inverter topology with different static and dynamic case studies considering RL‐Load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Step‐up multilevel inverters with common‐ground feature are attractive for transformerless photovoltaic systems. However, their performance deteriorates at step‐down voltage range. Considering a five‐level inverter with double voltage gain, the number of output voltage levels decreases from 5 to 3 for a modulation index smaller than 0.5, declining the quality of the output currents. This paper proposes a new dual‐mode five‐level common‐grounded inverter with a reduced number of switches. The proposed topology has the ability to operate as step‐up or step‐down making it well suited for application with wide input voltage range. The proposed inverter consists of five unidirectional switches, one bidirectional switch, two diodes, and two capacitors. In addition, the description of the topology, the design guidelines, and a comparison among the main topologies are given in detail. Experimental results are obtained to attest the practicability of the proposed solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing popularity of electric drives employing an isolated dual-inverter (DI) topology is motivated by their superior DC-link voltage and power utilization, fault-tolerant operation, and potential for multilevel operation. These attributes are significant in battery-powered transportation, such as electric vehicles and aviation. Given the considerable freedom in modulation and control of the DI topology, this paper researches the impact of reference voltage vector distribution between the two individual inverters. The study also evaluates the influence of two well-established asynchronous modulation strategies—Space Vector PWM (SVPWM) and Depenbrock's Discontinuous Modulation (DPWM1). Since simulation tools nowadays play a crucial role in power electronics design and concept verification, the results are based on extensive and detailed models in Matlab/Simulink. Employing the basic field-oriented control of a 12 kW induction motor with precisely parameterized SiC switching devices for accurate loss calculation, this research reveals the possibility of significant energy savings at multiple operating points. Notably, optimal efficiency is achieved when one inverter operates up to half of the nominal speed while the other solely establishes a neutral point for the winding. Moreover, the results highlight DPWM1 as a superior strategy for the DI topology, showcasing reduced converter losses. Overall, it is shown that the system's losses can be significantly reduced just by the design of the voltage vector distribution in the drive's operating range and the modulation strategy selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, transformer-less photovoltaic (PV) multi-level inverters (MLIs) are commonly employed in both industrial and residential settings. This structure has attracted increased attention due to its unique advantages, such as higher efficiency, lower cost and size, better waveform quality, and inherent fault tolerance. However, due to the removal of the transformer, the common mode voltage (CMV) becomes one of the crucial issues in transformer-less PV MLIs. The high-frequency variation in CMV results in a leakage current that deteriorates the line current quality, increases the PV power system losses, leads to severe electromagnetic emissions (EMI), reduces the PV array lifespan, and causes personal safety problems. In this regard, this paper presents a review of the existing and recent research on modulation techniques based on space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWMs) that overcome this issue in transformer-less three-level NPC-MLIs (3L-NPC-MLIs). The reduced CMV-SVPWM (RCMV-SVPWM) can be mainly categorized as an RCMV-SVPWM based on the vector type, based on virtual vectors, and based on the two-level SVPWM (2L-SVPWM). Their features and their limitations in terms of several main criteria are discussed. In the final section of this paper, some challenges and future trends for this research area are projected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An open-end winding arrangement is fed with two typical 2-level voltage source inverters (VSIs) on either side to accomplish multilevel inversion. Two voltage source modules (VSIs) DC-link voltages are kept at a 2:1 ratio to realize the open-end winding induction motor (OEW-IM) power circuit's four-level configuration. However, the higher DC-link voltage capacitor overcharges its lower DC-link voltage counterpart in the 4-level power circuit configuration. This article proposes a new hybrid-clamping space vector PWM (SVPWM) approach to prevent overcharging. Based on the sample moment, the suggested SVPWM technique clamps one inverter and switches to another inverter. Additionally, it clamps one of the inverter's switching phases. The proposed PWM method has been found to reduce switching power loss in contrast to earlier SVPWM methods. The proposed SVPWM scheme for the 4-level OEW-IM drive is tested and verified using an experimental laboratory setup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, a new floor function (F2) single‐carrier (SC)‐based modulated model predictive current control technique (M2PC2T) has been proposed by considering the conventional single‐phase five‐level packed U‐cell (PUC5) inverter topology. Generally, to regulate the output current, the finite control set‐based MPC technique without a modulator inherently operates with variable switching frequency, and it is unsuitable for industrial applications. To alleviate this, authors have implemented M2PC2T, which provides constant switching frequency of operation. In this technique, generally, the predictive algorithm has been integrated with any modulation stage. However, while the implementation of pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques, most authors have used conventional PWM techniques which further increases the control complexity as the level number increases. In this manuscript, a simple and generalized F2‐SC‐PWM technique has been proposed and integrated with the predictive algorithm. This PWM technique implementation process is very simple as compared with all conventional PWM techniques since even if the level number increases, the number of modulating and carrier signals is always only one. Finally, the complete closed‐loop control technique is called a generalized F2‐SC‐M2PC2T which is suitable for all stiff direct current (dc) sources and switched capacitor‐type multilevel inverter (MLI) topologies. The proposed control technique (PCT) has been experimentally verified with different transient and steady‐state case studies by considering resistive‐inductive load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the pulse width modulation (PWM) harmonic suppression effect of the three‐phase VSI‐fed PMSM system, this paper proposed a novel random switching period (RSP)‐Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation (SVPWM) technique for the three‐phase power converter. First, the proposed technique replaces the 10‐bit linear feedback shift register pseudorandom number generator (LFSR‐PRNG) with a Tiny Mersenne Twister (MT)‐PRNG to quickly generate high‐quality pseudorandom number sequences. Then, to reduce the sampling error caused by the current ripple, this paper analyzes the sampling timing under different modulation techniques. Based on the interrupted update mechanism of the Infineon AURIX‐TC264, the variable frequency sampling of the RSP‐SVPWM technique is implemented to ensure the best sampling of the motor phase current. Finally, the simulation and experimental results show that the proposed technique can effectively disperse PWM harmonic energy. Meanwhile, the RSP‐SVPWM technique based on variable sampling frequency effectively improves the phase current quality of the PMSM system. The proposed technique shows great potential for suppressing PWM harmonics in integrated PMSM systems. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cascaded H-bridge multilevel converter topology is the ultimate solution for energy conversion in various industrial applications due to its exceptional features, such as high modularity and fault-tolerant capability. However, two circumstances can lead to unbalanced operation of the inverter, potentially causing a decrease in its reliability and survivability: unequal DC voltage sources and faulty cells. In recent decades, scientists and engineers have conducted intensive research and meaningful studies to propose control solutions capable of maintaining the stable and continuous operation of the inverter under these operational concerns. Typically, each challenge is addressed separately using a distinct compensation control scheme in the existing literature. The paper aims to offer a comprehensive review of the existing compensation control schemes appropriate for CHBMIs operating under unbalanced conditions. It overviews the most popular control schemes and summarizes their usefulness in such scenarios. The theoretical foundations of each control scheme are presented and discussed, including their operating principles, implementation schemes, advantages, and disadvantages. The paper concludes with suggested future trends that require further research for CHBMIs' continued growth and adoption in various industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacitor voltage unbalancing is the common problem in modular multilevel converter. This problem occurs even at the fundamental frequency due to the modulation technique which generates the unequal periods of the gate signals. To reduce this problem, this paper introduced a new submodule (SM)-based modular multilevel converter (MMC). The proposed MMC can generate the 2N + 1 level at the load side. By properly controlling the arm current of the converter, DC capacitor voltage in each submodule is balanced at its base voltage and improves the circulating current during unequal periods of the gate signals without using controller. This paper presents the performance of new submodule-based modular multilevel converter. Finally, the proposed converter is compared with the conventional modular multilevel converter topologies with and without third harmonic injection method. Further the proposed structure and presented techniques have been simulated in the MATLAB/SIMULINK, and the practical implementation has been done using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of electricity from renewable sources has made considerable strides in today's industrialized nations. The primary objective of this research is to examine the grid integration of solar systems within permissible total harmonic distortion (THD) limits, with the help of a proposed cascaded feedforward neural network (CFNN) controller fed advanced power conversion devices such as symmetrical hybrid (SH), switched inductor (SL), and switched capacitor (SC) based boost converter and reduced switch cascade multilevel inverter (CMLI). The SH–SL–SC converter for power conversion features a high voltage gain and reduced switch CMLI features minimum number of power electronic switches and low harmonic content in both the voltage and current profiles. When producing a control signal for the recommended SH–SL–SC boost converter, the proposed CFNN-MPPT controller performs better under different weather scenarios where it needs significant data to operate effectively. Consequently, the CFNN-MPPT controller fed SH–SC–SC boost converter-based PV system is integrated into the grid through reduced switch CMLI where it is controlled by proposed CFNN controller. The CMLI can be operated on asynchronous input voltage sources and making it ideal for PV systems when integrated to the grid with improved power quality by reducing total harmonic distortion (THD) to less than 5% at point of common coupling. With reference to the standards outlined in IEEE 1547 and 519, the simulation's outcomes were reviewed. Finally, a symmetric hybrid SL–SC boost converter and modified cascaded nine level inverter have been conceived and produced as a laboratory prototype model and its output waveforms are presented in this article. The proposed intelligent controller fed converter exhibits enhancements in the converter voltage gain and power quality by lowering the THD level at PCC in the grid integration with the PV power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilevel inverters (MLIs) have been widely accepted in several industrial applications. The advantages provided by MLI are achieved only through the use of several semiconductor switches and capacitors; consecutively increase the total system cost and complexity. To overcome the above limitations, this article develops a reduced device count hybrid MLI topology. The proposed MLI topology (PMLIT) can produce a 9-level voltage waveform with symmetrical sources and a 7-, 11-level output voltage waveform with asymmetrical sources using a single cell. In addition, PMLIT can be extended to produce any number of voltage levels by cascade connection of the cells with the built-in ability to produce both negative and positive voltage levels. Also, the voltage across the used capacitor is self-balanced without the use of any external components. The comparative investigation reveals the superior characteristics of the PMLIT in terms of the components and total blocking voltage over the newly and conventional topologies. Also, the calculated cost function shows that the PMLIT is more economical than the recently developed topologies. Finally, the viability of the PMLIT has been validated by conducting various tests on the simulation platform and also experimentally for 7, 9, 11 and 81 levels under diverse operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In voltage‐controlled voltage source inverters (VSIs)‐based microgrids (MGs), the inner control is of prime interest task for guaranteeing safe and stable operation. In this paper, an in‐depth investigation of the modelling, control design, and analysis of the voltage and current inner control loops intended for single‐phase voltage‐controlled VSIs is established. The main objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive study of the mathematical modelling, control design, and performance evaluation of the inner control's loops considering different proportional‐integral (PI) controller types with and without compensation, and to determine the optimal scheme that can offer better performance in terms of implementation simplicity, robustness, and transient and steady‐state responses. Thus, the mathematical closed‐loop models of designed outer voltage and inner current control schemes based on PI, P, and feedforward controllers with and without compensation are, first, derived. Following this, a systematic and effective control design for tuning the different PI controllers' parameters is proposed. Furthermore, an analysis revealing the performance of the designed voltage and current control schemes is provided. This analysis enables us to choose a P controller and PI feedforward controller for the current control loop and the voltage control loop, respectively. The chosen P and PI controllers should be simple; meanwhile, they should offer a wide bandwidth. A simulation study is carried out in MATLAB/Simulink software to assess the performance of the adopted inner control scheme for both linear and non‐linear loads. In addition, an experimental setup, based on a TMS320F2837xD μC, of a single‐phase VSI supplying linear and non‐linear loads is built to verify the effectiveness and the robustness of the adopted inner controller. The results demonstrated: (1) the necessity of introducing the compensation term, which is responsible for offering control improvement against voltage perturbation, (2) the high tracking performance of the chosen controller in terms of dynamic and steady‐state responses as well as its simplicity of implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an algorithm for determining the optimal capacitance by utilizing a mathematical model of a submodule (SM) capacitor in a modular multilevel converter (MMC) specifically for medium voltage motor drives (MVDs). By approximating the voltage fluctuation of the SM capacitor during low-frequency operation, it is feasible to ascertain the minimum capacitance required for the SM capacitor, ensuring that its voltage fluctuations remain within an acceptable limit that is predefined as a specified value. Moreover, the study considered the injection of both a high-frequency common-mode voltage (CMV) and a circulating current to alleviate the SM voltage fluctuation during the acceleration of motor drives. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through verification using time-domain simulation results obtained using the MATLAB/SIMULINK software and real-time simulation results acquired using the OPAL-RT simulator platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AC battery utilizing second-life time batteries has gained great interest currently with the advantages of both power solutions and economic benefits. In this system, the power converters play a crucial role in the stable and effective operation of the system. This paper focused on the AC/DC stage with the chosen topology being the interleaved full bridge (IFB) converter due to its flexibility and the ability to increase the power rate of the system. For the sake of high-performance operation, various pulse width modulation (PWM) methods for this converter are analyzed. First, based on the theory of the traditional PWM methods for a full bridge inverter in combination with the interleaved technique, this paper proposed three interleaved PWM methods for the IFB converter. Secondly, the proposed methods are theoretically compared in terms of the output current, common-mode voltage, and power losses. Finally, the evaluation is carried out by both the simulation and the experimental prototype, in which the results are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a Multi-Level Cascade Inverter (MLI) based on Enhanced Quasi-Z Source Inverter (MQZSI) to connect photovoltaic (PV) systems based on the proposed method. Usually the interface among PV power supply and load is completed with MQZS-CMLI. In this paper, the proposed control scheme is comprehensive implementation of Recalling Enhanced Recurrent Neural Network (RERNN) and Quasi-Opposite Chemical Reaction Optimization (QOCRO) named as RENCO. The main objective of proposed method is to decide the efficiency of the PV system by the maximal power extraction. Here, MQZS-CMLI's modeling design contains suitable number of components, other than their capacitors and semiconductors comply with low-voltage stress. It is improved for providing that maximum power of the PV power generation system. At first, the goal function is described according to the parameters and limitations of controller (like voltage, current, power, modulation index, so on). These parameters apply to recommend RENCO technology input. The proposed RENCO technology improves voltage distribution, power transmission, and minimizes power fluctuations while sharing power with load. The proposed MPPT-based technology ensures that the maximum power is provided to load. The proposed method adjust the duty cycle of MQZS-CMLI and reduces the modulation load. Finally, the proposed technology is executed on the MATLAB/Simulink platform, and its output efficiency is compared to existing systems under dissimilar load circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]