Sliding mode control for pulsed load power supply converters in DC shipboard microgrids

Pulsed power load (PPL) is a special load type in shipboard microgrids (SMGs), which consists of the generation module, energy storage system, and various types of loads. Having a reliable power supply to shipboard loads is a challenge as the SMG operates in islanded mode in most cases. Particularly, the PPLs require high transient power transfer with fast dynamics and strong robustness. Conventional solution to supply for the PPL is based on proportional-integral (PI) control, which can be used by linearizing the system around the equilibrium operation point. However, for a pulsed power supply (PPS) system, the load demand drastically changes in a short time, usually in millisecond level, making the operating point changes when the pulsed power is triggered or terminated. To supply the PPL with fast dynamics and robustness, an improved PPS control method is presented in this paper. By adopting a nonlinear sliding mode control (SMC) method, fast voltage regulation and robust pulse power tracking can be achieved. In the PPS, the PPL power demand is divided into two terms: one is the average power that is supplied by the SMG and the other is the fast pulsed power that is supplied by the storage capacitor. The size and cost of the storage capacitor are reduced as it is intentionally driven to a deep discharge. The PPS system configuration and coordination principle, SMC controllers, and sizing of passive elements in the PPS are analyzed in detail. The effectiveness of the presented PPS is verified by simulation results.