• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.346-357
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• 2017

The Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is particularly attractive for medium and high power applications such as High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems. In order to reach a high voltage, the number of cascaded submodules (SMs) is generally very large. Thus, in the applications with hundreds or even thousands of SMs such as MMC-HVDCs, the sorting algorithm of the conventional voltage balancing strategy is extremely slow. This complicates the controller design and increases the hardware cost tremendously. This paper presents a Two-Way Merge Sort (TWMS) strategy based on the prediction of the capacitor voltages under ideal conditions. It also proposes an innovative Insertion Sort Correction for the TWMS (ISC-TWMS) to solve issues in practical engineering under non-ideal conditions. The proposed sorting methods are combined with the features of the MMC-HVDC control strategy, which significantly accelerates the sorting process and reduces the implementation efforts. In comparison with the commonly used quicksort algorithm, it saves at least two-thirds of the sorting execution time in one arm with 100 SMs, and saves more with a higher number of SMs. A 501-level MMC-HVDC simulation model in PSCAD/EMTDC has been built to verify the validity of the proposed strategies. The fast speed and high efficiency of the algorithms are demonstrated by experiments with a DSP controller (TMS320F28335).

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.1109-1118
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• 2014

A Fundamental Frequency Sorting Algorithm (FFSA) is proposed in this paper to balance the voltages of floating dc capacitors for Modular Multilevel Converters (MMCs). The main idea is to change the sequences of the CPS-PWM carriers according to the capacitor voltage increments during the previous fundamental period. Excessive frequent sorting is avoided and many calculating resources are saved for the controller. As a result, more sub-modules can be dealt with. Furthermore, it does not need to measure the arm currents. Therefore, the communication between the controllers can be simplified and the number of current sensors can be reduced. Moreover, the proposed balancing method guarantees that all of the switching frequencies of the sub-modules are equal to each other. This is quite beneficial for the thermal design of the sub-modules and the lifetime of the power switches. Simulation and experimental results acquired from a 9-level prototype verify the viability of the proposed balancing method.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.660-669
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• 2015

This paper presents a control scheme with a focus on the combination of phase disposition pulse width modulation (PDPWM) and DC capacitor voltage control for a chopper-cell based modular multilevel converter (MMC) for the purpose of eliminating the time-consuming voltage sorting algorithm and complex voltage balancing regulators. In this paper, the convergence of the DC capacitor voltages within one arm is realized by charging the minimum voltage module and discharging the maximum voltage module during each switching cycle with the assistances of MAX/MIN capacitor voltage detection and PDPWM signals exchanging. The process of voltage balancing control introduces no extra switching commutation, which is helpful in reducing power loss and improving system efficiency. Additionally, the proposed control scheme also possess the merit of a simple executing procedure in application. Simulation and experimental results indicates that the MMC circuit together with the proposed method functions very well in balancing the DC capacitor voltage and improving system efficiency even under transient states.

• 전력전자학회:학술대회논문집
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• 전력전자학회 2012년도 전력전자학술대회 논문집
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• pp.351-352
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• 2012

본 논문에서는 최근 직류송전용 컨버터로 많은 관심이 집중되고 있는 MMC(Modular Multi-level Converter)에 대해서 소개하고 있다. 대용량 전압원 컨버터로 MMC가 적합한 이유에 대해서 설명하고, MMC의 동작원리, SM(Sub-Module) dc capacitor voltage balancing 기술, 전체 제어 시스템에 대해 자세하게 설명하고 있다. 제안하는 MMC는 Staircase Modulation 방식으로 사인파형에 가까운 출력전압을 형성하고, Sorting 알고리즘을 구현하여 개별 SM의 커패시터 전압이 균등하게 일정 값을 유지하도록 하였다. 제안하는 MMC의 성능평가를 위하여 PSCAD/EMTDC 프로그램을 이용하여 3상 11-level MMC를 모의하였다.