• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.447-454
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• 2016

A single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC) features low input current ripple and output voltage up/down capability. However, the switching devices in a two-level SEPIC suffer from high voltage stresses and switching losses. To cope with this drawback, this study proposes a three-level SEPIC that uses a low voltage-rated switch and thus achieves better switching performance compared with the two-level SEPIC. The three-level SEPIC can reduce switch voltage stresses and switching losses. The converter operation and control method are described in this work. The experimental results for a 500 W prototype converter are also discussed. Experimental results show that unlike the two-level SEPIC, the three-level SEPIC achieves improved power efficiency with balanced capacitor voltages.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.621-630
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• 2016

In this paper, a single current sensor technique (SCST) is proposed for single-phase full-bridge inverters. The proposed SCST measures the currents of multiple branches at the same time, and reconstructs the average inductor, capacitor, and load current in a single switching cycle. Since all of the branches' current in the LC filter and the load are obtained using the SCST, both the inductor and the capacitor current feedback schemes can be selectively applied while taking advantages of each other. This paper also analyzes both of the current feedback schemes from the view point of the closed-loop output impedance. The proposed SCST and the analysis in this paper are verified through experiments on a 3kVA single-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.473-479
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• 2016

In this paper, the PSC PWM method is chosen as the optimal modulation method for a 20MW VSC HVDC, with consideration of the harmonic distortion of the output voltage, the switching frequency, and the control implementation difficulty. In addition, a new PSC PWM method is proposed in order to achieve an easy application and to solve the redundant control problems encountered in the previous PSC PWM method. To verify the proposed PSC PWM method, PSCAD/EMTDC simulations for an 11-level MMC RTDS HILS test and an 11-level MMC prototype converter test were performed. As can be seen from the results of these tests, the proposed PSC PWM method shows good results in an 11-level MMC with redundant sub-modules.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1752-1762
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• 2016

To achieve higher reliability in the modular multilevel converters (MMC) for HVDC transmission systems, the internal condition of the DC capacitors of the submodules (SM) needs to be monitored regularly. For an online estimation of the SM capacitance, a controlled AC current with double the fundamental frequency is injected into the circulating current loop of the MMC, which results in current and voltage ripples in the SM capacitors. The capacitor currents are calculated from the arm currents and their switching states. By processing these AC voltage and current components with digital filters, their capacitances are estimated by a recursive least square (RLS) algorithm. The validity of the proposed scheme has been verified by simulation results for a 300-MW, 300-kV HVDC system. In addition, its feasibility has been verified by experimental results obtained with a reduced-scale prototype. It has been shown that the estimation errors for both the simulation and experimental tests are 1.32% at maximum.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2011

In this paper, an approach to reduce common-mode voltage (CMV) at the output of multilevel inverters using a phase opposition disposed (POD) sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) technique is proposed. The SPWM technique does not require computations therefore, this technique is easy to implement on-line in digital controllers. A good tradeoff between the quality of the output voltage and the magnitude of the CMV is achieved in this paper. This paper realizes the implementation of a POD-SPWM technique to reduce CMV using a five-level diode clamped inverter for a three phase induction motor. Experimental and simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.424-429
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• 2011

In this paper, the simulator of an on-line monitoring system for the range extender electric vehicle has been developed. The messages from the four control modules, the air pressure and fuel level sensors data, and the on/off switching states of 31 indicator lamps can be received through the control area network (CAN), and displayed on the graphic panel. The simulator was designed using the four DSP boards, variable resistors, and toggle switches instead of the four control modules, sensors, and switching state of indicator lamps on an actual series hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV) bus, respectively. The performance of the monitoring technologies was verified with the simulator at the laboratory, and then it was tested on an actual SHEV bus. The simulator is very useful at the initial development of the monitoring system at the hybrid-type or electrical vehicles.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.268-275
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• 2012

Based on the standards that limit the harmonic pollution of electronic systems, the use of PFC converters is mandatory. In this paper, a new resonant bridgeless PFC converter is introduced. By eliminating the input bridge diodes, the efficiency is improved. Moreover, soft switching conditions for all of the semiconductor elements are achieved without adding any extra switches. As a result, high efficiency is attained. The proposed converter is analyzed and the theoretical and simulation results of the proposed converter are presented. In order to verify the validity of the analysis, a 40 w prototype converter is implemented and experimental results are presented. The experimental results show that high efficiency is attained while achieving a high power factor.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 2012

This paper presents a design of a 30kW 250V/530V bidirectional DC-DC converter to be used in an electrical car. A detailed explanation of the design is given. The system uses two phase shifted half bridge (boost and buck) topologies to reduce the ripple current in the output capacitor. The converter has an efficiency of 95% at nominal power. It works as a constant voltage in one direction and as a constant current in the other to charge the batteries. Simulations and measurement are done at high power to test the efficiency.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.561-567
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• 2011

This paper presents a high-efficiency power conditioning system (PCS) for grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) modules. The proposed PCS consists of a step-up DC-DC converter and a single-phase DC-AC inverter for the grid-connected PV modules. A soft-switching step-up DC-DC converter is proposed to generate a high DC-link voltage from the low PV module voltage with a high-efficiency. A DC-link voltage controller is presented for constant DC-link voltage regulation. A half-bridge inverter is used for the single-phase DC-AC inverter for grid connection. A grid current controller is suggested to supply PV electrical power to the power grid with a unity power factor. Experimental results are obtained from a 180 W grid-connected PV module system using the proposed PCS. The proposed PCS achieves a high power efficiency of 93.0 % with an unity power factor for a 60 Hz / 120 Vrms AC power grid.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.568-575
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• 2011

This paper proposes an application of energy storage devices (ESD) for low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) capability enhancement and power smoothening of doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbine systems. A grid-side converter (GSC) is used to maintain the DC-link voltage. Meanwhile, a machine-side converter (MSC) is used to control the active and reactive powers independently. For grid disturbances, the generator output power can be reduced by increasing the generator speed, resulting in an increased inertial energy of the rotational body. Design and control techniques for the energy storage devices are introduced, which consist of current and power control loops. Also, the output power fluctuation of the generator due to wind speed variations can be smoothened by controlling the ESD. The validity of the proposed method has been verified by PSCAD/EMTDC simulation results for a 2 MW DFIG wind turbine system and by experimental results for a small-scale wind turbine simulator.