• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.714-726
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• 2019

This paper proposes a hybrid-boost Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) for the Medium-Voltage (MV) Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) employed in subsea applications, such as oil and gas recovery. In the presented architecture, a hybrid-boost MMC with a reduced number of semiconductor devices driving a multiphase Induction Machine (IM) is investigated. The stepped output voltage generated by the MMC reduces or eliminates the filtering requirements. Moreover, the boosting capability of the proposed architecture eliminates the need for bulky low-frequency transformers at the converter output terminals. A detailed illustration of the hybrid-boost MMC operation, the expected limitations/constraints, and the voltage balancing technique are presented. A simulation model of the proposed MV hybrid-boost MMC-based five-phase IM drive has been built to investigate the system performance. Finally, a downscaled prototype has been constructed for experimental verification.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.829-838
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• 2016

This paper focuses on the engineering trade-offs in designing capacitor voltage balancing schemes for modular multilevel converters (MMC) HVDC: regulation performance and switching loss. MMC is driven by the on/off switch operation of numerous submodules and the key design concern is balancing submodule capacitor voltages minimizing switching transition among submodules because it represents the voltage regulation performance and system loss. This paper first introduces the state-of-the-art MMC-HVDC submodule capacitor voltage balancing methods reported in the literatures and discusses the trade-offs in designing these methods for HVDC application. This paper further proposes a submodule capacitor balancing scheme exploiting a control signal to flexibly interchange between the on-state and the off-state submodules. The proposed scheme enables desired performance-based voltage regulation and avoids unnecessary switching transitions among submodules, consequently reducing the switching loss. The flexibility and controllability particularly fit in high-level MMC HVDC applications where the aforementioned design trade-offs become more crucial. Simulation studies for MMC HVDC are performed to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed capacitor voltage balancing algorithm.

• 전력전자학회논문지
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.415-423
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• 2018

This study uses a level selection algorithm with fixed sampling frequency for modular multilevel converter (MMC) systems. Theoretically, the proposed method increases the level infinitely while the sampling time remains the same. The proposed method called cluster stream buffer (CSB) consists of several clusters, wherein each cluster is composed of 32 submodules that depend on the level of the submodules in the MMC system. To increase the level of the MMC system, additional clusters are used, and the sampling time between clusters is determined from the sampling time between levels needed for utilizing the entire level from the MMC system. This method is crucial in the control of MMC-type HVDC systems because it improves scalability and precision.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.96-105
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• 2017

In this paper, a hybrid modular multilevel converter (MMC) topology with an improved nearest level modulation method is proposed for medium-voltage high-power applications. The arm of the proposed topology contains N series connected half-bridge submodules (HBSMs), one full-bridge submodule (FBSM) and an inductor. By exploiting the FBSM, half-level voltages are obtained in the arm voltages. Therefore, an output voltage with a 2N+1 level number can be generated. Moreover, the total level number of the inserted submodules (SMs) is a constant. Thus, there is no pulse voltage across the arm inductors, and the SM capacitor voltage is rated. With the proposed voltage balancing method, the capacitor voltage of the HBSM is twice the voltage of the FBSM, and each IGBT of the FBSM has a relatively low switching frequency and an equalized conduction loss. The capacitor voltage balancing methods of the two kinds of SMs are implemented independently. As a result, the switching frequency of the HBSM is not increased compared to the conventional MMC. In addition, according to a theoretical calculation of the total harmonic distortion of the electromotive force (EMF), the voltage quality with the presented method can be significantly enhanced when the SM number is relatively small. Simulation and experimental results obtained with a MMC-based inverter verify the validity of the developed method.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.529-539
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• 2019

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) has become a promising topology for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems. To control a MMC system properly, the ac-side current, circulating current and submodule (SM) capacitor voltage are taken into consideration. This paper proposes a low-computation indirect model predictive control (IMPC) strategy that takes advantages of the conventional MPC and has no weighting factors. The cost function and duty cycle are introduced to minimize the tracking error of the ac-side current and to eliminate the circulating current. An optimized merge sort (OMS) algorithm is applied to keep the SM capacitor voltages balanced. The proposed IMPC strategy effectively reduces the controller complexity and computational burden. In this paper, a discrete-time mathematical model of a MMC system is developed and the duty ratio of switching state is designed. In addition, a simulation of an eleven-level MMC system based on MATLAB/Simulink and a five-level experimental setup are built to evaluate the feasibility and performance of the proposed low-computation IMPC strategy.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제17권6호
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• pp.1490-1499
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• 2017

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is generally considered to be a promising topology for medium-voltage and high-voltage applications. However, in order to apply it to high-power applications, a huge number of switching devices is essential. The numerous switching devices lead to considerable switching losses, high cost and a larger heat sink for each of the switching device. In order to reduce the switching losses of a MMC, this paper analyzes the performance of the conventional discontinuous pulse-width modulation (DPWM) method and its efficiency. In addition, it proposes a modified novel DPWM method for advanced switching losses reduction. The novel DPWM scheme includes an additional rotation method for voltage-balancing and power distribution among sub modules (SMs). Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness and performance of the proposed modulation method in terms of its switching losses reduction capability.

• 전력전자학회:학술대회논문집
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• 전력전자학회 2013년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.79-80
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• 2013

MMC(Modular Multilevel Converter)는 여러 개의 Power Module을 직렬로 연결하여 정현파에 가까운 고전압의 파형을 얻을 수 있는 토폴로지로 대용량 전력변환 분야의 요구를 만족하면서 전력 품질을 향상시킬 수 있어 근래에 상당히 주목받고 있다. 당사에서는 5Mvar급 STATCOM(STATic synchronous COMpensator)을 MMC 형태로 제작하였다. 제작된 5Mvar급 STATCOM은 한 상당 12대의 Power Module로 구성하여 25-Level로 제작되었다. 제어시스템은 DSP(Digital Signal Processor)를 이용하였으며, 하나의 Main Controller와 다수의 Cell Controller, FPGA 보드 등으로 구성되어 있다. Controller 간의 상호 정보를 교환하기 위해 CAN 통신을 이용하였고, Power Module의 스위칭을 위한 보드는 각각에 연결되어 있으며, Cell Controller보드와는 절연을 위해 광신호로 연결하였다. 본 논문에서는 MMC 시스템의 제어기간 CAN 통신인터페이스와 Power Module의 PWM 동기화에 대해 설명을 하였다.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• 제16권2호
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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.

• 전력전자학회:학술대회논문집
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• 전력전자학회 2014년도 전력전자학술대회 논문집
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• pp.146-147
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• 2014

This paper presents an operation of the modular multilevel converter-high voltage direct current (MMC-HVDC) system as a Statcom to support the grid voltage. The advantage of the MMC-HVDC system is that it can control the active and reactive powers independently. The proposed control scheme will be designed by combining this performance and the control method of the Statcom. The grid voltage is regulated by the control of the reactive power, meanwhile the active power is controlled according to its applications. The simulation results based on the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation program will evaluate the effectiveness of the control scheme.

• 전력전자학회논문지
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.403-407
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• 2018

This study proposes a predictive direct power control method in a modular multilevel converter (MMC) high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) system. The conventional proportional integral (PI)-based control method uses a cascaded connection and requires an optimal gain selection procedure and additional decoupling scheme. However, the proposed control method has a simple structure for active/reactive power control due to the direct power control scheme and exhibits a fast dynamic response by predicting the future status of system variables and considering time delay. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation results.