• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.456-466
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• 2018

This paper introduces the development of a de-icer based on a full-bridge modular multilevel converter (FMMC). The FMMC can generate a wide range of DC voltages owing to its modularity, scalability, and redundancy, which makes it suitable for ice-melting applications. First, operating principles and voltage ranges are analyzed when FMMC is applied as a mobile de-icer. Second, two new startup strategies, constant modulation index and constant power startup strategies, are proposed. Third, the main control strategies of the de-icer are proposed. Fourth, a novel rated-current zero-power test scheme is proposed to simplify test conditions. Finally, a 10 kV 1.5 kA mobile MMC de-icer is designed and built, and experiments are carried out to validate the proposed startup, control strategies, and rated-current zero-power test scheme.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.1
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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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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2294-2305
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• 2016

The introduction of a high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) system based on a modular multilevel converter (MMC) for wind farm integration has stimulated studies on methods to control this type of converter. This research article focuses on the control of the AC voltage and circulating current for a wind-farm-side MMC (WFS-MMC). After theoretical analysis, emotional learning (EL) controllers are proposed for the controls. The EL controllers are derived from the learning mechanisms of the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex which make the WFS-MMC insensitive to variance in system parameters, power change, and fault in the grid. The d-axis and q-axis currents are respectively considered for the d-axis and q-axis voltage controls to improve the performance of AC voltage control. The practicability of the proposed control is verified under various conditions with a point-to-point MMC-HVDC system. Simulation results show that the proposed method is superior to the traditional proportional-integral controller.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.476-483
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• 2017

In this paper, a voltage-based model predictive control (MPC) scheme for a modular multilevel converter is used to reduce switching loss. The proposed method calculates an offset voltage that clamps the switching operation of submodules in which the current greatly flows at every sampling period by using the reference phase voltage and the reference phase current. To use the offset voltage, the proposed method converts the current-based MPC to the voltage-based MPC. The proposed voltage-based MPC then generates a new reference pole voltage that clamps the switching of submodules by applying the calculated offset voltage to the phase voltage. Therefore, the proposed method can reduce the switching loss by stopping the switching operation of submodules in which the current greatly flows. The switching loss reduction effect of the proposed method is verified by comparing its loss data with those of the conventional MPC method.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2013.07a
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• pp.128-129
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• 2013

본 논문에서는 전기로 부하에서 발생하는 무효전력 성분과 역상분 전류를 보상하기 위한 STATCOM(STATic synchronous COMpensator)을 Cascaded Multilevel Converter(CMC)로 구성하는 경우 역상분 전류 보상시에 발생하는 직류전압의 불평형을 보상하기 위한 방법을 제안하고, 이를 시뮬레이터를 통해 검증하였다.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.319-328
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• 2020

The recent use of distributed power generation systems constructed with DC-DC converters has become extremely popular owing to the rising need for environment friendly energy generation power systems. In this study, a new single-phase five-level inverter for off-grid applications constructed with a multilevel DC-DC step-up converter is proposed to boost a low-level DC voltage (36 V-64 V) to a high-level DC bus (380 V) and invert and connect them with a single-phase 230 V rms AC load. Compared with other traditional multilevel inverters, the proposed five-level inverter has a reduced number of switching devices, can generate high-quality power with lower THD values, and has balanced voltage stress for DC capacitors. Moreover, the proposed topology does not require multiple DC sources. Finally, the performance of the proposed topology is presented through the simulation and experimental results of a 400 W hardware prototype.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.19 no.3
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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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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.1328-1336
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• 2013

Nowadays multilevel inverters are developing generally due to reduced voltage stress on power switches and low total harmonic distortion (THD) in output voltage. However, for increasing the output voltage levels the number of circuit devices are increased and it results in increasing the cost of converter. In this paper, a novel multilevel inverter is proposed. The suggested topology uses less number of power switches and related gate drive circuits to generate the same level in output voltage with comparison to traditional cascaded multilevel inverter. With the proposed topology all levels in output voltage can be realized. As an illustration, a symmetric 13-level and asymmetric 29-level proposed inverters have been simulated and implemented. The total peak inverse (PIV) and power losses of presented inverter are calculated and compared with conventional cascaded multilevel inverter. The presented analyses show that the power losses in the suggested multilevel inverter are less than the traditional inverters. Presented simulation and experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and applicability of the proposed inverter to obtain the maximum number of levels with less number of switches.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1186-1194
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• 2017

This paper proposes an improved low frequency Selective Harmonic Mitigation-PWM (SHM-PWM) technique. The proposed method mitigates the low order harmonics of the output voltage up to the $50^{th}$ harmonic well and satisfies the grid codes EN 50160 and CIGRE-WG 36-05. Using a modified criterion for the switching angles, the range of the modulation index for non-linear SHM equations is improved, without increasing the switching frequency of the CHB converter. Due to the low switching frequency of the CHB converter, mitigating the harmonics of the converter up to the $50^{th}$ order and finding a wider modulation index range, the size and cost of the passive filters can be significantly reduced with the proposed technique. Therefore, the proposed technique is more efficient than the conventional SHM-PWM. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, a 7-level Cascaded H-bridge (CHB) converter is utilized for the study. Simulation and experimental results confirm the validity of the above claims.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.529-533
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• 2001