A. von Jouanne

Multilevel inverter modulation schemes to eliminate common-mode voltages

It is well known that conventional two-level pulse-width modulated (PWM) inverters generate high frequency common-mode voltages with high dv/dt. Similarly, commonly used multilevel inverter modulation schemes generate common-mode voltages. Common-mode voltages may cause motor shaft voltages and bearing currents and conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI). Premature motor bearing failures and electronic equipment malfunctions have been reported to be directly related to bearing currents and EMI. In this paper, approaches to eliminating common-mode voltage when using multilevel PWM inverters are presented. It is shown that inverters, which have an odd number of levels, will generate zero common-mode voltage by switching among certain states. Therefore motor bearing currents will be eliminated and conducted EMI will be reduced. Both sine-triangle intersection modulation (SPWM) and space-vector modulation (SVM) schemes are discussed and detailed comparative simulation results between conventional and novel modulation schemes are provided.

Optimal Energy Storage Sizing and Control for Wind Power Applications

The variable output of a large wind farm presents many integration challenges, especially at high levels of penetration. The uncertainty in the output of a large wind plant can be covered by using fast-acting dispatchable sources, such as natural gas turbines or hydro generators. However, using dispatchable sources on short notice to smooth the variability of wind power can increase the cost of large-scale wind power integration. To remedy this, the inclusion of large-scale energy storage at the wind farm output can be used to improve the predictability of wind power and reduce the need for load following and regulation hydro or fossil-fuel reserve generation. This paper presents sizing and control methodologies for a zinc-bromine flow battery-based energy storage system. The results show that the power flow control strategy does have a significant impact on proper sizing of the rated power and energy of the system. In particular, artificial neural network control strategies resulted in significantly lower cost energy storage systems than simplified controllers. The results show that through more effective control and coordination of energy storage systems, the predictability of wind plant outputs can be increased and the cost of integration associated with reserve requirements can be decreased.

Design considerations for an inverter output filter to mitigate the effects of long motor leads in ASD applications

Design considerations for an inverter output filter to mitigate the effects of long motor leads in adjustable-speed drive (ASD) applications are presented. It is shown by analysis that, for a given length of cable, reducing the dv/dt of the pulsewidth modulated (PWM) inverter output voltage applied to the cable below a critical value will eliminate overvoltages due to voltage reflections. Design issues for a low-pass filter at the inverter output terminals to reduce the dv/dt of the inverter output pulse are examined in detail. The filter operation is verified for the entire variable frequency range of the inverter. The performance of the filter is evaluated through simulations and experimentally on a 460 V commercially available AC motor drive (PWM insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)). The proposed inverter output filter is then compared with a motor terminal shunt filter also designed to reduce overvoltages and ringing at the motor terminals.

Piezoelectric micro-power generation interface circuits

New power conversion circuits to interface to a piezoelectric micro-power generator have been fabricated and tested. Circuit designs and measurement results are presented for a half-wave synchronous rectifier with voltage doubler, a full-wave synchronous rectifier and a passive full-wave rectifier circuit connected to the piezoelectric micro-power generator. The measured power efficiency of the synchronous rectifier and voltage doubler circuit fabricated in a 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS process is 88% and the output power exceeds 2.5 /spl mu/W with a 100-k/spl Omega/, 100-nF load. The two full-wave rectifiers (passive and synchronous) were fabricated in a 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS process. The measured peak power efficiency for the passive full-wave rectifier circuit is 66% with a 220-k/spl Omega/ load and supplies a peak output power of 16 /spl mu/W with a 68-k/spl Omega/ load. Although the active full-wave synchronous rectifier requires quiescent current for operation, it has a higher peak efficiency of 86% with an 82-k/spl Omega/ load, and also exhibits a higher peak power of 22 /spl mu/W with a 68-k/spl Omega/ load which is 37% higher than the passive full-wave rectifier.

Polyphase transformer arrangements with reduced kVA capacities for harmonic current reduction in rectifier type utility interface

In this paper, polyphase transformer arrangements with reduced kVA capacities are presented for harmonic current reduction in high power rectifier utility interface systems. Based on the concept of an autotransformer, a proposed twelve-pulse rectifier system is realized with a resultant kVA rating of 0.18P/sub 0/ (pu). In this arrangement, the rectifier diodes each conduct for 120 degrees per cycle and the fifth and seventh harmonics are absent from the utility input line current. In the second scheme, an eighteen-pulse rectifier is realized with a kVA rating of 0.16P/sub 0/ (pu), rectifier diode conduction of 120 degrees per cycle and fifth, seventh, eleventh and thirteenth harmonic cancellation in the utility line currents. Additional applications for the proposed polyphase transformer arrangements include twelve and eighteen-pulse systems feeding multiple six-pulse nonlinear loads, such as AC motor drives, with an appropriate phase shift, and this arrangement substantially reduces the utility line current harmonics. For example, it is shown that the fifth and seventh harmonics generated by two separate six-pulse nonlinear loads are subtracted and this contributes to reduced harmonic distortion. Simulation results verifying the proposed concept are presented. >

Application issues for PWM adjustable speed AC motor drives

In this article, some application issues for adjustable speed AC motor drives have been investigated. The effects of high PWM frequency, or high dv/dt on the motor terminal voltages and bearing currents have been addressed and explained. Mitigation techniques have been shown to significantly reduce the transient peak voltage and dv/dt at the motor terminals, as well as within the motor windings. This reduction contributes to improved reliability of PWM motor drive systems.

Assessment of ride-through alternatives for adjustable speed drives

Adjustable speed drive (ASD) ride-through issues have caused increased concerns due to the susceptibility of ASDs to power disturbances, and the costly results of process disruptions. These losses can be avoided for critical production processes by using ASDs with ride-through capabilities. This paper assesses industrial ride-through requirements through power quality surveys and the results of an ASD ride-through questionnaire conducted by the authors. ASD ride-through alternatives are evaluated based on design, implementation and cost considerations in order to determine the most suitable solutions for various kVA ratings and time duration requirements.

A Permanent-Magnet Tubular Linear Generator for Ocean Wave Energy Conversion

This paper presents a novel permanent-magnet tubular linear generator (PMTLG) buoy system designed to convert the linear motion of ocean waves into electrical energy. The design incorporates no working seals and a saltwater air-gap bearing surface integration between the PMTLG buoy components. The internal generator design will be discussed, in addition to the system integration with the buoy structure. The simulation and hardware results of the generator are presented.

A multilevel inverter approach providing DC-link balancing, ride-through enhancement, and common-mode voltage elimination

This paper presents a simple control method for balancing the DC-link voltage of three-level neutral-point-clamped inverters, while providing enhanced ride-through and common-mode voltage (CMV) elimination. The method uses DC-DC power converter technology on the DC link for balancing and ride-through enhancement, and a modified pulsewidth-modulation switching algorithm for CMV elimination. Simulation and experimental results are supplied to confirm the validity of the proposed method, which includes full digital signal processor control.

DSP control of high-power UPS systems feeding nonlinear loads

Many facilities, such as patient health care centers, data processing systems, and critical telecommunication links, rely on uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to maintain a continuous supply of power in case of a line outage. In addition to requiring continuous power, many critical nonlinear loads are sensitive to incoming line transients and input harmonic voltage distortion. Conventional UPS systems operate to protect against such disturbances using complex filtering schemes, often employing large passive components. This paper presents the advantages of using real time digital signal processing (DSP) control of UPS systems. A DSP controlled UPS inverter and harmonic conditioning system is described and the performance is verified on a 150 kVA system.