Feedforward simple control technique for on-chip all-digital three-phase AC/DC power-MOSFET converter with least components

A novel simple control technique for on-chip all-digital three-phase alternating current to direct current (AC/DC) power-metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET) converter with least components, which is employed to obtain small current and DC output voltage ripples as well as excellent performance, and using a feedforward simple control method for DC output voltage regulation is proposed. The proposed all-digital feedforward controller has the features of low cost, simple control, fast response, independence of load parameters and the switching frequency, it has no need for compensation, and high stability characteristics; moreover, the proposed controller consists of three operation amplifiers and few digital logic gates that are directly applied to the three-phase converter. The power-MOSFETs are also known as power switches, whose control signals are derived from the proposed all-digital feedforward controller. Instead of thyristors or diodes, the application of power-MOSFETs can reduce the loss of AC/DC converter that is proper to the power supply system. The input stage of an AC/DC converter functions as a rectifier and the output stage is a low pass inductor capacitor (LC) filter. The input AC sources may originate from miniature three-phase AC generator or low-power three-phase DC/AC inverter. The maximum output loading current is 0.8 A and the maximum DC output ripple is less than 200 mV. The prototype of the proposed AC/DC converter has been fabricated with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) 0.35 mum 2P4M complementary MOS (CMOS) processes. The total chip area is 2.333 1.960 mm². The proposed AC/DC converter is suitable for the following three power systems with the low power, DC/DC converter, low-dropout linear regulator and switch capacitor. Finally, the theoretical analysis is verified to be correct by simulations and experiments.     

A novel four-quadrant power supply for low-energy correction magnets

This paper describes an efficient power supply to feed low-energy correction magnets in particle accelerator applications, where a controlled current with trapezoidal profile and four-quadrant operation is needed. The selected design is based on an AC–DC matrix converter topology, which uses the Space Vector Modulation (SVM) technique to obtain a near unity power factor at the AC input and output DC current regulation. This topology allows performing high-frequency isolation, while four-quadrant operation is maintained, and reducing volume and weight as compared with the classical thyristor (SCR)-based technology. Control tasks are implemented on an all-digital control card: output current regulation is accomplished in a digital signal processor device and SVM is implemented in a Field-Programmable Gate-Array. Simulations and experimental results of a 1.2 kW prototype validate the design.     

Analysis and design of a single-phase AC/DC step-down converter for universal input voltage

This work presents a single-phase AC/DC step-down converter, which is composed of two power stages, buck-boost converter and buck converter. The front stage is used for a power-factor-correction (PFC) circuit and is operated in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) by using the pulse-width modulation (PWM) technique to achieve almost unity power factor and low total harmonic distortion of input current (THD_i). The rear stage is also operated in DCM to achieve voltage step-down and low DC-link voltage. The proposed converter can be applied for universal input voltage (85-265 V) and wide output power range. Also, the steady-state analysis of voltage gain and boundary operating condition are presented. Moreover, the selections of inductors, capacitors and input filter are depicted. Finally, a hardware circuit with simple control logic is implemented to illustrate the theoretical analysis.     

Generalised direct positioning approach for multilevel space vector modulation: theory and DSP?implementation

In three-phase DC-AC multilevel converters, the space vector modulation is the preferred pulse width modulation (PWM) technique. A particular area relative to the space vector modulation (SVM) analysis for multilevel converter is focused and a direct positioning approach for finding the location of the reference vector among available triangles within the SVM diagram is proposed. The developed procedure is then generalised for an n-level converter by proposing a (n - 1)² times 1 complex matrix that locates the exact place at the end of the reference vector. To verify the proposed method, the whole modulation process was implemented with DSP for three- and four-level converters. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed method in higher-level cases, it was also applied to five- and six-level SVMs. Experimental results validate the direct positioning approach to be an accurate and reliable technique for digital implementation purposes, reducing the total modulation time as well as saving it for complex control techniques needed in industrial applications of SVM.     

一种五相Boost矩阵变换器研究

研究了矩阵变换器的控制方法,针对传统矩阵变换器"虚拟逆变部分"拓扑大多是推挽式、半桥式和全桥式结构,因而电压传输比较低的情况,提出了一种五相Boost矩阵变换器的结构。该结构整流侧采用传统的矩阵整流电路,其控制策略采用无零空间矢量调制,虚拟逆变部分则采用Boost逆变电路,该逆变电路具有升压特性,能提高矩阵变换器的电压传输比,其电压传输比可以达到1.0甚至更高。对该矩阵变换器的滑模变结构控制策略进行了研究,而且通过仿真和样机实验验证了其理论的正确性,为矩阵变换器的工业应用提供了一定的理论基础。     

A simplified time-domain design and implementation of cascaded PI-sliding mode controller for dc–dc converters used in off-grid photovoltaic applications with field test results

A time-domain design methodology for voltage regulation control of dc–dc boost and buck-boost converters based on a multi-loop controller with PI regulator for the outer loop and an inner loop with sliding mode current controller has been developed for renewable energy applications such as photovoltaic (PV)-fed dc–dc converters. This paper proposes a new method for the design of PI regulators in such multi-loop control scheme. The proposed design presents a simple analytical method for selecting controller gains and has been validated by simulation as well as hardware implementation. Also, this paper presents an illustrative example based on the proposed design for the voltage regulation control of PV-fed boost converters for off-grid applications. The simulation results for varying irradiation, temperature and load along with stability analysis have been presented in this paper. The proposed controller is implemented in hardware for a 1.1 kW PV-array-fed boost converter. Performance analysis based on field test results using real-time weather data validates the proposed design. Therefore the proposed controller could be considered as an attractive solution for off-grid renewable energy applications like PV- or fuel-cell-fed dc–dc converter, where the variations are stochastic in nature.     

Optimum power-saving method for power MOSFET width of DC/DC converters

An optimum power metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) width technique is proposed for enhancing the efficiency characteristics of switching DC-DC converters. By implementing a one-cycle buck DC-DC converter, it is demonstrated that the dynamic power MOSFET width controlling technique has a much improved power reduction whether the load current is light or heavy. The maximum efficiency of the buck converter is ~92% with a 3% efficiency improvement for the heavy load condition. The efficiency is further improved by ~16% for the light load condition as a result of the power reduction from the large power MOSFET transistors. Also proposed is a new error-correction loop circuit to enable a better load regulation than that of previous designs. Compared with the adaptive gate driver voltage technique, the optimum power MOSFET width can achieve a significant improvement in power saving. It is also superior to the low-voltage-swing MOSFET gate drive technique for switching DC-DC converters     

Design,analysis and application of high set-up ZVT DC–DC converter with direct power transfer

In this paper, a new snubber cell for soft switched high set-up DC–DC converters is introduced. The main switch is turned on by zero-voltage transition and turned off by zero-voltage switching (ZVS). The main diode is turned on by ZVS and turned off by zero-current switching. Besides, all auxiliary semiconductor devices are soft switched. Any semiconductor device does not expose the additional current or voltage stress. The new snubber transfers some of the circulation energy to the output side when it ensures soft switching for main semiconductor devices. Thus, the current stress of auxiliary switch is significantly reduced. Besides, the total efficiency of converter is high due to the direct power transfer feature of new converter. A theoretical and mathematical analysis of the new converter is presented, and also verified with experimental set-up at 500 W and 100 kHz. Finally, the overall efficiency of new converter is 97.4% at nominal output power.     

Input impedance of grid-connected converters with programmable harmonic resistance

Power factor correction converters with a programmable harmonic input impedance can be used to reduce the harmonic distortion in the utility grid. Whereas previously proposed controllers tried to obtain a resistive behaviour of the converter with a constant input impedance for all frequencies, including the fundamental, another recently proposed control strategy allows the setting of a harmonic input resistance independent of the fundamental input impedance. Although previous papers showed the usefulness of this approach, the analysis and verification of the input impedance of the converter in a broad frequency spectrum is focussed here. The characteristics of the current controller will determine the input impedance of the converter in the frequency domain. The implementation of the control strategy with a programmable harmonic resistance on a digitally controlled full-bridge bidirectional converter is described. Experimental tests on a 1-kW prototype show that with the proposed implementation good concordance with the theoretical input impedance curves is obtained     

High power factor operation of resonant converters on the utility line

Operation and characteristics of resonant converters on the utility line are presented. Series-parallel (LCC-type) resonant converter operating with discontinuous current mode and continuous current mode (variable frequency control as well as fixed-frequency) are considered. Design examples are presented. SPICE simulation and experimental results obtained for the designed converters (rated at 150 W) are presented to verify the theory. It is shown that high line power factor (>0.95) and line current total harmonic distortion (THD) of <25% are obtained for the LCC-type converter for a wide load range (from full load to 10% rated load) without any active control, and the switch peak current decreases with the load current. With active line current control, low distortion and zero voltage switching for the entire cycle are realized.     

Nonlinear development of matrix-converter instabilities

Matrix converters convert a three-phase alternating-current power supply to a power supply of a different peak voltage and frequency, and are an emerging technology in a wide variety of applications. However, they are susceptible to an instability, whose behaviour is examined herein. The desired “steady-state” mode of operation of the matrix converter becomes unstable in a Hopf bifurcation as the output/input voltage-transfer ratio, q, is increased through some threshold value, q _c . Through weakly nonlinear analysis and direct numerical simulation of an averaged model, it is shown that this bifurcation is subcritical for typical parameter values, leading to hysteresis in the transition to the oscillatory state: there may thus be undesirable large-amplitude oscillations in the output voltages, even when q is below the linear stability threshold value q _c .     

Analysis of thyristor DC chopper power converters including nonlinear commutating reactors

Dc chopper power converters are used to control the power supplied to a dc load from a dc source. In a battery-powered vehicle, for example, a dc chopper can control the dc series traction motor. Thyristors are favored for the switching element in high power applications. The particular circuit described here can be used as a voltage step-down converter or a voltage step-up converter and uses two auxiliary thyristors to turn off the main power thyristor. The behavior of the step-up circuit is described by exactly the same equations as the step-down circuit when the input voltage is replaced by the load voltage and the load current is replaced by the input current. The analysis treats the general case where saturating reactors are used to soften the commutation of current in the power semiconductors. The nonlinear characteristics of these reactors are approximated by two linear segments when molybdenum-Permalloy powder cores are used. Linear or square-loop cores are included by the theory as special cases. A design synthesis based on the analytical equations is best performed with the aid of a computer.     

Vector-optimised harmonic elimination for single-phase pulse-width modulation inverters/converters

A new approach for calculating single-phase inverters/converters-optimised pulse-width modulation (PWM) switching angles for harmonic and voltage control is proposed. This approach takes into account the DC-link voltage ripple, due to the finite DC-link capacitance, in the optimised switching-angles calculation, using its harmonic content. New expressions for the evaluation of the PWM waveform harmonic spectrum are derived. Output voltage quarter-wave symmetry is thus not assumed and the pulse position is no longer fixed, resulting in two simultaneous sets of nonlinear equations in twice as many unknowns as in the case of conventional-optimised PWM strategy with smooth DC input/output voltage. The performance of this latter technique is hence retained while the size of the DC-link capacitor is reduced to a limit depending on the filter capacitance, the number of pulses per half modulation period and the modulation depth. The compensation of the reactive power (exchanged between the AC source/AC load and the DC link due to the rectifying/inverting process and the low-link capacitance) is also included; the converter then plays the additional role of an active power filter. Simulation examples and experimental results are used to validate the proposed method     

Dc-to-Dc converter using inductive-energy storage for voltage transformation and regulation

A nondissipatively regulated dc-to-dc converter that operates very efficiently at high frequencies is presented. The circuit is characterized by a small number of power handling components, many of which perform multiple duties. Only one power transistor is used, and the characteristics of the main power handling magnetic element of the circuit are such that this element is not only able to provide voltage transformation but also to perform certain filtering functions which in conventional converters normally require a separate filter inductor. Two different methods of nondissipative closed-loop regulation are presented-one involving control of the duty cycle of the power switch, and the other involving magnetic-amplifier control of the average output current. Certain design considerations are presented, and a test circuit is described.     

Electronic ballast for multiple fluorescent lamp systems

An electronic ballast for multiple tubular fluorescent lamp systems is presented. The proposed structure has a high value for the power factor, a dimming capability, and soft switching of the semiconductor devices operated at high frequencies. A zero-current switching pulse width modulated SEPIC converter is used as the rectifying stage and it is controlled using the instantaneous average input current technique. The inverting stage consists of classical resonant half-bridge converter with series-resonant parallel-loaded filters. The dimming control technique is based on varying the switching frequency and monitoring the phase shift of the current drained by the filters and lamps in order to establish a closed loop control. Experimental results are presented that validate the theoretical analysis.     

基于滑模输出反馈与输入成形控制相结合的挠性航天器主动振动抑制方法

针对挠性航天器大角度姿态机动的振动抑制问题，提出了一种基于输出反馈滑模控制和输入成形振动抑制方法相结合的主动振动控制策略。输入形成器作为前馈控制器作用在反馈回路的前相通道，通过改变输入命令的作用形式，在保证参考模型（标称对象）完成指定的姿态机动的同时抑制掉对系统影响较大的挠性结构的振动；而对于闭环控制回路，考虑挠性结构模态不可测、模型参数具有不匹配不确定性以及外干扰力矩的作用，在输出反馈滑模控制的基础上，给出了仅利用输出信息的滑模控制器设计方法，保证跟踪参考模型的输出以获得要求的闭环系统的性能。将该方法应用于单轴挠性航天器的大角度rest—to—rest（静止到静止）姿态机动控制进行了仿真研究，结果表明，所提出的方法是可行而有效的。     

Hybrid control approach for the output voltage regulation in buck type DC?DC converter

Buck converter is modelled as a hybrid automaton for the purpose of designing an appropriate control law to regulate its output voltage. The circuit when operated in continuous current mode is pulled into a limit cycle, specified by the regulation specifications, although the switching frequency varies with the load. On the other hand, under light-load conditions, the circuit is pulled into a fixed-frequency limit cycle in discontinuous current mode to satisfy the regulation criteria. Therefore, the controller design is generic in the sense that the required regulation is met throughout the operating range of the buck converter. The control problem is simplified as a guard selection problem and guards, denning the discrete states, are derived using a simple circuit theoretical approach, by imposing certain regulation and control constraints. Satisfactory operation of the buck converter under the proposed scheme is demonstrated using computer simulations and laboratory experiments. The suitability and simplicity of the proposed control scheme over a wide range of disturbances is highlighted.     

A 12-Mc, Nine-Bit Digital Function Generator

This paper describes some developed equipment found very useful in evaluating circuits that require digital inputs. For example, D-A converters are generally tested by using their associated A-D converter as a test-signal source. Since the A-D converter itself introduces errors, the measurement of analog input and output indicates over-all performance but not individual converter performance. The digital function generator allows separate evaluation of D-A converters by synthesizing useful test functions from discrete samples. Comparison of the known input with the output gives an accurate performance check. The present equipment generates up to sixteen different samples, represented by nine-bit words in parallel form, at a word rate of 12 Mc. A discussion of useful test functions for determining D-A converter linearity and transient response will include discussion of digital sine waves, ramps, and step functions. Although D-A converter evaluation is stressed, the equipment is also useful for other tasks.     

Design and application of magneto-rheological fluid

Magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) technology is an old “newcomers” coming to the market at high speed. Various industries including the automotive industry are full of potential MRF applications. Magneto-rheological fluid technology has been successfully employed already in various low and high volume applications. A structure based on MRF might be the next generation in design for products where power density, accuracy and dynamic performance are the key features.

Additionally, for products where is a need to control fluid motion by varying the viscosity, a structure based on MRF might be an improvement in functionality and costs. Two aspects of this technology, direct shear mode (used in brakes and clutches) and valve mode (used in dampers) have been studied thoroughly and several applications are already present on the market. Excellent features like fast response, simple interface between electrical power input and mechanical power output, and precise controllability make MRF technology attractive for many applications.

This paper presents the state of the art of an actuator with a control arrangement based on MRF technology. The study shows that excellent features like fast response, simple interface between electrical power input and the mechanical power output, and controllability make MRF the next technology of choice for many applications.