Predictive control of a three-phase DC-AC Modular Multilevel Converter

The Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is a newly introduced multilevel converter topology with high modularity and scalability, suitable for a wide range of voltage/power applications. This paper proposes a model predictive control (MPC) strategy to eliminate the circulating currents and carry out the voltage balancing task of an MMC. A discrete-time mathematical model of an MMC is derived and a predictive model is developed. The salient feature of the proposed control strategy is that it enables precise ac-side current control, capacitor voltage balancing, and circulating current mitigation of an MMC, simultaneously, with a simple implementation procedure. Performance of the proposed MPC-based strategy for a five-level grid-connected MMC unit is evaluated based on time-domain simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC software environment. The reported study results demonstrate satisfactory response of the system operating based on the proposed MPC strategy, under various conditions.

[1]  Reza Iravani,et al.  Analysis and Control of DC-Capacitor-Voltage-Drift Phenomenon of a Passive Front-End Five-Level Converter , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[2]  Marcelo A. Pérez,et al.  Predictive Control of AC–AC Modular Multilevel Converters , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[3]  Hans-Peter Nee,et al.  Inner control of Modular Multilevel Converters - An approach using open-loop estimation of stored energy , 2010, The 2010 International Power Electronics Conference - ECCE ASIA -.

[4]  Jorge Pontt,et al.  Predictive Control of a Three-Phase Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverter , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[5]  Grain. P. Adam Miet,et al.  Transformerless STATCOM based on a five-level modular multilevel converter , 2009, 2009 13th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications.

[6]  Hans-Peter Nee,et al.  Evaluation of control and modulation methods for modular multilevel converters , 2010, The 2010 International Power Electronics Conference - ECCE ASIA -.

[7]  D. Retzmann,et al.  A new Multilevel Voltage-Sourced Converter Topology for HVDC Applications , 2008 .

[8]  Pablo Lezana,et al.  Predictive Current Control of a Voltage Source Inverter , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[9]  Marc Hiller,et al.  Analysis and Simulation of a 6 kV, 6 MVA Modular Multilevel Converter , 2009, 2009 35th Annual Conference of IEEE Industrial Electronics.

[10]  Hans-Peter Nee,et al.  On dynamics and voltage control of the Modular Multilevel Converter , 2009, 2009 13th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications.

[11]  Leopoldo G. Franquelo,et al.  Guidelines for weighting factors design in Model Predictive Control of power converters and drives , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology.

[12]  Reza Iravani,et al.  Dynamic performance of a modular multilevel back-to-back HVDC system , 2010, 2011 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting.

[13]  Makoto Hagiwara,et al.  Theoretical analysis and control of the modular multilevel cascade converter based on double-star chopper-cells (MMCC-DSCC) , 2010, The 2010 International Power Electronics Conference - ECCE ASIA -.

[14]  Maryam Saeedifard,et al.  Capacitor voltage balancing of a five-level Diode-Clamped Converter based on a predictive current control strategy , 2011, 2011 Twenty-Sixth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC).

[15]  R. Marquardt.  A new modular voltage source inverter topology , 2003 .

[16]  Marc Hiller,et al.  Modelling, simulation and analysis of a Modular Multilevel Converter for medium voltage applications , 2010, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology.

[17]  H. Akagi,et al.  Control and Experiment of Pulsewidth-Modulated Modular Multilevel Converters , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[18]  Bin Wu,et al.  Recent Advances and Industrial Applications of Multilevel Converters , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[19]  U. Ammann,et al.  Model Predictive Control—A Simple and Powerful Method to Control Power Converters , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[20]  Johann W. Kolar,et al.  Predictive Control of an Indirect Matrix Converter , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[21]  Fang Zheng Peng,et al.  Multilevel inverters: a survey of topologies, controls, and applications , 2002, IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron..

[22]  Domingo Biel Solé,et al.  Energy-balance control of PV cascaded multilevel grid-connected inverters for phase-shifted and level-shifted pulse-width modulations , 2012 .

[23]  Jun Liang,et al.  Modified Phase-Shifted PWM Control for Flying Capacitor Multilevel Converters , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[24]  José R. Rodríguez,et al.  Predictive Current Control of an Induction Machine Fed by a Matrix Converter With Reactive Power Control , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[25]  M. B. Brennen,et al.  Vector analysis and control of advanced static VAr compensators , 1991 .