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Chibani R. et.al : Five-Level NPC-VSI Capacitor.....
Bk 2 = Bk 4
V XM = V XM 1 + V XM 2 + V XM 3 + V XM 4 (5)
For each phase k (k=1, 2 or 3) of the three-phase network second category using carrier-based pulse width
feeding, the rectifier considered can be represented by a modulation (PWM) scheme, a zero sequence voltage
R,L circuit. Vresk is the voltage of one phase k of the three- signal is added to the modulation signals. In some
phase network and Vk is the voltage of the leg k of the schemes using zero sequence voltage to balance DC
capacitor voltages, knowledge of load power factor (or
rectifier [17]. direction of instantaneous power flow) is required which
The voltage loop imposes the effective value of the is difficult to implement under transient conditions, and in
reference current of the network corresponding to the others, measurements of both capacitor voltages and load
power exchanged between the network and the continue currents (magnitudes or polarities) are required.
load (Fig 4). Unfortunately, these methods modify the output voltage
waveform. Also, as the number of inverter-levels
increases, the problem of capacitor balancing becomes
more complex and the solution very drastic.
By using a separate supply for each DC-link level, the
balancing issues are solved [6]. However, this solution is
expensive especially for more then three-level. Another
solution consists of adding electronic circuitry. In [16-18],
clamping bridges based on transistors and resistors
Fig.4: Control algorithm of the average output DC voltage of the (dissipative method) are proposed as a solution to this
two-level PWM current rectifier. problem. Advantages are low cost and low complexity.
Disadvantages are high energy losses, high current
To guarantee the global asymptotic stability in the voltage switches and costly design thermal management
loop, we obtain Ie as the output value of the voltage requirements for large values. This method is best suited
regulator: for systems that are charged often with small currents.
Ie =
4 .U C
3 .V e
[
. I ch K U .C .(U C U Cref ) ] (6)
In order to remedy to the unbalance problem, we suggest a
solution which consists in establish a bridge balancing
B. Current feedback control
between the rectifier and the intermediate filter (Fig 6).
We control the network current of the phase 1 and 2 by a
The aim of this use is to limit and stabilise variations of
sliding mode regulator. The algorithm of this current loop
the input DC voltages of the inverter.
is given on the Fig 5. In this scheme, the transfer function
H (s ) is expressed as follows:
I resk 1
H ( s) = = (7)
V R + L.s
To guarantee the global asymptotic stability in the current The capacitor voltage equalization clamping bridge
loop, we obtain Ngkas the output of the current regulator: scheme has many advantages such as higher equalization
1 2. efficiency and a modular design approach.
Ngk = Vresk R.Iresk IeL 2 cos(t (k 1) + Ki L(iresk irefk)
4.UC 3
(8) As shown in Figure 6, switches T1 , T2 , T3 and T4 are
MOSFET; diodes D1 , D2 , D3 and D4 are continued flow
IV. CLAMPING BRIDGE diodes; L1 and L2 is the energy storage inductors; C1 , C2 ,
C3 and C4 are four adjacent series cells, respectively.
In this section, a clamping bridge control is introduced to The basic operational principle is as follows:
balance the four DC input voltages, avoid NP potential * When Uc1>Uc2, a drive signal is given to the switches,
drift and improve the performances of the speed control of and switch T2 is turned off and T1 is turned on. While T1
the permanent magnet synchronous machine. is on, capacitor C1, switch T1 and inductor L1 forms a
Several publications have discussed ways to solve this loop circuit, whose current is Ic1 . The part of energy of
balancing problem in three-level NPC-VSI [8-17]. The capacitor C1 transfers to inductor L1 . While T1 is off,
multitude of proposals (selection of appropriate voltage capacitor C2 , inductor L1 and the diode D2 forms a loop
vectors) implemented to ensure DC voltage balancing can circuit, whose current is Ic2 .
be broadly divided into two categories. In the first The energy of inductor L1 transfers to capacitor C2 .
category based on space vector realization, redundant * When Uc1 <Uc2 , switch T1 is turned off and T2 is
switching states of the converter are used while in the turned on. The energy transfers from C2 to C1 until the
voltages of the two capacitors are the same.
3
Chibani R. et.al : Five-Level NPC-VSI Capacitor.....
Step 1: Deduction of the sign of the differences. Fig.10. Harmonic spectrum of the voltage VA for m=12 and
We use the following equations: r=0.8
d (U c 1 U c 2 )
C1. = ( i L 1 i c 2 + i d 2 + i c 1) (9)
dt
d (U U )
C 3. c3 c4
= (i L 2 ic 3 + ic 4 + id 3) (10)
dt
Step 2: Deduction of the command of the transistors
U c 2 > U c1 T2 = 1; T1 = 0
U c1 > U c 2 T2 = 0; T1 = 1 (11)
U c 3 > U c 4 T3 = 1; T4 = 0 Fig.11. Harmonic spectrum of the voltage VA for m=15 and
r=0.8
U c 4 > U c 3 T3 = 0; T4 = 1
V. SIMULATION RESULTS
Fig.7. Reference voltages and bipolar carriers Fig.13: Voltage Uc and its reference and the network voltage
Vres1 , the network current ires1 and its reference iref1
4
Asian Power Electronics Journal, Vol.5 No.1, Aug 2011
The afore-presented results confirm that the clamping [4] M. D. Manjrekar, P. K. Steimer, and T. A. Lipo, Hybrid
bridge is able to equalize DC link capacitor voltages and multilevel power conversion system: a competitive solution
stabilize the different DC voltages around the desired for high-power applications, IEEE Transactions on.
value. The performances of speed control of the PMSM Industrial. Applications., vol. 36, pp. 834841, May/June
2000.
are then ameliorating. [5] H.L.Liu, N.S.Choi, G.H.Cho, DSP based space vector
PWM for three-level inverter with DC-link voltage
VII. CONCLUSION balancing, Proceeding of IEEE-IECON, Kobe, Japan,
October 1991, pp.197-201.
The present contribution intends to demonstrate that [6] H.Menzies, P.Steimer, J.K Steinke, Five-level GTO
permanent magnet synchronous machine control based on inverters for large induction motor drives, Conference
sliding mode control when applied with a two-level PWM record IEEE-IAS Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada, 1993,
current rectifier Five-level PWM NPC-VSI may pp. 595-601.
contribute both for functional performances improvement [7] D.H.Lee, S.R.Lee, Fred.C.Lee, An analysis of midpoint
balance for the neutral-point-clamped three-level VSI,
and attenuation of some technological limitations. The Proceedings of IEEE-PESC98, Fukuoka, Japan, 1998,
input DC voltages are generated by a two-level PWM pp.193-199.
current rectifier controlled by Lyapunov function. By this [8] M. Koyama, T. Fujii, R. Uchida, T. Kawabata, Space
study, we have particularly shown the problem of the voltage vector based new PWM method for large capacity
stability and its effects on the speed control of PMSM and three-level GTO inverter, Proceeding of IEEE IECON,
the input DC voltages sources of the inverter. San Diego, CA, USA, November 1992, pp. 271276.
In the last part of this paper, we propose a simple solution [9] N. Celanovic, D. Borojevic, A comprehensive study of
to stabilise the four DC voltages and this by using a neutral point voltage balancing problem in three-level
clamping bridge composed by four switches (pair neutral-point-clamped voltage source PWM inverters,
IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 15, March
transistor-diode) and two inductances. 2000, pp. 242249.
This nondissipative equalization design has many [10] M. Fracchia, T. Ghiara, M. Marchesoni, M. Mazzucchelli,
advantages such as high equalization efficiency due to the Optimized modulation techniques for the generalized n-
nondissipative current diverter, bidirectional energy level converter, PESC 1992 Conference Record, Toledo,
transferring capability, and a modular design. Another Spain, June/July 1992, pp. 1205-1213.
advantage of this system is that no closed-loop control is [11] P.Purkiat, R.S.Sriamakavacham A new generalized space
needed and the process is self-limiting: when voltage vector modulation algorithm for Neutral-point-clamped
equalization is complete, the switching of the capacitors Multilevel converters, Progress in Electromagnetics
consumes minimal energy. Research Symposium 2006, Cambridge, USA, March.26-29,
pp. 330-335.
[12] A.Bendre, S.Krstic, J.Vander Meer, G Venkataramanan,
APPENDIX Comparative evaluation of modulation algorithms for
Neutral-Point-Clamped converters, IEEE Transactions on
Ld , Lq : self inductance of the d and q armatures equivalent Industry Applications, Vol.41, No. 2, March/April 2005, pp.
634-643.
winding, Rs : resistance of an armature winding, : angular [13] Z.Pan, F.Z.Peng, K.A.Corzine, V.R.Stefanovic,
speed. s : Laplace operator, J.M.Leuthen, S.Gataric, Voltage balancing control of
Diode Clamped Multilevel Rectifier/Inverter systems,
J : inertia of the set machine-load , Cr : Load torque, IEEE Transactions on industry applications, Vol 41, No. 6,
ed : Error variable, S d : Surface variable November/December 2005, pp. 1698-1706.
[14] A.Bendre, G Venkataramanan, D.Rosene, V.Srinivasan,
Vresk : Network voltage of one phase k, Vk : Voltage of the leg Modelling and design of Neutral-Point voltage regulator
for a three-level Diode Clamped inverter using multiple-
k of the rectifier, R : grid resistance L : grid inductance carrier modulation, IEEE Transactions on Industrial
U C : Average value of the four input DC voltages Electronics, Vol 53, No. 3, June 2006, pp. 718-726.
[15] S. Venkateshmarhu, B.P.Muni, A.D Rajkumar, J.Praveen,
C1 , C 2 , C 3 , C 4 : input capacitors of the five-level NPC-VSI Direct Power Control strategies for multilevel inverter
based custom power devices, Proceeding of the World
Vres ; ires : Voltage and current of the grid Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol 29,
Ve : Effective value of the grid voltage May 2008, pp. 205-213.
[16] R. Chibani, E.M. Berkouk, Five-level PWM current
rectifier Five-level NPC VSI Permanent magnet
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