An active modulation scheme to boost voltage utilisation of the dual converter with a floating bridge

Huang, Zhen; Yang, Tao; Wheeler, Pat; Galea, Michael; Giangrande, Paolo; Chowdhury, Shajjad

Abstract

This paper proposes a capacitor voltage regulation method for the dual converter with a floating bridge for aerospace applications. This topology has previously been reported, but with a constrained voltage utilisation factor due to the need for capacitor voltage regulations. In this paper, the effect of switching states on the voltage variation of capacitor is quantitatively modelled and an enhanced space vector modulation scheme with current feedback is proposed to achieve an active control of the floating capacitor voltages. This proposed method also allows further exploitation and utilisation of converter voltage. The relationship between the allowed modulation index of dual converter and load power factor is obtained and expressed using a fitted polynomial equation. The advantages of the proposed method include boosted voltage utilisation and superior performance in term of capacitor voltage balance. These advantages have been proven through simulation and experimental results on RL loads as well as with an open-end winding induction motor. The proposed modulation scheme can boost the converter voltage utilisation by at least 10% while achieving full four-level operation. More importantly, the higher available voltage allows extending the constant torque region of the motor, the further beginning of field weakening operation could be postponed.

Citation

Huang, Z., Yang, T., Wheeler, P., Galea, M., Giangrande, P., & Chowdhury, S. (2019). An active modulation scheme to boost voltage utilisation of the dual converter with a floating bridge. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 66(7), 5623-5633. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIE.2018.2873539

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 16, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Oct 8, 2018
• Publication Date: 2019-07
• Deposit Date: Sep 20, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 20, 2018
• Journal: IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics
• Print ISSN: 0278-0046
• Electronic ISSN: 1557-9948
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 66
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 5623-5633
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TIE.2018.2873539
• Keywords: Dual converter, more electric aircraft, multilevel converters, space vector modulation, voltage regulation
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1093204
• Publisher URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8485662
• Additional Information: © 2018 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
• Contract Date: Sep 20, 2018