An Enhanced Virtual Space Vector Modulation Scheme of Three-Level NPC Converters for More-Electric-Aircraft Applications

Guo, Feng; Yang, Tao; Diab, Ahmed; Yeoh, Seang Shen; Bozhko, Serhiy; Wheeler, Patrick

Abstract

Multilevel converters have been used for aircraft electric starter/generator (ESG) systems due to their high power qualities. One of the desirable topologies is the three-level neutral-point-clamped (3L-NPC) converter. Our studied ESG system operates at a high speed during its generation mode, which results in high modulation index (MI) and puts some specific challenges on neutral-point (NP) voltage balance, especially under low power factor (PF) load conditions. Moreover, common-mode voltage (CMV) needs to be addressed properly as it leads to irreversible damage of motor shaft bearings, thereby degrading the efficiency and reliability of the entire system. Compared with the conventional nearest-three virtual space vector (NTV2) technique, the proposed modulation scheme employs three adjacent medium vectors to synthesize a new medium vector and two pairs of large vectors to compose new small vectors. This allows the presented modulation scheme to achieve balanced capacitor voltage and reduced CMV at the same time. In addition, the torque ripple of the proposed modulation strategy is thoroughly compared and analyzed. Meanwhile, in order to overcome the heavy computational burden, a fast calculation approach is adopted to simplify the algorithm. Simulation results obtained from Simulink/PLECS and experimental results obtained from a 45 kW, 32 krpm aircraft ESG system verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in more-electric-aircraft (MEA) applications.

Citation

Guo, F., Yang, T., Diab, A., Yeoh, S. S., Bozhko, S., & Wheeler, P. (2021). An Enhanced Virtual Space Vector Modulation Scheme of Three-Level NPC Converters for More-Electric-Aircraft Applications. IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, 57(5), 5239-5251. https://doi.org/10.1109/tia.2021.3085798

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 25, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jun 1, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-09
• Deposit Date: Jun 14, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 2, 2023
• Journal: IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications
• Print ISSN: 0093-9994
• Electronic ISSN: 1939-9367
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 57
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 5239-5251
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/tia.2021.3085798
• Keywords: Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering; Control and Systems Engineering
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5685116
• Publisher URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9444826
• Additional Information: © 2021 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.