An Active Modulation Scheme to Boost Voltage Utilization of the Dual Converter with a Floating Bridge

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

Research output: Journal PublicationArticlepeer-review

65 Citations (Scopus)

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 utilization 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 modeled 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 utilization 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 utilization 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 utilization 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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number8485662
Pages (from-to)5623-5633
Number of pages11
JournalIEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics
Volume66
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2019

Keywords

  • Dual converter
  • more electric aircraft (MEA)
  • multilevel converters
  • space vector modulation (SVM)
  • voltage regulation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Control and Systems Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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