A Control Method for PWM AC/DC Converter by Use of Inductor

Current Feed Forward and Feedback

Q. Zhang 1, C.W. Zhang 1, X. Zhang 1, W.X. Shen2
1
School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Hefei University of Technology,
Hefei, Anhui, P.R. China, 230009. Email:[email protected]
2
School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, 2 Jalan Kolej, Bandar Sunway,
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 46150. Email: [email protected]

Abstract the line current references. The proposed control

strategy is of relatively simple software implementation
The paper proposes a control strategy for three-phase and has better system transient response and stability
pulse width modulated (PWM) voltage source converter margins than normal direct current control, thus allows
(VSC) used in distributed grid-connected generation the VSC to be used in distributed grid-connected
system. The key is to take the current of inductor in the generation system.
filter as feedback to regulate the output current, with the
addition of a feed-forward control scheme into the inner 2 Converter’s model
current loop. The paper explores the fundamental
performance issues of the usage of inductor current
feed-forward concerning their contributions to the
transient system response and the power factor. The
proposed control method is implemented in a digital
signal processor (DSP) based system and tested on an
experimental 30KVA prototype unit. The results exhibit
the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

1 Introduction
Three-phase voltage source converters are used in many
grid connected applications, such as static Var Fig.1 PWM AC/DC converter used in distributed
compensators, UPS and distributed generating systems grid-connected generation systems
(e.g. PV, wind power, etc). In order to achieve proper Three-phase voltage source converter used in distributed
power flow regulation in the power system, the voltage grid-connected generation system is similar to the one
oriented control, which allows for a good dynamic shown in Fig. 1. In a balanced three phases system a
response obtained via an internal filter inductor current stationary mathematical model of three-phase voltage
control loop, is widely used [1]-[2]. As alternatives to source converter can be described by equation (1) :.
this control method, many control strategies have been
proposed in recent works such as predictive control [3]  dia
and direct power control (DPC) [4][5] [6]. L dt + ia R = ea − (Vdc S a + VNO )
An AC-DC converter is built up with the  di
implementation of a proposed control strategy for L b + ib R = eb − (Vdc S b + VNO )
distributed grid-connected power generation system to  dt
keep the DC-link voltage constant and the grid side L dic + i R = e − (V S + V )
power factor adjustable. The current reference of  dt c c dc c NO

inductor is decided aiming at maximum power output of i + i + i = 0

the distributed generation system. Therefore the line
a b c (1)
current is the focus of control system. The required fast
ea + eb + ec = 0
current tracking ability can be realized by using the
 V
dead-beat controller described in [7], but with easy
VNO = − dc ∑ s k
 3 k =a ,b ,c
harmonics generation. The proposed control algorithm
does not require more sensors than direct power control
 dVdc
C = id − i a s a + ib s b + ic s c
and dead-beat control. The control strategy combines
 dt
with filter inductor current feed-forward and feedback 
with inductor current feed-forward added into the line Where:
current regulation loop. The simplified current reference k: index for the three phases = {a, b, c};
calculation leads sufficiently low steady-state error for sk: switching functions;

0-7803-9514-X/06/$20.00 ©2006 IEEE ICIEA 2006

 ik: line currents; angles may synchronize to the grid voltages (ea，eb and
ek: phase voltages; ec) to obtain unity power factor. The inner loop has only
Vdc: DC bus voltage; a proportional gain, just because it only serves to
id: DC bus current: stabilize the control system and its steady state
R, L: resistance and inductance of the line filter performance. To improve the tracking ability of current
Note that the L represents the three inductors in the and power factor regulation, the command i* and
input filter for attenuating the current ripple in the utility reference angles are also used in inductor current feed
current, and the topology is without neutral connection forward.
and the resistance of the power switches is negligible.
With the model expressed by equation (1), the 4 Inductor Current Control
schematic diagram in Fig. 1 can be redrawn as that in
Fig.2. Since the power quality is determined by line current,
the control on inductor current is the most important
3 Control of VSC part of a two-loop control structure [9].

For VSC used in distributed Grid-Connected generation

systems, the grid voltage is uncontrollable, and the only
way to assure power quality is the control of line
current. The primary aim of the controller is to regulate
the magnitude and phase angle of this current by pulse
width modulation (PWM), so that the real and reactive (a)
power entering the grid can be controlled. Current
control is chosen for this work also because of its ability
to reject existing grid voltage distortion.
A block diagram of the VSC system is presented in
Fig. 3. The complete control with the current and the
voltage feedback loops is implemented in a single
digital signal processor (DSP).
The control strategy is to control the converter to (b)
generate high quality balanced three-phase currents and Figure 4 Current control loop
to control the output power of converter. With this Fig. 4(a) is the structure of direct control on inductor
approach the converter is operated as a current source current for SPWM voltage converters commonly used
in distributed grid-connected generation system [10]. In
the inductor current loop, the base frequency component
in the generated PWM signal is determined by line
current error, grid voltage and the controller gain (Ki),
and may be expressed by equation (2):
uk = ∆i kKi + e k (2)
where ∆ik = i*k - ik .
Because proportional controller has the drawbacks
such as the current steady error can not be fully
attenuated if the gain is too small, and the PWM signal
might easily reach its limit if the gain is too big,
therefore the distributed grid-connected generation
Fig.3 Control block diagram of the VSC systems is difficult to operate at unity power factor and
the VSC generates more harmonics into the line current.
where the inductor current (line current) is controlled.
In the scheme (b), the inductor current feed forward
Power quality is assured because the output current is
is added into the direct current loop aiming at
less influenced by the grid voltage. The main advantage
overcoming the drawbacks, and the algorithm may be
of using a current source instead of a voltage source is
expressed as equation (3):
that within the control frequency range high output
impedance is observed from the viewpoint of the grid. uk = ∆ikKi + ek + ik (Ls +R)Kf (3)
In the control scheme the outer loop of DC capacitor
voltage provides a current reference to the inner Comparing equation (3) to (2), it can be noted that
inductor current loop. The command i* for the currents the base frequency component of the PWM signal
of three phases ( ia，ib and ic ) is generated by the PI includes ∆uk that is：
voltage regulator. The PLL generate reference angles of ∆uk = ik (Ls +R)Kf (4)
the currents to follow the grid [8]. These reference
 Because inductor current feed-forward can improve system, and smaller steady state error of base frequency
the gain of current loop and compensate the base component is achieved as well.
frequency control signal, the method of (3) provides Fig.5(c) gives the current waveforms of two phases
better control than that of (2). With the use of inductor exhibiting no significant harmonics distortion. The
current feed-forward and feedback, SPWM voltage measured supply current distortion is about.2.3%.
converters can easily operate at unity power factor with By applying a sudden power transient on the DC
a small proportional gain, and VCS generates less bus, .the effectiveness of the current controller is
harmonics and noise. The Grid-Connected distributed verified and Figs. 6 exhibits the inductor current
generation system also has faster transient response and transient response of load switching from 0 to 100%
current tracking ability. rated load and from 100% rated load to 0 respectively. It
can be seen that the load current traces the power
5 Experimental Results change within less than two line cycles..

The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy was 6 Conclusion

verified on a 30-KVA SPWM VSC unit with a
controller based on the TMS320F2407 (A fixed point This paper presents an inductor current control strategy
DSP). The circuit parameters are: to regulate the line current entering a distributed
L = 0.7mH, R = 0.012ohm, C = 6600µF. network from a three-phase VSC.
The 360V DC bus voltage is provided by a six-pulse Experiments were carried out to verify the stability
thyristor rectifier. The converter is coupled to the grid of the algorithm over a range of operating conditions. It
through a 380V/190V transformer. The switching is shown that the control strategy can be tuned to
frequency of SPWM is 10 KHz. achieve an improved system performance and can be
The phase line current and voltage of the converter applied in distributed power generation and quality
without inductor current feed-forward are shown control. The proposed algorithm can be easily
in.Fig.5(a), and the same quantities of the converter implemented in a full discrete-time controller based on
with inductor current feed-forward are shown in Fig. currently available DSP.
5(b). The experimental result confirms that inductor
current feed- forward improves the power factor of

(a) (b) (c)

Fig.5 Recorded voltage and current waveforms
(a) Grid voltage and inductor current of scheme (a);
(b) Grid voltage and inductor current of scheme (b)
(c) Two phases currents
.

(a) Full process (b) 0% to100%(83A) (c) 100%(83A)to 0%.

Fig.6 Transient response of inductor current during load switching of VSC
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