• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.419-427
• /
• 2019

Several multilevel converter topologies have been proposed and compared. The three-level (3L) neutral-point-clamped (NPC) topology is promising and widely accepted. However, this topology suffers from uneven loss distribution among switches due to its fixed switching strategy. The 3L active NPC (ANPC) topology, which exhibits improved loss distribution profile, was proposed to address this disadvantage. The 3L T-NPC topology, a hybrid configuration of 2L and 3L NPC topologies, was introduced to address not only the loss distribution problem but also the reduction in the number of switches. In the present research, the application of these three topologies in PMSG-based medium-voltage wind turbines was investigated. The power devices considered were 10 kV IGCTs. Performance was evaluated in terms of a power loss of 10 kV IGCT for each NPC topology, which is a crucial indicator of thermal behavior, reliability, cost, and lifetime of any converter. The comparison was performed using ABB make 10 kV IGCT 5SHY17L9000 and the simulation tool PLECS.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.1380-1391
• /
• 2015

This paper provides a loss analysis and comparison of high power semiconductor devices in 5MW Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG) Medium Voltage (MV) Wind Turbine Systems (WTSs). High power semiconductor devices of the press-pack type IGCT, module type IGBT, press-pack type IGBT, and press-pack type IEGT of both 4.5kV and 6.5kV are considered in this paper. Benchmarking is performed based on the back-to-back type 3-level Neutral Point Clamped Voltage Source Converters (3L-NPC VSCs) supplied from a grid voltage of 4160V. The feasible number of semiconductor devices in parallel is designed through a loss analysis considering both the conduction and switching losses under the operating conditions of 5MW PMSG wind turbines, particularly for application in offshore wind farms. This paper investigates the loss analysis and thermal performance of 5MW 3L-NPC wind power inverters under the operating conditions of various power factors. The loss analysis and thermal analysis are confirmed through PLECS Blockset simulations with Matlab Simulink. The comparison results show that the press-pack type IGCT has the highest efficiency including the snubber loss factor.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.238-248
• /
• 2016

In this study, an automatic command mode transition strategy of direct power control (DPC) is proposed for permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs) medium-voltage (MV) offshore wind turbines (WTs). Benchmarking against the control methods are performed based on a three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) back-to-back type voltage source converter (VSC). The ramping rate criterion of complex power is utilized to select the switching vector in DPC for a three-level NPC converter. With a grid command and an MPPT mode transition strategy, the proposed control method automatically controls the generated output power to satisfy a grid requirement from the hierarchical wind farm controller. The automatic command mode transition strategy of DPC is confirmed through PLECS simulations based on Matlab. The simulation result of the automatic mode transition strategy shows that the proposed control method of VOC and DPC achieves a much shorter transient time of generated output power than the conventional control methods of MPPT and VOC under a step response. The proposed control method helps provide a good dynamic performance for PMSGs MV offshore WTs, thereby generating high quality output power.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.647-659
• /
• 2010

This paper presents a part of North Africa/Europe collaboration results in education to develop project-oriented courses in power electronics and motor drive field. The course aims to teach Permanent Magnet motor drives close to a real world project of significant size and depth so as to be motivational, namely mobile robot project. Particular skills, student will acquire, are those relative to the detailed design and implementation of PM motor controllers in DSP based rapid prototyping environment. Simulation work is completed using graphical modeling tools in Simulink/Plecs, while real-time implementation is achieved by means of eZdspF2812 board and Simulink/TI C2000 Embedded Target tools. This flexible development environment fit the robot traction system very well and provides exactly the functionality necessary for an efficient PM motor drives teaching as demonstrated by a set of simulation and experiments.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2018.11a
• /
• pp.86-88
• /
• 2018

The three level(3L) neutral point clamped (NPC) voltage source converter (VSC) topology is widely used for grid interface in high power wind energy due to its superior performance as compared to the two level(2L) VS. However, one of the major drawbacks of this topology is the unequal dispersion of loss and therefore the junction temperature among the power devices. The 3L ANPC topology derived from the NPC topology was proposed to resolve this drawback of unequal loss profile of 3L NPC. The 3L ANPC can work under various switching strategies. In this paper a comparative study of the various switching strategies of 3L ANPC using the recently developed 10kV IGCTs which has the capability to raise the current and voltage rating of the wind turbines is carried out. The comparison is performed using ABB make 10kV IGCT 5SHY17L9000 and PLECs simulations.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.410-420
• /
• 2015

This paper provides a comparison of power converter loss and thermal description for voltage source and current source type 5 MW-class medium-voltage topologies of wind turbines. Neutral-point clamped three-level converter is adopted for a voltage source type topology, whereas a two-level converter is employed for current source type topology, considering the popularity in the industry. To match the required voltage level of 4160 V with the same switching device of IGCT as in the voltage source converter, two active switches are connected in series for the case of current source converter. Transient thermal modeling of a four-layer Foster network for heat transfer is done to better estimate the transient junction and case temperature of power semiconductors during various operating conditions in wind turbines. The loss analysis is confirmed through PLECS simulations. Comparison result shows that the VSC-based wind turbine system has higher efficiency than the CSC under the rated operating conditions.