Computationally-efficient direct model predictive control of three- level neutral-point clamped back-to-back converters for wind turbine systems with permanent-magnet synchronous generators

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Ralph Kennel
• Subject Area: Electrical Energy Systems, Power Management, Power Electronics, Electrical Machines and Drives ; Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
• Term: from 2015 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 267888886

During the research project, computationally-efficient direct model predictive control (CE-DMPC) schemes for current/torque and power control of three-level neutral-point (diode) clamped (3L-NPC) back-to-back converters for wind turbine systems with permanent-magnet synchronous generators (PMSG) shall be developed, implemented, optimized and validated on a hardware-in-the-loop system (emulating the whole wind turbine system). The developed algorithms shall be implemented, tested and compared with convential DMPC on a FPGA/processor-based real-time system to measure and evaluate the computational effort. Finally, the CE-DMPC schemes shall be combined with (existing) virtual flux estimation methods to overcome the need of voltage sensors on the grid side.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr.-Ing. Christoph Hackl