Extreme Control Performance for Power Electronics

Controllers for power converters are responsible for ensuring good dynamic response, stability, power quality, and regulation. For decades, the field of power electronics has relied on small-signal modeling and frequency... [ view full abstract ]

Controllers for power converters are responsible for ensuring good dynamic response, stability, power quality, and regulation. For decades, the field of power electronics has relied on small-signal modeling and frequency response analysis to control power converters, which often results in sluggish and limited performance controllers. In particular, since distributed generation converters (solar, wind, storage) switch at moderate frequencies 2 -25kHz, control bandwidths with traditional controllers are very limited resulting in poor behaviour.

This tutorial presents control strategies with extreme performance based on simple and intuitive geometrical analysis. The tutorial begins by reviewing the major hurdles/issues of traditional controllers (small-signal) and providing the fundamentals in developing advanced controllers with outstanding dynamic response. The theory aims at understanding the physical dynamic limits of power converters and developing control laws based on natural trajectories. From fundamentals to advanced applications, the tutorial will explore a number of topologies and provide comprehensive insight into their transient characteristics. Experimental design examples will be presented as part of the tutorial.