Control systems, methods, and software for keeping power converters within operating limits during disturbances

• US 10,224,831 B1
• Filed: 01/22/2018
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WEG Electric Corporation (Wpa Participações e Serviços SA)
• Original Assignee: Northern Power Systems, Inc. (Northern Power Systems Corp.)
• Inventors: Hurtado, Hector H., Hoskins, Stephen P., Petter, Jeffrey K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Emily P
• Application Number:
  US15/876,590
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/493 the static converters being arranged for operation in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/042 by feedback from the output circuit to the control circuit H03K17/0403, H03K17/0406 take precedence

Abstract

Feedback-type control systems for power converters that assist the power converters in staying within operational limited during disturbances. In some embodiments, each control system includes an impedance current regulator controlled as a function of an error between a measured feedback voltage signal representing the output of the power converter and an active feedforward voltage signal. In some multiphase embodiments, the impedance current regulator includes a gain that is adjusted as a function of the level of phase imbalance among the multiple phases. In some multiphase embodiments, a total current limit is determined as a function of the level of phase imbalance among the multiple phases. Corresponding feedback control methods and software, as well as power converter systems and AC network systems incorporating such feedback control systems, are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A control system for a controlled current source that receives DC power as an energy input and provides an AC power output for delivery to an AC power network, the AC power output having an output voltage, the control system comprising:

a voltage signal device, connectable to the controlled current source, configured to provide a voltage feedback signal representing voltage in the AC power output from the controlled current source;

an active feedforward loop electrically connected to the voltage signal device, the active feedforward loop configured to generate an active feedforward voltage signal based on the voltage feedback signal; and

an impedance current regulator configured to generate an impedance current signal as a function of an error between the voltage feedback signal and the active feedforward voltage signal.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the active feedforward loop includes a voltage amplitude calculator that generates a voltage amplitude signal based on the voltage feedback signal.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein the voltage feedback signal contains three voltage signals, and the voltage amplitude calculator generates the voltage amplitude signal based on the square root of a sum of the squares of the three voltage signals.

4. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the active feedforward loop is configured to generate the active feedforward voltage signal so that it has a delay selected as a function of at least one current limit of the controlled current source.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein the delay is about one electrical cycle relative to the voltage feedback signal.

6. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the active feedforward loop includes a filter that generates the active feedforward voltage signal so that it has a delay relative to the voltage feedback signal.

7. The control system according to claim 6, wherein the filter comprises a moving average filter.

8. The control system according to claim 6, wherein the active feedforward loop further includes a voltage amplitude calculator that generates a voltage amplitude signal based on the voltage feedback signal.

9. The control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the impedance current regulator includes a gain that is a function of a voltage output of the controlled current source and a current output of the controlled current source;

the AC power output from the controlled current source is an output containing multiple phases; and

the control system further includes a current imbalance feedback system that detunes the gain as a function of imbalance among the multiple phases.

10. The control system according to claim 9, wherein the current imbalance feedback system includes an imbalance calculator that generates an imbalance signal based on the multiple phases of the AC power output.

11. The control system according to claim 10, wherein the imbalance calculator is a voltage imbalance calculator that generates a voltage imbalance signal based on the voltage feedback signal from the voltage signal device.

12. The control system according to claim 11, wherein the current imbalance feedback system includes a current-limit control that generates each of a real current amplitude limit signal and a reactive current amplitude limit signal as a function of the voltage imbalance signal.

13. The control system according to claim 10, wherein the imbalance calculator is a current imbalance calculator that generates a current imbalance signal as a function of a current feedback signal based on the AC power output of the controlled current source.

14. The control system according to claim 10, wherein the gain is based on a resistance, and the current imbalance feedback system includes a gain control that calculates the resistance as a function of the imbalance signal.

15. The control system according to claim 10, wherein the current imbalance feedback system includes a current-limit control that generates each of a real current amplitude limit signal and a reactive current amplitude limit signal as a function of the imbalance signal.

16. A method of controlling a controlled current source that receives DC power as an energy input and provides an AC power output for delivery to an AC power network, the AC power output having an output voltage, the method comprising:

receiving a voltage feedback signal representing voltage in the AC power output from the controlled current source;

generating an active feedforward voltage signal based on the voltage feedback signal;

determining an error between the voltage feedback signal and the active feedforward voltage signal;

generating an impedance current signal as a function of the error between the voltage feedback signal and the active feedforward voltage signal; and

controlling the controlled current source as a function of the impedance current signal.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the three-phase output has three-phase voltage signals and generating an active feedforward voltage signal includes calculating a voltage amplitude signal based on the three-phase voltage signals.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein calculating a voltage amplitude signal includes calculating the voltage amplitude signal based on the square root of a sum of the squares of the three voltage signals.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein generating an active feedforward voltage signal includes generating an active feedforward voltage signal having a delay of at least one electrical cycle relative to the voltage feedback signal.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the delay is substantially one electrical cycle relative to the voltage feedback signal.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein generating an active feedforward voltage signal includes applying a filter so that the active feedforward voltage signal has a delay relative to the voltage feedback signal.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein applying a filter includes applying a moving average filter.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the feedback voltage signal has three-phase voltage signals and generating an active feedforward voltage signal includes calculating a voltage amplitude signal based on the three-phase voltage signals.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein:

the impedance current regulator includes a gain that is a function of a voltage output of the controlled current source and a current output of the controlled current source;

the AC power output from the controlled current source is an output containing multiple phases; and

the method includes detuning the gain as a function of imbalance among the multiple phases.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein detuning the gain includes calculating an imbalance level based on the multiple phases of the AC power output.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein calculating an imbalance level includes calculating a voltage imbalance signal based on the voltage feedback signal.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising determining each of a real current amplitude limit signal and a reactive current amplitude limit signal as a function of the voltage imbalance signal.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein calculating an imbalance level includes calculating a current imbalance that generates a current imbalance signal as a function of a current feedback signal based on the AC power output.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the gain is based on a resistance, and the method further includes determining the resistance as a function of the imbalance level.

30. The method according to claim 25, further comprising determining each of a real current amplitude limit signal and a reactive current amplitude limit signal as a function of the imbalance level.