Power electronic converter and system control

This paper deals with modern control systems technology that is frequently applied to power conversion systems. The discussion goes far beyond the basic level of switch control in switching regulators. System-level control issues are important in expanding the market base of power electronics. Improvement in system performance involves not only the use of advanced control techniques, but also the integration of several converters or converter systems into a larger system. A fully controlled rectifier and an induction motor drive system are presented as typical applications to illustrate the use of many techniques for controlling power converters. The paper then points out how a wide variety of control techniques can be applied to enhance the controller performance and bandwidth in power electronics. These techniques include observers and adaptive control, nonlinear control, sliding and dead-beat control, and intelligent control. Finally, the paper points out how power electronic system performance can be enhanced through the use of condition monitoring and diagnostics.