Microprocessor control of PWM inverters

Microprocessor control of power-electronic equipment offers the possibility of improvements in manufacture, reliability, maintenance and servicing and increased control flexibility. The more important functional requirements associated with variable-speed drives are reviewed, and assess in terms of possible microprocessor-based implementations. The implications of the various hardware/software design trade-offs and their effects on the speed, accuracy and timing of a microprocessor-controlled PWM inverter drive system are considered. A detailed comparative study of the various microprocessor-based methods of generating PWM control is presented, and the feasibility of using a microprocessor software-based calculation to generate PWM inverter control over a wide frequency range is demonstrated.