Single-Phase Converter Control Neutral-Point Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Single-phase converters face challenges with unbalanced system neutral-point potential due to capacitance errors and switch device inconsistencies, leading to increased voltage stress on switching transistors and reduced system response speed.

Innovation Solution

A control method that calculates a common-mode modulated wave based on initial modulated waves from two bridge arms of the single-phase converter, adjusting the magnitude and slope of the common-mode component to improve neutral-point potential balancing, and adaptively adjusts the DPWM method to reduce time delay and enhance system reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a time delay link is used to generate orthogonal voltage vector, then the single-phase converter control can be implemented, but the system response speed is reduced and system delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol implementationVSAvoidsystem response speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the time delay link from the control system. Instead of using a time delay link to generate the orthogonal voltage vector, the patent directly calculates the common-mode component from the initial modulated waves of the two bridge arms, thereby eliminating the source of system delay and improving response speed while maintaining control functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by not generating the orthogonal voltage vector through time delay, but rather directly computing the common-mode component from the available initial modulated waves. This inversion of the control strategy eliminates the need for time delay operations while achieving the same control objective

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Device complexity

If conventional DPWM method is used without common-mode component injection, then the control is simple, but the system neutral-point potential is unbalanced and voltage stress on switching transistors increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol complexityVSAvoidswitching transistor reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces feedback by calculating the common-mode component based on the initial modulated waves and injecting it into the modulation process. This feedback mechanism dynamically adjusts the modulation waves to balance the neutral-point potential and distribute voltage stress evenly across switching transistors, improving reliability without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the modulation parameters by injecting a common-mode component into the initial modulated waves. This parameter adjustment transforms the modulation process to achieve balanced neutral-point potential and reduced voltage stress on switching devices, maintaining control simplicity while enhancing reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If virtual third phase algorithm is used to generate common-mode component, then neutral-point potential balancing is achieved, but time delay increases and response speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneutral-point potential balancingVSAvoidcontrol time delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the virtual third phase algorithm from the control process. Instead of generating a virtual third phase to calculate the common-mode component, the patent directly computes the common-mode component from the initial modulated waves of the two bridge arms, removing the unnecessary computational steps and associated time delays

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by using only the necessary information from the two bridge arms to calculate the common-mode component, rather than implementing the complete virtual third phase algorithm. This partial approach achieves the required neutral-point potential balancing without the excessive computational overhead and time delay

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3506474B1Single-phase converter control method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2023.04.05 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3506474B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3506474B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3506474B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments of this application disclose a single-phase converter control method and apparatus. The method includes: calculating on a voltage corresponding to a first level output by a single-phase converter, a voltage corresponding to a second level output by the single-phase converter, and a voltage reference value about the voltage corresponding to the first level and the voltage corresponding to the second level, to obtain a common-mode modulated-wave change rate of the single-phase converter, where the first level is a direct-current-side positive-bus level, and the second level is a direct-current-side negative-bus level; calculating on a first-phase initial modulated wave of the single-phase converter, a second-phase initial modulated wave of the single-phase converter, and the common-mode modulated-wave change rate, to obtain a common-mode modulated wave of the single-phase converter; and calculating on the first-phase initial modulated wave, the second-phase initial modulated wave, and the common-mode modulated wave, to obtain a pulse width modulated wave of the single-phase converter. According to the embodiments of this application, a system neutral-point potential balancing capability, a system response speed, and system reliability can be improved.