Project memo AN 01.12.

97

Updated simulation model of active

front end converter

SINTEF Energy Research 1

Objectives

„ Implement a complete dynamic model of an active front-

end converter (grid connected voltage source PWM
converter)
„ The model is to be implemented in the simulation software
PSCAD/EMTDC
„ Illustrate how Mathcad can be used for stability analysis of
converter controller
„ Illustarte how Matlab can be used for harmonic analysis

SINTEF Energy Research 2

Active front-end characteristics
„ Active and reactive power flow can be controlled in both
directions and independently.
„ Possibility for sinusoidal current drawn from, or delivered
to, the power grid
„ Small filter requirements compared to traditional thyristor
converters
„ The DC-link voltage level can be controlled
„ Can be used as the only power source in an AC network
(stand-alone application)
„ Can inject currents to compensate for non-linear loads or
for transients (e.g. operating as an active filter)
„ Very short response time (step changes in active / reactive
power and current in less than a ms)

SINTEF Energy Research 3

 Simulation model (top level)
Active front end converter
Load Converter Mains Power flow Fault detection
Wed Dec 12 09:13:34 2001 Load (kA) V_DC P_DC DC_ref (kV) I_react (pu) PWM control IR Fund. rms Mains Volt Frequency Phase P Q Short cir. PWM
0.05 0.9 1 OFF ON 0.3 60 360
Plot
A rms kW kW
0 1 -20 20 0 0.04 -10 10 -10 10 0 1
-0.05 0.1 -1 0.2 40 -360
0.001 0 -20 0.45 0 1 0 0.23 50 0 -10 -10 0

Load / Source DC-link Active front end PWM converter

I_R
I_PWM Filter Point of common Power Grid
connection
I_S
0.02

T1 D1 T3 D3 T5 D5
I_T
2 2 2 Ph F V
g_Rp g_Sp g_Tp VRS
V_DC
6600 .0

I_R A A I_mains_R A
V_DC_P
V_R_G 0.053 0.0014 VR 0.0003 0.0003 0.05
V_R_0 VRS
I_S B B I_mains_S B
0.053 0.0014 VST VS 0.0003 0.0003
6600 .0

I_T C C I_mains_T C
V_DC_N
I_DC 0.053 0.0014 VT 0.0003 0.0003
VTR

I_C_R

I_C_S

I_C_T

VCC_R
T4 D4 T6 D6 T2 D2

VCC_S

VCC_T
0.02

2 2 2

0.001 66.0

0.001 66.0

0.001 66.0
g_Rm g_Sm g_Tm

A
Power
I_C_R VR I_mains_R

P
Power calculation Short circuit detection
* VS I_mains_S
V_DC V_DC_P 1E3
Save result to file for
* VT I_mains_T
* |X| Matlab analysis
I_DC 1E3 P_DC I_DC V_R_G I_PWM Short cir. PWM *
1E3
FFT-analysis result
V_DC I_PWM V_R_0 to file
In1 In6
Scale factor In1 V_R_G I_R
(from kV to per unit (pu))
I_R In2 In7
(1.0 pu = 230 V AC = 0.23kV) Scale factor In2 V_R_0 I_mains_R
Note: Peak values (from kA to per unit (pu)) 0.0
In3
(1.0 pu = 28 A = 0.028kA) In3 FFT
* VR
3.074 Note: Peak values ! 0.0
VRS In4
* In4 VRS
1 0.0
VST 3.074 * In5
2
* I_R 25.2 In5 VCC_R
3 0.0 Write Store
VTR 3.074 VAC_mea Phase Theta * file result
locked 1 trigger
loop (PLL) I_S 25.2 trigger
2 On
*
3
I_T 25.2 g_Rp
PWM g_Rp
g_Rm Result to file
Scale factor Write Store results
g_Rm
(from kV to per unit (pu)) g_Sp -- Trigg OFF ON
(1.0 pu = 400 V DC = 0.4kV) Theta g_Sp lagreres.f
g_Sm
* I_react I_m ea g_Sm
DC
V_DC 2.5 VDC_mea Generation of g_Tp 0 0
Voltage V_ref
Controller I_act curr. references I_ref Current V_ref g_Tp
Controller
* I_amp g_Tm
I_ref
2.5 VDC_ref g_Tm

File ny_frontend_11
Dir J:\DOK\12\MO\Prosjekt\Sip 12X127\EMTDC\Frontend

SINTEF Energy Research 4

Example: Step reversal of reactive
current/power flow
Untitled
no name
IR IS IT
+0.05

+0.03
Convert.
+0.01 currents
-0.01
before
filtering
-0.03

-0.05
0.05 0.07 0.09 0.11 0.13 0.15
no name
I mains R I mains S I mains T
+0.05

+0.03
Convert.
+0.01 currents
-0.01
after
filtering
-0.03

-0.05
0.05 0.07 0.09 0.11 0.13 0.15
Time (sec)

SINTEF Energy Research 5

Stability analysis: Phase locked loop
Phase PI controller
difference
reference + +
+ Kp
- + + +
s Kscale 1 Kfe 1
1 + s ⋅ T fe - s ⋅ TI
Frequency
compensation PD

Phase difference 1 360

1 + s ⋅ T pd s
Phase difference VCO
detection (Park
transformation)
SINTEF Energy Research 6
 Bodediagram

Stability
0

Amplitude (dB)
analysis of −6

the phase
locked
Frequency (Hz)

loop
− 180
Phase angle (degree)

(Mathcad) − 135

Frequency (Hz)

SINTEF Energy Research 7

 Example: Harmonic content in
converter current (Matlab)
File:./ex03.emt/resultat
0.04

0.02

Current in
IR

0
filter
-0.02 inductor
-0.04
0.17 0.175 0.18 0.185 0.19 0.195
Time (500 ks/s ) (RMS:0.023189 )

File:./ex03.emt/resultat

Harmonics
6
in % of
4 fundamental
IR

2
x 104 Hz on
0
x-axis
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Frequency (Hz) (500 ks/s Delta freq. :50 Hz ) (%THD=6.9015 RMS=0.023189 ) 4
x 10

SINTEF Energy Research 8

Conclusions

„ SINTEF Energy Research now have models and analysis

tools well suited for design and verification of active front-
end converters.
„ The established model and the analysis tools
(PSCAD/EMTDC) are well suited for further investigation
on problems related to interfacing of alternative energy
sources and energy storage devices to the power grid or
to an autonomous power system.

SINTEF Energy Research 9

 PROJECT MEMO
MEMO CONCERNS
Energy Research

SINTEF Energy Research

Updated simulation model of active front end converter

Address: NO-7465 Trondheim,

NORWAY
DISTRIBUTION
Reception: Sem Sælands vei 11
Telephone: +47 73 59 72 00 Magnar Hernes (SEfAS)
Telefax: +47 73 59 72 50 Kjell Ljøkelsøy (SEfAS)
http://www.energy.sintef.no
Nils Arild Ringheim (SEfAS)
Olve Mo (SEfAS)
Enterprise No.:
NO 939 350 675 MVA

AN NO. CLASSIFICATION REVIEWED BY

AN011297 Unrestricted Magnar Hernes

ELECTRONIC FILE CODE AUTHOR(S) DATE

011123Mo145023 Olve Mo 2001-11-23

PROJECT NO. NO. OF PAGES

12X127 Olve.Mo@energy.sintef.no 64
DIVISION LOCATION LOCAL FAX

Energy Systems Sem Sælands Vei 11 +47 73597250

SUMMARY
This memo is a continuation and systematisation of previous work on mains integrated converters.
It is a part of the result of the Strategic Institute Programme (SIP) “Power electronics and energy
storage technologies for cost- and energy efficient power systems” funded by The Research
Council of Norway.

A complete dynamic model of an active front-end converter is presented in this memo. The model
is implemented in the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation software and includes both the power circuit
and the control loops.

The memo also shows how MatLab can be used for calculation of harmonics and how MatCad
can be used for investigation of converter stability analysis and also for determination of possible
AC-filter resonance frequencies. The simulation examples clearly show that the filter design is a
very important part of an active front-end converter.

The memo shows that SINTEF Energy Research now have models and analysis tools well suited
for design and verification of active front-end converters. The established model and the analysis
tools are also well suited for further investigation on problems related to interfacing of alternative
energy sources and energy storage devices to the power grid or to an autonomous power system.

Further work will be:

· Define and describe design criteria for the controllers of the active front-end converter in
different power system applications.
· Thorough investigation of AC-filter design for active front-end converters.

12X127 AN011297
 2
Energy Research

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................................ 1

1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................ 3
1.1 Active front-end converter ............................................................................................................. 3
1.2 About this memo ............................................................................................................................ 3

2 MODELLING .............................................................................................................................................. 4
2.1 The model (file: ny_frontend_11.psc) ............................................................................................ 4
2.2 The power circuit ........................................................................................................................... 6
2.2.1 Power grid ..................................................................................................................... 6
2.2.2 Converter filter and power meter................................................................................... 7
2.2.3 The converter................................................................................................................. 7
2.3 Controller loops.............................................................................................................................. 8
2.3.1 The DC-voltage controller............................................................................................. 9
2.3.2 The phase locked loop (PLL) ...................................................................................... 10
2.3.3 Generation of three phase current references .............................................................. 11
2.3.4 Current controller ........................................................................................................ 13
2.3.5 Pulse width modulation (PWM) of gate pulses ........................................................... 14
2.4 Online result analysis (FFT)......................................................................................................... 16
2.5 Saving results for analysis in Matlab............................................................................................ 16
2.6 Parameters for the simulation model ............................................................................................ 17

3 FREQUENCY ANALYSIS OF THE SELECTED FILTER PARAMETERS .......................................... 18

4 STABILITY ANALYSIS OF THE PHASE LOCKED LOOP.................................................................. 19

4.1 Method of analysis ....................................................................................................................... 19
4.2 Block diagram and Bode plot....................................................................................................... 19
4.3 Conclusions regarding stability of the phase locked loop ............................................................ 21

5 EXAMPLES OF SIMULATION RESULTS............................................................................................. 22

5.1 DC – voltage controller operation (file: ex01.psc) ....................................................................... 22
5.2 Current reference generation and current controller operation (file: ex01.psc)............................ 22
5.3 PWM (file: ex01.psc) ................................................................................................................... 25
5.4 AC-side waveforms (file: ex01.psc)............................................................................................. 26
5.5 Phase – locked loop operation (file: ex02.psc)............................................................................. 28

6 FREQUENCY COMPONENTS IN CONVERTER OUTPUT VOLTAGES AND CURRENTS ............ 30

6.1 Method of analysis ....................................................................................................................... 30
6.2 Harmonics to be expected ............................................................................................................ 30
6.3 Illustration of harmonic analysis using MatLab for post processing (file: ex04.psc)................... 30
6.4 Converter operating in over-modulation ...................................................................................... 33

7 INVESTIGATION OF RESONANCE EXPIRENCED AT LABORATORY .......................................... 36

7.1 Description of observed resonance............................................................................................... 36
7.2 Parameters for the laboratory converter at time of measurement ................................................. 36
7.3 Simulation of converter with parameters according to laboratory model (ex04.psc) ................... 37
7.4 Frequency analysis of filter and power grid for laboratory set-up ............................................... 37
7.5 Consequences of harmonic injection from other loads................................................................. 41
7.6 Concluding remarks on laboratory set-up simulation................................................................... 44

8 REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................... 45

9 APPENDIX A : PARAMETERS USED IN SIMULATION MODEL...................................................... 46

10 APPENDIX B: FREQUENCY ANALYSIS OF FILTER AND POWER GRID ...................................... 50

11 APPENDIX D : BODE PLOTS OF PHASE LOCKED LOOP ................................................................. 61

12X127 AN011297