Design of a Modular Multilevel Converter Prototype for Research Purposes
Paper in proceeding, 2018

As modular multilevel converters gradually become the preferred topology for many high-voltage and high-power applications, they are widely studied among researchers, who need experimental results to validate their studies. This paper discusses the design of a down-scaled modular multilevel converter prototype for research purposes, equipped with 30 full-bridge submodules and 10 kW rating. The design of this prototype is aimed at safety, flexibility, orderliness, and compactness. The challenges posed by the implementation of the converter prototype are examined, discussing the design of the prototype structure, the communication scheme, the full-bridge submodules, and the control hierarchy. The control system is based on Xilinx Zynq system-on-chip, which integrates programmable logic and processing system, allowing for extensive computational capability as well as simple reconfiguration. Experimental results showing the prototype in operation at nominal ratings are presented along with the devised graphical user interface.

Multilevel converters

Test bench

Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)

Measurement

Author

Luca Besscgato

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Anant Narula

Power grids and Components

Panagiotis Bakas

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

Staffan Norrga

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

2018 20th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, EPE 2018 ECCE Europe

8515492

20th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, EPE 2018 ECCE Europe
Riga, Latvia,

Subject Categories

Embedded Systems

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

More information

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1/8/2019 1