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DC Voltage Sensorless Predictive Control of a High-Efficiency PFC Single-Phase Rectifier Based on the Versatile
Catalina González-Castaño1, Carlos Restrepo2, Fredy Sanz1
1Facultad de Ingeniería, Ingeniería Mecatrónica de la Universidad Manuela Beltrán, Bogotá 110231, Colombia.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 10, 2021
Summary
This study compares buck-boost converters for efficient AC-DC conversion in power factor correction (PFC). The versatile buck-boost (VBB) converter demonstrates superior efficiency and sensorless voltage regulation, validated by hardware-in-the-loop simulations.
Area of Science:
- Electrical Engineering
- Power Electronics
- Control Systems
Background:
- Electronic power distribution systems require highly efficient AC-DC conversion.
- Buck-boost converters are crucial for power factor correction (PFC) stages, enabling wide input voltage regulation.
- Applications needing DC voltages lower than peak grid voltage can benefit from improved efficiency using buck-boost converters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficiency of SEPIC, non-inverting, and versatile buck-boost (VBB) converters as single-phase PFC rectifiers.
- To evaluate a discrete-time predictive current control loop with a sensorless output voltage regulator.
- To validate the VBB converter's performance through thermal and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulations.
Main Methods:
- Design and simulation of SEPIC, non-inverting, and VBB converters for 200 V output and 220 Vrms input at 3.2 kW.
- Implementation of an inner discrete-time predictive current control loop and a sensorless output voltage regulator.
- PLECS thermal simulations for efficiency analysis and HIL real-time simulation using a PLECS RT Box 1 and a DSC.
Main Results:
- Thermal simulations indicated that the versatile buck-boost (VBB) converter offers higher power conversion efficiency compared to SEPIC and non-inverting types.
- HIL real-time simulation confirmed the VBB converter's effectiveness in achieving high efficiency and sensorless DC output voltage regulation.
- The VBB converter maintained a sinusoidal input current perfectly in-phase with the grid voltage.
Conclusions:
- The versatile buck-boost (VBB) converter is a highly efficient solution for single-phase PFC applications, outperforming traditional SEPIC and non-inverting converters.
- The proposed sensorless control strategy effectively regulates the output DC voltage without requiring dedicated voltage sensors.
- The study validates the VBB converter's potential for high-efficiency power distribution systems through comprehensive simulations and real-time testing.
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