0000000000043370
AUTHOR
Vincenzo Castiglia
A Hybrid Energy Storage Sizing for a Vertical Take-off and Landing Electric Aircraft
The energy storage sizing procedure for an all-electric aircraft, characterised by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), is presented in the paper. In order to define the energy consumption, the propulsion system model has been developed and simulated, referring to a specific configuration of VOLT obtained by the transformation of a very light twin-propeller aircraft named Tecnam P2012 T. Specifically, a flight mission-oriented to air city taxing has been considered. The simulation results highlight the presence of significant peak power during take-off and landing. At the aim of optimising the weight and the volume of the energy storage systems (ESSs), considered a critical issue in all-el…
An efficient wireless power transfer prototype for electrical vehicles
Based on the inductive power transfer (IPT), the contactless approach allows safe and comfortable operations of battery charging for Electric Vehicles (EVs). In this paper, a contactless system particularly suitable for E-bike battery charging is proposed. A practical realization of the system has been carried out, aiming at the system evaluation in terms of working and efficiency. Through a phase shift modulation, a power regulation has been implemented. The target power level is 100 W.
High Performance FOC for Induction Motors with Low Cost ATSAM3X8E Microcontroller
In this paper the Authors present the Arduino Due board application for an induction motor field oriented control (FOC) algorithm. The low cost Arduino Due board is equipped with a ATSAM3X8E microcontroller that performs the algorithm calculation, data processing, current signals and speed/position data acquisition. The control algorithm has been developed with the help of the open source Arduino integrated development environment, whereas a user friendly control interface, used to manage the speed or position set point, has been developed in Java language by means of an other open source software, namely, Processing. An experimental test bed has been set up in order to validate the FOC sys…
High-Speed Machines: Typologies, Standards, and Operation under PWM Supply
This paper presents an overview of the most recent state of the art in the field of high-speed electric machines fed through high-frequency converters. This type of systems is rapidly wide spreading in aeronautical and automotive applications, as well as microturbines. Each typology has its own advantages and downsides, which are analytically presented in this paper. Some types of high-speed electric machines require high-frequency voltage supply, highly stressing the dielectric materials of the winding insulation system. For this reason, in high-speed electric drives, premature failure may occur and a reduction of the total system reliability has been observed in the past years. Such issue…
Master-Slave Control of Battery/Supercapacitor Based Hybrid Energy Storage System for E-Vehicle Application
In this paper, management and control problem of hybrid energy storage system (HESS) has been solved by master-slave control strategy. Heuristic fuzzy rules based algorithm is developed for optimal power sharing between different power sources. The master control is followed by a slave level controller, designed by using terminal synergetic control method for tracking. Moreover, the stability analysis of closed-loop system has been carried out by using lyapunov theory. Finally, the proposed method has been tested in MATLAB/Simulink environment under Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
Different scenarios of electric mobility: Current situation and possible future developments of fuel cell vehicles in Italy
The diffusion of electric vehicles in Italy has started but some complications weight its spread. At present, hybrid technology is the most followed by users, due particularly to socioeconomic factors such as cost of investment and range anxiety. After a deep discussion of the Italian scenario, the aim of the paper is to recognize whether fuel cell technology may be an enabling solution to overcome pollution problems and respect for the environment. The opportunity to use fuel cells to store electric energy is quite fascinating&mdash
Design and simulation of a fast DC recharging station for EV
In this paper a detailed description of the design and simulation of a DC ultra-fast recharging station for Electric Vehicles is carried out. The system consist of a single AC/DC grid connected inverter, a DC-Bus and two DC/DC converter to recharge the batteries of the EVs. The system also has the vehicleto- grid (V2G) capability. The design of the components of the system and the control schemes are explained and a simulation of the system, performed in Matlab/Simulink environment is presented.
Hybrid Energy Storage Systems: A Brief Overview
In this paper, a brief overview on the Hybrid Energy Storage Systems (HESSs) is provided. In literature, different architectures are chosen to realize the HESSs, and they are based on the principal aim of the HESSs employment. In this paper, the most used HESS topologies are presented, with particular attention to the active, passive and semiactive topologies, highlighting their characteristics. To have a complete schematic idea of the HESSs application, a focus on the principal sizing methodologies is provided, distinguishing the conventional approaches and the advanced ones, exploiting their main applications. Together with a proper sizing, a correct power-sharing strategy is one of the H…
Experimental Investigation on Magnetic Field Effects of IPT for Electric Bikes
The wireless power transmission (WPT) is increasingly representing a promising technology and an innovative solution, especially for the electric vehicles (EVs) battery charging. The inductive power transfer (IPT) is the standard technology of wireless charging: the energy transfer occurs between two magnetically coupled coils. The IPT-based battery charging is especially convenient for E-bikes and the physiological effects related to the generated magnetic fields should be estimated. In this context, this work presents a 200Â W prototype of wireless battery charger for E-bikes. In addition, the measurements regarding the surrounding magnetic field are given in detail in order to evaluate t…
Design, implementation and experimental results of a wireless charger for E-bikes
Based on the Inductive Power Transfer (IPT), the wireless energy transmission is increasingly representing an attractive solution for vehicle battery charging. Due to its high smartness, the wireless solution may be considered an interesting battery charging method for electric bicycles, as they represent light-weight and flexible means of transportation. According to the Vehicle-To-Grid (V2G) concept, the wireless power flow can occur in both the alternative directions: from the grid to the battery or in the opposite way. A Bi-Directional Inductive Power Transfer (BDIPT) system is therefore particularly convenient in the scenario of a multi-parking area. For the E-bike application, a bicyc…
Performance Comparison of modified modulation Techniques for Quasi-Z-Source Converters
The single-stage converters represent an innovation in the field of power electronics thanks their features. Aim of this work consists in the improvement of the performances of quasi-Z-Source converters by adopting a modified modulation technique, which is based on the Maximum Constant Boost Control (MCBC) and Switching Frequency Optimal (SFO). The results in terms of voltage stress and harmonic content are compared with those obtained with conventional techniques, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed modulation scheme.
Selective Harmonic Elimination in a 5-Level Single Phase Converter with FPGA Based Controller
Multilevel converters are becoming popular in high-power applications such as motor drives, renewable energy systems and distribution systems. Among all modulation techniques, selective harmonic elimination methods offer high quality voltage waveforms with operations at low switching frequency, hence, they are especially suitable for high-power applications. In this paper, a new analytical expression for the SHE problem formulated for a five-level converter is introduced, which is able to calculate the exact value of the switching angles. After a mathematical description of the proposed approach, this manuscript reports simulation and experimental results and analysis showing achievable res…
Experimental Characterization of a Double Receiver Dynamic Wireless Charging System
The aim of this work is the characterization of a dynamic wireless charging system low power prototype and the validation of a simplified mathematical model of the employed double D coils. The difference between a single receiver and a dual receiver system is also shown, highlighting how the last one can significantly reduce the costs of the charging infrastructure.
Modelling, simulation and characterization of Li-Ion battery cell
The decarbonizing process of the transportation system and the spread of unplanned renewables energy source, such as photovoltaic and wind energies, brought the constant need of ever more efficient energy storage technologies. Among these technologies, batteries, particularly the li-ion chemistry, are widely used in automotive and energy storage applications. For an optimized management of the cell it is advisable to have models that can accurately describe cell behaviour. In this paper a battery model for performance simulation in automotive application is identified. The main shapes of battery cells with their own advantages and disadvantages are shown, and a roundup of the best available…
A Novel Symmetrical Boost Modulation Method for qZS-based CHB Inverters
Quasi-Z-source cascaded H-bridge (qZS-CHB) inverters are arising as an innovation in the field of the electrical conversion for PV applications. This type of converters inherit the advantages of multilevel inverters and single-stage configuration. In this context, this paper proposes a novel symmetrical boost modulation strategy for qZS CHB multilevel inverters to increase the performance in terms of voltage stresses and power quality. The novelty lies in the adoption of a different concept to generate the shoot-through states compared to the traditional methods. Simulation analysis in a grid connected application to evaluate the benefits of this boost method is performed in the MATLAB/PLEC…
New approach for harmonic mitigation in single-phase five-level CHBMI with fundamental frequency switching
The main objective of this paper is to study and analyse the voltage output waveform of a multilevel inverter, to suggest a new approach for harmonic mitigation improving the converter performance. These last type of converters represent a new technology in the field of DC/AC electrical energy conversion, presenting advantages respect to the traditional converters. In fact, the multilevel power converters present a low harmonic content and a high voltage level. The paper considers a five-level single-phase cascaded H-bridge inverter and fundamental frequency modulation techniques. The voltage waveform analysis has allowed to identify a working area of the converter where there are lowest va…
Forecasting the diffusion of hydrogen EV refuelling infrastructures in Italy
In Italy the electric vehicle revolution is arrived but it still has difficulties to take off. At the moment hybrid technology would seem the most quoted, due especially to range anxiety. The aim of this work is to understand if the fuel cell technology can find place in Italy. The possibility to use fuel cell to storage electric energy is quite interesting: the charging times will be reduced, and heavy passenger transportation should be easily faced. Basing on the existing history and analysis of the information accessible, this paper addresses the existing e-mobility scenario in Italy and predicts the cities in which a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure should be more remunerative, in ord…
Design, implementation and experimental results of an inductive power transfer system for electric bicycle wireless charging
The use of renewable energy and the transformation of transport mode are crucial items for achieving an efficient and clean electrical mobility that allow being competitive on the market. In this context the interface between the power system and the Electric Vehicles (EVs) assumes a strategic role. Specifically, wireless energy transmission, based on Inductive Power Transfer (IPT), is an attractive solution for EVs charging. Moreover, the use of electric bicycles or kick scooters as mode of urban transport is continuously growing because they are lightweight, sustainable, easily parking, flexible and efficient transport devices. Owing to its benefits, the wireless power transfer can be con…
Efficient contactless power transfer system for EVs
Based on the inductive power transfer (IPT), the contactless approach allows safe and comfortable operations of battery charging for Electric Vehicles (EVs). In this paper, a contactless system particularly suitable for E-bike battery charging is proposed. A practical realization of the system has been carried out, aiming at the system evaluation in terms of working and efficiency. Through a phase shift modulation, a power regulation has been implemented. The target power level is 100 W.
Modelling, Simulation and Characterization of a Supercapacitor in Automotive Applications
The energy storage is one of the most discussed topics among Electrical Vehicles (EVs) research. Currently, supercapacitors (SCs) are collecting even more attention due to their unique features such as high-power density, high life cycle and lack of maintenance. In this paper, a supercapacitor model suitable for the simulation in automotive applications is identified. The model parameters are estimated and used to simulate the behaviour of a commercial SCs bank in different operating conditions. The model is finally validated considering experimental results.
Nanostructured lead acid battery for electric vehicles applications
This paper presents an innovative lead acid battery, based on nanostructured active materials. Both charging time and specific energy are greatly enhanced in comparison with commercial lead acid battery. Starting from the extremely valuable performances of the nanostructured battery, also a circuital model, for application in electric vehicle traction, has been specifically developed. The circuital model has demonstrated that an enhanced nanostructured battery allows an increase of traveled distance by electric vehicles.
Novel Computational Method for Harmonic Mitigation for Three-phase Five-level Cascaded H-Bridge Inverter
The efficiency of the system is a very important parameter for high power electrical drives applications,. Moreover, in the system the efficiency of the power converter play a fundamental role and for this reason, the soft switching modulation techniques represent the best choice. This paper presents a novel computational method for harmonic mitigation on the output voltage of a five-level, three-phase Cascaded H-Bridge Inverter without solving non-linear equations. Through this simple approach the Working Areas have been identified in which the harmonics reference have minimum amplitude possible. Moreover, polynomial equations to evaluate the control angels have been found. In this way, th…
Overview and experimental analysis of MC SPWM techniques for single-phase five level cascaded H-bridge FPGA controller-based
This paper presents an overview and experimental analysis of the MC SPWM techniques for single-phase cascaded H-bridge inverter. The multilevel power converters are an alternative to traditional converters known as “three-level converters”. The voltage waveforms and the related frequency spectra, which have been obtained by simulation analysis in Matlab-Simulink environment, are here reported for all the proposed modulation techniques. The simulation results have been experimentally validated through means of a DC/AC, five-level, single-phase converter prototype with an appropriate test bench.
Graphical THD minimization procedure for single phase five-level converters
This paper proposes two graphycal procedure to mitigate h harmonics and to minimize the total harmonic distortion (THD), respectively. The paper considers a five-level inverter and fundamental frequency modulation: it computes the two switching angles able to reduce low order harmonics and able to minimize the THD. Simulation results are obtained and, in order to validate the proposed procedure, an experimental prototype is built and experimental results are carried out. The comparison between simulation and experimental results confirms the accuracy of the proposed graphycal procedure. It is shown that the switching angles to mitigate the third-fifth and the third-fifth-seventh harmonics e…
Wireless Power Transmission for house appliances: A small-scale resonant coupling prototype
This paper presents a low cost prototype of wireless power transfer system based on resonant coupling. The system here proposed can be useful for house appliances battery charging systems: as a matter of fact, it consists mainly of two copper wire coils or windings, placed one in front of the other on the same axis. By exploiting the coils resonance coupling effect, electric energy can be transferred from the inductor coil to the receiver in order to charge the batteries. Low cost experimental tests demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed wireless power transfer prototype, being it capable to reach an efficiency of about 80% and more along a distance of 30 cm.
Stability of Microgrids: An Application of Virtual Synchronous Generator
The objective of this paper is to illustrate an alternative control algorithm for power converters which have the task of introducing the energy generated by systems based on the use of renewable sources such as, photovoltaic or wind power, in to small-sized networks, microgrids. Virtual Synchronous Generator can operate both in parallel to the main network as well as in isolated and autonomous conditions (islanding-mode). The contribute of this work is to drive a consolidate approach, made in time domain, in a more flexible and less time-consuming approach based on Park transformation.
Power management of a battery/supercapacitor system for E-mobility applications
Hybrid Energy Storage Systems (HESS) have been very popular in recent years in different applications, from electric vehicles (EVs) to smart grids and renewable energies, due to the growing need to accumulate electricity. The concept of hybridization arises from the requirement of both high energy and specific power. The battery/supercapacitor (SC) system offers great advantages in a DC bus, giving the opportunity to provide high amounts of power to the loads. In this paper, a system composed of two bidirectional DC-DC converters, one connected to a battery pack and one to a stack of supercapacitors, is presented for a DC bus in electrical mobility (E-Mobility) applications. The proposed co…
Modelling, simulation and characterization of a supercapacitor
In the last decade, the issue of air pollution or the reduction of CO2 emissions has become of extreme interest both for civil society and then for the industrial and scientific research world. For this reason, the scientific research on automotive is called to answer with increasingly innovative solutions. One of the principal subjects are the storage and the utilization of the electric energy for electrical and hybrid vehicles. Nowadays, supercapacitors are getting more and more attention because of their characteristics that allow them to be a bridge between electrolytic capacitors and batteries in several application such as bust-mode energy delivery, regenerative breaks and so on. The …
A Bidirectional IPT system for Electrical Bicycle Contactless Energy Transfer
Contactless Energy Transfer characterized by Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) is a viable solution for Electric Vehicle (EV) battery charging, giving advantages in terms of safety, comfort and automatism of the recharging operation. IPT is a smart option for the Vehicle- To-Grid (V2G) implementation as well: the EV's battery can provide power to other users, if possible and if required, in order to adequately respond to an active demand scenario. IPT shall therefore allow a Bidirectional power flow, so that it can be properly defined as Bidirectional IPT (BIPT). In this paper, a 300 W BIPT system for E-bikes is proposed and experimental results are shown as well. Considering power level and s…
From electric mobility to hydrogen mobility: current state and possible future expansions
The expansion of electric vehicles in Italy, has already started a few years ago, but some aspects prevent its expansion. Currently users prefer hybrid technology, mainly due to socio-economic factors related to initial investment and anxiety about autonomy. The aim of the document is to understand if the adoption of Fuel Cell technology can be a solution to overcome the problems of environmental pollution. The possibility to be able to use fuel cells to store electricity is very advantageous, especially on charging times that are significantly reduced. Based on the current situation and analyzing the available data, this work reports the current state of electric mobility in Italy and trie…
A 9-level three-phase multilevel converter with harmonic mitigation and integrated battery balancing
In this paper, a 9 level three-phase multilevel converter with a harmonic mitigation control method and an integrated battery balancing algorithm for automotive purpose is proposed. Each level of the converter is composed by a buck-boost converter and an h-bridge in cascaded connection. The control algorithm is implemented to achieve the harmonic mitigation on the output voltage waveform and to maintain the battery input voltages balanced. The design and operation of the system is described, and simulation study is reported using Matlab/Simulink platform.
Batteries for Aerospace: A Brief Review
This paper presents a brief overview on batteries for aerospace application. In particular, More Electric Aircraft (MEA) and All Electric Aircraft (AEA) concepts are introduced at first, together with their main advantages and drawbacks. Subsequently, opportunities and issues related to the employment of batteries on aircrafts are presented and briefly discussed. Reference is then made to aircraft power system architectures and battery technologies, as well as on the state-of-the-art of battery management systems, state-of-charge and state-of-health estimations, and thermal management.
Electromagnetic Full-Wave Simulation of Partial Discharge Detection in High Voltage AC Cables
Partial discharge (PD) activity in the insulation system of an electrical equipment can determine the failure of the whole apparatus. PD sensors are widely used in high-voltage electrical systems as the main elements of a detecting system oriented to real time monitoring. Recently, non-invasive sensors have been proposed in industrial applications for cable and other sensitive electrical parts: they are based both on capacitive and on the electromagnetic radiating coupling. In order to assess the real performance of a new sensor produced by a high voltage AC cables manufacturer, the paper proposes electromagnetic fullwave simulation results.
Harmonic reduction in CHB 13-level inverters by PAM fundamental-frequency strategy
In this paper cascaded H-bridges (CHB) 13-level inverters are considered and a particular pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) strategy is introduced to mitigate or eliminate many harmonic components on the output voltage, in order to obtain low Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) factor. This procedure defines different dc voltage sources and sets of six switching angles, depending on an integer parameter $q$ belonging to the close interval $I=[11, 15]$ . The obtained THD doesn't depend on modulation index $m$ . The control of $m$ is made by changing the dc voltage sources that depend linearly on m, while the switching angles remain constant. An investigation about the role of the $q$ parameter on…
A Hybrid Storage Systems for All Electric Aircraft
A hybrid energy storage system specifically designed for a fully electric aircraft is presented in the paper. The analysis of the time evolution of the power demand of the electric propulsion system during a test mission of Maxwell X-57, an all-electric aircraft developed by NASA, has pointed out the presence of significant peak power during take-off and air tack. Considered the issues related to weight and the volume of the energy storage systems (ESSs) in all-electric aircraft, a hybridization of aircraft ESS with a Supercapacitors (SCs) bank, devoted to smooth peak power demand, has been investigated. A comparison between the simulation results of an electrochemical battery and hybrid ES…
Analysis and design of bi-directional DC-DC converters for ultracapacitors management in EVs
The on-board energy-storage system of an electric vehicle (EV) should be able to collect large amounts of energy and to deal with fast load variations. The use of hybrid power sources as storage devices is an attractive solution, aiming at maximizing both energy and power density. The battery/ultracapacitors (UCs) combination promises to provide significant benefits. An accurate design of bi-directional converters, capable of proplery managing the charge/discharge of the UCs from/to a voltage bus, is essential. In this paper, a bi-directional DC-DC converter connected to a bank of UCs is described and the simulation results are given as well. The designed converter is a buck-boost type, abl…
Preliminary test on a cascode switch for high-frequency applications
Nowadays, an increasing electrification level is being addressed towards different sectors, such as transportation and industrial electronics. To bear that, high speed electrical machines represent a mature technology in different application fields, e.g. avionics, automotive, compressors and spindles. In order to guarantee high speed while keeping high power quality without adopting bulky filtering circuits, DC-AC converters shall be controlled by means of high Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) frequencies. In addition to the emerging switching device technologies, such as those based on Silicon-Carbide (SiC) and Gallium-Nitride (GaN), alternative circuital topologies are crucial in order to co…
Experimental study on B-spline-based modulation schemes applied in multilevel inverters for electric drive applications
This work presents the design, simulation, and experimental validation of new B-Spline-based modulation techniques applied to a Multilevel Power Inverter (MPI), particularly focusing the attention on the harmonic content of the output voltages of the inverter. Simulation and experimental results are proposed and discussed, mainly describing the potential benefits, such as the increase of the multi-level operation of the converter, and drawbacks (low-order harmonics) related to the adoption of B-Spline functions for multilevel inverters applied in the field of electrical drives.
Modelling, Simulation and Characterization of a Supercapacitor in Automotive Applications
In the energy storage field, supercapacitors (SCs) are gaining more and more attention thanks to features such as high-power density, high life cycles and lack of maintenance. In this article, an improved SC three-branches model which considers the residual charge phenomenon is presented. The procedure to estimate the model parameters and the related experimental set-up are presented. The parameter estimation procedure is repeated for several SCs of the same type. The average parameters are then obtained and used as initial guesses for a recursive least square optimization algorithm, to increase the accuracy of the model. The model of a single SC is then extended to SC banks, testing differ…
Hydrogen Supplied Wireless Charging System for Electric Vehicles
The aim of this work is the experimental characterization of a Wireless Charging System based on IPT (Inductive Power Transfer) supplied by a PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) in order to verify the possibility of its installation in not electrified areas. A hydrogen-based supply system is designed and assembled with the purpose of having an EV (electrical vehicle) charging station not connected to the main power grid. An efficiency analysis of the wireless transmission system is carried out taking into account external parameters such as distance and misalignment between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil, verifying the integration potentialities of both IPT and fuel cell …
Mixed Harmonic Elimination Control for a Single-Phase 9 Level Grid-Connected Inverter
The power quality requirements are increasingly stringent, due to the continuous growth of devices connected to the grid that introduce harmonics. These devices include DC to AC energy conversion systems, i.e. grid connected inverters. The design, control and operation of these systems must take into account the rules of interconnection to the electricity grid. To improve the quality of the output waveform of the grid-connected inverter, Multilevel Converters (MC) with selective harmonic elimination modulation technique can be used. This paper presents a single-phase nine level grid-connected inverter with DC/DC input stages. The obtained switching angles for THD minimization are independen…
Investigation on Cascode Devices for High Frequency Electrical Drives Applications
In the last years a widespread development in the market of electrical drives employing high-speed electrical machines has occurred in various industrial fields, due to the extremely high power density that can be reached. Nevertheless, to maintain output power quality without using bulky filtering networks, DC-AC converters should be controlled by means of higher PWM switching frequencies. New switching device technologies, such as Field Effect Transistors based on SiC and GaN, are therefore gathering momentum in order to comply with the higher working frequencies. To operate under high frequencies and at the same time at high voltage levels, alternative circuital configurations for switch…
An Iterative Method for Bifurcation-Free Resonant Inductive Power Transfer System Design
The development of electric mobility makes the charging systems one of the main discussed topic. Among the different technologies, Resonant Inductive Power Transfer (RIPT) systems are in deep study. Several aspects, including the choice of coils, the compensation network and the bifurcation phenomenon are necessary for a proper design of the system. In this paper an iterative method for bifurcation-free RIPT system design is provided as a valid solution to the need of accurate models requiring low computational efforts.
Experimental analysis with FPGA controller-based of MC PWM techniques for three-phase five level cascaded H-bridge for PV applications
The FPGA represents a valid solution for the design of control systems for inverters adopted in the field of PV systems because of their high flexibility of use. This paper presents an experimental analysis of the MC SPWM techniques for a three-phase, five-level, cascaded H-Bridge inverter with FPGA controller-based. Several control algorithms are implemented by means of the VHDL programming language and the output voltage waveforms obtained from the main PWM techniques are compared in terms of THD%. Simulation and experimental results are analysed, compared and discussed.
Battery Models for Battery Powered Applications: A Comparative Study
Battery models have gained great importance in recent years, thanks to the increasingly massive penetration of electric vehicles in the transport market. Accurate battery models are needed to evaluate battery performances and design an efficient battery management system. Different modeling approaches are available in literature, each one with its own advantages and disadvantages. In general, more complex models give accurate results, at the cost of higher computational efforts and time-consuming and costly laboratory testing for parametrization. For these reasons, for early stage evaluation and design of battery management systems, models with simple parameter identification procedures are…
Simulation of a single-phase five-level cascaded H-Bridge inverter with multicarrier SPWM B-Spline based modulation techniques
Multilevel Power Inverters are now often used to convert DC to AC voltage waveform. This kind of converter allows high power quality with low output harmonics and lower commutation losses with respect to the traditional ones in order to optimize this aspect. This paper presents a novel simulation analysis of the Multicarrier Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation (MC SPWM) techniques B-Spline functions based to control the switches of five-level single-phase cascaded H-bridge inverter. In order to verify the performance of the converter, the harmonic content of the voltage due to modulation techniques has been taken into account. Results highlight the comparison between different B-Spline functi…
Design of a Battery/Ultracapacitor Energy Storage System for Electric Vehicle Applications
The battery/ultracapacitors (UCs) integration is able to provide notable advantages in the power management of an electric vehicle (EV), in terms of capability of both high energy storage and readiness to deal with fast load variations. In order to manage the charge (or discharge) of the UCs from (or towards) a DC voltage bus, a proper bi-directional converter is required. In this paper, a bi-directional DC-DC converter in connection with a stack of UCs is described and some power simulation results are provided. The proposed converter is a B2R (buck-boost regulator) type. The load is represented by a 40kW peak power, kept for a time window of 3s, as required by the Worldwide harmonized Lig…
Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine Drive Powered by Fuel Cell for Automotive Applications
Electric vehicles represent an optimal solution for the reduction of pollution in urban areas. In particular, the Fuel Cell (FC) technology is a promising solution especially for its charging times and zero CO2 direct emissions. The paper addresses the design and performance study of an Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine (IPMSM) drive powered by fuel cell for automotive applications. The IPMSM drive is powered by the use of 5,5 kW FC unit and it is composed of two DC-DC power converters and one inverter. In detail, a test bench has been carried out for the evaluation of the performances of each IPMSM drive conversion stage. Moreover, in order to simulate automotive working condit…
An inductive charger for automotive applications
The inductive charging represents a valid solution for the power transfer in automotive applications. Due to the Inductive Power Transfer (IPT), the wireless battery charging of Electric Vehicles (EVs) provides several benefits. In this paper, an inductive charger which is particularly suitable for electrical bicycles is proposed. A practical realization of the system has been carried out, and the system has been tested in terms of working and efficiency. Through a Phase Shift Modulation (PSM), a power regulation has been implemented. The target power is 100 W.
Performances of a three-phase five-level cascaded H-bridge inverter with phase shifted B-spline based modulation techniques
This paper presents a novel study of the performances of a five-level three-phase Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverter with Phase Shifted B-Spline based modulation techniques. The study has been focused on the use of B-Spline functions as carrier signals in order to evaluate the performances of the converter in terms of harmonic content on the output voltage. In the first step of this analysis the THD% has been taken into account to compare the voltage waveforms. Interesting results have been found on the fundamental amplitude of the phase and line voltage. Moreover, harmonic spectra has been compared to evaluate the different harmonic distribution in the voltage waveforms. In this work th…