Gradient-Based Predictive Pulse Pattern Control with Single-Phase Formulation

Abstract

This paper presents a direct model predictive control (MPC) algorithm for three-phase power electronic systems, such as medium-voltage (MV) drives. The proposed control strategy manipulates a baseline pulse pattern, such as an optimized pulse pattern (OPP), in real time at the single-phase level, enabling independent control of the three phases. By doing so, this approach ensures excellent steady-state performance-quantified by the load current total demand distortion (TDD)-along with very short settling times during transients and excellent disturbance rejection. Additionally, by leveraging single-phase gradient based predictions, the proposed control strategy can tackle complex power electronic systems and demanding control problems with multiple-and possibly conflicting-control objectives. To high-light the superior performance of the proposed control strategy, comparisons with both conventional and advanced control methods are presented based on a case study involving a three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter and an MV induction machine.