Dr. Espinosa-Neira, Eduardo

Small grid-connected inverters are not friendly to the electrical grid, in the sense they do not take any action to support the grid when contingency events occur. For example, because of their relatively low power capacity, small grid-connected inverters are not designed to provide dynamic frequency support to the grid. On the other hand, it is well known that microgrids and weak grids including distributed generation would benefit significantly if all of the grid-connected converters could support and help against grid frequency disturbances. Within the family of small grid-connected converters, single-phase quasi-Z-source inverters (QZSI) have become an attractive topology, because they represent a reliable and economical alternative, and can be very efficient in applications that demand small or medium powers. However, a major disadvantage is that the control strategy must manage both direct current and alternating current variables through the same group of switches. The latter is a challenging task when implementing predictive control schemes. This paper proposes a finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) strategy for a single- phase grid-supporting QZSI. The proposed predictive scheme can be easily integrated with a complementary control block to provide grid frequency support. Experimental results show evidence of the inverter operating under the proposed control strategy and providing grid frequency support, which demonstrates the feasibility of the proposal

The objective of this study is to explore the antecedents of the formation of entrepreneurial intention from a linear, causal and asymmetrical perspective. We have combined the Ajzen model applied to entrepreneurship, including two personality variables (self-confidence and creativity). This study involves a structural equation model based on partial least squares (PLS) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). All of the hypotheses were supported except for the influence of the variables subjective norms and self-confidence on EI. The PLS model explains 68.7% of the variance of EI. According to the fsQCA results, four models explain 88.1% of the existence of EI. The two models with the greatest degree of coverage are: Self-Confidence × Attitude Towards Entrepreneurial Behaviour × Subjective Norms and Perceived Behaviour Control × Creativity × Subjective Norms.

Cascaded H-bridge drives require using a significant-size capacitor on each cell to deal with the oscillatory power generated by the H-bridge inverter in the DC-link. This results in a bulky cell with reduced reliability due to the circulating second harmonic current through the DC-link capacitors. In this article, a control strategy based on a finite control set model predictive control and a proportional-resonant controller is proposed to compensate for the oscillatory power required by the H-bridge inverter through the cell’s input rectifier. With the proposed strategy, a DC-link second harmonic free operation is achieved, allowing for the possibility of reducing the capacitor size and, in consequence, the cell dimensions. The feasibility of the proposed control scheme is verified by experimental results in one cell of a cascade H-bridge inverter achieving an operation with a capacitance 141 times smaller than required by conventional control approaches for the same voltage ripple.

In this paper, we present an implementation of selective harmonic elimination modulation technique in a 27-Level asymmetric multilevel converter. The main issue in this kind of converters is the generation of the gating patterns to obtain an optimized AC voltage waveform. State-of-the art solutions use deep mathematical analysis in the frequency domain by means of the Fourier series, but they are mainly applied for two-level or symmetric multilevel converters. On the other hand, the modulation for asymmetric multilevel converters is mainly focused on nearest level control or nearest vector control. In this work, we propose a novel modulating technique that takes advantage of the switching angles optimization for a 27-level waveform. In fact, different set of solutions are obtained and presented in order to define the modulation index as well as the value of the switching angles for the multilevel waveform. A modulation index sweep was performed for the entire operating region of the converter, where it can be observed that the number of levels decreases when the modulation index is low, which are calculated in order to minimize the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the resulting voltage waveform. In order to validate the proposal, these results for different modulation indexes values are simulated, obtaining a THD < 5% for a modulation index 0.75 < M < 1.0. Finally, a small scale proof-of-concept prototype is implemented in order to validate the proposal. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

The use of controlled power converters has been extended for high power applications, stacking off-the-shelve semiconductors, and allowing the implementation of, among others, AC drives for medium voltages of 2.3 kV to 13.8 kV. For AC drives based on power cells assembled with three-phase diode rectifiers and cascaded H-bridge inverters, a sophisticated input multipulse transformer is required to reduce the grid voltage, provide isolation among the power cells, and compensate for low-frequency current harmonics generated by the diode-based rectifiers. However, this input multipulse transformer is bulky, heavy, and expensive and must be designed according to the number of power cells, not allowing total modularity of the AC drives based on cascade H-bridges. This study proposes and evaluates a control strategy based on a finite control set-model predictive control that emulates the harmonic cancellation performed by an input multipulse transformer in a cascade H-bridge topology. Hence, the proposed method requires conventional input transformers and replaces the three-phase diode rectifiers. As a result, greater modularity than the conventional multicell converter and improved AC overall input current with a THD as low as 2% with a unitary displacement power factor are achieved. In this case, each power cell manages its own DC voltage using a nonlinear control strategy, ensuring stable system operation for passive and regenerative loads. The experimental tests demonstrated the correct performance of the proposed scheme.

Multi-cell converters are widely used in medium-voltage AC drives. This equipment is based on power cells that operate with low-voltage-rating semiconductors and require an input multipulse transformer. This transformer cancels the low-frequency current harmonics generated by the three-phase diode-based rectifier. Unfortunately, this transformer is bulky, heavy, expensive, and does not extend the existing power cell (three-phase rectifier—Direct Current (DC) voltage-link—single-phase inverter) to the transformer. In this study, a harmonic cancelation method based on finite control set-model predictive control (FCS–MPC), extending the power cell’s modularity to the input transformer. On the other hand, it considers treating the two disadvantages of the FCS–MPC: High switching frequency and spread spectrum. The details were developed in theory and practice to obtain satisfactory experimental results.

This work deals with a Distribution Static Synchronous Compensator (D-STATCOM) based on a current-source converter for low and medium voltage distribution systems, specifically small and medium manufactures industries which are fined if the displacement power factor is below given limits. The D-STATCOM is analyzed using its mathematical model, showing the strong relation of the D-STATCOM power losses and its DC current level. Using the operating region of the D-STATCOM, an operating sub-region is defined such that the minimum DC current is used for a required reactive compensation, which leads to reducing the operating losses in the DSTATCOM. Also, Selective Elimination Harmonic is used to modulate the equipment to reduce the switching frequency while ensuring a desired current quality in the D-STATCOM input. As a result, a simple control strategy is proposed that uses a fixed modulation index while a phase control regulates the DC current to the lowest value required for reactive power compensation. Mathematical analysis jointly with simulated and experimental results corroborates the proposal, showing that it is possible to achieve a suitable compensation capability for improving the efficacy of the STATCOM.

Multicell converters, based on power cells that use low-voltage semiconductors, implement AC motor drives for medium-and high-voltage applications. These converters feature an input multipulse transformer, which performs low-frequency harmonics cancelation generated by three-phase diode rectifiers in the power cells. Despite this advantage, the multipulse transformer is bulky, heavy, expensive, and must be designed according to the number of power cells required by a specific case, limiting the modularity of the topology. This work proposes a multicell converter based on power cells that requires a standard input transformer and uses active front-end rectifiers controlled by employing a finite control set-model predictive control algorithm. The proposed approach emulates the multipulse transformer harmonic cancelation owing to the predictive algorithm operation combined with input current references that are phase-shifted for each active front-end rectifier. Simultaneously, the DC voltages of the power cells are regulated and equalized among the cells using PI regulators. Experimental results confirm the feasibility of the proposed system as input currents in each Multicell AFE rectifier with a unitary displacement factor, and a low THD of 1.87% was obtained. It is then possible to replace the input multipulse transformer with standard ones while reducing the copper losses, reducing the K factor, and extending the modularity of the power cell to the input transformer.

Hierarchical control is a widely used strategy that can increase resilience and improve the reliability of the electrical network based on microgrid global variables. The large amounts of data required during transitions prompt the use of more reliable and flexible communications to achieve the control objectives. Such communications can involve potential cyber vulnerabilities and latency restrictions, which cannot be always addressed in real-time. To accurately capture the system’s overall operation, this paper proposes a co-simulation framework driven by flexible communications and a resilient control algorithm to regulate the frequency and voltage deviations in a networked microgrid. Model-based predictive control has been implemented, to avoid slow transient response associated with linear hierarchical control. Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is responsible for increasing the communication intelligence during the power-sharing process. The effects of critical communications and overall system performance are reviewed and compared for different co-simulation scenarios. Graphical Network Simulator (GNS3) is used in combination with model-based predictive control and SDN, to provide latency below 100 ms, as defined in IEC 61850. Testing of the proposed system under different cyber attack scenarios demonstrate its excellent performance. The novel control architecture presented in the paper provides a reference framework for future cloud computing-based microgrids.

The use of advanced modulation and control schemes for power converters, such as a Feedback Quantizer and Predictive Control, is widely studied in the literature. This work focuses on improving the closed-loop modulation scheme called Feedback Quantizer, which is applied to a three-phase voltage source inverter. This scheme has the natural behavior of mitigating harmonics at low frequencies, which are detrimental to electrical equipment such as transformers. This modulation scheme also provides good tracking for the voltage reference at the fundamental frequency. On the other hand, the disadvantage of this scheme is that it has a variable switching frequency, creating a harmonic spectrum in frequency dispersion, and it also needs a small sampling time to obtain good results. The proposed scheme to improve the modulation scheme is based on a Discrete Space Vector with virtual vectors to obtain a better approximation of the optimal vectors for use in the algorithm. The proposal improves the conventional scheme at a high sampling time (200 μs), obtaining a THD less than 2% in the load current, decreases the noise created by the conventional scheme, and provides a fixed switching frequency. Experimental tests demonstrate the correct operation of the proposed scheme.