Damping of Transient Oscillations on the Output LC Filter of . PWM.

Inverters by Using a Virtual Resistor

Pekik Argo Dahono', Yogi Rizkian Bahar', Yukihiko Sato2, and Teruo Kataoka3

('! Department of Electrical Engineering, Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia

Email :pekik@elga.net.id
( * !

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan Email :ysato@tk.ee.titech.ac.jp
(3!

Department of Electrical Engineering, Tokyo Denki University, Japan Email : t-kataoka@cck.dendai.ac.jp

Abstract-This paper presents a method to damp transient oscillations on the output LC filter of PWM inverters by using a virtual resistor. A virtual resistor is an additional control algorithm that simulates the roles of a resistor in the output LC filters. Because no real resistor is used, the oscillations can be damped effectively without sacrificing the power efficiency. The implementation of the virtual resistor is determined by how the resistor is connected to the LC filter. Experimental results are included to verify the proposed method.

1. Introduction
An output LC filter is commonly used in PWM inverters to reduce the produced output harmonics. In order to minimize the output harmonics, the LC filter is usually designed to have a resonant frequency that is much lower than the lowest harmonic frequency and is also designed to have a high quality factor (Qfactor). With such a design, however, the LC filter will be large and expensive. Moreover, a large LC filter that has a high quality factor will result in an oscillatory transient response. Because the damping is very low, the oscillations may exist continuously and the output waveforms of the inverters will be badly distorted instead of improved. Several methods to improve the performance of PWM inverters having an output LC filter were proposed in the literature [ 11-[5]. Though these methods may produce excellent results, the methods are usually quite complicated to implement. Damping a transient oscillation in an LC circuit by using a resistor is well understood by any electrical engineers. Because of excessive power loss in the resistor, however, this method is impractical especially in high-power applications. In this paper, a method to damp the transient oscillations on the output LC filter of PWM inverters by using a virtual

resistor is proposed. A virtual resistor is an additional control algorithm that simulates the roles of a resistor in an LC filters. Because no real resistor is used, the efficiency of the converters is not sacrificed. The additional control algorithm that is used to simulate the resistor is determined by how the resistor is connected to the LC filter. The resistor can be connected either in series to or in parallel with the inductor or capacitor of the filter. A comparison among several possible connections is presented in this paper. Experimental results are included to show the validity of the proposed concept.

2. Damping of Transient Oscillations by Using a Resistor

Fig. l(a) shows a schematic diagram of single-phase PWM inverter having an output LC filter. It is assumed that the output voltage of the inverter (voltage across the capacitor) is controlled by using a simple PI voltage controller. The load is treated as a disturbance and represented as a current source. The dc voltage source is assumed constant and no ripple. Fig. l(b) shows the associated block diagram., Fig. 2 shows how a resistor can be connected to the LC filter to damp the transient oscillations. The block diagrams those showing the effects of resistor in the LC filter are also shown in this figure. The effectiveness of a resistor in damping a transient oscillation is well understood and do not need any additional explanations. The power loss in the resistor, however, prevents the use of this approach in practices especially in large power applications. How to replace the resistor by using a virtual resistor is discussed in the next section.

0-7803-7233-6/01/$10.0002001 IEEE.

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Fig. 1 . (a) Schematic diagram of PWM inverter having an output LC filter. (b) Block diagram.

Fig 2. Four possible connections of resistor in the LC filter and the associatedblock diagrams.

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3. Implementation Of Virtual Resistor

By using the block diagrams in Fig. 2 we know what is the role of a resistor in damping the transient oscillations. The block diagrams in Fig. 2 can be manipulated without changing the behavior of the system. Manipulating the block diagrams in Fig. 2 into the ones as shown in Fig. 3 can derive the required virtual resistors. Because the system in Fig. 3 is just manipulation of the system in Fig. 2, the transient behaviors of both systems are the same. Though the transient behaviors of both systems are the same, the system in Fig. 3 has no power loss problem because no real resistor is used. The required additional algorithm can be called as a virtual resistor or a lossless resistor.
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Fig. 3 shows that implementations of a virtual resistor that is connected in series to the inductor or capacitor of the filter needs an additional current sensor. Implementations of a virtual resistor that is connected in parallel with the inductor or capacitor of the filter needs a voltage sensor. Because a voltage sensor is already exist, an additional voltage sensor is not required if the resistor is connected in parallel with the capacitor. The voltage across the inductor can be measured as the inverter output voltage minus the capacitor voltage. The inverter output voltage can be estimated from the inverter output voltage modulator (the output of the PI controller). Thus, additional voltage sensor is also not required if the resistor is connected in parallel with filter inductor. However, implementations of a resistor that is connected in parallel with the filter inductor or capacitor need a differentiator that may bring a noise problem. Implementation of a resistor that is connected in series to the filter inductor or capacitor does not need a differentiator and, therefore, the design is simpler. Moreover, a current sensor on the filter inductor may be required for protection purpose.

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Virtual Resistor

4. Experimental Results
In order to verify the proposed concept, a small experimental single-phase PWM inverter system was constructed. Bipolar junction transistor modules were used as the inverter switching devices. The switching frequency was fixed at 1.3 kHz. The dc voltage source is fixed at 100 Vdc. The hndamental output voltage frequency is fixed at 50 Hz. The filter inductance and capacitance are 12 mH and 200 pF. respectively. For the PI voltage controller, the proportional constant is unity and the integral time constant 0.032 s. Fig. 4 shows the experimental result when a resistive load is used . This figure shows the output voltage waveform of the inverter V, and load current without using the proposed virtual waveform I, resistor. It can be seen that the output voltage waveform is distorted due to the continuous oscillation on the output LC filter. The oscillation is slightly damped by the load resistance and power lasses in the inverter and the LC filter. Fig. 5 shows the results when a virtual resistor that is connected in series to the filter inductor is used. Fig. 6 shows the results when a virtual resistor is connected in parallel with the filter capacitor. These results show that the oscillation is damped effectively by the virtual resistor. By using the virtual resistor, the output voltage waveform is improved significantly. The output voltage THD (total harmonic distortion) is reduced from 10 % to 2%.

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Fig. 4. Output voltage and load current without virtual resistor. (Upper : Output voltage : 50 V/div ;5mddiv) (Lower :Load current : 5 Ndiv ; 5mddiv)

Fig. 6.Output voltage and load current with a virtual resistor that is connected in parallel with the filter capacitor. (Upper : Output voltage : 50 V/div ;5mddiv) (Lower :Load current : 5 Ndiv ;5mddiv)

Fig. 5 . Output voltage and load current with a vi1rtual resistor connected in series to the filter inductor. (Upper : Output voltage : 50 V/div ;5mddiv) (Lower : Load current : 5 Ndiv ;Smddiv) Fig. 7 shows the result when the load is replaced by a single-phase diode rectifier with a capacitive filter. Because the input current of the rectifier is discontinuous, transient conditions on the LC filter are generated continuously. Fig. 7 shows that the output voltage of the inverter is badly distorted. Fig. 8 shows the result when a virtual resistor is connected in series to the filter inductor. Fig. 9 is the result when a virtual resistor is connected in parallel with the filter capacitor. The proposed virtual resistor effectively damped the oscillation on the output LC filter of the inverter. The output voltage waveform is significantly improved by the virtual resistor. The THD is reduced significantly from 22% to 6 %.

Fig. 7. Output voltage and load current of the inverter without virtual resistor. (Upper :Output voltage : 50 V/div ;5mddiv) (Lower :Load current :5 Ndiv ;S d d i v )

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Fig. 9. Output voltage and load current with a virtual resistor connected in parallel with the filter capacitor. (Upper : Output voltage : 50 V/div ;Sms/div) (Lower : Load current : 5 A/div ;5mddiv) Figs. 10-1 1 show the experimental results when the output voltage reference is suddenly changed. A rectifier with a capacitive filter is used as the load. Figs. I 1 and 12 show that by using the proposed virtual resistor, no significant oscillations are observed. Fig. 10. Reference (upper) and actual output voltage waveforms when the reference is suddenly changed and with a virtual resistor connected in series to the filter inductor. (30 V/div. 20 mddiv.)
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5. Conclusion
A new approach to damp transient oscillations on the

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output LC filter of PWM inverters has been proposed in this paper. The proposed method is based on a novel virtual resistor concept. The validity of the proposed concept is verified by experimental results. Applications of the proposed method to other types of converters are left for future investigation.

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References
[ I ] T. Haneyoshi, A. Kawarnura, and R. G. Hoe, Waveform compensation of PWM inverter with cyclic fluctuating loads, IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl., Vol. 24, NO. 4, July/August 1988, pp. 582-589. [2] S. Singer, The application of loss-free resistors in power processing circuits, IEEE Trans. Power Electr., Vol. 6, No. 4, Oct. 1991, pp. 595-600. [3] T. Yokoyama and A. Kawamura, Disturbance observer based fully digital controlled PWM inverter for CVCF operation, IEEE Trans. Power Electr., Vol. 9, No. 5, Sept. 1994, pp. 473-480. [4] M. J. Ryan and R. D. Lorenze, A synchronous frame controller for a single-phase sine wave inverter, Conf. Rec. IEEE Power Electr. Soc. Ann. Meet., 1997, pp. 813-819. [5] Y. Y. Tzou, S.L. Jung, and H. C. Yeh, Adaptive Repetitive control of PWM inverters for very low

Fig. 1 1. Reference (upper) and actual output voltage waveforms when the reference is suddenly changed and with a virtual resistor connected in parallel with the filter capacitor. (30 V/div. 20 msldiv.) THD AC-voltage regulation with unknown loads, IEEE Trans. Power Electr., Vol. 14, No. 5, Sept. 1999, pp. 973-981.

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