Wireless Control of Modular Multilevel Converter Autonomous Submodules

back to project index

Project abstract

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is the state-of-the-art converter topology for high-voltage and high power applications. Wired communication solutions, especially using optical fiber cables, are the preferred internal communication systems in MMCs. However, optical fiber cables have a high cost and are subject to mechanical stress and fatigue, thus prone to failure. Moreover, the laying out and connection of the optical fiber cables in the MMC station are costly and time-consuming.

Wireless control of MMC submodules can remedy the mentioned shortcomings and offers other potential benefits by:

1) saving the cost of communication cables;

2) saving the labor cost of the cabling layout and installation;

3) enabling factory testing and transportation of submodule chains (valves), providing ready-to-operate components;

4) decreasing MMC station installation time;

5) decreasing maintenance time, increasing maintenance period by avoiding the use of optical fiber cable, thus increasing the availability of the MMC station.

On the other hand, wireless control of the submodules brings its own technical challenges, which are fundamentally sourced from the latency and reliability differences of wireless and wired communication systems. When appropriately configured, wired communication is more reliable and has lower latency than wireless communication. Consequently, the wireless control system of the submodules should be immune to the lower reliability and higher latency. In this sense, the main objective of the project is to investigate how submodules can be made increasingly autonomous, thus further relaxing the requirements for wireless control in terms of latency and reliability. So far, the ongoing project has proposed a wireless submodule control method, and it has successfully been implemented on a laboratory-scale MMC [1]-[3]. Further, initial studies on autonomous submodule control are conducted for the reliability issue of wireless communication [4].

The future goals of the project within the SweGRIDS project period are:

1) Continuation of autonomous submodules studies to provide functionality for long wireless communication interruptions [5],

2) Investigating fault handling algorithms suitable for wireless control,

3) Application of the proposed control method with a setup more similar to the realistic MMC station and its conditions.

To ensure the industrial relevance, a mobility period with the industrial partner, Hitach ABB power grids, will be sought during 2021. [1] B. Ciftci, J. Gross, S. Norrga, L. Kildehøj, and H.-P. Nee, “A proposal for wireless control of submodules in modular multilevel converters,” in 20th Eur. Conf. Power Electron. and Applicat., 2018, pp. 1–10. [2] B. Ciftci, J. Gross, S. Norrga, and H.-P. Nee, “Simple Distributed Control for Modular Multilevel Converters,” in 21th Eur. Conf. Power Electron. and Applicat., 2019, pp. 1–10. [3] B. Ciftci, S. Schiessl, J. Gross, L. Harnefors, S. Norrga and H. -P. Nee, "Wireless control of modular multilevel converter submodules," in IEEE Trans. Power Electron., doi: 10.1109/TPEL.2020.3045557. [4] B. Ciftci, L. Harnefors, X. Wang, J. Gross, S. Norrga and H. -P. Nee, "Wireless control of modular multilevel converter submodules with communication errors," submitted for publication. [5] B. Ciftci, L. Harnefors, J. Gross, S. Norrga and H. -P. Nee, "Wireless control of modular multilevel converter autonomous submodules", in preparation.

Summary of work

-

Event log

-

Project reference-group

Frans Dijkhuizen,  Hitachi Energy
Hans-Peter Nee,  KTH
Staffan Norrga,  KTH
James Gross,  KTH

Publications by this researcher

See alternatively the researcher's full DiVA list of publications, with options for sorting.
Publications in journals and conferences usually will not show until a while after they are published.

Wireless Communication in Modular Multilevel Converters and Electromagnetic Interference Characterization
Baris Ciftci,   James Gross,   Tim Augustin,   Xiongfei Wang,   Staffan Norrga,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2022,   IEEE Access

Wireless Control of Modular Multilevel Converter Submodules
Baris Ciftci.
2022,   Thesis (PhD), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, TRITA-EECS-AVL 2022:05

Model-Based Design and System on Chip Implementation of DTC and PWM Techniques
Rishabh Jain,   Amin Farjah,   Baris Ciftci,   Giovanni Zanuso,   Staffan Norrga.
2022,   2022 IEEE Delhi Section Conference, DELCON 2022, 11 February 2022 through 13 February 2022

Wireless Control of Modular Multilevel Converter Submodules With Communication Errors
Baris Ciftci,   Lennart Harnefors,   Xiongfei Wang,   James Gross,   Staffan Norrga,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2022,   IEEE transactions on industrial electronics (1982. Print)

Wireless Control of Modular Multilevel Converter Submodules
Baris Ciftci,   Sebastian Schiessl,   James Gross,   Lennart Harnefors,   Staffan Norrga,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2021,   IEEE transactions on power electronics, vol. 36(7)

A Measurement-Based Method for Characterizing Parasitic Inductances in Power Electronic Circuits
Mohsen Asoodar,   Baris Ciftci,   Aravind Mohanaveeramani,   Mehrdad Nahalparvari,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2021,   23rd European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, EPE 2021 ECCE Europe, 6 September 2021 through 10 September 2021

Wireless control of modular multilevel converter autonomous submodules
Baris Ciftci,   Lennart Harnefors,   Xiongfei Wang,   James Gross,   Staffan Norrga,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2021,   23rd European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications

Wireless control of modular multilevel converter submodules under ac-side faults
Baris Ciftci,   Lennart Harnefors,   Xiongfei Wang,   James Gross,   Staffan Norrga,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2021,   23rd European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications

Simple Distributed Control for Modular Multilevel Converters
Baris Ciftci,   James Gross,   Staffan Norrga,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2019,   21st European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications, EPE 2019 ECCE Europe

Low Loss Submodule Cluster for Modular Multilevel Converters Suitable for Implementation with SiC MOSFETs
Keijo Jacobs,   Stefanie Heinig,   Baris Ciftci,   Staffan Norrga,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2019,   IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition - IEEE-ECCE 2019, Baltimore, MD, Sept. 29 – Oct. 3, 2019

A Proposal for Wireless Control of Submodules in Modular Multilevel Converters
Baris Ciftci,   James Gross,   Staffan Norrga,   Lars Kildehöj,   Hans-Peter Nee.
2018,   20th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications

Publication list last updated from DiVA on 2024-01-10 15:21.

Page started: 2021-01-01
Last generated: 2024-01-10