Open Access
High frequency power transformers with foil windings: maximum interleaving and optimal design
(IEEE, 2015) Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Urtasun Erburu, Andoni; Ursúa Rubio, Alfredo; Marroyo Palomo, Luis; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa eta Elektronikoa; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Foil conductors and primary and secondary interleaving are normally used to minimize winding losses in high frequency transformers used for high-current power applications. However, winding interleaving complicates the transformer assembly, since taps are required to connect the winding sections, and also complicates the transformer design, since it introduces a new tradeoff between minimizing losses and reducing the construction difficulty. This paper presents a novel interleaving technique, named maximum interleaving, that makes it possible to minimize the winding losses as well as the construction difficulty. An analytical design methodology is also proposed in order to obtain free cooled transformers with a high efficiency, low volume and, therefore, a high power density. For the purpose of evaluating the advantages of the proposed maximum interleaving technique, the methodology is applied to design a transformer positioned in the 5 kW 50 kHz intermediate high frequency resonant stage of a commercial PV inverter. The proposed design achieves a transformer power density of 28 W/cm3 with an efficiency of 99.8%. Finally, a prototype of the maximum-interleaved transformer is assembled and validated satisfactorily through experimental tests.
Open Access
Control design and stability analysis of power converters: the discrete generalized Bode criterion
(IEEE, 2021) Urtasun Erburu, Andoni; Samanes Pascual, Javier; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
For the controller design and stability analysis of power electronic converters, the Bode stability criterion and its subsequent revisions are the most practical tools. However, even though the control of the power converter is usually implemented in a microprocessor, none of these methods is infallible when applied to a discrete system. This article therefore proposes a new stability criterion, named the Discrete Generalized Bode Criterion (DGBC). This method is based on the Nyquist criterion but developed from the open-loop Bode diagram, evaluated also at 0 Hz and at the Nyquist frequency. The proposed criterion combines the advantages of the Nyquist and Bode criteria, since it is always applicable and provides an interesting and useful tool for the controller design process. The method is applied to design an active damping control of an inverter with LCL filter, showing how the proposed criterion accurately predicts stability, in contrast to the existing Bode criteria. The theoretical analysis is validated through experimental results performed with a three-phase inverter and an LCL filter.
Open Access
Dynamic modeling of a pressurized alkaline water electrolyzer: a multiphysics approach
(IEEE, 2023) Iribarren Zabalegui, Álvaro; Elizondo Martínez, David; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Ibaiondo, Harkaitz; Sánchez Ruiz, Alain; Arza, Joseba; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ursúa Rubio, Alfredo; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
In this paper a dynamic model for the simulation of pressurized alkaline water electrolyzers is presented. The model has been developed following a multiphysics approach, integrating electrochemical, thermodynamic, heat transfer and gas evolution processes in order to faithfully reproduce the complete dynamical behavior of these systems. The model has been implemented on MATLAB/Simulink and validated through experimental data from a 1 Nm3/h commercial alkaline water electrolyzer. Validations have been performed under real scenarios where the electrolyzer is working with power profiles characteristic from renewable sources, wind and photovoltaic. The simulated results have been found to be consistent with the real measured values. This model has a great potential to predict the behavior of alkaline water electrolyzers coupled with renewable energy sources, making it a very useful tool for designing efficient green hydrogen production systems.
Open Access
Dynamic modeling and simulation of a pressurized alkaline water electrolyzer: a multiphysics approach
(IEEE, 2021) Iribarren Zabalegui, Álvaro; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Ibaiondo, Harkaitz; Sánchez Ruiz, Alain; Arza, Joseba; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ursúa Rubio, Alfredo; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
In this paper a dynamic model for the simulation of pressurized alkaline water electrolyzers is presented. The model has been developed following a multiphysics approach, integrating electrochemical, thermodynamic, heat transfer and gas evolution processes in order to faithfully reproduce the complete dynamical behavior of these systems. The model has been implemented on MATLAB/Simulink and validated through experimental data from a 1 Nm3h-1 commercial alkaline water electrolyzer, and the simulated results have been found to be consistent with the real measured values. This model has a great potential to predict the behavior of alkaline water electrolyzers coupled with renewable energy sources, making it a very useful tool for designing efficient green hydrogen production systems.
Open Access
Asymmetrical firing angle modulation for 12-pulse thyristor rectifiers supplying high-power electrolyzers
(IEEE, 2023) Iribarren Zabalegui, Álvaro; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Elizondo Martínez, David; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ursúa Rubio, Alfredo; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren
This paper presents an asymmetrical firing angle modulation strategy for 12-pulse thyristor rectifiers aimed at supplying high-power electrolyzers, which allows to reduce the size of the passive filter and the static compensator (STATCOM) required to comply with grid harmonic regulations and achieve unity power factor. Usually, 12-pulse thyristor rectifiers follow a symmetric modulation strategy in which the same firing angle is applied to both 6-pulse bridges. In this case, large passive ac-side inductances are required to reduce grid current harmonics, which increase the reactive power consumption and thus the required STATCOM size. However, this paper demonstrates that by applying different firing angles to the two 6-pulse bridges it is possible to comply with the harmonic regulation limits using smaller filtering inductances and therefore reducing the STATCOM size. The methodology to find the optimal firing angle values that should be applied in order to minimize the filtering inductance and the STATCOM size for a given electrolyzer is explained. This strategy is validated by simulation, and results show that the required filtering inductance and the apparent power of the STATCOM can be effectively reduced by 62% and 31%, respectively, using this asymmetrical firing angle modulation.
Open Access
Novel two-stage three-level converter with inherently-balanced dc voltage for EV fast-charging applications
(IEEE, 2023) Elizondo Martínez, David; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Galdeano Bujanda, Mikel; Ursúa Rubio, Alfredo; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoa eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritza; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
The design of EV fast chargers faces a new challenge due to the boost in the battery voltage of electric cars and heavyduty electric vehicles. Two-stage converters, that consist of an isolated dc-dc stage and an extra regulated dc-dc converter, are attracting an increasing attention thanks to their outstanding performance. The potential benefits of multilevel converters, such as lower power losses and more compact filters, can be incorporated to two-stage architectures at the expense of simplicity due to the need of a voltage balancing method. In this article, a novel dc-dc two-stage three-level (2S3L) architecture is presented, which guarantees that the multilevel input dc voltages are balanced without any specific balancing technique or extra components. Moreover, it accomplishes lossless switching in the isolated dc-dc stage, enabling a high efficiency. A 15 kW test bench is built in order to experimentally verify the inherentlybalanced voltages. The experimental tests demonstrate that the dc-link voltages are inherently-balanced (no control needed) in both transient and steady states, and that it is robust against tolerances and faulty operation. The test bench is able to provide a wide output voltage, from 200 to 900 V, and reaches a high peak efficiency of 98.2% at rated power.
Open Access
On the stability of advanced power electronic converters: the Generalized Bode Criterion
(IEEE, 2019) Lumbreras Magallón, David; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Urtasun Erburu, Andoni; Ursúa Rubio, Alfredo; Marroyo Palomo, Luis; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
A key factor in the design of power electronic converters is the development of control systems and, in particular, the determination of their stability. Due to ease of application, the Bode criteria are currently the most commonly used stability criteria, both with regard to its classic version and to the subsequent revisions proposed in the literature. However, as these criteria have a limited range of applicability, on occasions it is necessary to resort to other universally applicable criteria such as the Nyquist criterion. Unlike Bode, the Nyquist criterion can always be applied, although its use considerably complicates the tuning of the controller. This paper proposes a new stability criterion, called Generalized Bode Criterion, which is based on the Nyquist criterion and, therefore, always applicable, but calculated from both the Bode diagram and the 0 Hz phase of the open-loop transfer function, thus making the criterion easy to be applied. This way, the proposed criterion combines the advantages of Nyquist and Bode criteria and provides an interesting and useful tool to help in the controller design process. The validation of the criterion is made on a voltage control loop for a stand-alone PV system through simulation and experimental tests made on a voltage control loop for a stand-alone PV system including a battery, a boost converter, an inverter and an ac load. The tests are also used to show the limitations of the classic Bode criterion and its revisions to correctly determine the stability of complex systems. IEEE
Open Access
Zero-loss switching in DC-DC series resonant converters under discontinuous conduction mode
(IEEE, 2021) Elizondo Martínez, David; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Many thriving applications where isolation is required, such as traction and EV fast charging, implement solid-state transformers (SST). Half-cycle discontinuous-conduction-mode series resonant converters (HC-DCM-SRC) are suitable for these applications. The focus of this paper is to perform a comprehensive approach to HC-DCM-SRC and provide straight-forward requirements in order to ensure zero-loss switching (ZLS) of semiconductors. In addition, these requirements can be expressed as design boundaries for the transformer. Finally, the paper shows that, due to ZLS, silicon devices may have larger power capability than silicon-carbide switches. Therefore, IGBTs can be used instead of SiC MOSFETs, resulting in a significant cost reduction of the converter.
Open Access
Active control for medium-frequency transformers flux-balancing in a novel three-phase topology for cascaded conversion structures
(IEEE, 2020) Lumbreras Magallón, David; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Navarrete, Manuel; Balda Belzunegui, Julián; González Senosiain, Roberto; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Efficiency and power density are important parameters in the design of power electronics converters. In many applications, low-frequency transformers are being substituted for medium-frequency and high-frequency transformers in order to reduce the volume and therefore the cost of the transformer. However, preventing their saturation is a complex task. This paper studies the medium-frequency transformers' flux balancing in a novel three-phase topology for cascaded conversion structures.Based on the modulation technique of the converter, a method to directly measure the magnetizing current of the medium-frequency transformers is proposed in this paper. A control loop to regulate the dc value of the magnetizing current is also designed and developed. Simulation results validate the correct operation of the control loop, which prevents the transformer saturation.
Open Access
Novel three-phase topology for cascaded multilevel medium-voltage conversion systems in large-scale PV plants
(IEEE, 2020) Lumbreras Magallón, David; Barrios Rípodas, Ernesto; Balda Belzunegui, Julián; González Senosiain, Roberto; Sanchis Gúrpide, Pablo; Ingeniaritza Elektrikoa, Elektronikoaren eta Telekomunikazio Ingeniaritzaren; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Ingeniería Eléctrica, Electrónica y de Comunicación
Solar photovoltaic renewable energy systems are expanding in the power sector thanks to its increasingly competitive prices. Traditionally, large-scale PV plants have reduced their cost by increasing the power ratings of the inverters and the line-frequency transformers. However, cost-reduction limits of large-scale PV plants are being reached. Cascaded converters have appeared as a solution to continue reducing the cost of large PV plants as they reduce the wiring cost. In this paper, a novel three-phase topology for cascaded conversion structures is proposed. It only has 2 conversion steps, one without switching losses. Hence, it increases the efficiency and reduces the cost of the previously proposed cascaded conversion systems. The topology is patent pending.