Gerardo Escobar Valderrama talks with
ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions
about this month's Fast Breaking Paper in the field of
Engineering. The author has also sent along images
of their work.
Article Title: Repetitive. based controller for a
UPS inverter to compensate unbalance and harmonic
distortion
Authors: Escobar,
G;Valdez, AA;Leyva-Ramos, J;Mattavelli, P
Journal: IEEE TRANS IND ELECTRON
Volume: 54
Issue: 1
Page: 504-510
Year: FEB 2007
* IPICYT, Div Appl Math, San Luis Potosi 78216,
Mexico.
* Univ Udine, DIEGM, I-33100 Udine, Italy.
(addresses have been truncated)
Because this subject of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) inverters is
quite popular at the moment and besides, there is a quite new viewpoint of
the control of such a system that finally guarantees a neat response. The
controller incorporates a repetitive-based scheme that solves the harmonic
compensation problem in a simple and elegant way.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
It describes a new methodology to control the UPS inverter, and also makes
an interesting modification to the hardware in order to save current
sensors. Of course, it also synthesizes several procedures from the theory
of control.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper in
layman's terms?
It's a controller for the UPS inverter that guarantees a nice performance,
in spite of distorting loads and a reduced number of sensors.
How did you become involved in this research, and were
there any problems along the way?
It was part of a project on the subject of UPS inverters. The big problem
was the design of power elements and the tuning of all control parameters
involved.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
I see this algorithm being used in many inverter systems that require a
neat response, in spite of the connection of highly distorting loads.
Dr. Gerardo Escobar Valderrama
Investigador Titular C
Miembro del SNI, Nivel 2
División de Matemáticas Aplicadas
Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y
Tecnológica
San Luis Potosí, México Web
Three-phase three-wire UPS inverter system with a zoom of the combined
current sensors used.
Figure 2:
Figure 2: CONTROLLER
Block diagram of the proposed controller, including a repetitive-based
stage to compensate the harmonic distortion caused by the load.
Keywords: uninterruptible power supply inverters, harmonic
compensation problem, design of power elements, tuning of all control
parameters, highly distorting loads.