Fault Analysis and Non-Redundant Fault Tolerance in 3-Level Double Conversion UPS Systems Using Finite-Control-Set Model Predictive Control

• Main Authors: Luís Caseiro, André Mendes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: power electronics; multilevel converters; fault tolerance; model predictive control
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/8/2210

Fault-tolerance is critical in power electronics, especially in Uninterruptible Power Supplies, given their role in protecting critical loads. Hence, it is crucial to develop fault-tolerant techniques to improve the resilience of these systems. This paper proposes a non-redundant fault-tolerant double conversion uninterruptible power supply based on 3-level converters. The proposed solution can correct open-circuit faults in all semiconductors (IGBTs and diodes) of all converters of the system (including the DC-DC converter), ensuring full-rated post-fault operation. This technique leverages the versatility of Finite-Control-Set Model Predictive Control to implement highly specific fault correction. This type of control enables a conditional exclusion of the switching states affected by each fault, allowing the converter to avoid these states when the fault compromises their output but still use them in all other conditions. Three main types of corrective actions are used: predictive controller adaptations, hardware reconfiguration, and DC bus voltage adjustment. However, highly differentiated corrective actions are taken depending on the fault type and location, maximizing post-fault performance in each case. Faults can be corrected simultaneously in all converters, as well as some combinations of multiple faults in the same converter. Experimental results are presented demonstrating the performance of the proposed solution.