Full-order continuous-time average modeling and dynamic analysis of bidirectional dc-dc dual active bridge (DAB) converters are studied. The transformer current in DAB converter is purely ac, making continuous-time modeling difficult. The proposed full-order continuous-time average model uses the dc terms and first order terms of transformer current and capacitor voltage as state variables, resulting in a third-order model, if capacitor equivalent series resistance (ESR) is not considered, and a sixth-order model if ESR is considered. A control-to-output-voltage transfer function is derived for DAB converters. Experimental results confirm that the proposed model correctly predicts the small-signal frequency response and an even more accurate prediction can be obtained if capacitor ESR is taken into account.

A dynamically rapid method used for tracking the maximum power point of photovoltaic arrays, known as ripple correlation control, is presented and verified against experiment. The technique takes advantage of the signal ripple, which is automatically present in power converters. The ripple is interpreted as a perturbation from which a gradient ascent optimization can be realized. The technique converges asymptotically at maximum speed to the maximum power point without the benefit of any array parameters or measurements. The technique has simple circuit implementations

Modern development of semiconductor power-switching devices has promoted the use of power electronic converters as power transformers at the distribution level. This paper presents an ac-ac dual-active-bridge (DAB) converter for a solid-state transformer. The proposed converter topology consists of two active H-bridges and one high-frequency transformer. Four-quadrant switch cells are used to allow bidirectional power flow. Because power is controlled by the phase shift between two bridges, output voltage can be regulated when input voltage changes. This paper analyzes the steady-state operation and the range of zero-voltage switching. It develops a switch commutation scheme for the ac-ac DAB converters. Experimental results from a scaled-down prototype are provided to verify the theoretical analysis.

The objective of this study was to develop a reduce-dorder small-signal model of a microgrid system capable of operating in both the grid-tied and the islanded conditions. The nonlinear equations of the proposed system were derived in the dq reference frame and then linearized around stable operating points to construct a small-signal model. The high-order state matrix was then reduced using the singular perturbation technique. The dynamic equations were divided into two groups based on the small-signal model parameters ε. The “slow” states, which dominated the system's dynamics, were preserved, whereas the “fast” states were eliminated. Step responses of the model were compared to the experimental results from a hardware test to assess their accuracy and similarity to the full-order system. The proposed reduced-order model was applied to a modified IEEE-37 bus grid-tied microgrid system to evaluate system's dynamic response in grid-tied mode, islanded mode, and transition from grid-tied to islanded mode.

In the islanded mode operation of a microgrid, a part of the distributed network becomes electrically separated from the main grid, while loads are supported by local sources. Such distributed energy sources (DERs) are typically power electronic based, making the full system complex to study. A method for analyzing such a complicated system is discussed in this paper. A microgrid system with two inverters working as DERs is proposed. The controllers for the inverters are designed in the dq reference frame. Nonlinear equations are derived to reflect the system dynamics. These equations are linearized around steady-state operating points to develop a state-space model of the microgrid. An averaged model is used in the derivation of the mathematical model that results in a simplified system of equations. An eigenvalue analysis is completed using the linearized model to determine the small-signal stability of the system. A simulation of the proposed microgrid system consisting of two inverter based DERs, passive loads, and a distribution line is performed. An experimental testbed is designed to investigate the system's dynamics during load perturbation. Results obtained from the simulation and hardware experiment are compared with those predicted by the mathematical model to verify its accuracy.

A solid-state transformer (SST) is a high-frequency power electronic converter that is used as a distribution power transformer. A common three-stage configuration of an SST consists of ac-dc rectifier, isolated dc-dc dual-active-bridge (DAB) converter, and dc-ac inverter. This study addresses the controller design issue for a dc-dc DAB converter when driving a regulated single-phase dc-ac inverter. Since the switching frequency of the inverter stage is much higher than that of the DAB stage, the single-phase inverter is modeled as a double-line-frequency (e.g., 120 Hz) current sink. The effect of 120-Hz current by the single-phase inverter is studied. The limitation of a PI-controller, low gain at 120 Hz, is investigated. Two methods are proposed to improve the regulation of the output voltage of DAB converters. The first one uses a bandstop filter and feedforward, while the second method uses an additional proportional-resonant controller in the feedback loop. Theoretical analysis, simulation, and experiment results are provided.