The conversion and control for the utilization of power generated from energy sources can be performed using a power electronic converter system. The voltage source inverter (VSI) is one of the commonly used converter topologies, being controlled by a switching control algorithm for power conversion. Finite set-model predictive control (FS-MPC) is a modern switching control algorithm and has received significant attention due to its predictive nature. In this paper, the implementation of FS-MPC is presented for the load-side current control of a three-phase VSI system using an integrated platform of MATLAB/Simulink and Xilinx system generator (XSG). The XSG provides the functionality of digital design and intuitive implementation of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) controlled systems. The additional functionality of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) co-simulation using FPGA is used for the testing and validation of controller performance. The controller performance is validated through three platforms: MATLAB/Simulink, XSG and HIL co-simulation using ZedBoard Zynq evaluation and development FPGA kit.

In this paper, finite-set model-predictive control (FS-MPC) is inducted for a motor drive system. The dynamic response and multiple constraint handling nature of FS-MPC are the major factors that stand out among the controller family. However, for real-time implementation, the computational burden of FS-MPC is a primary concern. Due to the parallel processing nature and discrete nature of the hardware platform, the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) can be an alternative solution for the real-time implementation of the controller algorithm. The FPGA is capable of handling the computational requirements for FS-MPC implementation; however, the system development involves multiple steps that lead to a time-consuming debugging process. Moreover, specific hardware coding skill makes it more complex, corresponding to an increase in system complexity, which leads to a tedious task for the system development. This paper presents a FPGA-based implementation of the predictive current control of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). FS-MPC of the PMSM drive system is designed and implemented using the digital model integration approach provided by the Xilinx system generator (XSG) and VIVADO platform. The step change in the load disturbance as well as the reference speed is considered for the analysis of the controller for the motor drive system. Moreover, the steady state error and harmonic distortion in the motor current is considered for an in-depth analysis of the system performance corresponding to different sampling frequencies.

Three-phase two-level voltage source converters are used for distribution static compensator (DSTATCOM) applications and can be replaced by a multilevel inverter. In this paper, an LCL filter interfaced cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter-based (CHBMLI) DSTATCOM is simulated and its performance is analyzed considering the system parameters. The analysis considers factors including the switching frequency, modulation index, and filter parameters of a DSTATCOM system. The LCL filter design and analysis for the low switching frequency operation of CHBMLI is proposed in this paper. Phase shift pulse-width modulation is used for the generation of switching signals. The reference current is generated using synchronous reference frame theory (SRFT) for reactive power and harmonic compensations. The simulation model of the CHBMLI-based DSTATCOM system is developed in MATLAB Simulink. The results are demonstrated for a linear/non-linear load under unbalanced conditions, considering the voltage sag and swell in the system due to a disturbance in the load.

Finite control set-model predictive control (FCS-MPC) for power electronic systems has been implemented using field-programmable gate array (FPGA) considering an alternative solution to handle the computational burden of the control algorithm. However, FPGA resource utilization is a concern for optimum design and development of the FCS-MPC. This paper presents, an analytical approach based implementation strategies using the Xilinx system generator (XSG) considering the real-time operation of the FCS-MPC for a three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI). Moreover, an adaptive prediction model is proposed to adapt to the change in load current. The percentage THD, dynamic response, and steady-state error are evaluated for system performance analysis. The implementation strategies are compared based on FPGA resource utilization for the FCS-MPC in stationary αβ and rotating dq frames considering fixed, approximated and adaptive values of a coefficient used for current prediction. The look-up tables (LUTs), flip-flops and DSP slices have opted as utilization indices of FPGA resources for comparative analysis. The optimum design based controller model is used for FPGA-based experimental system implementation. The simulation and experimental results are used for the performance evaluation of the FCS-MPC in both αβ and dq frames. Moreover, change in switching state constraint is included in the cost function and controller performance is evaluated corresponding to the weighting factor for approximated and adaptive coefficient values.

This paper proposes a novel Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control method of thermoelectric power generation for the constant load. This paper reveals the characteristics and the internal resistance of thermoelectric power module (TM). Analyzing the thermoelectric power generation system with boost chopper by state space averaging method, the output voltage and current of TM are estimated by with only single current sensor. The proposed method can seek without calculating the output power of TM in this proposed method. The basic principle of the proposed MPPT control method is discussed, and then confirmed by digital computer simulation using PSIM. Simulation results demonstrate that the output voltage can track the maximum power point voltage by the proposed MPPT control method. The generated power of the TM is 0.36 W when the temperature difference is 35 °C. This is well accorded with the V-P characteristics.

The performance of an electrical generator using bio-fuel and gasoline blends of different composition as fuel in a single cylinder engine is presented. The effect of an optimized blend ratio of bio-fuel with gasoline on engine performance improvement and thereby on the electrical generator output is studied. Bio-fuels such as ethanol, butanol and methanol are blended with gasoline in different proportions and evaluated for performance. The effects of different bio-fuel/gasoline blending ratios are compared experimentally with that of the gasoline alone using the output power developed by the electric generator as the evaluation parameter. With a composition of 10% ethanol–gasoline, the engine performance is increased up to 6% and with a blending ratio of 20% butanol–gasoline the performance is increased up to 8% compared to the use of 100% gasoline. The investigations are performed on a portable generator used in palm tree harvesting applications.