A real time code generator for power electronic applications and implementation of PWM converter control strategies

The aim of this project was to develop a Real Time Code Generator for power electronic control applications with a graphical input medium from the simulation software'Simulink'. The Real Time Code Generator (RTCG) converts the block diagram model into 'C' code. The generated code is targeted to the Digital Signal Processor based controller board. The RTCG is mainly suited for power electronic control applications in real time. It gives the user a complete control over the hardware functionality and the sequence of the program. Complex control strategies can be implemented in the space of a week whereas conventional programming would have taken months to be completed. Also, the engineer need not have an indepth knowledge of 'C' programming. The RTCG was used to control a 10 kW PWM rectifier. Different types of control systems were implemented on the PWM rectifier using the RTCG. The DSI102 Digital Signal Processor based board is the controller for the RTeG. It is manufactured by dSpace GmbH. It is an independent add-on card for IBM PC's. DS1102 card contains two state-of-the-art Texas Instruments DSP processors; the TMS320C31 and the TMS320P14. The different control techniques are the predictive current control, model based control and the vector current control. Using these control techniques, the PWM rectifier was able to transfer power bidirectionally at unity power factor with a regulated DC link voltage. Briefly, the predictive current control brings the actual current equal to the demand current in one switching cycle. The vector current control is almost as good as the predictive current control but it takes approximately three switching cycles to bring the actual current equal to the demand current. The model based control removes the ripple usually present in the output of the conventional rectifier. The predictive current control or the vector current control can be used in conjunction with the model based control.