Publications

Active power filters have been used in practice to suppress the harmonic interference in power systems. To compensate for harmonic currents of loads active power filters are usually connected to power systems in parallel with the loads. These filters which are called shunt active filters here are very effective to loads that can be considered as current sources, such a thyristor rectifiers with large DC reactances. Many papers have covered the shunt active filters applied to these currentsource loads. No paper, however, has discussed characteristics of the shunt active filters when they are applied to voltage-source loads.On the other hand, since more and more diode rectifiers with capacitive DC filters are used recently, harmonics generated by which become an issue.The diode rectifier with capacitive DC filters behaves like a voltage source rather than a current source. When a shunt active filter is applied to such a diode rectifier, the current injected from the shunt active filter may flow into the diode rectifier. As a result, harmonics of the source current cannot be reduced effectively, and harmonic current flowing into the diode rectifier increases largely.This paper reveals the above-mentioned problem of shunt active filters analytically and experimentally. Then a series active filter is proposed to suppress harmonic current of the diode rectifiers. The features, operating conditions, and considerations of shunt active filters and series active filters are described analytically and demonstrated experimentally. Taking a diode rectifier with capacitive DC filter as a typical voltage-source load, compensation characteristics of shunt active filters and series active filters are discussed by experiment and simulation. The validity of the series active filters is illustrated experimentally.

This paper discusses the modular multilevel cascade converter (MMCC) family based on cascade connection of multiple bidirectional chopper cells or single-phase full-bridge cells. The MMCC family is classified from circuit configuration as follows: the single-star bridge cells (SSBC); the single-delta bridge cells (SDBC); the double-star chopper cells (DSCC); and the double-star bridge cells (DSBC). The term MMCC corresponds to a family name in a person while, for example, the term SSBC corresponds to a given name. Therefore, the term "MMCC-SSBC" can identify the circuit configuration without any confusion. Among the four MMCC family members, the SSBC and DSCC are more practical in cost, performance, and market than the others although a distinct difference exists in application between the SSBC and DSCC. This paper presents application examples of the SSBC to a battery energy storage system (BESS), the SDBC to a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) for negative-sequence reactive-power control, and the DSCC to a motor drive for fans and blowers, along with their experimental results.

This paper presents an equivalent circuit for high-frequency leakage currents in PWM inverter-fed AC motors, which forms a series resonant circuit. The analysis based on the equivalent circuit leads to such a conclusion that the connection of a conventional common-mode choke or reactor in series between the AC terminals of a PWM inverter and those of an AC motor is not effective to reduce the RMS and average values of the leakage current, but effective to reduce the peak value. Furthermore, this paper proposes a common-mode transformer which is different in damping principle from the conventional common-mode choke. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that the common-mode transformer is able to reduce the RMS value of the leakage current to 25%, where the core used in the common-mode transformer is smaller than that of the conventional common-mode choke.

This paper describes the effect of a passive EMI filter on preventing bearing current from flowing inside an inverter‐driven motor. Motor‐bearing damage is often caused by bearing currents resulting from the breakdown of grease films in the motor bearing. The high‐frequency common‐mode voltage generated by the PWM inverter induces a shaft voltage between the rotor and the frame. When the shaft voltage exceeds the breakdown voltage of the grease films, a destructive instantaneous discharge current with a peak value of about 1 A flows through the motor bearing. The passive EMI filter, which is unique in access to the motor neutral line, can reduce the shaft voltage as a result of eliminating the high‐frequency common‐mode voltage from the motor terminals. Hence, no breakdown occurs in the grease film, so that no bearing current flows. The viability and effectiveness of the passive EMI filter is verified by experimental results obtained from a 400‐V, 3.7‐kW laboratory system. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 166(2): 78– 87, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20489

This paper proposes a PWM rectifier/inverter system capable of suppressing not only supply harmonic currents but also electromagnetic interference (EMI). An active common-noise canceler (ACC) developed for this system is characterized by sophisticated connection of a common-mode transformer which can compensate for common-mode voltages produced by both PWM rectifier and inverter. As a result, the size of the common-mode transformer can be reduced to 1/3, compared with the previously proposed ACC. A prototype PWM rectifier/inverter system (2.2 kW) has been implemented and tested. Some experimental results show reduction characteristics of the supply harmonic current and EMI.

This paper describes a bidirectional isolated DC/DC converter considered as a core circuit for next‐generation 3.3‐kV/6.6‐kV high‐power‐density power conversion systems. The DC/DC converter is intended to use power switching devices based on SiC and/or GaN, which will be available on the market in the near future. A 350‐V, 10‐kW, and 20‐kHz DC/DC converter is designed, constructed, and tested in this paper. It consists of two single‐phase full‐bridge converters with the latest trench‐gate Si‐IGBTs and a 20‐kHz transformer with a nano‐crystalline soft‐magnetic material core and litz wires. The transformer plays an essential role in achieving galvanic isolation between the two full‐bridge converters. The overall efficiency from the DC‐input to DC‐output terminals is accurately measured to be as high as 97%, excluding gate drive circuit and control circuit losses from the whole loss. Moreover, loss analysis is carried out to estimate effectiveness in using SiC‐based power switching devices. The loss analysis clarifies that the use of SiC‐based power devices may bring a significant reduction in conducting and switching losses to the DC/DC converter. As a result, the overall efficiency may reach 99% or higher. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 163(2): 75–83, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20505

A modular multilevel cascade inverter based on double-star chopper cells (MMCI-DSCC) is expected as one of the next-generation multilevel PWM inverters for medium-voltage motor drives. This paper presents theoretical and experimental discussions on a practical speed-sensorless start-up method for an induction motor driven by the MMCI-DSCC from a standstill to a middle speed. This motor drive is suitable, especially for a large-capacity fan- or blower-like load, the torque of which is proportional to a square of the motor mechanical speed. Unlike the so-called “volts-per-hertz” control, three-phase stator currents are based on “feedback” control, whereas their amplitude and frequency are based on “feedforward” control. Although the motor drive has no speed sensor attached to the motor shaft, this method makes a slow start-up stable with the help of a stator current-feedback loop. Experimental results obtained from a 400-V, 15-kW downscaled system verify the stable operating performance from a standstill to a middle speed of 590min-1 with a 40% load torque.

This paper describes the next‐generation mediumvoltage power conversion systems based on transformerless cascade PWM converters and bidirectional isolated dc‐dc converters. A 350‐V, 10‐kW and 20‐kHz dc‐dc converter is designed, constructed and tested as a core circuit for medium‐voltage power conversion systems. It consists of two single‐phase full‐bridge converters using eight IGBTs and a 20‐kHz transformer with a nano‐crystalline soft‐magnetic material core and litz wires. The transformer plays an essential role in achieving galvanic isolation between the two full‐bridge converters. The overall efficiency from the dc‐input to dc‐output terminals is accurately measured to be as high as 97%. Loss analysis clarifies that the overall efficiency may reach 99% or higher when SiC‐based power devices are used. In addition, this paper presents the 6.6‐kV transformerless STATCOM(STATic synchronous COMpensator) intended for achieving reactive‐power control in industrial and distribution power systems. It is characterized by direct connection to the 6.6‐kV grids, thus bringing significant reductions in cost, weight and size to the 6.6‐kV STATCOM. Key words: bidirectional isolated dc‐dc convertermultilevel convertersreactive powerSTATCOM Notes H. Akagi is with the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, S3–17, 2–12–1, O‐okayama, Meguro, Tokyo, 152–8552, Japan. (Tel/Fax: +81–3–5734–3549; Email: akagi@ee.titech.ac.jp)

No abstract is provided for this article.

This paper presents an overview of the next-generation power electronics technology for the Japanese-version smart grid. It focuses on a grid-level battery energy storage system, a grid-level STATCOM (STATic synchronous COMpensator), and a 6.6-kV BTB (Back-To-Back) system for power flow control between two power distribution feeders. These power electronic devices play an important role in achieving load frequency control and voltage regulation. Their circuit configurations based on modular multilevel cascade PWM converters are characterized by flexible system design, low voltage steps, and low EMI (Electro-Magnetic Interference) emission. Their downscaled laboratory models are designed, constructed, and tested to verify the viability and effectiveness of the circuit configurations and control methods.

This paper implements a wide range of power control with pulse-density-modulation (PDM) in a voltage source series-resonant inverter which realizes a corona discharge for the surface treatment of films. The use of the PDM inverter enables the employment of a three-phase diode bridge rectifier as an electric utility interface. The PDM inverter produces either a square-wave AC voltage state or a zero voltage state at its AC terminals to control the discharge power of a corona surface treater. Moreover, it can achieve zero-current-switching (ZCS) and zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) under all the operating conditions, thus leading to a significant reduction of switching losses and electromagnetic noise. A 80 kHz, 6 kW surface treatment system consisting of a voltage-source PDM inverter, a step-up transformer and a corona discharge treater shows the establishment of a stable corona discharge in an extremely wide range of power control from 0.5 to 100 %, and therefore succeeds in performing both strong and weak surface treatment processes for films.