Authors: Marcelo A. Perez; Salvador Ceballos; Georgios Konstantinou; Josep Pou; Ricardo P. Aguilera

Extended Abstract:

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is currently one of the power converter topologies, which has largely increased its research and development worldwide. Its features, such as high quality of voltages and currents, highly modular structure, and high voltage rating, have made the MMC a good option for several high-voltage high-power applications, including high-voltage dc (HVdc) transmission, static compensators (STATCOMs), and motor drives. However, its unique features, such as a large number of submodules, floating capacitor voltages, and circulating currents, require a dedicated control system able to manage the terminal variables as well as the internal variables with high dynamical performance. Over the past years, several research studies have been conducted to address the technical challenges associated with the operation and control of the MMC. In this paper, a review of the latest research and development on MMCs is shown, focusing on the challenges and proposed solutions proposed for this power converter still faces in terms of modeling, control, reliability, power topologies, and new applications.

 

MMC-based HVdc point-to-point system

 

This paper has been published in IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society


Check full paper at: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9360490