Experimental validation of a flatness-based control for a voltage source converter

A voltage source converter (VSC) is a power electronic device used in many applications including wind turbine generators; induction motor drives, and power transmission and delivery. This thesis develops a high performance control for a 3-phase 6-pulse IGBT-based VSC intended for power transmission and delivery applications. The industrial standard for VSC control is a. Proportional-Integral (PI) control scheme based on a linear approximate system model. Since it is based on a linear approximate model, only local performance is ensured. In order to provide performance over a range of operating conditions this thesis proposes a nonlinear flatness-based control which avoids the linearization step. A full experimental validation of the proposed control is given. This thesis involves a collaborative effort between the Applied Nonlinear Control Laboratory (ANCL) and the Real-Time eXperinlental LABoratory (RTX-LAB) at the University of Alberta.