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Voltage Control of Current Source Inverters

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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 21, NO. 2, JUNE 2006
Voltage Control of Current Source Inverters
Vincenzo Delli Colli, Piergiacomo Cancelliere, Member, IEEE, Fabrizio Marignetti, Member, IEEE,
and Roberto Di Stefano
Abstract—The current source inverters may become direct com-
petitors of the voltage source inverters thanks to the voltage control
techniques. The paper proposes an improved voltage control tech-
nique for current source inverters, that chooses the current vectors
relying on bang-bang controllers. This technique is compared to
a well-established one using current space vector modulation and
synchronous-frame proportional and integral controllers. The pre-
sented controller is explained and validated by means of off-line as
well as real time simulations and experimental tests. The numeri-
cal results prove that the proposed control technique produces less
distorted voltage waveforms in terms of total harmonic distortion
and spectrum. According to the real-time simulations performed
the proposed control technique is computationally less expensive
than the benchmark. Finally, the experimental results obtained
confirm the feasibility of the proposal.
Index Terms—Current source inverter (CSI), power conversion,
pulse width modulated power converters, voltage control.
I. INTRODUCTION
HE current source inverters (CSIs) may become direct
T competitors of the voltage source inverters (VSIs) in sev-
eral applications, thanks to the voltage control techniques. The
paper presents an improved voltage control algorithm for CSI
tailored to the applications cited in the following.
Today, pulse-width modulated voltage source inverters
(PWM VSIs) without output filters are widely employed in ac
drives, notwithstanding the following negative effects.
• The high common-mode component tends to force bear-
ing currents, degrading the lubricant and accelerating the
bearings wearing [1], [2].
• The high time rate of the voltage (dv/dt) accelerates the
degradation of motor insulation by exciting over voltages
due to the action of the cables [3], [4].
• The high harmonic content sustains distorted flux and cur-
rent producing additional losses in iron and copper [5], [6].
Coping with such negative effects could increase the life of
motor bearings, the life of motor insulation, the motor rating
and the efficiency.
PWM VSIs with output filters are increasingly applied in
programmable ac sources (PACSs) and uninterruptible power
supplies (UPSs). Moreover, the use of filters has been recently
Manuscript received November 29, 2004; revised April 8, 2005. This paper
was presented in part at PEMD 2002, International Conference on Power Elec-
tronics, Machines and Drives, 2002 (Conf. Publ. No. 487), Bath, U.K., June
4–7, 2002. Paper no. TEC-00330-2004.
The authors are with the DAEIMI Department of Automation and Mag-
netics, The University of Cassino, 03043 Cassino (FR), Italy (e-mail:
delli-colli@unicas.it; cancelliere@unicas.it; marignetti@unicas.it; distefano@
unicas.it).
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TEC.2005.859974
0885-8969/$20.00 © 2006 IEEE
451
proposed even for ac drives. In all such cases proper voltage
control techniques are necessary to allow fast reaction to load
variations. However, in order to produce optimal output in a
wide range of frequency and/or with arbitrary waveform by
means of PWM VSIs with filters, the adoption of well-suited
control and/or design techniques are required [7].
The CSIs are less investigated and applied than the VSIs, nev-
ertheless the recent technological improvements achieved for
the switching devices as well as for the computation architec-
tures have made the CSIs more attractive in several applications
from low to medium power range, as in PACSs, UPSs, ac drives
and reactive power compensators. These applications may ben-
efit utilizing the CSIs because of their better load voltage and
current shape, inherent short circuit protection and regeneration
capability even with line commutated thyristor rectifiers. Due
to these major advantages, the CSIs are already appreciated
in medium voltage, large power induction drives [8], [9], and
are currently being investigated even in the low-power range in
direct competition with the VSIs [10], [11].
CSIs control and applications were studied in [8], [12]–[15].
Reference [16] evidenced that the use of synchronous frame,
Proportional and Integral (PI) d, q voltage feedbacks yields zero
steady-state errors on both magnitude and phase for ac reference
signals. This technique-referred in the following as proportional
and integral (PI) regulated current space vector modulation
(PI-CSVM)—is reported in the paper and is utilized as a
benchmark. Moreover, [16] developed a set of rules allowing to
extend to the CSI some techniques formerly developed for the
VSI, and this extension permits also the use of VSI-dedicated
microprocessor features. Another form of voltage control for
CSIs was proposed in [17]. The paper compares the PI-CSVM
with an original voltage-controlled current modulation (VCCM)
scheme. The VCCM is derived from the flux/charge control,
introduced to regulate the voltage and the current in VSIs and
CSIs respectively. The theory of charge modulation was defined
in [18] for CSIs and unified with the flux modulation in [19].
The aim of the proposal is to improve the voltage control
of the CSIs. Section II illustrates the power circuit structure
and operation of the CSI. Section III gives a description of the
PI-CSVM control strategy used as a benchmark. Section IV
explains the principle of the VCCM. Sections V and VI report
off line and real time numerical results respectively. The off
line numerical results relate to time and frequency response
of the system and focus only on the inverter (dc/ac) stage of
the complete (ac/ac) current source converter. The real time
simulations compare the computational load produced by the
considered techniques. Finally, Section VII is dedicated to
the experimental results verifying the optimal behavior of the
VCCM.
452
Fig. 1. Power circuit of the current source inverter (fed by a step-down con-
verter for laboratory purposes).
Fig. 2. State pattern and leg currents of the CSI.
II. POWER CIRCUIT OF THE CURRENT SOURCE INVERTER
This Section briefly illustrates the CSI power circuit of
Fig. 1. Although the paper is not concerned with the ac/dc
section, which is considered as an ideal current generator in the
Sections V and VI, for the experimental tests a further power
circuit controlling the current in the dc-link inductor is needed.
In fact, the experimental setup implements a current controlled
step-down converter as current source.
The dc/ac section is as usual constituted by a three phase
IGBTs bridge with series diodes providing the necessary reverse
blocking capability. The legs of the bridge are connected to star-
connected capacitors and to the load.
The space vector of the currents i0a , i0b , and i0c of Fig. 2 can
be defined as follows:
i0 = i0a + i0b e2j π /3 + i0c e4j π /3 .
Fig. 3 shows how the output current space vector is determined
by the state pattern u1 , u2 , u3 , u4 , u5 , u6 of Fig. 2 applied to the
devices of the bridge
i0 = i0 (u1 , u2 , u3 , u4 , u5 , u6 ).
Provided that only two power devices—i.e., an upper and a
lower one—at a time can be in the ON state, the current source
bridge can assume six active states; in each one the dc-link
current is output from one leg and is drawn from another one.
Moreover, the circuit can assume three additional states, pro-
ducing the free-wheeling of the dc-link current, in which the
output current is zero. An overlap among gate signals has to
be inserted to avoid overvoltages during the transition between
adjacent bridge states.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 21, NO. 2, JUNE 2006
Fig. 3. Current space vectors of the CSI as function of the state patterns.
III. PI VOLTAGE CONTROLLERS WITH CURRENT SPACE
VECTOR MODULATION
This section explains the PI-CSVM technique used as a
benchmark highlighting some implementation features.
The PI-CSVM has been implemented with some modifica-
tions with respect to the strategy envisaged in [16]. These mod-
ification are as in the following.
• The CSVM and PI controllers are both realized by soft-
ware.
• The modulation algorithm is customized to the current
source case (CSVM instead of SVM).
• The overlaps on the gate signals are generated by an FPGA
logic device.
The control operation is resumed by Fig. 4.
The measured three-phase voltage output of the CSI appears
in the machine variables (abc) referred to a fixed reference
frame. The control transforms the measured quantities into axis
variables (dq) referred to the synchronous frame and expressed
in space vector form. The actual voltage space vector is com-
(1) pared to the reference one, whose choice depends on the ap-
plication. The computed error is subdivided into the real and
imaginary parts (d and q respectively) and such components are
amplified by two separate PI controllers.
The outputs of the PI controllers are back-transformed in the
(2) fixed reference frame, again in the form of space vectors, be-
coming the current reference for the CSI. The current reference
is then processed by the CSVM, which generates the modulation
pattern for the inverter devices. The overlapping logic modifies
the pattern in order to ensure the continuity of the dc-link current
during the transitions.
IV. VCCM
The Section presents the principle of the VCCM technique.
Although the flux/charge modulation is ideally carrier-less, the
DELLI COLLI et al.: VOLTAGE CONTROL OF CURRENT SOURCE INVERTERS
Fig. 4. Voltage control of a CSI with synchronous frame d, q PI controllers and current space vector modulation (PI- CSVM).
Fig. 5. Voltage control of a CSI with VCCM block scheme.
VCCM algorithm is a digital synchronous modulation tech-
nique, therefore can be compared with carrier-based methods.
The target of this modulation algorithm is the selection of a
sequence of CSI state patterns in order to maintain the output
voltage vector in a reference locus. At the midpoint of each
inverter leg, in terms of space vector, the current shares as
i0 = iC + iL (3)
where i0 , ic , and iL are respectively the space vectors of inverter
output currents, the space vector of the capacitor currents and the
space vector of the motor currents. During no-load operation,
iL = 0, and, in discrete time, the capacitor voltage space vector
vC varies as
∆t
∆vC = i0 (4)
Ca,b,c
where ∆t is the sampling period and Ca,b,c are the filter ca-
pacitors; in other words, the current imposed to the capacitors
moves the output voltage vector exactly along the direction of
the current vector applied. The application of the load, iL
= 0,
453
acts as a disturbance of the previous control action
∆t
∆vC = (i0 − iL ) (5)
Ca,b,c
previous equation allows to construct a discontinuous control
action choosing i0 in order to keep vC very close to its ref-
erence trajectory. However, to obtain a stable voltage control,
neglecting all other model uncertainties, must be [20]
∆vC
i0 ≥ Ca,b,c + iL . (6)
∆t
Conversely, the dc-link inductor current, then the magnitude
of i0 , should be kept as low as possible in order to improve
efficiency. As it is shown in Fig. 5, the voltage error is computed
and expressed as a space vector in the synchronous frame.
The obtained d and q error components determine the next
favorable state. The selection of vectors of Fig. 3 is executed in
discrete-time by means of the following switching rules, graph-
ically represented in Fig. 6:
• if the real part of the error is positive, VCCM imposes a
zero state;
• if the real part of the error is negative, VCCM imposes an
active state;
454 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 21, NO. 2, JUNE 2006

Fig. 6. Voltage control of a CSI with VCCM: switching rules.

Fig. 7. Simulation of transient performance of VCCM with a frequency refer-
ence containing a step from zero and a ramp.
TABLE I
SIMULATION CONDITIONS

• if the imaginary part of the error is positive, VCCM selects

the vector lagging the voltage reference as possible active
state;
• if the imaginary part of the error is negative, VCCM selects Fig. 8. Simulation of transient performance of PI-CSVM with a frequency
reference containing a step from zero and a ramp.
the vector leading the voltage reference as possible active
state.
Moreover, to switch between different CSI vectors, an overlap
period is imposed as usual.

V. OFF-LINE SIMULATIONS
The two techniques of voltage control—VCCM and PI-
CSVM—have been compared by means of numerical simu-
lations. Inverter switches are supposed to behave ideally, and
the effect of the digital implementation is modeled by sampling
rates and delays corresponding to the subsequent experimen-
tal realization. Simulations have been executed imposing the
same control timing for both methods, although the VCCM
algorithm executes in a shorter time than the PI-CSVM counter- Fig. 9. Simulation of transient performance of VCCM with a frequency refer-
part, as proved in the Section VI. Simulation conditions are as ence containing a step from steady-state.
in Table I.
The data show the behavior of both algorithms under four
test conditions relevant to the synthesis of sinusoidal voltages.
The amplitude of the voltage is a function of the frequency
implementing a Volt/Hertz law typical of ac machines drives.
The dc-link current has to be controlled as in [11]. The cases
considered are listed below.
• Frequency step from zero followed by a frequency ramp;
the results are reported in Fig. 7 for the VCCM and in
Fig. 8 for the case of PI-CSVM.
• Frequency step from steady-state conditions; the results
are reported in Fig. 9 for the VCCM and in Fig. 10 for the
case of PI-CSVM.
• Time and frequency analysis in steady-state conditions Fig. 10. Simulation of transient performance of PI-CSVM with a frequency
at 50 Hz, 220 Vrms (phase-to-neutral); the results are reference containing a step from steady-state.
DELLI COLLI et al.: VOLTAGE CONTROL OF CURRENT SOURCE INVERTERS
Fig. 11. Simulation of steady-state performance of VCCM: voltage versus
time.
Fig. 12. Simulation of steady-state performance of VCCM: voltage versus
frequency.
Fig. 13. Simulation of steady-state performance of PI-CSVM: voltage versus
time.
reported in Figs. 11 (waveform) and 12 (spectrum) for
VCCM; Fig. 13 reports the waveform and Fig. 14 the
spectrum for PI-CSVM.
• Time and frequency analysis in steady-state conditions
at 25 Hz, 110 Vrms (phase-to-neutral); the results are
reported in Figs. 15 (waveform) and 16 (spectrum) for
VCCM; Fig. 17 reports the waveform and Fig. 18 the
spectrum for PI-CSVM.
The THD values recorded in the above simulated cases are
reported in Table II.
The presented data evidences the VCCM algorithm performs
better than the PI-CSVM algorithm at the same sampling time.
VI. REAL-TIME SIMULATIONS
Both proposed algorithms were coded, compiled, loaded and
executed onto the target processor. The loaded code was compu-
455
Fig. 14. Simulation of steady-state performance of PI-CSVM: voltage versus
frequency.
Fig. 15. Simulation of steady-state performance of VCCM: voltage versus
time.
Fig. 16. Simulation of steady-state performance of VCCM: voltage versus
frequency.
tationally heavier than the actual one, because a code segment
was added to simulate the behavior of the controlled system
during the real-time execution; the additional processor load
was the same for both methods. The code related to all nec-
essary analog input and digital output was considered. Both
programs were at the same level of optimization. Such set-
up allowed evaluating the computational loads in almost real,
fair conditions. The times required by each algorithm to ex-
ecute are shown by Fig. 19 where data are reported in per
unit, taking the performance of the PI-CSVM as the base. A
Dspace 1103 board, which adopts a 400 MHz PowerPC micro-
processor, was used to implement both algorithm. The software
was written in the Simulink environment. The recorded com-
putation time were 13 µs for the VCCM and 17.3 µs for the
PI-CSVM.
VII. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Simulations of VCCM algorithm were validated by means
of experimental tests. A current controlled buck converter was
456 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 21, NO. 2, JUNE 2006

Fig. 17. Simulation of steady-state performance of PI-CSVM: voltage versus

time.

Fig. 20. Laboratory setup of the CSI bridge.

TABLE III
MEASUREMENTS CONDITIONS

Fig. 18. Simulation of steady-state performance of PI-CSVM: voltage versus

frequency.

TABLE II
THD SIMULATION RESULTS

Fig. 21. Measured 5 Hz, 22 Vrms line-to-line voltage waveforms.

Fig. 19. Normalized execution time of PI-CSVM and VCCM algorithms.

used to supply the CSI as indicated in Fig. 1. This configuration

was chosen for achieving an adjustable current source. Fig. 20
displays the laboratory setup of the CSI bridge.
Measurement conditions are listed in Table III. The exper-
iments intend to validate numerical results about VCCM pre-
sented in the Sections V and VI, hence the tests relate to the
same conditions as for simulation. In all figures the actual
voltages are drawn in gray, while their reference curves are
drawn in black. Fig. 22. Measured 10 Hz, 44 Vrms line-to-line voltage waveforms.
DELLI COLLI et al.: VOLTAGE CONTROL OF CURRENT SOURCE INVERTERS
Fig. 23. Measured 25 Hz, 110 Vrms line-to-line voltage waveforms.
Fig. 24. Measured 50 Hz, 220 Vrms line-to-line voltage waveforms.
Fig. 25. Measured voltage waveforms in a 25 to 50 Hz step transient.
Results from some of the most significant tests are reported
hereafter as follows:
• steady-state conditions at 5 Hz, 22 Vrms line-to-line,
Fig. 21;
• steady-state conditions at 10 Hz, 44 Vrms line-to-line
Fig. 22;
• steady-state conditions at 25 Hz, 110 Vrms line-to-line
Fig. 23;
• steady-state conditions at 50 Hz, 220 Vrms line-to-line
Fig. 24;
• frequency and voltage step, from steady-state conditions
Fig. 25;
• frequency and voltage step, from zero and voltage-
frequency ramp, Fig. 26.
The mean values of dc-link current are reported on each
figure.
The measures confirm the numerical results obtained for the
VCCM algorithm.
457
VIII. CONCLUSION
An approach to the voltage control of CSIs has been pre-
sented in the paper. The approach suggested was compared to
the well established PI control of d, q voltage with Space Vector
Modulation. Numerical results prove that the proposed algo-
rithm performs better than the traditional PI d, q control when
both methods operate with same timing. In fact, the proposed
algorithm achieved a better THD and a smoother spectrum of
the voltage in both the 25 and 50 Hz tests. Real-time simulations
demonstrate that the new method is lighter from a computational
standpoint. Furthermore, the experimental measures confirm the
numerical results obtained for the VCCM algorithm.
From the previous considerations, it follows that voltage con-
trolled modulation can be considered as a valid alternative to
traditional techniques in the voltage control of CSIs.
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Vincenzo Delli Colli received the Laurea degree
in electrical engineering from The University of
Cassino, Cassino, Italy, in 1996 and the Ph.D. degree
in conversion of electrical energy from The Second
University of Naples, Naples, Italy, in 2000.
Since 2001, he has been a Research Assistant
in the Giovanni D’Angelo Industrial Electronic Lab-
oratory, the University of Cassino, Italy. His main
research interest is the control of electrical machines
and power converters.
Piergiacomo Cancelliere (M’03) received the
Laurea degree (with honors) in electrical engineer-
ing in 1998 from the Faculty of Engineering, the
University of Cassino, Cassino, Italy.
From May 1998 to January 1999, he worked for
REEL S.r.l. Power Electronic Device, Vicenza, Italy,
where he has been engaged in research and devel-
opment power electronic for drives and in design of
electrical motors. In January 1999, he joined ABB
SACE, Frosinone, Italy, where he worked in the Au-
tomation Department as a designer of automated pro-
duction lines. He is now a Research Assistant in electrical machines and drives
at the University of Cassino. His research interests are in design, control, and
applications of special electrical machines and in power electronic converters.
Mr. Cancelliere is a Registered Professional Engineer in Italy.
View publication stats
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 21, NO. 2, JUNE 2006
Fabrizio Marignetti (M’00) received the Laurea
degree (with honors) in electrical engineering and
the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the
University “Frederick II” Naples, Italy in 1993 and
1998, respectively, with a thesis on “A preliminary
study for the construction of a novel axial-flux mi-
cromotor with etched windings.”
In 1998 he joined the University of Cassino,
Cassino, Italy, where he is presently an Associate
Professor of power electronic converters, electrical
machines and drives. Since 1996, he lectures at the
University of Cassino in electrical machines dynamics and since 2000 in elec-
tromechanical systems design. Since 2004, he lectures also in design of electric
drives for electric vehicles. His research interests include design, analysis and
control of electrical machines, especially fractional horsepower and unconven-
tional machines, linear machines, tubular actuators, axial-flux machines and
micromachines. He is actively involved in many projects both of national and
of industrial relevance.
Dr. Marignetti is a Member of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society. He
has been bestowed a scholarship of Rational Mechanics by the University of
Cassino. He is a member of the Editorial board of the Journal of Electrical Engi-
neering and is a reviewer for many journals, including the IEEE TRANSACTIONS
ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS.
Roberto Di Stefano received the Laurea degree
in electrotechnical engineering from University of
Naples, Naples, Italy.
From 1993 to 1997, he was in the Research Group
of Electrical Machines and Converters at University
of Naples. In 1996, he joined the Research Group of
the Electrical Machine and Drives at the University
of Cassino, Cassino, Italy. Since 1996, he has been
the Director of Industrial Electronics Laboratory at
University of Cassino. Since December 2004, he has
been an Associate Professor of power electronics and
drives. His research interests are in the fields of power electronics inverters and
electrical machines.