Digital Control Strategy for Harmonic

Compensation of Dynamic Voltage Restorer

Jianwei Wang, Xiaoguang Hu, Guoqing Hu, and Yi Wang

School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University,

100191, Beijing, China
wjwjian@163.com

Abstract. To make dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) compensate the

low-order harmonic voltage, overcome the effects on system performance
of digital control, and improve the voltage compensation effect, a dual
closed-loop digital PR control strategy, consisting of voltage outer loop
fundamental proportional resonant (PR) control and current inner loop
low-order harmonic PR control is proposed. The discretization methods
of PR controller are analysed, a detailed analysis and parameter design
of the fundamental PR controller and the 3rd, 5th and 7th harmonic PR
controller in the discrete domain are carried out. The analysis shows that
the harmonic PR controller can effectively compensate for the 3rd, 5th
and 7th harmonic voltage, the fundamental PR controlled can achieve
zero steady-state error tracking and inhibit the effects on output voltage
of load current, and digital control system has good dynamic response
characteristics. Based on the theoretical analysis, 11KVA DVR prototype
is developed and tested. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed
control strategy are verified by experimental results.

Keywords: dynamic voltage restorer, harmonic compensation, digital

control, fundamental PR controller, harmonic PR controller.

1 Introduction

When the dynamic voltage restorer detects the system voltage, if the system
voltage drops, the invert unit will instantaneously produce dynamic offset voltage
to compensate the dropping voltage to a rate level. That will ensure normal
operation for the system sensitive load [1–3].
As the DVR is a new power quality series compensation device, the domes-
tic and foreign relevant researchers have made enormous study on its control
strategy. But few DVR control strategy considers the distortion of the voltage
waveform caused by low order harmonics which are produced by the dead time
of the inverter unit switching devices and the nonlinear load [8], and calculation
delay of digital control causing the adverse effects on the dynamic characteristics
of the DVR.
In order to improve the DVR inverter unit’s ability to restrain the low or-
der harmonics, overcome digital control’s effect on the system and have better

K. Li et al. (Eds.): ICSEE 2013, CCIS 355, pp. 10–18, 2013.


c Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
 Digital Control Strategy for Harmonic Compensation 11

voltage compensation effect, this paper presents a double closed loop digital PR
control strategy by using the fundamental PR to control voltage outer loop and
low order harmonics PR to control current inner loop electrical. At the reso-
nance frequency, the open loop gain of the PR controller is infinite, which can
achieve no static error control to particular frequency, and can provide enough
attenuation to prevent interference between adjacent frequencies in other fre-
quencies. Because the bandwidth of the voltage outer loop is narrow, the low
order harmonic PR control can’t be applied in the outer loop. The paper can
use fundamental PR control in voltage outer loop and low order harmonic PR
control in current feedback inner loop to eliminate the steady state error and
compensate the low order harmonics. To avoid the influence produced by the
sampling, calculation delay and other discrete processes on the steady-state er-
ror and dynamic response characteristics, the paper use a digital control method.
The paper develops a 11KVA DVR prototype based on the theory and do some
corresponding test. The theory research and test result show that the proposed
control scheme is effective and feasible.

2 Inverter Unit Digital Proportion Resonance Control

Strategy

When DVR inverter unit uses a double closed loop PR control, since the band-
width of the voltage of the outer ring is small, and that of the voltage of the
inner ring is big, if the outer loop uses the harmonic PR control, though the
PR controller has a very big gain at the resonance frequency, the system will
be instable and it is still difficult to realize the satisfied compensation effect in
condition that the resonant frequency exceeds the bandwidth of the voltage of
the outer ring, and the reduction of the gain of the outer ring will greatly offset
the resonance gain. Thus, the fundamental wave PR controller is applied in the
outside loop and the harmonic PR controller in the inside current loop.
As the digital processor has a sampling and a calculation time delay, PWM
pulse update generally lags behind for a beat of sampling time. And for the
DVR emphasizes the dynamic characteristics, this influence can’t be ignored.
The key to continuous domain discretization digital control is how to choose
an appropriate discretization method. And this paper uses the step response
invariant method of zero-order holder combined to discrete the consecutive time
model of the DVR inverter unit, which makes the system stable and the gain
unchanged. The high harmonics produced by the inverter unit switching device in
switch action can be filtered,while 3rd, 5th and 7th low order harmonics produced
by nonlinear factors such as the nonlinear load can only be compensated by
designing a reasonable controller. Therefore, as discussed and analyzed in Fig. 1,
the paper presents a double loop PR control strategy, that the fundamental
wave PR controller is applied in the outer loop and the 3rd, 5th, 7th harmonic
low pass filters are applied in the inner loop. Among them, Kp1 and R1 (z)
respectively stand for the fundamental wave PR controller, Kph , R3 (z), R5 (z)
and R7 (z) respectively stand for 3rd, 5th and 7th harmonic PR controllers.
12 J. Wang et al.

The low order harmonic current of the load current io of the inverter unit of
the H Bridge is a disturbance in the continuous time model. It will distort the
output voltage uo when it passes through 1/Cs. The action of current inner loop
harmonic PR controller on the inverter unit inhibits the influence of low order
harmonic current on the system. That ensures the DVR to track and compensate
the voltage dips and harmonic voltage quickly and accurately.

T
io
ui iL* 1 T 1 iL iC 1 uo
K p1 K ph
z Ls +r Cs
R1 ( z ) R3 ( z )

R5 ( z )

R7 ( z )
T

Fig. 1. Dual-loop digital resonant controller

3 Discretization of Proportion Resonant Controller

According to the principle of reference [11–13], the transfer function of PR con-
troller can be shown as formula (1).
Kr s
P R(s) = Kp + (1)
s2
+ ωn2
Where: Kp is the radio coefficient of the proportional control link, Kr the reso-
nant coefficient, and ωn the resonant angle frequency.
That is, the discussion about the discrete method of the PR controllers is
converted into that about the discrete method of resonant controllers, shown as
formula (2).
Kr s
R(s) = 2 (2)
s + ωn2
However, in the resonant frequency formula (2) will introduce the 90◦ lagging
phase angle, and an compensation for lagging phase angle is necessary in order
to increase the stability of phase margin [11–13]. Resonant coefficient Kr can
be neglected during the discussion of the discrete method of PR controller. So
formula (2) can be rewritten as:
s cos θn − ωn sin θn
R(s) = (3)
s2 + ωn2
Where: θn in above formula refers to the compensation angle of phase angle lag.
Formula (3) can be achieved by the virtual LC methods in reference [13], its
output equation can be expressed as:
Ro (s) = [IL (s) cos θn − UC (s) sin θn ]/ωn (4)
 Digital Control Strategy for Harmonic Compensation 13

Where: IL (s) and UC (s), respectively, refer to the inductor currents and capaci-
tor voltage of virtual LC circuit. The input signal of virtual LC circuit’s control
function towards inductance current and capacitor voltage can push forward that
the control function of the resonant controller to sinusoidal signal is equivalent
to the control function of integral controller to DC signal [11–13].
As ωn is the resonance angular frequency, 1/ωn can be regarded as a factor
of resonant coefficient Kr , the output equation of the virtual LC circuit (4) can
be rewritten for:
Ro (s) = IL (s) cos θn − UC (s) sin θn (5)

To discrete above continuous-time output equation may have:

 
IL (k)
Ro (k) = C (6)
UC (k)

Where: C = [cos θn − sin θn ].

The continuous time state equation of virtual LC circuit is:
⎡ ⎤
dIL (t)     
⎣ dt ⎦ = 0 −ωn IL (t)
+
ωn
Ri (t) (7)
dUC (t) ωn 0 UC (t) 0
dt

To discrete above continuous-time state equation may have:

   
IL (k + 1) IL (k)
=A + BRi (k) (8)
UC (k + 1) UC (k)
   
cos(ωn T ) − sin(ωn T ) sin(ωn T )
Where: A = ;B= .
sin(ωn T ) cos(ωn T ) 1 − cos(ωn T )
Take inductor current and capacitor voltage of virtual LC circuit as output,
the Z-domain transfer function of input and output can be obtained by formulas
(6) and (8) as:

(k1n − k2n )z − k1n − k2n

R(z) = C(zI − A)−1 B = (9)
z 2 − 2z cos(ωn T ) + 1

Where: k1n = cos θn sin(ωn T ); k2n = sin θn [1 − cos(ωn T )].

If directly discrete the formula (3) by step response invariant method can get
the following formula (10):

(k1n − k2n )z − k1n − k2n 1

R(z) = C(zI − A)−1 B = · (10)
z 2 − 2z cos(ωn T ) + 1 ωn

Compared discrete time transfer function (9) with (10), (9) expands ωn times,
this is because in formula (4), 1/ωn is treated as a factor of resonant coefficient
Kr in order to facilitate the discussion of virtual LC discretization method.
14 J. Wang et al.

From the above analysis and discussion, it is known that the discretization
effect on discrete resonance controller is exactly the same by using virtual LC
method and step response invariant method. However reference [14] pointed out
that virtual LC method makes the transfer function of step response invariant
method expand ωn times in number, which obviously ignores the influence on
discrete-time transfer function of rewriting formula (4) into formula (5). Using
the discrete-time transfer function of reference [10] to analyze the stability of
the system is very desirable. Therefore, the method of reference [7–10] will be
employed to the design of PR controller discretization.

4 Analysis of Control Strategy and Design of Parameters

4.1 Current Inner Loop
The transfer function of inverter unit can be deduced from Fig. 2, which is shown
as follows:
1
G(s) = (11)
LCs2 + Crs + 1
The specific parameters of the experimental prototype are as the following: L =
680 μH, C = 100 μF , r = 0.2 Ω, and sampling period T = 0.1 ms. Using the
ZOH with the step response invariant method to discrete transfer function G(s),
which can be transformed to G(z) in Z – domain.
 
1 − e−T s 1 0.1448z + 0.1419
G(z) = Z · = 2 (12)
s LCs2 + Crs + 1 z − 1.655z + 0.9412
The design parameters of current inner loop’s harmonic PR controller are based
upon discrete method in formula (10). After a beat delay and LC filter, the 3rd,
5th and 7th harmonics phase angle lag respectively are about 42.5◦ 45◦ and 47.5,
then θ3 = 42.5◦ , θ5 = 45◦ and θ7 = 47.5◦ . Transfer functions of the harmonic
resonant controller respectively are R3 (z), R5 (z) and R7 (z) in the Z-domain as
follows:
0.0664z − 0.0724 1
R3 (z) = · (13)
z 2 − 1.9912z + 1 942.4778
0.1019z − 0.1193 1
R5 (z) = 2 · (14)
z − 1.9754z + 1 1570.8
0.1296z + 0.1652 1
R7 (z) = 2 · (15)
z − 1.9518z + 1 2199.1
References [15, 16] brought forth the principle of priority to system stability,
DVR control system has a good stability at Kph = 0.9.

4.2 Voltage Outer Loop

Similar to the current inner loop, the parameters design of voltage outer loop
adopt the virtual LC discrete method in formula (10). After a beat delay and LC
 Digital Control Strategy for Harmonic Compensation 15

filter, phase angle lag of fundamental wave is approximately 40◦ , then can cal-
culate θ1 = 40◦ . The transfer function R1 (z) of fundamental resonant controller
in the Z-domain is:
0.0238z − 0.0244 1
R1 (z) = · (16)
z 2 − 1.9990z + 1 314.1593
In accordance with the principle of priority to the stability, taking Kp1 = 1.4,
then transfer function P R1 (z) of fundamental PR controller in the Z-domain is:

0.0238z − 0.0244 1
P R1 (z) = Kp1 + R1 (z) = 1.4 + · (17)
z − 1.9990z + 1 314.1593
2

If taking load current io as one kind of disturbance of the current inner loop,
the transfer function of compensation voltage uo is:

P R1 (z)Gh (z) C(z)

uo = · ui + · io (18)
1 + P R1 (z)Gh (z) 1 + P R1 (z)Gh (z)

Where: the second is the effect of interference value io in current inner loop on the
compensation voltage uo , C(z) is the transfer function of capacitance integral
link in Z-domain. Because the gains of fundamental PR controller t P R1 (z)
end to infinity in fundamental frequency, the second item in (18) tends to zero.
Simultaneously, the first item in (18) basically equals to the given compensation
voltage. Therefore, the fundamental PR controller can not only achieve zero
steady-state errors, also inhibit the influence of load current on output.

5 Experimental Result

In addition to compensating voltage drops, DVR-prototype still can compen-

sate voltage harmonics of system. One single experiment only with compensat-
ing harmonics and another comprehensive experiment with contemporaneously
compensating voltage sags and harmonics are respectively studied on DVR-
prototype.
Therefore, DVR prototype mainly aimed at the 3rd, 5th and 7th harmonic
voltage higher in load voltage to be compensated. The non linear load was added
into system when the work voltage is normal, its compensation effect on harmonic
voltage is shown as Fig. 2. After DVR-prototype compensation, 3rd harmonic
distortion rate reduced to 0.58% from 13.25%, 5th harmonic distortion rate
reduced to 0.46% from 11.37%, and 7th harmonic distortion rate reduced to
0.75% from 7.82%. Three, five and seven times harmonic content are all qualified
in scope, meanwhile THD also drops from 36.28% to 4.69%.
The non-linear load also was added into system, but when the voltage sags
occur, the compensation effect on harmonic voltage shown as Fig. 3. At this
point, the system output voltage is stabilized at 220±0.7 V, the steady-state
precision is 0.32%. Additionally, 3rd times harmonic distortion rate reduced
to 0.93% from 13.25%, 5th harmonic distortion rate reduced to 0.57% from
16 J. Wang et al.

u(200V/div)

t (20ms/div˅
(a) System voltage and compensation voltage waveform

1.5

1
η/%

0.5
0
0 200 400 600 800
f/Hz

(b) System voltage frequency spectrum

Fig. 2. Compensation effect for voltage harmonics

u(200V/div)

t (20ms/div˅

(a) System voltage and compensation voltage waveform

1.5

1
η/%

0.5
0
0 200 400 600 800
f/Hz

(b) System voltage frequency spectrum

Fig. 3. Compensation effect for voltage sag and harmonics

 Digital Control Strategy for Harmonic Compensation 17

11.37%, and 7th times harmonic distortion rate reduced to 0.83% from 7.82%.
As the paper can see that the 3rd, 5th and 7th harmonic content is greatly
reduced. Therefore, the control strategy put forward in this article has favorable
compensation effect on the voltage drop and harmonic voltage in steady-state.

6 Conclusion

The paper proposes a new-type control strategy to make DVR inverter unit to
compensate the low-order harmonic waves caused by nonlinear factors, like dead
time and nonlinear load, and the effect of digital control on system performance,
while ensures the dynamic response characteristic of DVR inverter unit. The
thesis analyzes the discretization method of RP controller in current literature,
designs in a detailed way the parameters of voltage outer-loop fundamental PR
controller and current inner loop third, fifth and seventh harmonic PR controller
in discrete filter. In the process of analyzing the performance of control system
and designing parameters, the paper introduces one time-delay, and therefore
achieves the control performance and harmonic compensation effect closer to
actual DVR. The harmonic PR controller can effectively restrain the influence
of the specific harmonic current in load current on DVR output voltage. The
fundamental PR controller can not only realize the zero steady -error, but also
restrain the effect of load current on output. The experiment of DVR prototype
proves the efficiency of the control strategy in this paper.

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