Improving PWM Resolution for Real-Time Power Electronics

Overview

The increasing use of SiC and GaN semiconductors in power electronics-based systems let them operate at higher switching frequencies than when using conventional Si devices.  With their adoption, simulations on real-time test systems must run faster to support the evaluation and characterization of power converter topologies and validation of the embedded software used to drive the power semiconductors.

Using subcycle averaging, we’ll show how certain converter topologies run with higher PWM resolution while still capturing switching events.  Learn how to use Simscape Electrical to support real-time simulation of power electronics models operating on the order of:

• 100 kHz to represent the dynamics of full-switching models
• 1 MHz range to simulate average-value models

This approach works on numerous real-time platforms, letting you take advantage of your existing test system instead of having to adopt a new real-time platform.  This specific demo will show MathWorks software working with a Speedgoat real-time target machine.

About the Presenter

Joel Van Sickel is an application engineer with MathWorks who focuses on power systems and power electronics.  His background prior to working at MathWorks was as a hardware engineer working on medium and high voltage power systems and converters.  He predominantly supports customers with system modelling, controller design/optimization, and setting up real-time systems.