Predictive Control - the Powerful Method to Control Power Converters and Drivers in the Future

Up to the present the control of electrical power using power converters has been based on the principle of mean value, using pulse width modulation with linear controllers in a cascaded structure. Recent research works have demonstrated that it is possible to use Predictive Control to control electrical energy with the use of power converters, without using modulators and linear controllers. This is a new approach that will have a strong impact on control in power electronics in coming decades. The main advantages of predictive control are: • Concepts are very intuitive and easy to understand. • It can be applied to a great variety of systems. • The multivariable case can be easily considered. • Dead times can be compensated. • Easy inclusion of non-linearities in the model. • Simple treatment of constraints. • The resulting controller is easy to implement. • This methodology is open to include modifications and extensions depending on specific applications. The participants of this tutorial will learn: • The basic concepts and ideas. • Different types of predictive controllers. • Examples of predictive controllers.      «

Up to the present the control of electrical power using power converters has been based on the principle of mean value, using pulse width modulation with linear controllers in a cascaded structure. Recent research works have demonstrated that it is possible to use Predictive Control to control electrical energy with the use of power converters, without using modulators and linear controllers. This is a new approach that will have a strong impact on control in power electronics in coming decades...     »