Control Architecture for High Power Electronics Converters

When the control functions of various types of power electronics systems are examined, a significant degree of common functionality emerges, irrespective of the target application. It is possible to define hierarchical control architectures for these systems using common interface definitions between control system divisions or layers. Such definitions enable the use of common designs for multiple applications and the use of commercially available electronics and communications modules allowing cost reduction in power electronics applications. This paper presents various partitioning strategies of a hierarchical control architecture for use in high power electronics control systems and defines various parameters/functions that need to be handled within each layer, and those that need to be communicated between the layers. Each layer has characteristic processing and communication speed requirements, irrespective of the final applications.