An Integrated Control Strategy for a Fast Start-Up and Wide Range Input Frequency Operation of a Three-Phase Boost-Type PFC Converter for More Electric Aircraft

Abstract

This paper presents an integrated control strategy to achieve fast start-up and enable wide input frequency operation in a three-phase six-switch power factor correction (PFC) converter. Limiting the inrush current with simultaneously minimizing the start-up time is achieved by implementing a nonlinear compensator in the voltage control loop. In addition, the concerning issues regarding unity PFC operation with an accurate reference tracking in a system with wide input frequency variation (typical for more-electric-aircraft) are resolved by a second-order compensator integrated with a state-feedback controller in the current loop. For a proof-of-concept verification, a hardware prototype of 6 kW, three-phase six-switch PFC is developed and tested with the proposed integrated control strategy in a wide source frequency range (360–800 Hz) ac input that shows perfect unity power factor operation throughout. Both the start-up time and inrush current are reduced to $ of their values in conventional PI compensation.