Data-driven control design applied to uninterruptible power supplies

Abstract

This paper presents the application of the Virtual Reference Feedback Tuning (VRFT) method to the control of UPS systems. The VRFT method is a data-driven method which is able to estimate the parameters of a controller structure chosen by the user using only one batch of input-output data collected on the process, without using a process model. Two scenarios are presented for the UPS control: a resonant controller is designed using the standard VRFT methodology, with proper control structure and reference model selection; a current feedback gain and a resonant controller are designed, enhancing the transient response behavior compared to the first scenario. In order to apply the VRFT to current feedback design, the VRFT method is adapted since the controller is in the feedback loop, an unusual topology to data-driven applications. Simulated results show the applicability of data-driven methods to the control of UPSs and highlight the response enhancement with the current feedback control.