Formulations, Solving Algorithms, Existing Problems and Future Challenges of Pre-Programmed PWM Techniques for High-Power AFE Converters: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Considering the development of the hybrid wind and solar photovoltaic generation and smart grid, Active Front-End (AFE) converters for high-power applications are facing significant opportunities and challenges related to power quality and efficiency. The Pre-programmed Pulse-Width Modulation (PPWM) techniques can strictly control the harmonic spectrum of a specified voltage or current waveform generated by a high-power AFE converters, and have been extensively applied to reduce or even eliminate the harmonic distortion with low switching losses for high-power converters in order to deal with these issues aforementioned. For the PPWM techniques with low switching frequency, Selective Harmonic Elimination (SHE) and Selective Harmonic Mitigation (SHM) have been the prevailing solutions and gain widespread popularity, among which SHM can provide further control of the harmonic spectrum in cases of similar switching losses to SHE. Over the past several decades, the applications of SHE and SHM have been extended to high-power AFE converters. Thus, the aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive literature review regarding their various formulations, solving algorithms, and existing problems to high-power AFE converters. In addition, the suggestions for future applications of PPWM in high-power AFE converters are also discussed.