Switching technique for current-controlled AC-to-AC converters

The ac-to-ac converter called the matrix converter is very simple in struct ure and has powerful controllability. However, there are few practical appl ications, particularly in power electronics fields. The major reasons large ly lie in the commutation problem and complexity of the control circuit. Th is paper proposes a novel commutation technique which is very simple to imp lement. This commutation scheme allows the deadtime to avoid current spikes of nonideal switches and, at the same time, establishes a current path of the inductive load to avoid voltage spikes, A switching technique of the ma trix converter using a space-vector-modulation (SVM)-based hysteresis curre nt controller (HCC) is also proposed. The switching technique is implemente d without any computational burden and is controlled with a simple control circuit. This technique utilizes advantages of the HCC and SVM technique, S imulation and experimental results obtained on a 5-kW single-phase ac chopp er and an 11-kW three-phase to three-phase matrix converter are discussed.