Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power Applications

Modular multilevel converters are favorable for efficiently operating high-power usages. The required number of components significantly increases when higher modularity is introduced for the given voltage level, thus reducing the system's reliability. This article suggests a mixed redund...

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Main Authors: Miad Ahmadi, Aditya Shekhar, Pavol Bauer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2024-01-01
Series:IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10570455/
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author Miad Ahmadi
Aditya Shekhar
Pavol Bauer
author_facet Miad Ahmadi
Aditya Shekhar
Pavol Bauer
author_sort Miad Ahmadi
collection DOAJ
description Modular multilevel converters are favorable for efficiently operating high-power usages. The required number of components significantly increases when higher modularity is introduced for the given voltage level, thus reducing the system's reliability. This article suggests a mixed redundancy strategy (MRS) that combines the operational concepts using active and spare redundant submodules. It is shown that more than 50% higher B10 lifetime (the point in time when the system has a 90% probability of survival) is achievable as compared to reliability improvement using fixed-level active redundancy strategy, load-sharing active redundancy strategy, and standby redundancy strategy with the same number of redundant submodules. The tradeoff between operational efficiency and investment cost is explored to define the boundary for selecting the MRS over other redundancy strategies with varying dc-link voltages and average converter loading, considering a ten-year payback period and equivalent B10 lifetime. The change in viability boundary for the MRS is established with increasing B10 lifetime and its sensitivity to power electronic component costs and assumed failure rate. The effect of power capacity with a higher switch current rating is evaluated. Also, the Monte Carlo simulation methodology is proposed to evaluate the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed MRS scheme. Finally, the insights of this study are applied to existing literature.
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spelling doaj-art-fa9d03511a0b416497ec9672c47890c42025-01-17T00:00:59ZengIEEEIEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society2644-12842024-01-01553554610.1109/OJIES.2024.341500710570455Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power ApplicationsMiad Ahmadi0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9736-7463Aditya Shekhar1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4179-8747Pavol Bauer2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1171-9972Delft University of Technology, Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy, DCE&S Group, Delft, CD, The NetherlandsDelft University of Technology, Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy, DCE&S Group, Delft, CD, The NetherlandsDelft University of Technology, Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy, DCE&S Group, Delft, CD, The NetherlandsModular multilevel converters are favorable for efficiently operating high-power usages. The required number of components significantly increases when higher modularity is introduced for the given voltage level, thus reducing the system's reliability. This article suggests a mixed redundancy strategy (MRS) that combines the operational concepts using active and spare redundant submodules. It is shown that more than 50% higher B10 lifetime (the point in time when the system has a 90% probability of survival) is achievable as compared to reliability improvement using fixed-level active redundancy strategy, load-sharing active redundancy strategy, and standby redundancy strategy with the same number of redundant submodules. The tradeoff between operational efficiency and investment cost is explored to define the boundary for selecting the MRS over other redundancy strategies with varying dc-link voltages and average converter loading, considering a ten-year payback period and equivalent B10 lifetime. The change in viability boundary for the MRS is established with increasing B10 lifetime and its sensitivity to power electronic component costs and assumed failure rate. The effect of power capacity with a higher switch current rating is evaluated. Also, the Monte Carlo simulation methodology is proposed to evaluate the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed MRS scheme. Finally, the insights of this study are applied to existing literature.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10570455/Cost assessmentmixed redundancymodular multilevel converter (MMC)Monte Carlo simulation (MCS)redundancy methodologiesreliability analysis
spellingShingle Miad Ahmadi
Aditya Shekhar
Pavol Bauer
Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power Applications
IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society
Cost assessment
mixed redundancy
modular multilevel converter (MMC)
Monte Carlo simulation (MCS)
redundancy methodologies
reliability analysis
title Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power Applications
title_full Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power Applications
title_fullStr Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power Applications
title_full_unstemmed Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power Applications
title_short Mixed Redundancy Strategy for Modular Multilevel Converters in High-Power Applications
title_sort mixed redundancy strategy for modular multilevel converters in high power applications
topic Cost assessment
mixed redundancy
modular multilevel converter (MMC)
Monte Carlo simulation (MCS)
redundancy methodologies
reliability analysis
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10570455/
work_keys_str_mv AT miadahmadi mixedredundancystrategyformodularmultilevelconvertersinhighpowerapplications
AT adityashekhar mixedredundancystrategyformodularmultilevelconvertersinhighpowerapplications
AT pavolbauer mixedredundancystrategyformodularmultilevelconvertersinhighpowerapplications