Research question and engineering context
Explore a controlled three-phase power-converter load emulator that shapes grid current through a PWM rectifier and returns energy through a three-level neutral-point-clamped inverter.
Track specified active power and displacement angle at the rectifier while controlling the common DC link and measuring net exported power through the NPC stage.
Model construction sequence
- 1. Represent the grid-side PWM rectifier and its input filter, switches, measurements and current-reference generation.
- 2. Implement power/phase command processing and synchronize control to grid voltage with a documented PLL or reference-frame convention.
- 3. Connect a split-capacitor DC link to a three-level NPC inverter with neutral-point balancing consideration.
- 4. Record rectifier P/Q, NPC export, DC-link voltages and grid current distortion with consistent passive-sign conventions.
What should be visible in the results
- Output 1: Commanded versus measured rectifier active power and displacement angle. Record units, labels, stimulus conditions and analysis time window.
- Output 2: Rectifier current THD and fundamental phase displacement. Record units, labels, stimulus conditions and analysis time window.
- Output 3: Upper/lower DC-link capacitor voltages and neutral-point imbalance. Record units, labels, stimulus conditions and analysis time window.
- Output 4: NPC grid-side active power and net grid import/export. Record units, labels, stimulus conditions and analysis time window.
How to read the evidence
A well-tracked load command does not necessarily imply net-zero grid power. Compare rectifier input, NPC export and converter losses while monitoring DC-link energy accumulation.
Distinguish the material demonstrated in the source video from additional plots proposed here. Without the original numerical result files, the headings in this guide are a validation plan rather than evidence of achieved performance.
Reproducibility record
- Checkpoint 1: State the direction convention for rectifier and NPC measured power.
- Checkpoint 2: Calculate THD over a stable integer-cycle window using a defined sampling method.
- Checkpoint 3: Separate rectifier power tracking accuracy from the NPC export and power losses.
Engineering use and next steps
For a defensible engineering report, provide schematic or geometry images, software version, unit-checked parameter tables, imposed inputs, solver configuration and the raw graph exports.
Compare the video demonstration with the original project files before describing a particular waveform or efficiency as experimentally verified.
Related project watch pages
Watch the relevant simulation output first, then use this article as a technical review or experimental planning guide.
Engineering research support
For the underlying MATLAB/Simulink, COMSOL, ANSYS HFSS or power electronics model, verification of solver settings, and documented outputs, contact the MATLAB Projects Code research team. Articles describe engineering validation approaches and are not a substitute for measured validation data.
Contents are for representative purposes; actual content may vary.