Multi-DSP and -FPGA-Based Fully Digital Control System for Cascaded Multilevel Converters Used in FACTS Applications

In this paper, a fully digital controller based on multiple digital signal processor (DSP) and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) boards has been proposed for parallel-operated cascaded multilevel converters (CMC) used in flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) applications. The proposed system is composed of a DSP-based master controller in combination with a multiple number of slave DSP boards, FPGA boards, microcontrollers, a programmable logic controller (PLC), an industrial computer, and their peripherals in interaction. Inter-communication of these digital controllers is achieved mainly through fiber-optic links, via synchronous serial data link wherever a high-speed, full duplex communication is needed, and via asynchronous serial communication interface wherever relatively slow communication speed is required. The proposed fully-digital control system has been implemented on a sample 11-level CMC-based 154-kV, +/-50-MVAr transmission type static synchronous compensator (T-STATCOM). Field test results have shown that the proposed fully digital control system provides good transient response and steady-state characteristics for the oveall system including protection and monitoring functions.