Simulation for Fuel Cell Inverter

using Simplorer and Simulink

Ansoft Alternative Power 
Simulation Workshop

Chris Smith

October 14, 2003

Design Goals 

l

Design power stage and control for 10kW fuel 
cell inverter

l

Reduce cost by eliminating expensive sensors 
and transformers, this complicates control

l

Reduce design iterations by simulating actual 
control on a better inverter model

Challenges

l

Multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system 
makes control design and implementation 
difficult

l

Theoretical inverter model lacks real-world 
problems like parasitic loses, switching noise, 
and non-linear loads

System Topology

DC/DC

Fuel Cell 
Input

Planar Transformers

Rectifier

Inverter

48V Battery Input

Fuse and 
Contactor

Auxiliary Power 
Bi-directional

AC fuses 
and output

Inverter Topology

P

Vdc

V

2

V

1

Ia

Ib

Ic

+

-

Phase

A          B            C

V

0

V

N

Simplorer Integration Example

NEG

NEG

NEG

NEG

+ 

V

+ 

V

A

A

+ 

V

+ 

V

CONST

CONST

CONST

CONST

SiM2SiM

SIMPLORER   Link Interface



SiM2SiM

TRIANG1

COMP1

COMP2

E1

DC_bus.VAL

D1

D2

D5

D6

C1

47u

C2

47u

NEG1

NEG2

NEG4

D3

D4

COMP3

NEG3

R2

R_u.VAL

R3

R_b.VAL

IGBT1

IGBT2

IGBT3

IGBT4

IGBT5

IGBT6

VM1

VM2

AM1

AM2

VM3

VM4

R4

R5

R6

H_duty

mid_duty

R_b

R_u

SIM2SIM1

R2.V

R_u

H_duty

L1.I

R3.V

R_b

L3.I

Mid_duty

L2.I

L1

130u

L3

130u

L2

130u

D13

D11 D12

D14

R1

C3

250u

1e5

CONST

DC_bus

DC

Simulink Integration Example

Inverter

Discrete 

State Space

Vout

Reference

SIMPLORER

l

Easy to use, no theoretical analysis

l

Short learning curve

l

Stable

l

Specifically developed for complex 
electrical systems i.e. inverters

SIMULINK and MATLAB

l

Allows for complex controller design

and implementation

–

Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR)

–

Kalman Filter

–

Dual loop systems

–

Discrete systems

–

Fixed point controllers

–

Quantization errors

Conclusion

l

Simplorer improves inverter modeling for 
Simulink control design

l

Simplorer and Simulink integration helps 
design a better inverter and controller

Questions?