Fast model predictive pulse pattern control

1. A method for controlling an electrical converter, the method comprising:

determining an error value based on a difference between an estimated output value and a reference output value, the estimated output value being based on measurements in the electrical converter;

comparing the error value with an error band and in the case of the error value being within the error band, controlling the electrical converter with a modified pre-calculated switching sequence by:

determining a pre-calculated switching sequence for the converter based on an actual state of the electrical converter, the switching sequence comprising a sequence of switching transitions of the converter;

modifying the pre-calculated switching sequence by modifying transition times of switching transitions of the pre-calculated switching sequence, such that the error value is minimized;

applying at least a part of the modified switching sequence to the electrical converter;

in the case where the error value exceeds the error band, controlling the electrical converter by switching to a different control scheme;

whereby the different control scheme is based on inserting an additional switching transition into the pre-calculated switching sequence before the pre-calculated switching sequence is modified and the additional switching transition generate an additional pulse with an infinitesimal small width;

selecting an error band associated with the error value from a plurality of error bands, whereby a voltage level of the inserted switching transition is dependent on the determined error band and a selection of an error band is based on past error values.

2. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the error bands have different widths.

3. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the error value is one of a flux error based on a difference between an estimated flux vector and a reference flux vector; and

a current error based on a difference between an estimated current and a reference current.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the error value is minimized subject to the constraint that an order of switching transitions of the pre-calculated switching sequence is not modified.

5. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the modified switching sequence is determined by solving a quadratic problem with a cost function based on the error value.

6. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the error value is minimized within a prediction horizon that encompasses at least two switching transitions in two phases.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium configured with instructions executable by a computer to control an electrical converter to:

determine an error value based on a difference between an estimated output value and a reference output value, the estimated output value being based on measurements in the electrical converter;

compare the error value with an error band and in the case of the error value being within the error band, controlling the electrical converter with a modified pre-calculated switching sequence by:

determining a pre-calculated switching sequence for the converter based on an actual state of the electrical converter, the switching sequence comprising a sequence of switching transitions of the converter,

modifying the pre-calculated switching sequence by modifying transition times of switching transitions of the pre-calculated switching sequence, such that the error value is minimized,

applying at least a part of the modified switching sequence to the electrical converter, and

in the case where the error value exceeds the error band, controlling the electrical converter by switching to a different control scheme, wherein the different control scheme is based on inserting an additional switching transition into the pre-calculated switching sequence before the pre-calculated switching sequence is modified and the additional switching transition generate an additional pulse with an infinitesimal small width; and

select an error band associated with the error value from a plurality of error bands, whereby a voltage level of the inserted switching transition is dependent on the determined error band and a selection of an error band is based on past error values.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the different control scheme is another control method.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the error bands have different widths.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 ,

wherein the error value is a flux error based on a difference between an estimated flux vector and a reference flux vector; or

wherein the error value is a current error based on a difference between an estimated current and a reference current.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 ,

wherein the error value is minimized subject to the constraint that an order of switching transitions of the pre-calculated switching sequence is not modified.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 ,

wherein the modified switching sequence is determined by solving a quadratic problem with a cost function based on the error value.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 ,

wherein the error value is minimized within a prediction horizon that encompasses at least two switching transitions in two phases.

14. An electrical converter, comprising:

a plurality of semiconductor switches; and

a controller adapted for controlling the semiconductor switches;

wherein the controller is structured to execute instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium to control the converter to:

determine an error value based on a difference between an estimated output value and a reference output value, the estimated output value being based on measurements in the electrical converter;

compare the error value with an error band and in the case of the error value being within the error band, controlling the electrical converter with a modified pre-calculated switching sequence by:

determining a pre-calculated switching sequence for the converter based on an actual state of the electrical converter, the switching sequence comprising a sequence of switching transitions of the converter,

modifying the pre-calculated switching sequence by modifying transition times of switching transitions of the pre-calculated switching sequence, such that the error value is minimized,

applying at least a part of the modified switching sequence to the electrical converter, and

in the case where the error value exceeds the error band, controlling the electrical converter by switching to a different control scheme, wherein the different control scheme is based on inserting an additional switching transition into the pre-calculated switching sequence before the pre-calculated switching sequence is modified and the additional switching transition generate an additional pulse with an infinitesimal small width; and

select an error band associated with the error value from a plurality of error bands, whereby a voltage level of the inserted switching transition is dependent on the determined error band and a selection of an error band is based on past error values.

15. The electrical converter of claim 14 , wherein the error bands have different widths.

16. The electrical converter of claim 14 ,

wherein the error value is a flux error based on a difference between an estimated flux vector and a reference flux vector; or

wherein the error value is a current error based on a difference between an estimated current and a reference current.

17. The electrical converter of claim 14 ,

wherein the error value is minimized subject to the constraint that an order of switching transitions of the pre-calculated switching sequence is not modified.

18. The electrical converter of claim 14 ,

wherein the modified switching sequence is determined by solving a quadratic problem with a cost function based on the error value.

19. The electrical converter of claim 14 ,

wherein the error value is minimized within a prediction horizon that encompasses at least two switching transitions in two phases.