Design and simulation of a PWM rectifier connected to a PM generator of micro turbine unit

In recent years, distributed electrical power generation systems have attracted more attention due to their small scale technologies, lower cost electricity generation and higher reliability and security with fewer environmental consequences, rather than traditional power generators. Different applications such as peak saving, cogeneration, remote power and premium power will make it more and more useful. On the other hand, the permanent magnet synchronous generators, driven by micro turbines, play an important role in the distributed power generation systems. These PM generators produce a high frequency electrical power which needs to be converted to the usual power frequency, 50 or 60 Hz. This conversion is usually done using a back to back combination of rectifier, DC-link and inverter. The main focus of this paper is to present a model for a voltage source rectifier which is connected to a PM generator in a micro turbine unit, where Virtual Flux based Direct Power Control strategy is used to control the mentioned rectifier. The simulation results, using Matlab/Simulink, are presented to show the validity of the proposed model for the PWM rectifier, and to evaluate the performance of the control strategy.