System Design of Protection Subsystems of a 3 kW Matrix Converter and Its Heat sink Thermal Analysis by the Finite Element Method

In this paper, the simulation of a direct matrix converter and the thermal analysis of its protection devices are performed. Nowadays, due to the technological advances in the field of power electronic converters, matrix converters are receiving more and more attention. These converters have many capabilities and are used in various industrial and military applications such as the aerospace industry, offshore platforms, rail transport, borderline military sites, apart from the power grid and similar applications. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a procedure for designing protection subsystems including input filters, protection circuits (snubbers), and heat sinks. The input filter reduces the penetration of disturbances from the converter to the network. On the other hand, due to the high switching frequency, the use of snubber circuits in matrix converters is essential. Also, power circuit devices need thermal protection for long-term operation. In this paper, the aforementioned requirements have been studied using a proposed procedure for a 3 kW matrix converter. The results show the reduction of the input current harmonic distortion due to the performance of the input filter and also the improvement of the step response of the system while reducing the steady state error. Also, the designed snubber circuits have the ability to reduce the voltage stress on the switches by 20%. Moreover, through the finite element analysis, the effect of heat sink in reducing the thermal stress by 60% is demonstrated.