Workflow from PSIM to Imperix Platform to Implement Digital Control - Method Applied to Prototype a Bidirectional Inverter-Charger for Electric Vehicle

Abstract:
Nowadays, most electric cars have a motor inverter and a separate battery charger. Many industrial patents suggest a mutualized solution but generally with complex topologies, difficult to industrialize. CEA offers a simple topology based on a two-level three-leg inverter with SiC MOSFET and a thousand volt battery. With the appropriate control strategy, the goal is to offer an all-in-one solution for battery charging, grid reinjection and motor drive. From the simulations to a functional prototype, the way can be long and expensive without appropriate tools. The control loops developed in simulation may be inappropriate to command the real converter. In order to prototype, our inverter-charger, we worked with a workflow that is presented in this paper. The main objective of this workflow is to simplify and optimize the design process of the digital control of power converters: The simplification through a better use of the software tools at our disposal (PSIM, SmartCtrl, Imperix rapid prototyping platform) and a significant time saving in the whole design process. The optimization by the synthesis of efficient controllers directly in digital allowing a gain in efficiency (speed, precision, stability) on the final system.