David Caballero

Bidirectional switches are highly required power electronics units for the design of power converters, especially for direct matrix converters. This article presents the design and implementation of a compact bidirectional switch based on SiC-MOSFET technology, aimed at high-efficiency, high-density power electronics applications. The proposed architecture employs surface-mount components, optimizing both the occupied area and electrical performance. The selected switching device is the IMBG120R053M2H from Infineon, a SiC-MOSFET known for its low on-resistance, high reverse-voltage blocking capability, and excellent switching speed. To drive the power devices, the UCC21521 gate driver integrates two independent isolated outputs in a single package, enabling precise control and reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI). The developed design supports bidirectional current conduction and voltage blocking, offering a robust and scalable solution for next-generation power converters. Design criteria, simulation results, and experimental validations are discussed.

This paper presents a model predictive control (MPC) strategy to regulate output voltages in a multi-modular matrix converter topology for isolated loads. The converter system harnesses power from a six-phase permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) to deliver sinusoidal voltages to a three-phase load, with LC filters positioned at the output of each MC module within the multi-modular scheme. The proposed MPC approach ensures that the output voltages remain within acceptable ranges of magnitude, phase, and frequency, even under load variations and system faults. This control strategy is particularly suitable for uninterruptible power supply systems, microgrids or other applications where voltage regulation is critical. Experimental studies validate the effectiveness of the control strategy under various load conditions, reference voltage changes, and simulated system fault scenarios. The results highlight the robustness and reliability of the proposed voltage control using the multi-modular matrix converter.

Power electronic devices play an important role in energy conversion. Among the options, matrix converters, in combination with predictive control, represent a good alternative for the power conversion stage. Although several reviews have been undertaken on this topic, they have been conducted in a non-systematic manner, without indicating how the studies considered were chosen. This paper presents results from a systematic literature review on predictive control applied to matrix converters that included 142 primary papers, which were selected after applying a defined protocol with clear inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study provides a detailed classification of predictive control methods and strategies applied to different matrix converter topologies. Research findings require to be understood in combination to develop a common understanding of the topic and ensure that future research effort is based on solid premises. In light of this, this study identifies and characterizes different predictive control techniques and matrix converter topologies through systematic literature review. The results of the review indicate that interest in the area is increasing. A number of open questions in the field are discussed.

Matrix converters are devices that allow the management of bidirectional flows of energy with reduced size, increased useful life and high efficiency in ac-ac energy conversion systems. In this paper the experimental results obtained after the application of a predictive current control technique for a SiC-MOSFET based direct matrix converter feeding an isolated load are presented. The results obtained are compared with a scheme based on IGBT technology in terms of power consumption and total harmonic distortion.