Abstract

Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control (FCS-MPC) is an alternative to conventional linear controllers in power converters due to its attractive properties such as its conceptual simplicity, flexibility, direct consideration of non linearities as well as constraints, and fast control response. This last feature imposes computational constraints and short prediction horizons are therefore needed. In fact, in many applications an horizon one FCS-MPC controller is used. However, using FCS-MPC with a short prediction horizon in topologies that exhibit non-minimum phase behavior such as active-front-end rectifiers, dc-dc boost converters, and Z-source converters, among others, may lead to control issues. This work studies the origin of these control issues using nonlinear control theory considering a dc-dc boost converter as a case study. It is shown that the difficulty to directly control the converter output voltage using short horizon FCS-MPC is the resulting unstable internal dynamic, as the short horizon FCS-MPC controller acts like an input-output linearizing controller. To solve the problem of the unstable internal dynamic, a short horizon FCS-MPC controller based on input-state linearization is proposed allowing correct operation of the system. Experimental results show the feasibility of the proposal.