Resonant controllers for the control of 4-leg Matrix Converters

Matrix Converters (MCs) have some advantages when compared to conventional back-to-back PWM voltage source converters. The converter is considered more reliable and smaller because the bulky DC capacitors are eliminated from the topology. For AC to AC power conversion, the size and weight of the whole generation system are much reduced when back to back converters are replaced by MCs. To supply electrical energy to an unbalanced 3Φ stand-alone load, a fourth leg is required to provide a path for the zero sequence load current. Moreover, closed loop regulation of the load voltage is required. In this paper the design and implementation of a resonant control system for 4-leg MCs is presented. Experimental results, obtained from a small prototype, are discussed.