Capacitor voltage ripple control firmware for modular
This technology improves the efficiency and stability of modular multilevel converters (MMCs), which are large power electronics systems used to transfer electricity between different grids or power sources. The core innovation is a dual-loop control system: one loop reduces the baseline voltage fluctuations on the internal capacitors, and a second loop injects a precisely calculated harmonic current to cancel out a second layer of ripple. Capacitor voltage ripple is a major source of inefficiency, stress, and failure in MMCs, so reducing it extends equipment life and enables higher power throughput. The control approach is software/firmware-based, meaning it can potentially be implemented on existing hardware without physical redesign.
What you could build
A firmware or control module licensed to MMC manufacturers or grid equipment OEMs (e.g., ABB, Siemens Energy, GE Vernova) that reduces capacitor stress and improves converter reliability; utility-scale grid operators and HVDC transmission developers would be the end buyers.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia's growing data center corridor and offshore wind buildout create demand for high-capacity power conversion infrastructure; Virginia-based grid developers or Dominion Energy supply chain partners could find this relevant.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- —
- Granted
- September 3, 2019
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 102821
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.