Matrix Converter Protection for More Electric Aircraft Applications

This paper will explain the concept of a matrix converter, its features, advantages - disadvantages and emergency / failure modes which require some sort of protection. The paper will discuss existing protection strategies and introduce a more robust approach. Two target applications will be used to explain the limitations of existing protection strategies. The first a 25KVA Matrix converter-Permanent magnet synchronous machine based aircraft actuator and the second, a 100KVA Permanent magnet synchronous machine drive. The robust clamping arrangement fitted to the two target applications will then be discussed and results presented for continued operation under different failure modes.