Driving Asynchronous Induction Launchers: Design and Simulation of a Novel Power Conditioner with a Brief Review

The design and implementation of an asynchronous coilgun’s structure is relatively simple compared with other types of linear induction launchers. In order to drive rotating electrical machines, multilevel converter structures have attracted much attention in recent decades as a result of their unique advantages. A linear induction launcher has an identical theoretical background to rotating electrical machines; therefore, multilevel converter structures can be applied to them as well. The stator of a launcher can be excited by generators or capacitor groups whose voltage and frequency might be fixed or changeable by a power conditioner. The aim of this study is to design and simulate a novel power conditioner as a multilevel converter topology for the power source of an asynchronous coilgun. Cascaded H-Bridge multilevel converter topology constitutes the proposed power conditioner in which a level-shifted pulse-width modulation method is used to generate appropriate pulses for the power switches of the converter. Additionally, variable-voltage variable-frequency control is involved in the converter’s modulation.