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In automotive power electronics, distortion and electromagnetic interference (EMI) generated by the switching action of power semiconductors can be a significant challenge for the design of a compact, lightweight vehicle. As semiconductor switching frequencies increase, e.g., through the introduction of new materials, such as gallium nitride and silicon carbide, this problem becomes more severe. We present a control scheme for an automotive dc-to-dc converter that reduces the EMI generated by shaping switching distortion predictively at the run time. The multistep model-predictive control scheme chooses the subsequent switching state that optimizes the output spectrum according to predefined criteria. To achieve real-time operation, it evaluates the possible switching state candidates for the next modulation step without explicitly solving a single Fourier transform. In addition, the switching rate and voltage ripple are controlled in a single unified control law. We present and experimentally validate that the control scheme can indeed run at real time already with currently available mid-range hardware. The results demonstrate that the largest spectral peak of the switching distortion can be decreased by 48 dB compared to conventional pulse-width modulation. Furthermore, spectral gaps can be implemented in the output distortion and altered in realtime, allowing certain frequency bands-e.g., bands used by other sensitive electronics such as sensors, communication busses, or tuners-to be kept free of EMI from the converter's switching actions.

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