Large-Signal Stability Analysis of Pulsed Constant Power Loads via Sum-of-Squares Optimization

Future sensors and weapons rapidly vary their power consumption presenting new challenges to ensuring stable operation of naval power systems. Through a series of examples, it is shown that standard small-signal impedance methods are a poor surrogate for understanding these pulsed systems and there is a need for large-signal stability analysis tools. Sum-of-squares optimization is proposed as a means of analyzing the nonlinear dynamics of these systems by providing estimates of the region of attraction, a key metric in large-signal stability. It is compared to polytopic methods and seen to provide more accurate results.