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This paper presents a new four-quadrant (4Q) boost-type converter with the use of active virtual ground (AVG) technology. The presented topology can step up the ac grid voltage to a regulated dc voltage under a stable bidirectional current flow and support the power transmission in either real power or reactive power delivery. With the use of the proposed modulation method, only two high-frequency switches are required through the 4Q operation. Under a full-bridge converter structure, an efficient system can be guaranteed. Also, benefiting from the AVG technology, an LCL filter is formed at the system input over the 4Q operation. Both magnitude of leakage current and grid current ripple are also minimized to a small value. Thus, a high-efficiency and low-noise 4Q converter is guaranteed. The presented topology is successfully implemented on a 750 VA prototype and the performance is experimentally verified on it, which shows good agreement with the theoretical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes advanced speed control for a five-leg voltage source inverter (FLVSI) that drives the dual three-phase induction motor system used in industrial manufacturing processes. The advanced speed control method consists of two controllers: 1) The first is a slip controller that satisfies the application requirement, i.e., to control the mechanical speed of two motors equally regardless of the load condition. 2) The second is an angle controller that satisfies the FLVSI requirement, i.e., to control the phase angle difference between the two motors for minimizing the common leg current because the common leg current can be twice higher than other leg's current depending on the operation condition of the dual motor. Stability analysis of the two controllers under advanced speed control is implemented, and the whole performance of the advanced speed control for the FLVSI-fed dual-motor drive system is shown to identify its feasibility through the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilevel inverters with dodecagonal (12-sided polygon) voltage space vector structure have advantages, such as complete elimination of fifth and seventh harmonics, reduction in electromagnetic interference, reduction in device voltage ratings, reduction of switching frequency, extension of linear modulation range, etc., making it a viable option for high-power medium-voltage drives. This paper proposes two power circuit topologies capable of generating multilevel dodecagonal voltage space vector structure with symmetric triangles (for the first time) with minimum number of dc-link power supplies and floating capacitor H-bridges. The first power topology is composed of two hybrid cascaded five-level inverters connected to either side of an open-end winding induction machine. Each inverter consists of a three-level neutral-point-clamped inverter, which is cascaded with an isolated H-bridge making it a five-level inverter. The second topology is for a normal induction motor. Both of these circuit topologies have inherent capacitor balancing for floating H-bridges for all modulation indexes, including transient operations. The proposed topologies do not require any precharging circuitry for startup. A simple pulsewidth modulation timing calculation method for space vector modulation is also presented in this paper. Due to the symmetric arrangement of congruent triangles within the voltage space vector structure, the timing computation requires only the sampled reference values and does not require any offline computation, lookup tables, or angle computation. Experimental results for steady-state operation and transient operation are also presented to validate the proposed concept. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new space vector modulation, i.e., ZSVM3, for three-phase quasi-Z-source rectifier (qZSR) is proposed. All switches in the three-phase bridge can be turned on and turned off with zero current or zero voltage using the proposed ZSVM3 with no auxiliary circuit. The current through the inductors of the quasi-Z-source network operates in a boundary conduction mode or discontinuous conduction mode to achieve all freewheeling diodes turned off with zero-current switching (ZCS). At the same time, the switch in the quasi-Z-source network can be turned on with ZCS. Besides, the voltage stress of all switches is equal to dc-link voltage. The operation principle of the qZSR is analyzed in detail, and the calculated value of the quasi-Z-source inductor is given. The proposed theory in this paper is verified by a 2-kW prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, finite-set model-predictive control (FS-MPC) methodologies for a grid-connected three-level neutral-point-clamped converter are investigated. The proposed control strategies produce fixed switching frequency, maintaining all the advantages of predictive control such as fast dynamic response, inclusion of nonlinearities and restrictions, and multivariable control using a single control loop. The first of the proposed FS-MPC strategies is based on a multiobjective cost function, designed to regulate both the inverter currents and the balancing of the dc-link capacitor voltages. The second FS-MPC strategy is derived from the first one, and it is based on a cost function that regulates only the grid current, with the balancing of the capacitor voltages being realized by controlling the duty cycles of the redundant vectors. The proposed control systems are experimentally validated using a 5-kW prototype. The experimental results show a good performance for both strategies, in steady-state and transient response, with a total harmonic distortion lower than \text2\% for the currents supplied to the grid. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The hybrid modulation strategy using both low-frequency square-wave modulation and high-frequency pulse-width modulation can extend the stable operating region of a cascaded H-bridge converter. However, it does not control accurately dc voltages of converter but balances them by charging or discharging dc capacitors based on the state of system, which could aggravate fluctuation of dc voltages. If cascaded H-bridge converter is used in photovoltaic field, the aggravated fluctuation on dc capacitor voltages will result in further losses in energy harvesting of solar cells. To address this issue, a modified hybrid modulation strategy is presented in this paper. When dc-bus measured voltages are close to their reference voltages, these H-bridges operate in a zero mode. Adding appropriate zero state can prevent grid current charging or discharging the dc capacitors whose voltages have already reached their control goals. Therefore, the proposed technique is capable of suppressing dc voltage fluctuation, and, thus, improving the output power of solar cells. Simulation and experimental results validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an optimized topology of 3-$\phi$ , multilevel inverter (MLI) configuration for five or higher level operation with reduced switch count. The proposed solution consists of two basic units (BUs) of multilevel converter and a T-structured 3-level inverter (3-LI). Both BUs are equally shared by the three phases maintaining symmetry among the phases. Moreover, for a higher level operation of the proposed MLI, the modifications required are at two BUs only and not at three legs of the inverter. It further helps in reducing the requirement of extra components for higher level operation compared to the conventional solutions. Furthermore, the topology also has the benefits of reduced switching and conduction loss. An algorithm is also devised to generate the switching pulses for the BUs and the 3-LI, using a carrier-based space vector modulation technique. Presented topology is compared with other existing topologies to prove its advantage. All the details regarding the operating modes and pulse width modulation techniques employed for the proposed system are given and supported by the simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding the auxiliary switches to the conventional H-bridge inverter is an effective way to eliminate the leakage current for transformerless PV systems, such as H5, H6, etc. Inspired by the newly developed embedded-switch H6 topology, a novel embedded-switch inverter (ESI) is proposed in this paper for three-phase transformerless PV systems. First, the operation principle and characteristics of the proposed ESI are analyzed. Second, the common-mode model of the three-phase ESI is established, based on which the main factors that affect the leakage current are discussed. The finding reveals that the switching states with conventional modulation strategy result in high-frequency common-mode voltage, which is the source of leakage current. In order to solve the problem, a new modulation strategy is presented for ESI to eliminate the high-frequency leakage current. Finally, the time-domain simulation and the experimental tests are carried out. The results verify the effectiveness of the proposed solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate a disturbance-rejection-based model predictive control (MPC) with two flexible modes (i.e., unconstrained mode and constrained mode) for three-phase inverters with an $LC$ filter. A disturbance observer (DOB) is designed to both simplify the prediction model and achieve the robustness against uncertain parameters. First, the unconstrained mode is designed with a simple horizon-one MPC control law to precisely regulate the output voltage in the steady state. Next, the constrained mode is designed with long-horizon MPC to quickly drive the system to the unconstrained mode by further optimizing the modulation stage. Also, the proposed MPC ensures the robustness and optimality in all operating modes. Especially, the overall closed-loop stability with DOB dynamics is proven by using Lyapunov function. Unlike other MPC methods, the long-horizon MPC in the constrained mode is specialized by finite switching sequences of the sector-based space vector modulation. Comparative studies with the conventional linear quadratic regulator are conducted on a prototype test bed with a TI TMS320F28335 DSP. Then, the proposed MPC method verifies fast dynamic response and advanced voltage regulation (i.e., small steady-state errors and low total harmonic distortion) under various load conditions and uncertain parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional model predictive control cost functions, when utilizing long prediction horizons ( $N\geq 10$) in power inverter applications, have demonstrated harmonic performances approaching that of schemes based on offline-generated optimal pulse patterns. However, long prediction horizons often prohibitively increase computational load. A different approach to maximizing harmonic performance is taken in this paper. It is shown that shaping the output voltage spectra using a simple feedback mechanism can significantly reduce the length of the required prediction horizon, facilitating a feasible computational load. When a short-horizon cost function is augmented by the feedback mechanism an excellent tradeoff between harmonic performance and switching loss is achieved, even with a prediction horizon of one. It is also shown that the feedback mechanism can be used to improve input reference tracking. Experimental verification of the proposed modulator is performed on a two-level three-phase inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a family of novel flying capacitor transformerless inverters for single-phase photovoltaic (PV) systems. Each of the new topologies proposed is based on a flying capacitor principle and requires only four power switches and/or diodes, one capacitor, and a small filter at the output stage. A simple unipolar sinusoidal pulse width modulation technique is used to modulate the inverter to minimize the switching loss, output current ripple, and the filter requirements. In general, the main advantages of the new inverter topologies are: 1) the negative polarity of the PV is directly connected to the grid, and therefore, no leakage current; 2) reactive power compensation capability; and 3) the output ac voltage peak is equal to the input dc voltage (unlike neutral-point-clamped and derivative topologies, which requires twice the magnitude of the peak ac voltage). A complete description of the operating principle with modulation techniques, design guidelines, and comprehensive comparisons is presented to reveal the properties and limitations of each topology in detail. Finally, experimental results of 1-kVA prototypes are presented to prove the concept and theoretical analysis of the proposed inverter family for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The cascaded H-bridge converter has been widely used in industry. The ability of dealing with unequal power generation among dc links is necessarily required in many applications, such as large-scale photovoltaic power plants and electric vehicles. In this paper, a novel dc-power control method (PCM) is proposed to keep the ac-current balance and maintain power generation ratios of each dc source at their expected values. A simplified modulation strategy is introduced to implement the proposed method, in which the duration times are modified directly by the correction value derived from the PCM method. To calculate and adjust the power generation ratios, a method based on first-in first-out (FIFO) data queue is utilized. The limitation and ranges of power generation ratio are analyzed in detail. DC power per phase can be controlled accurately by the proposed method in variable-frequency condition, even under larger power generation ratios. Results obtained from simulations and experiments are presented to verify the feasibilities and superiorities of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new concept of dual-dc-port asymmetrical multilevel inverter (DP-AMI), which is able to interface a low-voltage dc port, a high-voltage dc port, and an ac port simultaneously using only one topology, is presented in this paper. A systematic method to derive the DP-AMI is proposed. With the proposed DP-AMI, a low-voltage dc source, e.g., photovoltaic (PV) modules or battery, can directly supply power to the ac load within single-stage power conversion. Therefore, in comparison with a traditional two-stage dc/ac power conversion system, the power conversion stages are reduced and the voltage/current stress of the front-end dc/dc converter can be significantly alleviated, which can improve the overall conversion efficiency dramatically. Furthermore, by using the low-voltage dc source as a new voltage level, asymmetrical multiple voltage levels are generated by the proposed DP-AMI, which is beneficial for the reducing switching losses and the size/volume of the output filter. The topology derivation method of the DP-AMIs is presented. The operation principles, modulation schemes, and characteristics of one of the proposed DP-AMIs are analyzed in detail. A 1-kW prototype is built and tested to verify the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The five-phase coupled-inductor inverter is a newly proposed option for three-level five-phase inverter drives. This paper comprehensively analyzes the inverter including the coupled-inductor current, current stress on the dc-link capacitors, and a comparison of these performance aspects using three pulse width modulation (PWM) strategies. Mathematical derivations of the inverter currents and the associated current stress reveal that the current stress is not only influenced by the choice of modulation strategy, as in the neutral-point-clamped topology, but also by the value of coupled inductance; furthermore, the choice of the modulation strategy impacts the core loss of the coupled inductors. Three carrier-based PWM methods are considered: sinusoidal PWM (SPWM), and two methods with the common-mode voltage reduction (referred to as CMVR1 and CMVR2) for the five-phase coupled-inductor inverter. CMVR2 is shown to be the best solution if common-mode voltage reduction is required. The analysis demonstrates that SPWM performs better with respect to current stress and inverter losses, therefore is the preferable modulating strategy for the five-phase coupled-inductor inverter if common-mode voltage reduction is not required. The analysis is verified by simulations and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel cascaded seven-level inverter topology with a single input source integrating switched-capacitor techniques is presented. Compared with the traditional cascade multilevel inverter, the proposed topology replaces all the separate dc sources with capacitors, leaving only one H-bridge cell with a real dc voltage source and only adds two charging switches. The capacitor charging circuit contains only power switches, so that the capacitor charging time is independent of the load. The capacitor voltage can be controlled at a desired level without complex voltage control algorithm and only use the most common carrier phase-shifted sinusoidal pulse width modulation strategy. The operation principle and the charging–discharging characteristic analysis are discussed in detail. A 1-kW experimental prototype is built and tested to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a harmonic elimination technique based on a three-level dodecagonal space vector structure for open-end winding induction motor (IM) drives with a single-dc supply. Advantages of dodecagonal space vector switching and multilevel inverters are achieved with a single-dc supply. A dc supply-fed three-level flying capacitor (FC) inverter feeds active power to one end of the IM winding terminals and H-bridge connected capacitors eliminate fifth- and seventh-order harmonics from the other end. A pulsewidth modulation (PWM) technique is developed to switch the three-level dodecagonal space vectors and simultaneously control the H-bridge capacitors at 0.1445V\text{dc}. The fifth- and seventh-order harmonics are eliminated for the full modulation range of the three-level FC inverter, including the extreme 6-step operation. An increase in the linear modulation range has been achieved, resulting in improved dc bus utilization. Harmonic elimination is achieved by increasing switching frequency of the low-voltage capacitor connected H-bridge inverter; thus, switching frequency for the high-voltage dc supply-fed FC inverter is not increased. Using the proposed scheme, the instantaneous phase voltage never exceeds \frac23V\text{dc} (maximum phase voltage applied for hexagonal space vector structure) for which the machine windings are rated. Additionally, the proposed inverter has also been shown to operate for field oriented control of the open-end winding IM drive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilevel converters have received more attention recently. Multilevel converters can be used not only in high-voltage high-power applications, but also in energy storage systems, thanks to reduced harmonics and electromagnetic interferences. State-of-charge (SoC) balancing of the storage system cells within cascaded multilevel inverters, e.g., batteries, can be one of the challenges in practical applications. Different methods have been studied and reported in technical literature. However, the SoC balancing is still a challenging issue. In this paper, a new method is proposed to solve this problem by applying several clever but simple changes to the staircase modulation switching scheme without changing the output waveform properties. Validations for this simple method were performed through simulation and experimental prototype. Despite the simplicity of the method, the simulation and experimental results show that SoC balancing of the cells has significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The cost reduction of power-electronic devices, the increase in their reliability, efficiency, and power capability, and lower development times, together with more demanding application requirements, has driven the development of several new inverter topologies recently introduced in the industry, particularly medium-voltage converters. New more complex inverter topologies and new application fields come along with additional control challenges, such as voltage imbalances, power-quality issues, higher efficiency needs, and fault-tolerant operation, which necessarily requires the parallel development of modulation schemes. Therefore, recently, there have been significant advances in the field of modulation of dc/ac converters, which conceptually has been dominated during the last several decades almost exclusively by classic pulse-width modulation (PWM) methods. This paper aims to concentrate and discuss the latest developments on this exciting technology, to provide insight on where the state-of-the-art stands today, and analyze the trends and challenges driving its future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Multilevel inverters are gaining more attention in ac drive application due to their many attractive features. In the case of conventional neutral-point-clamped (NPC) or flying capacitor multilevel inverter configurations, active switches are connected in series to produce multilevel output voltage waveform. Therefore, if any one switch fails, the entire configuration has to be shut down; this will reduce the reliability of the system. A dual three-level inverter configuration for induction motor drive is proposed in this paper to improve reliability of the system. This topology is developed by feeding four-pole induction motor stator winding with four conventional two-level inverter modules. A level-shifted carrier-based third harmonic injection pulsewidth-modulation technique is used to produce the gating signals for the proposed configuration. By providing proper phase shift between carrier waves, multilevel voltage waveform is produced across the total motor phase winding, and first center band harmonics are also canceled. Thereby, the torque ripple will be considerably reduced compared with conventional NPC five-level inverter-driven induction motor drive. Finite-element analysis (FEA) is used to estimate the torque ripple when induction motor is supplied by the proposed configuration and conventional five-level NPC inverter configuration to show the effectiveness of the proposed converter. The proposed configuration is simulated using MATLAB/Simulink and experimentally verified using a laboratory prototype with a 5-hp four-pole induction motor drive. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a new topology for an enhanced-boost Z-source inverter (ZSI) with combined two Z-impedance networks. By two Z-impedance networks and low shoot-through duty cycle, the proposed inverter produces high output voltage gain. In traditional ZSIs for high boosting voltage, a low modulation index is required; hence, under these conditions, the output voltage will have low quality with high total harmonic distortion. Compared with the conventional high-boost ZSI topologies, the proposed inverter uses shorter shoot-through duration and a larger modulation index to improve the output waveform quality. Comparison between the proposed topology and previously proposed schemes, in terms of inductor numbers, voltage and current stresses on elements, sizes of inductors and capacitors, efficiency, and switching device product (SDP) factors of diodes, is made, and the results verify the priority of the proposed topology. The operating principle of the proposed topology is analyzed in detail. Both simulation and experimental results verify the high performance of the proposed inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, three overmodulation techniques for the three-to-five-phase indirect matrix converter (IMC) are proposed. The first technique utilizes only the adjacent large vectors in the sector in which the reference output voltage vector lies. The second technique improves on that by continuously adapting vector elimination in the d_2-q_2 vector space based on the output voltage requirements. The third technique utilizes the ripple in the dc link to further reduce the modulation index of the inverter stage during overmodulation. All three techniques increase the voltage transfer ratio of the three-to-five-phase IMC from 0.788 to 0.923, but with the addition of harmonics generated by a vector in the d_2-q_2 vector space of the inverter stage. Simulation and experimental results from a prototype three-to-five-phase IMC validate the three proposed overmodulation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiphase machines are well known for their fault-tolerant capability. Star-connected multiphase machines have fault tolerance in an open circuit. For an inverter switch short-circuit fault, it is possible to keep a smooth torque of a permanent magnet synchronous machine if the currents of the faulty phases are determined and their values are acceptable. This paper investigates fault-tolerant operations of an open-end five-phase drive, i.e., a multiphase machine fed with a dual-inverter supply. Inverter switch short-circuit fault is considered and handled with a simple solution. Original theoretical developments are presented. Simulation and experimental results validate the proposed strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common-mode voltage (CMV) is one of the most important issues for the power electronics inverters. An interesting space vector modulation of the three-leg current-source inverter has been reported for the CMV reduction recently. However, it has the disadvantages of the bipolar current pulses and modulation index range limitation. In order to solve these problems, a four-leg current-source inverter with a new space vector modulation is proposed in this paper. With the proposed method, the system CMV can be significantly reduced without bipolar current pulses and modulation index range limitation. Finally, the experimental tests are carried out on a four-leg current-source inverter, and the experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A new space-vector-based sigma delta modulation scheme for any general $N$-level voltage source inverter is proposed in this paper, which directly quantizes the reference space vector. The proposed scheme uses the sigma delta modulation with the quantizer implemented by the proposed space vector quantizer. A new scheme is proposed for directly quantizing the reference space vector to the multilevel inverter switching vectors without mapping it into two-level inverter vector space. Voronoi regions of the multilevel inverter vector space in the proposed space vector quantizer are defined as a parallelogram with the inverter switching vectors as its vertices. The property of the integer values of the inverter switching vectors in 60 ^{\circ} coordinates is utilized for the direct vector quantization of the instantaneous reference voltage space vector. The proposed scheme is implemented for five-level inverters realized by an open-end-winding induction motor fed with two three-level inverters from either side having symmetrical dc-link voltages, and results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a novel combined-synchronous-rectifier high-frequency-link (CSR-HFL) inverter. Three types of conventional HFL inverters are analyzed and their performance is summarized. According to one of the conventional HFL inverters, i.e., cycloconverter-type HFL (CHFL) inverter, a combined rectifier topology is deduced. To prevent a shorted circuit, two additional switches are used in the new topology. The operation mode of the CSR-HFL inverter is analyzed and the mathematical relationships are given. The difference and correlation, and advantages and disadvantages, are analyzed between the CSR-HFL inverter and the conventional HFL inverter. The relevant grid-connected inverter, ac/ac converter, and full-wave CSR-HFL inverter are also given. The experimental results verify that the proposed CSR-HFL inverter has excellent performance and high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The quasi-Z-source cascaded multilevel inverter (qZS-CMI) presented many advantages over conventional CMI when applied in photovoltaic (PV) power systems. For example, qZS-CMI provides the balanced dc-link voltage and voltage boost ability, saves one-third modules, etc. However, current research studies only disclosed control of single-phase qZS-CMI-based PV power systems, and there was no literature related to control of three-phase qZS-CMI-based PV power systems. In this paper, for the first time, three-phase qZS-CMI's control is proposed and demonstrated for application to PV power systems. The models of PV-panel-fed qZS H-bridge module and qZS-CMI-based PV power system are built to accurately design control algorithms for each module and the whole system. The proposed control method includes the distributed maximum power point tracking for each module, dc-link peak voltage balance control for all modules, and grid-tie control for the whole system; moreover, a new multilevel space vector modulation method is proposed for the three-phase qZS-CMI. Simulation and experimental results on a test bench with a three-phase seven-level qZS-CMI-based PV power system verify the proposed control and modulation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The voltage range of a renewable energy source, such as the photovoltaic cell, is influenced by the environment, light, temperature, and so on. The power conditioning system should adapt to the wide input voltage and have buck–boost ability. Based on the structure of the “ac/ac unit,” this paper presents a novel active buck–boost inverter (ABI) topology suitable for wide-range input, which can realize buck–boost conversion in a quasi-single-stage inverter. The ac/ac unit composed of active switches is utilized to perform voltage boost without introducing additional passive elements, which is in favor to the system power density and efficiency. Operational analysis in buck and boost modes are presented, and the modulation strategy applied in the ABI is also developed. Simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the operational principle and its modulation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The three-level neutral-point (NP)-clamped (3L-NPC) converter is a promising multilevel topology in the application of megawatt wind power generation systems. However, the growing requirements by grid codes may impose high stress and even give reliability problem to this converter topology. This paper investigates the loss and thermal performances of a 10-MW 3L-NPC wind power inverter undergoing low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) operation. A series of new space vector modulation methods is then proposed to relocate the thermal loading among the power switching devices. It is concluded that, with the proposed modulation methods, the thermal distribution in the 3L-NPC wind power inverter undergoing LVRT becomes more equal, and the junction temperature of the most stressed devices can be also relieved. Also, the control ability of the dc-bus NP potential, which is one of the crucial considerations for the 3L-NPC converter, is even more improved by the proposed modulation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel direct current-fed interleaved phase-modulated single-phase unfolding inverter for fuel-cell applications. Two active-clamped zero-voltage switching current-fed half-bridge isolated converters are interleaved in parallel input and series output configuration. Phase modulation is proposed to control these two converter cells, which generate a rectified sinusoidal pattern at the dc link. A simple H-bridge unfolding dc–ac inversion is used to produce single-phase sine voltage at line frequency switching using square-wave control. This not only simplifies the inversion stage in terms of modulation but also reduces the switching losses. Direct front-end current-fed based unfolding inverter is not reported in literature yet. Detailed analysis and design of the proposed direct current-fed single-phase unfolding inverter has been presented. Simulation waveforms using PSIM 9.0.4 are given to verify the presented analysis and design. Experimental results on a laboratory prototype rated at 200 W are demonstrated to support the investigation, to validate the accuracy of the proposed analysis and design, and to test the performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a multiple-input versatile matrix converter (VMC) for integrating hybrid ac/dc energy resources and storages to the power grid. The VMC is developed from the traditional indirect matrix converter but operates in the reverse-boost mode rather than in the forward-buck mode. The reverse-boost mode is more relevant here since most renewable sources and energy storages have lower voltages than the grid. The eventual VMC developed uses an alternative nine-switch converter, rather than usual six-switch voltage-source converter, for providing six input terminals in total. One three-phase ac source and three dc sources, or other source combinations, can therefore be connected to the VMC. Powers from these sources are channeled to the three-phase utility grid through the VMC's current-source inverter. Their proper dispatches are guaranteed by the proposed control and modulation schemes, which also help maintain near-sinusoidal input and output current waveforms. Mathematical proofs, simulation, and experimental results have shown that the VMC can indeed operate as intended. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Domestic induction appliances require power converters that feature high efficiency and accurate power control in a wide range of operating conditions. To achieve this modulation techniques play a key role to optimize the power converter operation. In this paper, a series resonant inverter featuring reverse-blocking insulated gate bipolar transistors and an optimized modulation technique are proposed. An analytical study of the converter operation is performed, and the main simulation results are shown. The proposed topology reduces both conduction and switching losses, increasing significantly the power converter efficiency. Moreover, the proposed modulation technique achieves linear output power control, improving the final appliance performance. The results derived from this analysis are tested by means of an experimental prototype, verifying the feasibility of the proposed converter and modulation technique. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a multilevel current-source inverter (MCSI) topology is analyzed. The issue of constructing a novel modular single-rating inductor MCSI is explored, taking advantage of the features of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) for control and gate signal generation. The proposed topology is built with identical modules where all inductors carry the same amount of current, simplifying the construction and operation of industrial applications with higher efficiency. A new state-machine approach, which is easy to implement in an FPGA, and a proper implementation of the phase-shifted carrier sinusoidal pulse width modulation (PSC-SPWM) allow both current balance in all modules and effective switching-frequency minimization. The performance of the MSCI proposed is simulated with Matlab and is verified by constructing a prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel switched-capacitor inverter is proposed. The proposed inverter outputs larger voltage than the input voltage by switching the capacitors in series and in parallel. The maximum output voltage is determined by the number of the capacitors. The proposed inverter, which does not need any inductors, can be smaller than a conventional two-stage unit which consists of a boost converter and an inverter bridge. Its output harmonics are reduced compared to a conventional voltage source single phase full bridge inverter. In this paper, the circuit configuration, the theoretical operation, the simulation results with MATLAB/SIMULINK, and the experimental results are shown. The experimental results accorded with the theoretical calculation and the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a novel matrix converter with one ac input and two ac outputs. The presented topology is based on the traditional indirect matrix converter, but with its rear-end six-switch inverter replaced by a compact nine-switch inverter. With only three extra switches added, the proposed converter can produce two sets of three-phase ac outputs, whose amplitudes, frequencies, and phases can appropriately be regulated. Features such as sinusoidal input and outputs, unity input power factor and minimum commutation count are all retained by the proposed topology, despite having an additional output. Its modulation is realized by the computationally less intensive carrier-based method, whose unique carrier requirements can easily be managed within a programmable logic device. Mathematical proof for validating sinusoidal input and outputs achieved by this modulation technique is also discussed, before being verified in simulation and experimentally, together with other findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a real-time circulating current reduction method for parallel harmonic-elimination pulsewidth modulation (HEPWM) inverters is proposed. HEPWM techniques are often used in high-capacity inverters. For instance, in a hybrid microgrid, the inverters are employed to transfer power between the dc and ac buses. If the inverters are in parallel operation, the zero-sequence path can be established, and the zero-sequence circulating current will circulate among the inverters. The proposed method installs a cascade null-vector control system behind the conventional three-phase HEPWM modulator. The proposed null-vector control system can be disabled to save switching losses when the zero-sequence circulating current is small, whereas it can be enabled when the zero-sequence circulating current becomes large. The proposed method does not affect the line-to-line voltage waveforms of HEPWM inverters, and it can easily enable/disable the null-vector control system to provide bumpless transfer. Compared with the conventional HEPWM with zero-sequence harmonics elimination, the proposed method can provide an extra 15% modulation index range. Results that were obtained from both simulation and experiments confirmed the performance and effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an optimal control scheme for a multilevel inverter working for audio power amplification. The proposed control scheme comprises two loops of feedback around a sliding-mode quantizer. The double-loop feedback generates a continuous equivalent control signal, while the quantizer that operates in the sliding mode converts the equivalent control signal into a staircase voltage waveform used to drive a loudspeaker through an LC filter for audio signal tracking. The control scheme is optimized to reduce the frequency weighted tracking error and the equivalent control signal simultaneously, compromising between a satisfactory performance and a wide stable input range. With the proposed design, a nine-level class-D audio amplifier is built and tested, which exhibits high-robustness and high-quality audio reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a strong trend in the photovoltaic inverter technology to use transformerless topologies in order to acquire higher efficiencies combining with very low ground leakage current. In this paper, a new topology, based on the H-bridge with a new ac bypass circuit consisting of a diode rectifier and a switch with clamping to the dc midpoint, is proposed. The topology is simulated and experimentally validated, and a comparison with other existing topologies is performed. High conversion efficiency and low leakage current are demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]