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In this paper, a number of alternate-cascaded switched-inductor and tapped-inductor networks have been proposed for Z-source inverters. The resulting topologies have enhanced voltage-boost capability while retaining the usual voltage-buck flexibility of a conventional voltage-source inverter. The enhanced capability is achieved by using lower rated components that can more readily be found. These components are assembled without direct series connection and hence avoid unbalanced voltage sharing problems and losses linked to balancing resistive circuits. The component count is, however, high, meaning that the proposed inverters should only be considered when a design requires multiple lower rated components rather than a few higher rated ones. Analysis, simulation, and experimental results have already validated the concepts discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a three-phase cascaded multilevel inverter that uses five-level transistor-clamped H-bridge power cells. Multicarrier phase-shifted pulse-width modulation method is used to achieve balanced power distribution among the power cells. A new method to balance the midpoint capacitor voltage in each cell is developed and tested. The analysis of the output voltage harmonics and the total power losses covering the conduction and the switching power losses are carried out and compared with the cascaded neutral-point-clamped and the conventional cascaded H-bridge inverters. For verifications, the proposed inverter is experimentally tested on an induction motor. From the results, the proposed inverter provides higher output quality with relatively lower power loss as compared to the other conventional inverters with the same output quality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In high current applications, paralleling three-phase voltage sourced inverters represents a modular solution for improving the system power conversion quality. Single-phase output reactors are often inserted between the output terminals of the two inverters that supply the same phase output. One function of these inductors is to limit circulating currents between the two inverters. These currents are produced by common-mode voltage differences between the three-phase output terminals of the two inverters. Since standard interleaved pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques naturally produce high-frequency common-mode voltage differences between parallel connected inverters, this paper describes a modified discontinuous PWM scheme that eliminates these voltage differences. As a result, a three-phase parallel inverter system can be operated using a single three-limb coupled inductor, significantly improving the system power conversion density as a result. An experimental 3 kW prototype system is used to compare the operation of the resultant inverter against one using separate single-phase coupled inductors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we present two modulation schemes for generating unbalanced voltages by means of four-leg voltage-source inverters. The first modulation is an extended scheme of a digital-scalar pulsewidth modulation previously proposed for controlling three-leg inverters. The second one is based on the decomposition of the voltage reference signals into their symmetrical components. The schemes are compared theoretically by simulations and experimental results. As a consequence, we find out a total equivalence between the two modulations despite their different conceptions. The fundamentals of both techniques and a mathematical proof of their equivalence are unfolded. Also, the performances of the techniques with respect to the harmonic distortion and power switching loss are discussed. The results show that the techniques are effective. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The three-phase four-leg inverter is very suitable for the high-power uninterruptible power supply application, and the load neutral point voltage (LNPV) should meet the requirement. In this paper, two factors influencing the LNPV were revealed first, which are the switching states and the ratio of the neutral inductance to the phase inductance (k). Then, the 16 switching states can be classified into four groups, and the ones in the first and the second group come to the minimum amplitude of LNPV with a specific ratio k respectively. Third, three methods to mitigate the LNPV were proposed based on the analysis of LNPV. In the first method, switching states in the first group are just utilized, and the LNPV can be eliminated with the ratio k of unity. In the second method, the switching states in the fourth class are avoided, and the LNPV can be reduced. Common mode filter is used in the third method and the LNPV can be mitigated effectively with the ratio k of unity. Furthermore, the power losses in the first and the second method were estimated and were compared with the original situation. Finally, the proposed methods were verified by simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a single-phase multilevel inverter with battery balancing is proposed. The input of each individual inverter is directly connected to a battery. The combination of batteries can be controlled according to the batteries' voltages to implement the battery-balancing function. The operational principle of the proposed system is first described, and then, the design equation is derived. Experiments show that the battery-balancing discharge function is achieved. Finally, a prototype is designed and implemented to verify the feasibility and excellent performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A neutral-point-clamped three-level inverter with small dc-link capacitors is presented in this paper. The inverter requires zero average neutral-point current for stable neutral-point voltage. The small dc-link capacitors may not maintain capacitor voltage balance, even with zero neutral-point current. This may happen due to nonlinearities present in the circuit. This requires a fast control of the neutral-point voltage. A simple carrier-based modulation strategy which allows modeling of the neutral-point voltage dynamics as a continuous function of power drawn from the inverter is proposed. This continuous model shows that the neutral-point current is proportional to the power drawn from the inverter, and it enables the use of a well-established classical control theory for the neutral-point voltage controller design. A simple proportional integral controller is designed for the neutral-point voltage control on the basis of the continuous model. The design method for optimum performance is discussed. The implementation of the proposed modulation strategy and the controller is very simple. The controller is implemented in a 7.5-kW induction machine-based drive with only 14 \mu \F dc-link capacitors. Also, the experimental results show that fast and stable performance of the neutral-point voltage controller are achieved and thus verify the validity of the proposed control approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, two reduced switch count topologies are introduced for independently supplying two single-phase ac loads with one inverter. Using a new three-switch leg structure recently introduced and implemented in three-phase converters, two types of dual-leg and single-leg topologies are developed which respectively are functionally comparable to two full-bridge and half-bridge inverters working independently though with a less number of semiconductor switches and hence control and gate drive circuit components. The proposed six-switch and three-switch topologies are introduced; two modes of equal frequency and different frequency operation each of its own distinctive characteristics are considered for them and their pulse width modulation schemes are elaborated. Comprehensive analyses of power loss profile and output waveform properties are conducted via simulation for the proposed inverters, and the results are compared with full-bridge and half-bridge inverters. To assess the performance of the proposed inverter topologies, working prototypes are built, and the experimental results are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a new formulation for direct power control (DPC) with several improvements over previous DPC formulations such as an exact discrete-time expression for the predicted power variations yielded by a given inverter switching state and the inclusion of the computing delay time in the model. Based on this formulation, a variable-frequency optimal DPC algorithm is presented that selects the inverter switching state that minimizes the power error. This algorithm shows an excellent precision in estimating power variations, therefore reducing power ripple and unwanted current harmonics, while retaining the fast dynamics inherent to variable-frequency DPC. This makes this algorithm suitable for interfacing distributed generation to microgrids, where a fast and accurate power control is desirable in order to perform voltage and frequency regulation. Additionally, studies are carried out regarding the average switching frequency and the influence of the model parameters on the algorithm robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposed a novel predictive variable-structure-switching-based current controller for a three-phase load driven by a power inverter. The design specifications are robustness to load electrical parameters, fast dynamic response, reduced switching frequency, and simple hardware implementation. In order to meet previous specifications, a sliding mode controller has been developed, which is designed as finite-state automata, and implemented with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) device. The switching strategy implemented within the state transition diagram provides for a minimum number of switches by the three-phase inverter that is confirmed through simulation and experimental results. Its regulation using the proposed control law provides good transient response by the brushless ac motor control. However, this does not limit the wider applicability of the proposed controller that is suitable for different types of ac loads (rectifier and inverter) and ac motors (induction, synchronous, and reluctance). A new logical FPGA torque and speed controller is developed, analyzed, and experimentally verified. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a module-integrated isolated solar microinverter with pseudo-dc link. The studied grid-tied microinverters can individually extract the maximum solar power from each photovoltaic panel and transfer to the ac utility system. High conversion efficiency and high maximum power point tracking accuracy can be achieved with the studied pseudo-dc link topology. The operation principles and design considerations of the studied solar inverter are analyzed and discussed. A laboratory prototype is implemented and tested to verify its feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Model predictive control (MPC) for a two-motor drive, supplied from a five-leg inverter, is presented in this paper. As an alternative to existing methods, use of MPC in multimachine drives has the advantages of independent fast current control of the machines, elimination of the closed-loop system's cascaded structure, and a reduced number of microcontrollers. A vector control algorithm is required, necessitating state-space modeling, with each machine's direct- and quadrature-axis currents chosen as state variables. Prediction of future states is via a discrete-time model of the five-leg inverter and a piecewise-affine model of two permanent-magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs). A method which eliminates unfeasible switching states inherent in reduced-switch-count inverters while reducing computation and sampling times is proposed. The algorithm is implemented in a TMS320F28335 DSP microcontroller, which controls the five-leg inverter and the two PMSMs. Simulation and experimental results validate the presented control concept. [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]

This paper proposes a three-phase current reconstruction technique with an online current offset compensation function for three-phase inverter applications utilizing only a single current sensor. In the proposed current sensing method, a phase current and a branch current are simultaneously measured twice in a switching period by using a single current sensor. After that, the current reconstruction algorithm is applied to obtain the three-phase current information. Compared to previous single current sensor strategies, in the proposed method, the sensor output is regularly sampled, and the dead zone is located near the boundary of the voltage vector space instead of near the origin and the borders of each sector. This boundary-neighbored dead zone makes the proposed method more attractive in extremely low modulation index cases because it avoids periodical dead zones which have been an issue in the existing methods. Moreover, the online compensation method for a current measurement offset makes it possible to achieve purely balanced three-phase current control without an offset component. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified through simulations and experiments by measuring and reconstructing three-phase currents under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a novel single-stage charge-pump (CP) power-factor-correction (PFC) electronic ballast for metal halide (MH) lamps driven with the low-frequency square-wave current to avoid the acoustic-resonance problem. In order to achieve high power factor (PF) and meet the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) regulation, the CP PFC technique is applied to the full-bridge inverter of the conventional electronic ballast. Based on the analyses of the operational modes for the proposed electronic ballast, the design criteria of the CP components and the main inductor in the full-bridge inverter for the proposed electronic ballast are presented. A prototype circuit for a 35-W MH lamp is implemented to confirm the presented design criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-level inverter produces six active vectors, each of normalized magnitudes 1, 0.866, and 0.5, besides a zero vector. The vectors of relative length 0.5 are termed pivot vectors. The three nearest voltage vectors are usually used to synthesize the reference vector. In most continuous pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) schemes, the switching sequence begins from a pivot vector and ends with the same pivot vector. Thus, the pivot vector is applied twice in a subcycle or half-carrier cycle. This paper proposes and investigates alternative switching sequences, which use the pivot vector only once but employ one of the other two vectors twice within the subcycle. The total harmonic distortion (THD) in the fundamental line current pertaining to these novel sequences is studied theoretically as well as experimentally over the whole range of modulation. Compared with centered space vector PWM, two of the proposed sequences lead to reduced THD at high modulation indices at a given average switching frequency. [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 extends the Z-source concept to matrix converters and explores a family of Z-source matrix converters. Their principles and characteristics are analyzed, and a simplified voltage-fed Z-source matrix converter is used as an example to demonstrate its operation, voltage gain versus modulation index, PWM method, boost control, and implementation of the control. Both simulation and experimental results verify operation of the proposed Z-source matrix converter, analytical results, and control method. The Z-source converters can achieve buck and boost operation with reduced number of switches needed, therefore achieving low cost, high efficiency, and reliability, compared to the traditional matrix converters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power converters consisting of naturally commutated thyristors such as cycloconverters and current source inverters were the first to be used in driving electrical motors with variable speed, but now, due to their inferior performance compared to forced commutated converters, their use is restricted in the high voltage/high power range where the performance and cost of forced commutated switching devices are not yet competitive. Hybrid cycloconverters proposed recently are capable of improving the performance of cycloconverters by adding an auxiliary forced commutated inverter with reduced installed power. It will be shown that the new topology is not only able to improve the quality of the output voltage but is also able to enhance the control over the circulating current and, therefore, for some of the cycloconverter arrangements, to improve the input power quality. This paper evaluates the performance of a few standard and hybrid cycloconverter arrangements using both simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

The main contribution of this paper is the proposal of new modulation techniques for three-phase transformerless neutral point clamped inverters to eliminate leakage currents in photovoltaic systems without requiring any modification on the multilevel inverter or any additional hardware. The modulation techniques are capable of reducing the leakage currents in photovoltaic systems by applying three medium vectors or using only two medium vectors and one specific zero vector to compose the reference vector. In addition, to increase the system utilization, the three-phase neutral point clamped inverter can be designed to also provide functions of active filter using the p–q theory. The proposed system provides maximum power point tracking and compensation of current harmonics and reactive power. To validate the simulation models, an experimental three-phase inverter is used to evaluate leakage currents and the dc link voltage control. [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 first an overview of the well-known voltage and current dc-link converter topologies used to implement a three-phase PWM ac–ac converter system. Starting from the voltage source inverter and the current source rectifier, the basics of space vector modulation are summarized. Based on that, the topology of the indirect matrix converter (IMC) and its modulation are gradually developed from a voltage dc-link back-to-back converter by omitting the dc-link capacitor. In the next step, the topology of the conventional (direct) matrix converter (CMC) is introduced, and the relationship between the IMC and the CMCs is discussed in a figurative manner by investigating the switching states. Subsequently, three-phase ac–ac buck-type chopper circuits are considered as a special case of matrix converters (MCs), and a summary of extended MC topologies is provided, including three-level and hybrid MCs. Therewith, a common knowledge basis of the individual converter topologies is established. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Instead of directly sampling the phase currents, a technique that adopts a single current sensor in the dc link to reconstruct three-phase currents has arisen. Through this approach, the cost of servo systems can be reduced and the reliability can be improved. However, the duration of an effective vector may be so short that the phase current cannot be measured reliably by the conventional space-vector pulsewidth modulation (PWM) algorithm. In this paper, a new phase-current reconstruction method, switching-state phase shift (SSPS), is proposed based on the PWM pattern modification. The modification is performed by applying phase shifts to the switching-state waveforms of the inverter. The algorithm can realize high-quality reconstruction to the phase current with less impacts on the output current ripples and switching losses. Moreover, it can maximize the linear-modulation region by saturation handling. Measurements on the permanent-magnet synchronous motor servo drives show that the SSPS can offer an attractive performance during both steady-state and dynamic operations in the phase-current reconstruction and regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, two space-vector-based pulsewidth modulation (PWM) (SVPWM) strategies named equal- and proportional-duty SVPWMs are described, which are used to synthesize a four-level waveform from an open-end winding configuration of an induction motor. Two isolated dc-link voltages, which are in the ratio of 2 : 1, are employed to achieve this objective. Both of these PWM strategies achieve the avoidance of overcharging of the dc-link capacitor of an inverter operating with lower dc-link voltage by its counterpart with higher dc-link voltage. Implementation of these PWM strategies requires only the instantaneous three-phase reference voltages, eliminating the need of sector identification or lookup tables. The numbers of samples per cycle for individual inverters are selected in such a way that the quarter-wave, half-wave, and three-phase symmetries are achieved for the dual-inverter drive despite unequal dc-link voltages for the constituent inverters. It is also shown that one of the two PWM techniques, called the proportional-duty SVPWM, results in a better spectral performance and lower switching power loss in the overall dual-inverter system compared to the equal-duty SVPWM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a novel approach to analyze carrier-based discontinuous pulse width modulation (DPWM) method for multilevel inverters. The separation of the offset into the main and additional components shows the use for analyzing PWM control characteristics of multilevel inverters. The results are then applied to propose a novel minimized loss DPWM method by varying the offset depending on peak values of three-phase load currents. As results of avoiding commutations at high currents, the switching loss can be reduced. The proposed method is theoretically analyzed and verified by experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents direct digital technique-generalized discontinuous pulse width modulation (PWM)—a new implementation method for an optimal discontinuous PWM (DPWM) in terms of switching losses of the inverter on an embedded system. At each sampling period, an optimal choice is done in order to clamp one of the three half-bridges. Its advantages compared to classic ones (DPWM) are as follows: needless to know the load power factor, operational under steady-state and dynamic operating conditions, and low computation time. The proposed algorithm is then verified by simulation. Experimental results, based on a resistance–inductance load and a starter-generator application, are provided to show its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The auxiliary railway power supply (ARPS) is needed in order to provide low and medium voltages to the onboard systems from the catenary high voltage. The outputs of the ARPS can be dc (24\ \Vdc \div 100\ \Vdc) or ac (400\ \Vac). In the case of ac voltage generation, the ac output voltage is under very restrictive total harmonic distortion specifications even in the presence of nonlinear loads which draw low-frequency current harmonics. Along the present paper, a new modulation technique is proposed under the name of harmonic cancellation technique. It is based on the proper pre-distortion of the inverter output voltage in order to generate a controlled fundamental harmonic as well as a set of low-frequency harmonics which cancel out the harmonic pollution due to the nonlinear load performance. The theoretical background needed to implement the modulation technique is provided as well as the experimental validation of the proposed modulation technique through a scale-down prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With regard to a five-level inverter comprising flying-capacitor asymmetric H-bridge, the impact on the capacitor voltage under conventional modulation approach is analyzed. Since it is sensitive to the fundamental period and the load current, it may introduce undesired low-order harmonics into the output voltage and may even break down the power switches due to the considerable fluctuation of the flying-capacitor voltage. Thus, this paper proposes a novel pulsewidth-modulation scheme with the positive and negative cross carriers, which controls the flying-capacitor voltage by utilizing the redundant switching states of the output voltages. Three modes of precharging the flying capacitor without extra equipments are presented. Moreover, the capacitance of the flying capacitor and the switching frequency of the power switches can be chosen according to the allowable fluctuation of the flying-capacitor voltage and the load current. In order to remove the overlapping of the level layers, the optimization of the line-to-line voltage waveform is proposed to synthesize the reference vector with the “nearest three-vector” approach. The theory is supported by the experimental results from the prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inductive power transfer (IPT) is commonly used to transmit power from an extended loop (track) to a number of galvanically isolated movable pick-ups. To maximize the power transfer and minimize converter requirements, various compensation circuits have been proposed for both the track (primary) and the pick-up (secondary). This paper investigates the suitability of the LCC series–parallel compensation for IPT primary design. A new compensation-circuit design procedure is proposed that considers high-order current harmonics and results in inverter zero-current switching. The proposed compensation is compared with the classical compensation designed for zero phase angle between the inverter voltage and current fundamental components. Expressions for the bifurcation boundary, voltampere rating of reactive-compensation elements, and the current at the moment of switching are derived and analyzed. Analytical results are verified both via PSpice simulations and experimentally using a 1-hp MOSFET-based prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A hybrid pulsewidth modulation (PWM), combining the merits of both space-vector PWM (SVPWM) and selective harmonic elimination (SHE) PWM (SHEPWM), is proposed for three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter-fed high-power adjustable-speed drives, which uses asynchronous SVPWM at low frequency and SHEPWM at high frequency. For SHEPWM, a novel formula is proposed to obtain the initial values of switching angles, leading to another valid solution that is different from the known ones in the literature. Furthermore, it is shown that, by eliminating the quarter-wave symmetry, unlimited groups of solutions to three-level SHEPWM can be obtained. The characteristics of the multiple solutions in terms of harmonic distribution, pulsewidth, and total harmonic distortion are investigated for the application of SHE in practical drives. Switching between SVPWM and SHEPWM is problematic if no appropriate measure is taken, particularly when the influence of the minimum pulsewidth (MPW) is considerable. A simple but effective method, taking into account the MPW, is proposed in this paper to address this problem. The multiple groups of solutions to SHE are simulated and experimentally verified on a low-voltage three-level NPC inverter prototype. Experimental results obtained from a low-voltage prototype and an industrial 6-kV/1250-kW three-level drive are presented to validate the smooth switching between SVPWM and SHEPWM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents the analysis, development, and implementation of a wavelet modulation (WM) technique for three-phase voltage-source (VS) six-pulse inverters. The WM technique is based on sampling three continuous-time (CT) sinusoidal reference modulating signals in a nonuniform recurrent manner using three sets of scale-based linearly combined wavelet basis functions. These CT signals are recovered from their samples by a three-phase VS six-pulse inverter, which is activated by three sets of synthesis scale-based linearly combined wavelet basis functions. Each set of synthesis basis functions is generated for activating one leg of the three-phase inverter in order to recover one CT reference modulating signal. The WM technique is implemented for both simulation and experimental performance testing. The performances of the WM technique are compared with those obtained using the space vector modulation, random pulsewidth modulation, and hysteresis band current control techniques under the same loading conditions. Simulation and experimental test results show that the proposed WM technique is able to switch a three-phase VS six-pulse inverter to produce outputs with significantly improved fundamental components and low harmonic contents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes an energy regeneration circuit for three-phase voltage-fed inverters using a modified Undeland snubber. The proposed system uses a quasi-square-wave zero voltage switching dc–dc auxiliary converter to regenerate the energy from snubber capacitor to the dc bus. The regenerative circuit uses a single active switch, and it operates independently of the three-phase inverter. Operation stages, theoretical waveforms, and a design methodology are presented. Experimental results based on a 4.5-kVA three-phase inverter prototype are included to validate the proposed topology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Multilevel inverters introduce harmonics to the network besides their remarkable advantages. Total harmonic distortion (THD) is one of the most important indexes to evaluate the harmonic contents of waveforms. The conventional method of line-voltage THD calculation gives approximate answers, because high-order harmonics are ignored. In this paper, an analytical algebraic method based on formulating the line-voltage THD of multilevel inverters with unequal dc sources is presented. This method, which is general and applicable to each number of switching angles, is implemented to a five-level inverter with staircase waveform as a case study. The implementing process of this method can be easily repeated for each number of levels. The accuracy of the proposed method is illustrated in comparison with the approximate method. Some advantages of the extracted formulas of line-voltage THD are simplicity and rapidity in calculations, considering all harmonics and the possibility of finding optimal switching angles analytically. Experimental results are presented to validate the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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]

The operation of switch-mode converters results in electromagnetic noise propagating throughout the power electronic system. Pulsewidth modulation (PWM) strategies with fixed switching frequency generate harmonics in the spectra of converter voltages and currents. Random PWM techniques allow the elimination of the harmonics, resulting in a continuous spectrum of noise, i.e., a spectrum retaining all frequency components. As a next step in advanced spectral shaping, a method presented in this paper produces spectral nulls at selected frequencies. This allows the carving of communication channels in the noise and the removal of spectral power at frequencies potentially harmful for the system. The theoretical analysis, computer simulations, implementation details, and experimental results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a modified LLC resonant load configuration of a full-bridge inverter for induction-heating applications. The LLC load configuration is a combination of a series inductor, a matching transformer, and an inductor and a capacitor connected in parallel. The output power is controlled using the asymmetrical voltage-cancellation technique. With the use of a phase-locked loop control, the operating frequency is automatically adjusted to maintain a small constant lagging phase angle under load-parameter variation during the heating process. The proposed configuration has the benefit of smaller inductance and inherent short-circuit protection capability in case a short circuit occurs at the induction coil or from transformer saturation. The validity of the proposed method is verified through computer simulation and hardware experiment at an operating frequency range of 108.7–110.6 kHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel current control approach called model predictive direct current control (MPDCC) is presented. The controller takes into account the discrete states of the voltage source inverter (VSI), and the current errors are predicted for each sampling period. Voltage vectors are selected by a graph algorithm, whereby the most appropriate vector is chosen based on an optimization criterion. However, this depends on whether the state of the system is transient or steady. In the first case, the current error should be minimized as fast as possible in order to obtain fast dynamics. In the latter one, the VSI switching behavior is optimized since the switching losses account for a large amount of the total converter losses in high-power drive systems. MPDCC has been developed for a general neutral-point isolated resistive–inductive load with an internal voltage source. For demonstration, the presented control strategy has been implemented on a small-scale permanent-magnet synchronous machine drive system with a two-level VSI. This new approach has several advantages. The most important one is that the switching frequency is reduced up to 70% compared to linear control combined with pulsewidth modulation. Second, MPDCC obtains fast dynamic responses, which are already known from, e.g., direct torque control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a novel switching signal generator for three-phase voltage source inverters. Unlike conventional space-vector pulsewidth modulation (SVPWM) which achieves three-phase input voltage by a combination of the basic space vectors, the proposed scheme produces optimal switching commands to minimize the filtered measure of quantization error. Under specific selections of the filter matrix and the quantization scheme, it is shown that the proposed modulator is equivalent to SVPWM. An experimental platform is built to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. It is shown that the switching number of the proposed method is reduced without sacrificing the harmonic distortion within the input frequency band under various reference signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a single-phase seven-level inverter for grid-connected photovoltaic systems, with a novel pulsewidth-modulated (PWM) control scheme. Three reference signals that are identical to each other with an offset that is equivalent to the amplitude of the triangular carrier signal were used to generate the PWM signals. The inverter is capable of producing seven levels of output-voltage levels (Vdc, 2Vdc/3, Vdc/3, 0, -Vdc, -2Vdc/3, -Vdc/3) from the dc supply voltage. A digital proportional–integral current-control algorithm was implemented in a TMS320F2812 DSP to keep the current injected into the grid sinusoidal. The proposed system was verified through simulation and implemented in a prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the method to analyze the impact of dead time in hard-switching converters, this paper, for the first time, analyzes the impact of zero-voltage notches on the outputs of soft-switching pulsewidth modulation (PWM) converters. It proves that the output distortion of soft-switching converters due to their deviation voltage is independent of the direction of their output current. Hence, their compensation strategies require no sensor to detect the current's direction, which is required by dead-time compensation methods in hard-switching converters. A simple yet effective compensation algorithm is presented for soft-switching converters. The analysis result and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm are experimentally verified via a three-phase inverter that represents an important class of converters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a simple fault diagnosis scheme for brushless direct-current motor drives is proposed to maintain control performance under an open-circuit fault. The proposed scheme consists of a simple algorithm using the measured phase current information and detects open-circuit faults based on the operating characteristic of motors. It requires no additional sensors or electrical devices to detect open-circuit faults and can be embedded into the existing drive software as a subroutine without excessive computation effort. The feasibility of the proposed fault diagnosis algorithm is proven by simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unipolar sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation (SPWM) full-bridge inverter brings high-frequency common-mode voltage, which restricts its application in transformerless photovoltaic grid-connected inverters. In order to solve this problem, an optimized full-bridge structure with two additional switches and a capacitor divider is proposed in this paper, which guarantees that a freewheeling path is clamped to half input voltage in the freewheeling period. Sequentially, the high-frequency common-mode voltage has been avoided in the unipolar SPWM full-bridge inverter, and the output current flows through only three switches in the power processing period. In addition, a clamping branch makes the voltage stress of the added switches be equal to half input voltage. The operation and clamping modes are analyzed, and the total losses of power device of several existing topologies and proposed topology are fairly calculated. Finally, the common-mode performance of these topologies is compared by a universal prototype inverter rated at 1 kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a reversible six-phase machine drive system. It is composed of two parallel three-phase to three-phase dc-link converters without isolation transformers. The proposed topology permits one to reduce the harmonic distortion in the input converter and decreases the power processed by converter switches. Furthermore, the proposed configuration can guarantee the feasibility of the system when high-power applications are considered. The model and the control strategy have been developed. The simulation and experimental results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multilevel multiphase space vector pulsewidth modulation (SVPWM) algorithm has been introduced recently, in which the reference is separated into an integer part and a fractional part. The fractional part is, in essence, a two-level multiphase space vector algorithm. This paper shows that, with appropriate adaptations, the fractional part of the general space vector multilevel multiphase PWM can be applied as a stand-alone PWM method in conjunction with two-level voltage-source converters with any number of phases. Simulation results of the five- and six-phase cases are shown, and the new algorithm is compared with another recent multifrequency SVPWM algorithm, which follows the standard approach of selecting the switching vectors and calculating their application times using dq planes. The experimental verification is provided using a five-phase two-motor series-connected induction motor drive, supplied from a custom-designed five-phase voltage-source inverter. [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]

Half-cycle symmetry selective-harmonic-elimination pulsewidth-modulation (SHE-PWM) problems may have a large number of valid solutions, which are beneficial to the optimization design. This paper proposes a novel generalized formulation of half-cycle symmetry SHE-PWM problems for multilevel inverters. The advantages of the proposed formulation include simplicity in format, flexibility in PWMwaveforms, and a broad solution space. A method to obtain initial values for the SHE-PWM equations according to the reference modulation index M and the initial phase angle of output fundamental voltage is proposed and investigated thoroughly. Take a five-level inverter with M = 0.75 as an example; six sets of solutions for two typical initial phase angles of 0°? and 90°? are presented. Simulations and experiments are carried out. It is demonstrated that the experimental results agree well with simulated ones, which proves the validity and practicability of the new method proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When control schemes based on finite control set model predictive control are experimentally implemented, a large amount of calculations is required, introducing a considerable time delay in the actuation. This delay can deteriorate the performance of the system if not considered in the design of the controller. In this paper, the problem is described, and the solution to this issue is clearly explained using a three-phase inverter as an example. Experimental results to validate this solution are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]