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This paper investigates the open-circuit faults of switching devices in the three-level T-Type inverter and proposes a new tolerant control method. The three-phase current and variation of the neutral-point voltage are detected to determine the fault switch. A carrier-based pulse width modulation is developed to tolerate switch fault by transiting from three-level to two-level switching. This makes the modulation scheme easier to be implemented compared to space vector modulation. For the neutral-point fault, the fault phase is operated by two-level modulation to produce the same rating voltage. On the other hand, the inverter is able to produce balanced voltage with reduced rating by keeping the phase of half-bridge fault to the neutral-point voltage. The neutral-point voltage is also able to be balanced by using two-level modulation since it does not contribute the neutral-point current. The performance and effectiveness of the proposed tolerant control are verified by a laboratory build. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing demand of electric-power reliability in industrial parks or in urban areas has led to the development of closed-loop distribution power systems. The harmonic resonance between power-factor-correction capacitors and system inductors may cause significant voltage distortion along the feeder. This paper proposes a discrete frequency-tuning active filter installed at the middle point of a closed-loop line for harmonic-resonance suppression. The active filter operates as a variable conductance for individual harmonic frequency according to the corresponding harmonic-voltage distortion. This algorithm allows the damping conductance of each harmonic frequency to be separately and autonomously adjusted in response to variation of both harmonic sources and resonant capacitors. Therefore, the unintentional “whack-a-mole” phenomenon, due to mismatching between the active filter and the line, can be avoided even if the active-filter location deviates from the middle point. Voltage distortion throughout the closed-loop line can be definitely maintained below an allowable level with lower peak current and lower rms current compared to the conventional voltage-detection active filter. Computer simulations based on a 11.4 kV/15 MVA system and a scaled-down platform in the laboratory are developed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Nowadays, neutral point voltage (NPV) balancing control and leakage current (LC) reduction methods are considered to improve the reliability of transformerless three-level T-type (3LT2) inverter. Medium vector pulse width modulation (MVPWM) method can control the inverter operation to eliminate the LC; however, is powerless to balance the NPV. Alternatively, discontinuous PWM (DPWM) methods can be implemented to balance the NPV. In this article, a hybrid method for transformerless 3LT2 inverter is proposed to simultaneously minimize the LC and accomplish balancing control in case of NPV unbalancing. The proposed method applies MVPWM switching patterns to eliminate LC while the NPV is balanced. If the NPV becomes unbalanced, it applies specific switching patterns of the DPWM methods as alternative patterns to balance the NPV with minimal LC. Accordingly, the proposed method not only maintains the LC elimination advantage of the MVPWM method but also realizes the NPV balancing capability without any topology modification or adding electrical components. Noteworthy, even the NPV balancing is accomplished with minimal flow of the LC. The proposed method is carrier-based PWM, which shortens execution time and simplifies practical implementation. Experimental tests have been accomplished and results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method on adding the NPV balancing capability with minimal LC to the MVPWM method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]