A Novel Multilevel DC-Link Three-Phase T-Type Inverter

Saddam Shueai Alnamer, Saad Mekhilef, Hazlie Mokhlis and Nadia M. L. Tan
Additional contact information
Saddam Shueai Alnamer: Institute of Power Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
Saad Mekhilef: Power Electronics and Renewable Energy Research Laboratory (PEARL), Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
Hazlie Mokhlis: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
Nadia M. L. Tan: Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 16, 1-20

Abstract: This research proposes a four-level T-type inverter that is suitable for low-power applications. The presented topology outranks other types of inverters in terms of a smaller number of semiconductor devices, absence of passive components such as clamping diodes and flying capacitors, low switching and conduction losses, and high efficiency. The proposed topology is free from voltage deviation and unbalanced voltage occurrences that are present in other multilevel converters having clamping diodes or flying capacitors. The proposed inverter can extend to N levels using unequal dc-link voltage sources for medium-voltage application. The inverter employs the simple fundamental frequency staircase modulation technique. Moreover, this paper presents a current commutation strategy to prevent the occurrences of short circuit and minimizing the number of required switching devices and switching transitions, resulting in improving the efficiency of the inverter. This paper also analyses the theoretical converter losses showing lower switching and conduction losses when compared to existing four-level inverters. The experimental validation of the proposed inverter shows its operating feasibility and a low output voltage THD.

Keywords: DC–AC power conversion; fundamental frequency staircase modulation; PWM modulation technique; DC–AC inverter; T-Type inverter; unequal dc voltage supplies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/16/4186/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/16/4186/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:16:p:4186-:d:398471

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().