• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• 제9권3호
• /
• pp.481-490
• /
• 2009

This paper describes a SVPWM overmodulation scheme of NPC type three-level inverter for traction drives which extends the modulation index from MI=0.907 to unity. SVPWM strategy is organized by two operation modes of under-modulation and over-modulation. The switching states under the under-modulation modes are determined by dividing them with two linear regions and one hybrid region the same as the conventional three-level inverter. On the other hand, under the over-modulation mode, they are generated by doing it with two over-modulation regions the same as the conventional over-modulation strategy of a two level inverter. Following the description of over-modulation scheme of a three-level inverter, the system description of a vector controlled induction motor for traction drives has been discussed. Finally, the validity of the proposed modulation algorithm has been verified through simulation and experimental results.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• 제19권3호
• /
• pp.702-713
• /
• 2019

Multilevel Inverters (MLIs) are widely used in medium voltage applications due to their various advantages. In addition, there are numerous types of MLIs for such applications. However, the diode-less 3-level (3L) T-type Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) MLI is the most advantageous due to its low conduction losses and high potential efficiency. The power circuit of a 3L T-type NPC is derived by the conventional two level inverter by a slight modification. In order to explore the MLI performance for various Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) schemes, this paper examines the operation of a 3L (five level line to line) T-type NPC MLI for various types of Multi-Carriers Pulse Width Modulation (MCPWM) schemes. These PWM schemes are compared in terms of their voltage profile, total harmonic distortion (THD) and conduction losses. In addition, a 3L T-type NPC MLI is also compared with the conventional NPC in terms of number of switches, clamping diodes, main diodes and capacitors. Moreover, the capacitor-balancing problem is also investigated using the Neutral Point Fluctuation (NPF) method with all of the MCPWM schemes. A 1kW 3L T-type NPC MLI is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink and implemented experimentally and its performance is tested with a 1HP induction motor. The results indicate that the 3L T-type NPC MLI has better performance than conventional NPC MLIs.

• 반도체디스플레이기술학회지
• /
• 제14권4호
• /
• pp.72-77
• /
• 2015

Three-level diode clamped multilevel inverter, generally known as neutral point clamped (NPC) inverter, has an inherent problem causing neutral point (NP) potential variation. Until now, the NP potential problem of variation has been investigated and lots of solutions have also been proposed. This paper presents a neutral point voltage control technology using the anti-windup PI controller and offset technology of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to control the variation of NPC 3-phase three-level inverter neutral point voltage. And the proposed algorithm is tested and verified using a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) in order to synchronize the phase voltage from the line voltage of grid. It significantly improves the voltage balancing under a solar fluctuation conditions of the inverter. Experimental results show the good performance and effectiveness of the proposed method.

• 전력전자학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 전력전자학회 2008년도 하계학술대회 논문집
• /
• pp.385-387
• /
• 2008

Three-level Diode Clamped Multilevel Inverter, generally known as Neutral-Point-Clamped(NPC) inverter, has an inherent problem causing Neutral Point(NP) potential variation. Until now, in many literatures NP potential problem has been investigated and lots of solutions have also been proposed. However, in the case of NP potential variation was rarely published from the standpoint of reliability. In this paper, NP potential is analytically investigated both normal and fault conditions under carrier based PWM. Subsequently, relation between fault detection time and size of capacitor is analyzed. This information is explored by simulation results, which contribute to enhance the reliability of the NPC inverter system.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제12권2호
• /
• pp.738-750
• /
• 2017

In this paper, carrier-based pulse width modulation (CBPWM), space vector PWM (SVPWM) and reduced switching losses PWM (RSLPWM) for the three-level neutral point clamped (NPC) inverter are introduced. In the case of the neutral point (NP) potential (NPP) offset, an asymmetric disposition PWM (ASPDPWM) strategy is proposed, which can output PWM sequences correctly and suppress the lower order harmonics of the inverter effectively. An NPP balance strategy based on carrier based PWM (CBPWM) is analyzed. A hybrid modulation strategy combining RSLPWM and the NPP balance based on CBPWM is proposed, and hysteresis control is adopted to switch between the two modulation strategies. An experimental prototype of the three-level NPC inverter is built. The effectiveness of the hybrid modulation is verified with a resistance-inductance load and a permanent magnetic synchronous motor (PMSM) load, respectively. The experimental results show that reduced switching losses and an acceptable NPP can be effectively achieved in the hybrid modulation strategy.

• 전력전자학회논문지
• /
• 제19권5호
• /
• pp.407-414
• /
• 2014

This study proposes a control design for the grid output current and for reducing the neutral-point voltage oscillation through the small-signal modeling of the three-phase grid connected with a three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter with LCL filter. The three-level NPC inverter presents an inherent problem: the neutral-point voltage fluctuation caused by the neutral-point current flowing in or out from the neutral point. The small signal modeling consists of averaging, dq0 transformation, perturbing, and linearizing steps performed on a three-phase grid connected to a three-level NPC inverter with LCL filter. The proposed method controls both the grid output and neutral-point currents at every switching period and reduces the neutral-point voltage oscillation. The validity of the proposed method is verified through simulation and experiment.

• 전력전자학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 전력전자학회 2007년도 하계학술대회 논문집
• /
• pp.403-405
• /
• 2007

This paper presents the over-modulation strategy and indirect vector control drive of NPC type PWM inverter. NPC inverter has three level phase voltage output.It can perform in high voltage through assembling switching components. It has less harmonics and surge voltage stress at motor terminals than the 2 level inverter in same switching frequency through 3 level voltage. The conventional railway vehicle has used the vector control to MI=0.907 and the slip-frequency control from MI=0.907 to six-step mode. The slip-frequency control has bad motive power and slow torque control response. But vector control has good motive power and can instant torque control. In this paper, output voltage is controlled linearly from linear region to six-step mode by using over-modulation strategy. And NPC inverter is used.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제12권3호
• /
• pp.1203-1210
• /
• 2017

Switched-inductor (SL) Z-source three-level inverter is a novel high power topology. The SL based impedance network can boost the input dc voltage to a higher value than the single LC impedance network. However, as all the neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverters, the SL Z-source three-level inverter has to balance the neutral-point (NP) potential too. The principle of the inverter is introduced and then the effects of NP potential unbalance are analyzed. A NP balancing method is proposed. Other than the methods for conventional NPC inverter without Z-source impedance network, the upper and lower shoot-through durations are corrected by the feedforward compensation factors. With the proposed method, the NP potential is balanced and the voltage boosting ability of the Z-source network is not affected obviously. Simulations are conducted to verify the proposed method.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• 제16권4호
• /
• pp.1598-1611
• /
• 2016

In some special occasions with strict size requirements, such as mine hoists, improving the design accuracy of the forced-air cooling systems of NPC three-level inverters is a key technology for improving the power density and decreasing the volume. First, a fast power-loss calculation method was brought. Its calculation principle introduced in detail, and the computation formulas were deduced. Secondly, the average and dynamic power losses of a 1MW mine hoist acting as the research target were analyzed, and a forced-air cooling system model based on a series of theoretical analyses was designed with the average power loss as a heat source. The simulation analyses proves the accuracy and effectiveness of this cooling system during the unit lifting period. Finally, according to an analysis of the periodic working condition, the maximum power-loss range of a NPC three-level inverter under multi cycle operation was obtained and its dynamic power loss was taken into the optimized cooling system model as a heat source to solve the power device damage caused by instantaneous heat accumulation. The effectiveness and feasibility of the optimization design based on the dynamic power loss calculation of the maximum power-loss range was proved by simulation and experimental results.

• 전력전자학회논문지
• /
• 제27권4호
• /
• pp.291-296
• /
• 2022

Capacitor is one of the reliability-critical components in power converters. The lifetime of the capacitor decreases as the operating temperature increases, and power losses caused by capacitor current are the main cause of the capacitor temperature increase. Therefore, various studies are being conducted to improve the lifetime of the capacitor by reducing the current of DC-link capacitors. In this study, pulse width modulation methods proposed for improving the lifetime of DC-link capacitors of the three-level NPC inverter are comparatively analyzed. The lifetime evaluation of the DC-link capacitor under different modulation methods is performed at component level first and then system level by considering all capacitors by applying Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, their effects on the efficiency and THD of the output current are also considered.