Recently Developed Reduced Switch Multilevel Inverter for Renewable Energy Integration and Drives Application: Topologies, Comprehensive Analysis and Comparative Evaluation

Recently, multilevel inverters (MLIs) have gained lots of interest in industry and academia, as they are changing into a viable technology for numerous applications, such as renewable power conversion system and drives. For these high power and high/medium voltage applications, MLIs are widely used as one of the advanced power converter topologies. To produce high-quality output without the need for a large number of switches, development of reduced switch MLI (RS MLI) topologies has been a major focus of current research. Therefore, this review paper focuses on a number of recently developed MLIs used in various applications. To assist with advanced current research in this field and in the selection of suitable inverter for various applications, significant understanding on these topologies is clearly summarized based on the three categories, i.e., symmetrical, asymmetrical, and modified topologies. This review paper also includes a comparison based on important performance parameters, detailed technical challenges, current focus, and future development trends. By a suitable combination of switches, the MLI produces a staircase output with low harmonic distortion. For a better understanding of the working principle, a single-phase RS MLI topology is experimentally illustrated for different level generation using both fundamental and high switching frequency techniques which will help the readers to gain the utmost knowledge for advance research

A cascaded multilevel inverter based on new basic units

Due to the ever-increasing importance of multilevel inverters, researchers try to offer new structures for this type of inverters to improve their performance and reduce their costs. In this paper, a new topology has been proposed for cascaded multilevel inverters. This inverter is formed by the series connection of new basic units which utilize fewer power switches in their structure. The reduction in the number of components used in this new inverter has resulted in lower economic costs and installation area. Also, four different methods have been proposed to determine the magnitudes of the input voltage sources enabling the proposed inverter to operate in both symmetric and asymmetric modes. To show the advantages of the inverter, it is compared with the conventional cascaded H-bridge inverter and other similar ones. The simulation and experimental results confirm the performance accuracy of the proposed inverter and also its ability to generate different voltage levels at the output.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

A new hybrid cascaded switched-capacitor reduced switch multilevel inverter for renewable sources and domestic loads

This multilevel inverter type summarizes an output voltage of medium voltage based on a series connection of power cells employing standard configurations of low-voltage components. The main problems of cascaded switched-capacitor multilevel inverters (CSCMLIs) are the harmful reverse flowing current of inductive loads, the large number of switches, and the surge current of the capacitors. As the number of switches increases, the reliability of the inverter decreases. To address these issues, a new CSCMLI is proposed using two modules containing asymmetric DC sources to generate 13 levels. The main novelty of the proposed configuration is the reduction of the number of switches while increasing the maximum output voltage. Despite the many similarities, the presented topology differs from similar topologies. Compared to similar structures, the direction of some switches is reversed, leading to a change in the direction of current flow. By incorporating the lowest number of semiconductors, it was demonstrated that the proposed inverter has the lowest cost function among similar inverters. The role of switched-capacitor inrush current in the selection of switch, diode, and DC source for inverter operation in medium and high voltage applications is presented. The inverter performance to supply the inductive loads is clarified. Comparison of the simulation and experimental results validates the effectiveness of the proposed inverter topology, showing promising potentials in photovoltaic, buildings, and domestic applications. A video demonstrating the experimental test, and all manufacturing data are attached. © 2013 IEEE

Design and Control of Power Converters 2020

In this book, nine papers focusing on different fields of power electronics are gathered, all of which are in line with the present trends in research and industry. Given the generality of the Special Issue, the covered topics range from electrothermal models and losses models in semiconductors and magnetics to converters used in high-power applications. In this last case, the papers address specific problems such as the distortion due to zero-current detection or fault investigation using the fast Fourier transform, all being focused on analyzing the topologies of high-power high-density applications, such as the dual active bridge or the H-bridge multilevel inverter. All the papers provide enough insight in the analyzed issues to be used as the starting point of any research. Experimental or simulation results are presented to validate and help with the understanding of the proposed ideas. To summarize, this book will help the reader to solve specific problems in industrial equipment or to increase their knowledge in specific fields

Investigations of New Fault-Tolerant Methods for Multilevel Inverters

The demands of power electronics with high power capability have increased in the last decades. These needs have driven the expansion of existing power electronics topologies and developing new power electronics generations. Multilevel inverters (MLI) are one of the most promising power electronics circuits that have been implemented and commercialized in high-voltage direct current (HVDC), motor drives, and battery energy storage systems (BESS). The expanding uses of the MLI have lead to creation of new topologies for different applications. However, one of the disadvantages of using MLIs is their complexity. MLIs consist of a large number of switching devices, which can result in a reduction of system reliability. There are significant challenges to the design of a reliable system that has the MLI’s capability with integrated fault-tolerance. In other words, design a system that can handle the fault, totally or partially, while maintaining high power capabilities and efficiency. This aim of this dissertation is to investigate the fault-tolerance of MLIs from two different points of view: 1- Develop new solutions for existing MLI topologies. In other words, add some features to existing MLIs to improve their reliability when a fault occurs. 2- Design new MLIs that have a fault-tolerant capability. A new open-circuit fault detection is proposed in this dissertation. The new fault detection method is based on monitoring the output voltage of each cell and leg voltage polarity along with each switch state. By monitoring each cell output voltage and leg voltage, the faulty cell can be detected and isolated. A novel circuit to maintain system operation under the condition of one (or more) components suffering from a faulted condition is also proposed in this dissertation. This results in a topology that continues to operate at full capability. Additionally, a new topology is proposed that offers reducing the number of batteries by 50%. Also, it has the ability to operate under non-unity power factor, which enables it to be suitable for battery energy storage systems, and static compensator (STATCOM) applications. Another novel hybrid cascaded H-bridge (CHB), known as the X-CHB, for a fault-tolerant operation is proposed in this dissertation. It ensures seamless operation of the system under an open/short circuit switching fault or dc supply fault

Power Converters in Power Electronics

In recent years, power converters have played an important role in power electronics technology for different applications, such as renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, pulsed power generation, and biomedical sciences. Power converters, in the realm of power electronics, are becoming essential for generating electrical power energy in various ways. This Special Issue focuses on the development of novel power converter topologies in power electronics. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Z-source converters; multilevel power converter topologies; switched-capacitor-based power converters; power converters for battery management systems; power converters in wireless power transfer techniques; the reliability of power conversion systems; and modulation techniques for advanced power converters

Emerging Converter Topologies and Control for Grid Connected Photovoltaic Systems

Continuous cost reduction of photovoltaic (PV) systems and the rise of power auctions resulted in the establishment of PV power not only as a green energy source but also as a cost-effective solution to the electricity generation market. Various commercial solutions for grid-connected PV systems are available at any power level, ranging from multi-megawatt utility-scale solar farms to sub-kilowatt residential PV installations. Compared to utility-scale systems, the feasibility of small-scale residential PV installations is still limited by existing technologies that have not yet properly address issues like operation in weak grids, opaque and partial shading, etc. New market drivers such as warranty improvement to match the PV module lifespan, operation voltage range extension for application flexibility, and embedded energy storage for load shifting have again put small-scale PV systems in the spotlight. This Special Issue collects the latest developments in the field of power electronic converter topologies, control, design, and optimization for better energy yield, power conversion efficiency, reliability, and longer lifetime of the small-scale PV systems. This Special Issue will serve as a reference and update for academics, researchers, and practicing engineers to inspire new research and developments that pave the way for next-generation PV systems for residential and small commercial applications