Design and Implementation of a Highly Efficient Three-Level T-Type Converter for Low-Voltage Applications

Abstract

The demand for lightweight converters with high control performance and low acoustic noise led to an increase in switching frequencies of hard switched two-level low-voltage 3-phase converters over the last years. For high switching frequencies, converter efficiency suffers and can be kept high only by employing cost intensive switch technology such as SiC diodes or CoolMOS switches; therefore, conventional IGBT technology still prevails. In this paper, the alternative of using three-level converters for lowvoltage applications is addressed. The performance and the competitiveness of the three-level T-type converter (3LT 2 C) is analyzed in detail and underlined with a hardware prototype. The 3LT 2 C basically combines the positive aspects of the two-level converter such as low conduction losses, small part count and a simple operation principle with the advantages of the three-level converter such as low switching losses and superior output voltage quality. It is, therefore, considered to be a real alternative to two-level converters for certain low-voltage applications.

Comparison of basic power cells for quad-active-bridge DC-DC converter in smart transformer

“…T J,max = 125 • C. This strategy not only guarantees optimal semiconductor material usage, but also provides a common basis for comparisons [8], [10]- [11]. The considered power semiconductors are latest generation Trench and Field-Stop 1200 V and 1700 V silicon IGBT4 and 3300 V silicon IGBT2 devices from Infineon that are rated for a maximum junction temperature of 150 • C. The devices are presented in Table IV.…”

“…1 (c). Although the T-Type does not present reduced voltage over its semiconductors, in recent years the research has shown high performance of this structure [7], [8]. For that reason, the T-Type converter is also evaluated in this paper.…”

Evaluation of a dual-T-type converter supplying an open-end winding induction machine

“…This topology is favourable because of using common dc-links compared to an hybrid multilevel converter and did not need for pre-charging operation as flying-capacitor converter type. In [3], a T-type converter introduced and proved to be a good three-level topology for low voltage applications. In this paper, a dual-T-type converter is used as a five-level converter to drive an open-end winding induction machine.…”

“…In [2], the cascaded H-bridge converter is introduced operating as a single-phase inverter and if applied to three-phase system, it will need more separated dc-power supplies. In [3], the T-type converter is introduced as a new topology suitable for low-voltage applications and this converter is proved to be a suitable ac-drive because of lower converter losses compared to three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) converter. In this paper, a dual-T-type converter is used to drive an open-end-winding induction machine (OEWIM).…”

Analysis of SiC Technology in Two-Level and Three-Level Converters for Aerospace Applications

“…The three-level T-Type converter (3LTTC) and the three-level neutral point clamped converter (3LNPCC) have been reported to offer efficiency gains of 1-2% over the two-level converter (2LC) with Si devices [4]. Therefore this paper seeks to examine the performance of the 2LC, 3LNPCC and the 3LTTC when using SiC technology for typical MEA applications.…”