Five-level reduced-switch-count boost PFC rectifier with multicarrier PWM

Abstract

Abstract-A multilevel boost PFC (Power Factor Correction) rectifier is presented in this paper controlled by cascaded controller and multicarrier pulse width modulation technique. The presented topology has less active semiconductor switches compared to similar ones reducing the number of required gate drives that would shrink the manufactured box significantly. A simple controller has been implemented on the studied converter to generate a constant voltage at the output while generating a five-level voltage waveform at the input without connecting the load to the neutral point of the DC bus capacitors. Multicarrier PWM technique has been used to produce switching pulses from control signal at a fixed switching frequency. Multi-level voltage waveform harmonics has been analyzed comprehensively which affects the harmonic contents of input current and the size of required filters directly. Full experimental results confirm the good dynamic performance of the proposed five-level PFC boost rectifier in delivering power from AC grid to the DC loads while correcting the power factor at the AC side as well as reducing the current harmonics remarkably.

Performance Evaluation of an Active Neutral-Point-Clamped Multilevel Converter for Active Filtering in G2V-V2G and V2H Applications

“…This 5LC works as an inverter (DC to AC) and also as a rectifier (AC to DC) depending on the operation mode and working point. It is noteworthy that due to its higher number of levels, it will inherently allow a better compensation of the grid current harmonics in comparison with 2-level and 3-level based-converter topologies [4].…”

“…MC alike provide a voltage signal with a lower harmonic content and achieve it using a lower switching frequency, what represents an important advantage in terms of switching losses reduction [3]. Thus, MC are particularly a promising solution for developing more performant active filters that not only improve the power quality but also allow a more efficient power conversion [4]. The main topologies of MC are the flying capacitor (FC), the cascaded H-bridge (CHB) and the neutral point-clamped (NPC) which also comprises the active-NPC (ANPC) subtopology [5].…”

Sensor-Less Five-Level Packed U-Cell (PUC5) Inverter Operating in Stand-Alone and Grid-Connected Modes

“…The typical controller has been designed to control the amplitude and phase-shift of i s results in delivering active power and exchanging reactive power desirably with the grid by PUC5 inverter. Even in this controller the DC capacitor voltage is not involved since proposed technique in previous section is in charge of balancing this voltage [25][26][27]. In illustrated controller, AC source voltage (v s ) is measured and sent to the PLL to extract its phase angle.…”

Design and Implementation of Space Vector Modulation-Based Sliding Mode Control for Grid-Connected 3L-NPC Inverter

“…To be clear, SVM plays an important role in balancing DC capacitors voltages that removes the need of an external controller which could make the overall system more complex with associated fine tuning issues. Since neutral point voltage is balanced by the SVM through redundant switching states, thus SMC can control the grid current without any additional input signals such as cases where a PI controller is used to balance DC capacitors voltages and its output is injected to the current control loop [22]. The hybrid technique is expected to show fast dynamic performances during any change in the system such as DC or AC voltage fluctuations as well as change in the reference value of the current injected into the grid.…”