Hybrid open-end and NPC AC six-phase machine drive systems

This paper presents two machine drive system based on a six-phase machine (SPM) and three-leg converters. The machine is composed of two three-phase groups. For the first configuration, one of the groups is connected to a three-leg converter and the other is connected to other two three-leg converters in an open-end winding configuration (see Fig. 4). For the second configuration, one of the groups is connected to a three-leg converter (similar to first one) and the other group is connected to a three-level NPC converter (see Fig. 5). Since the machine two groups are fed differently, the system topology is considered to be hybrid. The purpose of these topologies is to be an alternative configuration, being midway between the conventional six-leg inverter system (see Fig. 1) and the NPC six-leg inverter system (see Fig. 2) and Conventional twelve-leg Open-end inverter system (see Fig. 3). Compared with the conventional six-leg system, the proposed systems permits reducing the power processed by the semiconductor switches and their ratings, the dc-link voltage and the harmonic distortion. On the other hand, the proposed systems constitute less complex alternatives, compared with the open-end and NPC counterparts (see Fig. 3). PWM and control strategies are discussed. Simulation and experimental results are also presented.