An improved predictive control approach for Multilevel Inverters

This paper proposes a flexible predictive control strategy for flying capacitors based Multi-Level Inverters (MLIs). The proposed controller, applied for a Flying Capacitors Inverter (FCI) and a Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC), is offering the possibility of furthering the capacitor voltages tracking, load and circulating current tracking, or a trade-off between all state variables tracking (capacitor voltages should be controlled in order to ensure a proper operation of the MLIs). This trade-off is made possible by the mean of weighting factors introduced in the cost function calculation. Theoretical analysis, simulation and experimental results are described in this paper.