Title :
Multilevel inverters: a survey of topologies, controls, and applications
Author :
Rodríguez, José ; Lai, Jih-Sheng ; Peng, Fang Zheng
Author_Institution :
Departamento de Electronica, Univ. Tecnica Federico Santa Maria, Valparaiso, Chile
fDate :
8/1/2002 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Multilevel inverter technology has emerged recently as a very important alternative in the area of high-power medium-voltage energy control. This paper presents the most important topologies like diode-clamped inverter (neutral-point clamped), capacitor-clamped (flying capacitor), and cascaded multicell with separate DC sources. Emerging topologies like asymmetric hybrid cells and soft-switched multilevel inverters are also discussed. This paper also presents the most relevant control and modulation methods developed for this family of converters: multilevel sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation, multilevel selective harmonic elimination, and space-vector modulation. Special attention is dedicated to the latest and more relevant applications of these converters such as laminators, conveyor belts, and unified power-flow controllers. The need of an active front end at the input side for those inverters supplying regenerative loads is also discussed, and the circuit topology options are also presented. Finally, the peripherally developing areas such as high-voltage high-power devices and optical sensors and other opportunities for future development are addressed.
Keywords :
DC-AC power convertors; PWM invertors; harmonic distortion; network topology; power control; power conversion harmonics; switching circuits; applications; asymmetric hybrid cells; capacitor-clamped multicell; cascaded multicell; controls; diode-clamped inverter; high-power medium-voltage energy control; modulation methods; multilevel inverters; multilevel selective harmonic elimination; multilevel sinusoidal pulsewidth modulation; regenerative loads; soft-switched multilevel inverters; space-vector modulation; topologies; unified power-flow controllers; Capacitors; Leg; Medium voltage; Power semiconductor switches; Pulse modulation; Pulse width modulation converters; Pulse width modulation inverters; Semiconductor diodes; Space vector pulse width modulation; Topology;
Journal_Title :
Industrial Electronics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TIE.2002.801052