A New Cascaded Multilevel Inverter for Modular Structure and Reduced Passive Components

Abstract

In high-power applications, achieving adequate power quality in power converter design is accomplished by utilizing multilevel inverters instead of using two-level and three-level inverters. The device generates a sinusoidal output voltage, which results in reduced total harmonic distortion and lower voltage stress on the switches and leads to lower electromagnetic interference, making it suitable for use in renewable energy applications. However, to illustrate the advantages mentioned above, a significant number of switching devices and DC sources are necessary while raising the voltage levels. This article proposes an asymmetrical voltage generation method, which operates in a ratio of 1:5 and generates 25 levels using 11 power switches. The topology is modular in structure, and each module has a lower component count, which significantly reduces the overall cost. The proposed topology is capable of generating negative output voltage levels without the use of an H-bridge configuration, where only three switches are used to generate any voltage levels. The functionality of the developed module is amended by fixing different voltage values in DC sources. This article also presents a comprehensive examination of the circuit and the functioning of various voltage levels. The advantages of the proposed inverter have been demonstrated by comparative research with the currently existing MLI topologies. Ultimately, both the simulation and experimental findings validated the practical capabilities.