Circuit simulation-based comparison of power electronics devices in a five-level converter for UAV applications

Abstract

<p>In this paper, the performance of a 5-level cascaded H-bridge inverter in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications is analized to identify, at the converter design stage, the better device choice depending on different UAV operation scenarios. Considering that regardless of the specific application there are some typical operations, such as take-off, climb, land, cruise, and potential recurring climbs and descents, the results can support the choice by considering the typical working conditions of the specific application where the UAV would be used. The results have been obtained by simulating the H-bridge inverter considering the circuit models of insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), and Si and SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) provided by manufacturers. The study has highlighted that the choice of the device depends on the UAV usage, switching frequency, and load conditions. More specifically, considering the typical devices and systems costs in the case of a selective harmonic elimination procedure operating at the fundamental switching frequency, the Si devices should be used. Moreover, the preference for using IGBTs or Si MOSFETs depends on the typical working conditions of the UAV application. In the case of phase-shift carrier modulation technique, at 4 kHz the MOSFET is the best device and the choice between Si and SiC devices depends on the UAV application's main operation scenarios. At 20 kHz the SiC MOSFET is the best device, while at higher frequencies the GaN HEMT cost should be faced to take advantage of its best performance.</p>