Line-to-line Voltage Space Vector Modulation for Neutral-point Clamped Multi-level Converter with DC-link Capacitor Voltage Balancing Using Redundant Vectors

Abstract

This article presents space vector modulation of line-to-line voltage for the three-phase neutral-point clamped n-level converter with DC-link capacitor voltage balancing using redundant vectors. The developed modulation strategy is based on an equivalent matrix structure of the neutral-point clamped n-level converter. The relation between the 3 × (n – 1) switching functions of the matrix converter and gate signals of transistors of the neutral-point clamped n-level converter is given. A line-to-line space vector modulation strategy for a matrix inverter is used to obtain the switching function. For one switching function, there is more than one combination to produce each output voltage. Thus, redundancies of different switch configurations for generation of intermediate voltages are used to limit the deviation of capacitor voltages. The gate signals of the neutral-point clamped n-level converter can be calculated by inversing the modeling parts. Here, line-to-line voltage space vector modulation for a neutral-point clamped n-level converter is designed without using a Parks transform. Moreover, n × (n – 1) redundant vectors are used for DC bus voltage balancing. To highlight the performances of the developed modulation strategy, simulation results are given for five- and seven-level neutral-point clamped converters. Experimental results are given for a neutral-point clamped three-level converter.