Step‐wise design procedure for a single‐phase multilevel inverter topology for different voltage level generation

Abstract

This study proposes a step-wise design procedure for development of a single-phase multilevel inverter topology. It is started with a module consisting of a single switch and single source. The number of switches and sources is gradually added in the module to increase the number of levels and quality of the output voltage. Each step is theoretically analysed and experimentally verified. These developed modules are used as a part of the inverter to get the bipolar load voltage with or without H-bridge. Each developed inverter topology differs from each other depending on the number of switches, sources and configuration of sources involved in the structure. The use of inverters, with cascaded modules, can be extended for medium-to-high-power applications. The theoretical analysis of one of the developed topology is explained and simulated in MATLAB/Simulink environment. Its performance is compared with some of the existing topologies to show the difference. The hardware setup is built in the laboratory for practical validation of the proposed topology. The nearest level control modulation scheme is used in both simulation and experimentation.