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Traditional level inverter technology has drawbacks in the aspect of Total harmonic distortion (THD) and switching losses for higher frequencies. Due to these drawbacks, two-level inverters have become unprofitable for high-power applications. Multilevel inverters (MLIs) are used to enhance the output waveform characteristics (i.e. low THD) and to offer various inverter topologies and switching methods.

MLIs are upgraded versions of two-level inverters that offer more output levels in current and voltage waveforms while lowering the dv/dt and di/dt ratios. This paper aims to review and compare the different topologies of MLI used in high-power applications. Single and multisource MLI's working principal and switching states for each topology are demonstrated and compared. A Simulink model system integrated using detailed circuit simulations in developed in MATLAB®–Simulink program. In this system, a constant voltage source connected to MLI to feed asynchronous motor with squirrel cage rotor type is used to demonstrate the efficacy of the MLI under different varying speed and torque conditions.

MLI has presented better control and good range of system parameters than two-level inverter. It is suggested that the MLIs like cascade-five-level and NPC-five-level have shown low current harmonics of around 0.43% and 1.87%, respectively, compared to two-level inverter showing 5.82%.

This study is the first of its kind comparing the different topologies of single and multisource MLIs. This study suggests that the MLIs are more suitable for high-power applications.

Industrial drives require appropriate control systems for reliable and efficient performance. With synchronous reluctance machines (SynRMs) slowly replacing the most commonly used induction, switched reluctance and permanent magnet machines, it is essential that the drive and its control be properly selected for enhanced performance. But the major drawback of synchronous reluctance motor is the presence of high torque ripple as its design is characterized by large number of variables. The solutions to reduce torque ripple include design modifications, choice of proper power electronic inverter and PWM strategy. But little has been explored about the power electronic inverters suited for synchronous reluctance motor drive to minimize torque ripple inherently by obtaining a more sinusoidal voltage. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the potential multilevel inverter topologies applicable to SynRM drives used in solar pumping applications.

The most significant field-oriented control using maximum torque per ampere algorithm for maximizing the torque production is used for the control of SynRM. Simulation results carried out using Matlab/Simulink are presented to justify the choice of inverter and its control technique for SynRM.

The five-level inverter drive gives lesser core or iron losses in the SynRMin comparison to the three- and two-level inverters due to lower Id current ripple. The five-level inverter reduces the torque ripple of the SynRM significantly in comparison to the three- and two-level inverter fed SynRM drives. The phase disposition-PWM control method used for the inverter shows the least total harmonic distortion (THD) levels in output voltage compared with the other level shifted PWM techniques.

Among the available topologies, a fitting topology is proposed for use for the SynRM drive to have minimal THD, minimal current and torque ripple. Additionally, this paper presents various modulation techniques available for the selected drive system and reports on a suitable technique based on minimal THD of output voltage and hence minimal torque ripple.

This paper is devoted to the investigation of the potentialities of induction motor DTC strategies in position control applications.

A comparison study is carried out between two DTC strategies dedicated to position control applications such as robotic: the Takahashi DTC strategy where the induction motor is fed by a two‐level inverter and a new DTC strategy where the induction motor is fed by a three‐level inverter. Special attention is paid to the synthesis of the vector selection table of the second strategy in an attempt to guarantee a high dynamic with reduced ripple of the torque. The comparison study is achieved considering four performance criteria: phase current total harmonic distortion; inverter switching loss factor; quality factor; and inverter commutation frequency.

It has been found that the introduced DTC strategy offers higher performance than the Takahashi one. Of particular interest are: the reduction of both torque ripple and commutation frequency; the eradication of the demagnetization problem which is a vital requirement in position control applications; and the improvement of the power factor thanks to which a reduction of the inverter rating is gained.

This work should be extended considering the validation of the obtained simulation results through experiments.

The paper proposes a new DTC strategy dedicated to position control applications. It allows the elimination of the demagnetization problem from which suffers the Takahashi DTC strategy at low speeds especially at zero speed in position control applications. It also offers a high power factor which opens up crucial cost benefits as far as the inverter rating is concerned.

The purpose of this paper is to present a comparative study of the thermal behavior and efficiency of an induction motor fed by a fault-tolerant Three-Level Neutral Point Clamped (3LNPC) inverter, under normal conditions as well as after a post-fault reconfiguration, following an open-circuit fault in the inverter. For this purpose, a Matlab/Simulink model and three-phase induction motor models using a finite element method (FEM) software were developed. Besides, some experimental tests were conducted for different values of the induction motor load torque and speed reference to validate the models.

To assess the thermal behavior and efficiency of the motor, electromagnetic and thermal models using a FEM software were developed. The coupling with the inverter drive is accomplished through a developed model in Matlab/Simulink which also includes the control system. The simulation tests were performed for a healthy and faulty inverter at different operating points of the three-phase induction motor. To validate the FEM models some experimental tests were performed.

When the inverter operates in reconfigured mode the motor losses are higher and consequently temperature is higher and the motor efficiency is lower. The developed models are an alternative to a more detailed study of the motor when fed by a 3LNPC inverter and consequent optimization of the control system.

With the developed tools, a better understanding of the motor behavior and performance is gained, allowing to forecast scenarios and optimize fault-tolerant control strategies for the drive.

Wind energy has matured to a level of development at which it is ready to become a generally accepted power generation technology. The aim of this paper is to provide a brief review of the state of the art in the area of electrical machines and power‐electronic systems for high‐power wind energy generation applications. As the first part of this paper, latest market penetration, current technology and advanced electrical machines are addressed.

After a short description of the latest market penetration of wind turbines with various topologies globally by the end of 2010 is provided, current wind power technology, including a variety of fixed‐ and variable‐speed (in particular with doubly‐fed induction generator (DFIG) and permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) supplied with partial‐ and full‐power converters, respectively) wind power generation systems, and modern grid codes, is presented. Finally, four advanced electrical‐machine systems, viz., brushless DFIG, open winding PMSG, dual/multi 3‐phase stator‐winding PMSG and magnetic‐gear outer‐rotor PMSG, are identified with their respective merits and challenges for future high‐power wind energy applications.

For the time being, the gear‐drive DFIG‐based wind turbine is significantly dominating the markets despite its defect caused by mechanical gears, slip rings and brush sets. Meanwhile, direct‐drive synchronous generator, especially utilizing permanent magnets on its rotor, supplied with a full‐capacity power converter has become a more effective solution, particularly in high‐power offshore wind farm applications.

This first part of the paper reviews the latest market penetration of wind turbines with a variety of mature topologies, by summarizing their advantages and disadvantages. Four advanced electrical‐machine systems are selected and identified by distinguishing their respective merits and challenges for future high‐power wind energy applications.

The purpose of this paper is to implement a finite set model predictive control algorithm to a shunt (or parallel), multilevel (cascaded H-bridge) active power filter (APF). Specifically, the purpose is to get a controller that could compensate the mains current and, at the same time, to control the voltages of its capacitors. This strategy avoids the use of multiple PWM carriers or another type of special modulator, and requires a relatively low processing power.

This paper is focussed in the application of the predictive controller to a single-phase parallel APF composed for two H-bridges connected in series. The same methodology can be applied to a three-phase APF. In the DC buses of each H-bridge, a floating capacitor was connected, whose voltage is regulated by the predictive controller. The controller is composed by, first, a model for the charge/discharge dynamics for each floating capacitor and a model for the output current of the APF; second, a cost function; and third, an optimization algorithm that is able to control all these variables at the same time, choosing in each sample period the best combination of firing pulses.

The controller can track the voltage references, compensate the current harmonics and compensate reactive power with an algorithm that evaluates only the three nearest voltage levels to the last voltage level applied in the inverter. This strategy decreases the number of calculations required by the predictive algorithm. This controller can be applied to the general case of a single-phase multilevel APF of N-levels and extend it to the three-phase case without major problems.

The implemented controller, when the authors consider a constant sample time, gives a mains current with a Total Harmonic Distortion (THD-I) slightly greater in comparison with the base algorithm (that evaluates all the voltage levels). However, when the authors consider the processing times under the same processor, the implemented algorithm requires less time to get the optimal values, can get lower sampling times and then a best performance in terms of THD-I. To implement the controller in a three-phase APF, a faster Digital Signal Processor would be required.

The implemented solution uses a model for the charge/discharge of the capacitors and for the filter current that enable to operate the cascaded multilevel inverter with asymmetrical voltages while compensates the mains currents, with a predictive algorithm that requires a relatively low amount of calculations.

The conventional two-level inverter suffers from harmonics, higher direct current (DC) link voltage requirement, higher dv/dt and heating of the rotor. This study aims to overcome by using a multilevel inverter for brushless DC (BLDC) drive.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the conventional two-level and three-level multilevel inverter for electric vehicle (EV) application using BLDC drive.

A three-level Active Neutral Point Clamped Multilevel inverter (ANPCMLI) is proposed in this paper which provides DC link voltage control. Simulation studies of the multilevel inverter and BLDC motor is carried out in MATLAB.

The ANPCMLI fed BLDC simulation results shows that there is the significant reduction in the BLDC motor torque ripple, switching stress and harmonic distortion in the BLDC motor fed ANPCMLI compared to the conventional two-level inverter. A prototype of ANPCMLI fed BLDC drive along with field programmable gate array (FPGA) control is built and MATLAB simulation results are verified experimentally.

This paper aims to present a modified space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique for six-phase induction motor drive based on common-mode voltage (CMV) and current losses which are two important issues affecting drive system behavior and quality.

It is shown that the presence of z-component currents and the presence of CMV in six-phase drive system are two major limiting factors in space vector selection. The behavior of several space vector selections in a two-level inverter considering minimum CMV and z-components is investigated. Then, the space vectors in a three-level inverter is analyzed and tried to explore an SVM technique with better behavior.

The analyses show that all the problems cannot be solved in a six-phase drive system with two-level inverter despite having 64 space vectors; this study tried to overcome the limitations by exploring space vectors in a three-level inverter.

The proposed pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy leads to minimum current distortion and undesired current components with zero CMV and modest torque ripple.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the conditions in which a saturation of the common mode (CM) choke might appear to be essential for proper design of the CM voltage filters. This paper presents a method for the determination of a CM choke flux density produced by multilevel inverters with carrier‐based modulations.

The proposed combination of secant and tangent methods allows efficient and high‐resolution determination of the CM voltage waveforms produced at the output of the multilevel inverters with commonly used carrier‐based modulations.

The presented results show that the application of a five‐level inverter with specific modulation causes a decrease of the maximum flux density, down to 15 per cent of the maximum level of the flux density reached in a two‐level inverter. The proposed, dedicated approximation method provides an accuracy of the root estimation better by about three orders for a comparable number of the function calls in comparison with Brent's method.

The presented theoretical evaluations make possible the determination of the maximum expected value of the flux density produced by multilevel inverters with various types of carrier‐based modulations, which allows a reduction in dimensions, weight and cost of CM chokes applied in CM voltage compensators.

In the paper, the new formulas that describe the placement of triangular carrier functions for commonly used multilevel inverters have been presented. In order to avoid accumulation of the estimation error, during determination of the CM voltage time integral, a dedicated, efficient method of roots approximation has been developed.

The paper presents the findings of an R&D project connected to the development of 50 kW auxiliary power supply for the high‐voltage DC‐fed commuter trains. The aim was to introduce a new generation power converter utilizing high‐voltage insulated gate bibolar transistor (IGBT) modules, which can outpace the predecessors in terms of efficiency and power density, i.e. to provide more power for smaller volumetric space.

For development of the proposed converter, mathematical analysis and computer simulations were used. The software intended for simulations is Ansoft Simplorer, which is a mixed‐technology simulator for electrical, electromechanical, power electronic systems and drive applications. For the verification of theoretical results the full‐scale laboratory prototype of the proposed converter was developed and tested.

Thanks to increased switching frequency and current‐doubler rectifier (CDR) implemented in the proposed converter, the power dissipation of the isolation transformer was reduced by 30 percent as compared to earlier designs. Moreover, the 27 and 24 percent reductions in rectifier and inductor losses, respectively, led to approximately 1 percent efficiency rise of the proposed converter in comparison with its predecessors. Also, the proposed three‐level topology outpaces the two‐level one by more than 20 percent in terms of power density.

The proposed converter topology is aimed for the high‐voltage DC trains. With small modifications it also can be used in trams, trolleybuses as well as in some industrial applications.

The paper presents the novel DC/DC converter topology with 3.3 kV IGBT‐based three‐level neutral point clamped inverter, high‐frequency isolation transformer and the CDR.