IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 35, NO.

3, MARCH 2020 3287

Minimizing Total Harmonic Distortion of a

Two-Level Voltage Source Inverter Using
Optimal Third Harmonic Injection
Saher Albatran , Member, IEEE, Abdel Rahman Al Khalaileh , and Ahmad S. Allabadi

Abstract—Full time-domain analysis of the impact of third-

harmonic injection (THI) on the output phase voltage waveform
of a two-level voltage source inverter is presented, and the total
harmonic distortion (THD) performance of different pulsewidth
modulation (PWM) methods is provided. Two well-known third
harmonic injection PWM (THIPWM) schemes are adopted from
the literature: THIPWM6 and THIPWM4, where the THI am-
plitude is one-sixth and one-fourth the amplitude of the sine-wave,
respectively. In this article, three analysis-derived developments are
provided. Global optimal THIPWM ensures minimum THD in all
linear region, unlike other THIPWM schemes. A unique THI-level
is selected for each modulation index from the proposed curve
or the compacted lookup table. The best suboptimal THIPWM
method is provided that employs a linear injection applied over Fig. 1. Two-level, three-phase, three-wire voltage source inverter (VSI).
the linear modulation. To achieve better THD performance and to
satisfy different operation criteria, several suboptimal THIPWM
methods are proposed. Comparisons between these schemes must
define performance indices, and this is carried out using various in response to the tremendous growth in inverter-based systems.
objective functions, such as the sum of squared error and area Fig. 1 shows a conventional two-level, three-wire, three-phase
under the curve. The impact on extending the linear region is VSI, where every leg consists of a single-pole-double-throw
also presented. This study examines when THIPWM is useful and
switch capable of blocking a unipolar voltage and conducting a
which injection level is best. Experimental verifications support the
presented analysis. bidirectional current. A convenient way to generate the desired
output is to use pulsewidth modulation (PWM), which matches
Index Terms—Power conversion harmonics, pulsewidth the switched VSI output with the desired reference on a time-
modulation inverters, total harmonic distortion.
average basis [3]. The output signal is controllable in terms of
voltage and frequency. Switched nature output generates har-
I. INTRODUCTION monics in addition to the fundamental component. This affects
the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the voltage and current
OWER converters are essential components in modern
P equipment. For example, voltage source inverters (VSIs)
are used in many applications, such as uninterruptable power
[3]–[7].
Sinusoidal PWM (SPWM) is a carrier-based PWM method
that is popular because of its easy implementation [8]. However,
supplies, adjustable speed drives, high voltage direct current, and
one major drawback of SPWM is the linearity limit, which
renewable-utility matching [1]. Inverter-generated harmonics
terminates the linear region at a modulation index (m) of one.
are limited by stringent requirements, such as IEEE 1547 [2],
The modulation index is defined as the relation between the peak
in many applications, including photovoltaic grid-connected ap-
output voltage of the fundamental component and the amplitude
plications. These requirements have to be increasingly rigorous
of the switched alternating current (ac) waveform [3]. Operating
beyond the linear region (i.e., the overmodulation region) is
Manuscript received December 21, 2018; revised April 13, 2019 and June problematic because this produces low-order harmonics with
15, 2019; accepted July 28, 2019. Date of publication July 30, 2019; date of higher amplitudes. Generally, third harmonic injection PWM
current version December 13, 2019. This work was supported by the Deanship
of research at the Jordan University of Science and Technology under Grant (THIPWM) is used to increase the linear region [3]. The third
20180365. Recommended for publication by Associate Editor H. H.-C. Iu. harmonic injection amplitude affects the linearity extension and
(Corresponding author: Saher Albatran.) the THD simultaneously. The load neutral point must be floating
The authors are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty
of Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 2210, to break the zero sequence signal path. A maximum linearity
Jordan (e-mail: saalbatran@just.edu.jo; amalkhalaileh16@eng.just.edu.jo; extension of up to 15.47% [3] is possible using one-sixth of
asallabadi16@eng.just.edu.jo). the reference amplitude as an injection (THIPWM6) [9], [10].
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this article are available online
at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org. Since the third harmonic injection affects the harmonic spectrum
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TPEL.2019.2932139 distribution, it is used for THD reduction in the VSI output.
0885-8993 © 2019 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission.
See http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/publications/rights/index.html for more information.

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 3288
Consequently, optimizing for THD makes linearity a byproduct
and vice versa.
SPWM is commonly used with a high switching frequency
to obtain lower THD values [11]. On the other hand, switching
losses increase with SPWM, which causes a reduction in energy
efficiency and puts a strain on the thermal management of the
switches [12], [13].
In [14], the minimum THD is obtained when the amplitude of
the third harmonic injection signal is one-fourth of the reference
(THIPWM4). This is achieved without elevating the switching
frequency. Researchers [15]–[28] refer to this reference when-
ever THD minimization is under discussion without further
analysis.
This article analyzes the performance of SPWM and
THIPWM, which has not yet been addressed in the literature.
Moreover, the required amplitude of the third harmonic injec-
tion is tuned to produce better THD performance than that of
THIPWM4.
The derivation in [14] presents the harmonic spectrum of the
modulating function needed to minimize THD in the output
voltage signal. It is observed that with any variation in the
modulation index and/or the frequency ratio, the amplitude
of harmonics other than the third one undergoes significant
changes. Consequently, the third harmonic only experiences
minor changes, which means these harmonics are the responsive
components. This harmonics response makes the third harmonic
amplitude seems almost invariant, so ignoring the impact of the
aforementioned harmonics is a rough approximation. Therefore,
to present optimal/suboptimal THIPWM methods, a fair com-
parison between pure third harmonic injections is needed, and
it is presented here in this work.
In this article, several analysis-derived contributions and de-
velopments are provided. Global optimal THIPWM (GOTH-
IPWM) is proposed first. This dynamic injection scheme ensures
absolute minimum THD characteristics in comparison with
other types of THI schemes. A unique THI measure is associated
with every modulation index. The implementation is simplified
by the use of lookup tables. This association process reveals,
for the first time in the literature, that every point and/or range
of modulation index has a unique optimal injection level. Addi-
tionally, the analysis highlights that switching to THIPWM4 in
order to reduce THD may make the situation worse. Moreover,
the superiority regions of every injection are defined to make
selection decisions about the injection level easier and more
precise. The best suboptimal THIPWM method is also provided
and is superior to its well-known counterpart, which employs
linear injection. The adoption of this new suboptimal THIPWM
results in better THD performance and higher direct current (dc)
bus utilization than THIPWM4.
In the literature, comparisons are typically carried out between
THIPWM4 and THIPWM6. However, the comparison in this
study is open to all other THIs, including zero injection (i.e.,
sinusoidal reference). Close-to-optimal performance is achieved
by dividing the full linear modulation range into subranges. This
facilitates the development of an efficient THIPWM method per
subrange, which results in better THD performance. Different
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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 35, NO. 3, MARCH 2020
operation criteria and/or conditions are met using these develop-
ments. The observations of this study reveal, for the first time in
the literature, the alteration in superiority between different THI
levels. Moreover, several objective functions are employed to
compare different THIPWM methods while taking the alteration
in superiority into consideration.
The article structure is as follows. Section II presents a back-
ground for third harmonic injection. Section III describes the
methodology used aside from the developed injection schemes.
Section IV focuses on the development of several suboptimal
schemes, and Section V presents the experimental verification.
Section VI concludes the article.
II. THIRD HARMONIC INJECTION
Square wave (or six-step) modulation has a very simple im-
plementation setup for generating gate pulses to operate VSIs
at the highest dc bus utilization. Yet, this method results in
high THD values and high-amplitude, low-order harmonics in
addition to the uncontrolled fundamental component [29]. To
overcome these drawbacks, generation of PWM waveforms is
widely utilized in two common ways [3]: either by compar-
ing a common triangular carrier against modulating signals,
such as SPWM and THIPWM, or by using the space vector
approach.
When using SPWM, sideband harmonics appear at and around
the carrier frequency and its integral multiples [30]. If the
PWM scheme is synchronized and the carrier frequency is
constant, then the sidebands consist of two centered, salient
harmonics. Starting with SPWM, three sinusoidal modulating
waves are used. These voltage references are defined in (1) as
follows:
Va (t) = Vm sin (ωt)
Vb (t) = Vm sin (ωt − 2π/3)
Vc (t) = Vm sin (ωt + 2π/3) (1)
where Vm is the peak value of the sine wave, ω is the angular
frequency (ω = 2πf ), and f is the fundamental frequency.
Three-phase VSIs have 23 switching states of operation based
on the relative values of the reference signals with respect to
the carrier. The first and last states are known as “the zero
states,” and the intermediate states are dependent on the relative
values (Va , Vb , and Vc ). The SPWM linear region is limited to
a modulation index of one; any increment over one will push the
process into a nonlinear or overmodulation region of operation.
Operating in the overmodulation region has some privileges,
such as obtaining higher fundamental voltages without increas-
ing the dc bus voltage. However, this is achieved at the expense
of power quality by generating subcarrier frequency harmonics
and a decrement in VSI voltage gain, as well as by causing gate
pulses to drop [18].
An increment on the linear region is possible using third
harmonic injection [3], which addresses the loss of linearity
to some extent. In addition, the injection of a third harmonic
affects the sideband components without affecting the funda-
mental component [31]. If the amplitude of the reference signal
 ALBATRAN et al.: MINIMIZING TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION OF A TWO-LEVEL VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER USING OPTIMAL THI 3289

exceeds that of the carrier, or, equivalently, when operating with the following equation:
a modulation index greater than one, overmodulation takes place   iπVm3   iπVm  
[i+j]π
in the process, and pulse dropping occurs. A third harmonic Aij = 4vdc
iπ J0 Jn sin
 iπVm 
2
 iπVm3   2
2
signal is injected to flatten the peak area and to ensure full [i+h]π

+J0 2 J h 2 sin 2

inclusion of the modulating signal within the carrier peaks. By 

3h=|n|
 iπVm3  [i+k+h]π

doing so, output voltages can be generated while still in the +Jh 2 sin 2

linear region. This extension in the linear region depends on  iπVm   iπVm3  k+3h=|n|

[i+k+h]π

the amplitude of the third harmonic injected to the reference +Jk 2 J h 2 sin 2

 iπVm   iπVm3  
k+3h=|n|
sinusoidal. With the addition of a third harmonic, a new set of

+Jk 2 Jh 2 sin [i+k+h]π 2

equations is established to generate new references, as defined  k−3h=|n|

 iπVm   iπVm3  [i+k+h]π
in the following equation: +Jk 2 J h 2 sin 2 3h−k=|n| (4)
Va (t) = Vm sin (ωt) + Vm3 sin (3ωt)
where vdc is the dc bus voltage, k, h are the summation condi-
    
2π 2π tions and their evaluation is for (1 ≤ k ≤ ∞), (1 ≤ h ≤ ∞).
Vb (t) = Vm sin ωt − + Vm3 sin 3 ωt −
3 3 The associated THD value is obtained using the following
   equation:
2π
Vc (t) = Vm sin (ωt + 2π/3) + Vm3 sin 3 ωt + . 
3 1  A2
(2) THD = (5)
A01 ij

Notably, the third harmonic components in all phases are in-
phase. Consequently, they completely cancel each other out.
This analysis can be generalized to all triplen harmonics in a
line-line harmonic spectrum. Implicitly, the effect of the third
harmonic injection on the harmonic spectrum is permanent, so
it is used to alter the THD of the output waveform. This can be
inferred by observing that many injections are able to confine
the reference signal within the carrier peaks. However, every
injection results in a specific THD performance.
III. METHODOLOGY
The switched output waveform is studied mathematically
in the literature for both SPWM and THIPWM using Fourier
analysis. Considering the THIPWM scheme, the output phase
voltage from the inverter side can be expressed in terms of its
harmonic components as follows [21]:
∞
A00 
va (t) = + {A0j cos (jωt) + B0j sin (jωt)}
2 j=1
∞
 effects caused by the inductive loads. Consequently, generalized
+ {Ai0 cos (mωc t) + Bi0 sin (mωc t)}
i=1
∞ j=∞
 
+ {Aij cos ([iωc + jω] t)
i=1 j=−∞
j=0
+ Bij sin ([iωc + jω] t)}
where Aij , Bij is the harmonic amplitude at the har-
monic frequency (iωc + jω), ωc is the carrier angular fre-
quency, i, j are the harmonic indices (i = 0, 1 ≤ j ≤ ∞) &
( 1 ≤ i ≤ ∞, −∞ ≤ j ≤ ∞).
Since the reference signal (i.e., modulating signal) is half-
wave symmetric, consequently, Bij is always equal to zero for
all i, j. Reducing the statement to only evaluate for Aij as per
where the harmonic indices are governed by the same restrictions
for (3).
To accurately model the time-varying switched phase volt-
age, the terms of the Bessel function terms must be defined
correctly. The infinite summations are implicitly written within
the boundary conditions of the last three terms. Even though the
magnitudes of the Bessel functions experience a rapid roll-off,
evaluating for a finite number of terms results in a degree
of inaccuracy and leads to some measure of uncertainty. Ac-
cordingly, enormous computing capacity is employed to avoid
mistaken comparisons when performance indices are close.
Consequently, and to avoid the aforementioned comments, a
simulation model is built in a MATLAB/Simulink environment
to mimic a real-time case and perform time-domain studies. A
complete matching between THD of the output voltage pulse
train from the Simulink and the mathematical description in
(3)–(5) for specific test points is examined. To have faster and
more reliable results, all harmonic analysis are carried out using
the time-domain signals from the discrete Simulink model. The
model represents a three-phase VSI equipped with a THI-based
modulator connected to a resistive load to eliminate any filtration
results are obtained. This model is used to show the effects of the
third harmonic injection on the output voltage characteristics.
The third harmonic injection is altered by 0.001 steps within
0–0.4 of the reference signal, whereas the modulation index is
altered by 0.01 steps within the range of 0–1.2. The harmonic
spectrum of the output voltage is dependent on the level of third
(3) harmonic being injected. Therefore, a concentrated search for
the optimal point is performed here.
Each modulation index is examined against the full range of
injections. The optimal choice results in the minimum THD.
Fig. 2 represents the generalized flowchart that directs this
process. It is important to mention that the boundary conditions
are selected based on several fast screening procedures. This
restricts the possible range of the optimal injection level within
a specific range.

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 3290
Fig. 2. Search algorithm and data storage structuring mechanism.
Fig. 3. GOTHIPWM method associated injection shape.
Fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis is performed using the
FFT MATLAB toolbox to obtain the output voltage character-
istics, such as THD. After processing of the pool data resulting
from the search methodology, several results are obtained. Rang-
ing from the optimal solution to several suboptimal ones (with
specific tradeoffs) for the sake of simplicity.
A. Global Optimal THIPWM
In terms of THD minimization, this scheme provides the
maximum benefit that can be obtained from using a THI-based
modulator. The implementation of this optimal injection results
in the absolute minimum value for THD performance compared
with any type of THIPWM over the full linear range.
Every point in the modulation range is associated with an op-
timal level of injection. Consequently, moving from continuous
to discrete injection is preferred. A highly dynamic injection
scheme is characterized and presented in Fig. 3.
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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 35, NO. 3, MARCH 2020
TABLE I
COMPACT LOOKUP TABLE
Using the lookup tables, discretization is applicable by pre-
calculating the needed injection for the specified modulation
index at the required step level. Therefore, if the operating point
is constant at a specific modulation index, the modulator can
be tuned at the associated unique value of the optimal THI to
achieve the absolute minimum THD value. An accurate sample
lookup table covering the modulation index from 0.68 to 1.15
is provided in Table I, and these specific points are indicated by
blue stars in Fig. 3.
B. Suboptimal THIPWM Methods
Unlike the dc bus utilization, the THD performance has no
direct mathematical derivations that suggest an injection level
capable of THD minimization. Consequently, the development
of suboptimal THIPWM schemes and the comparisons between
them must define clear performance indices. An indicator is
developed to show how much improvement is gained from the
implementation of any suboptimal third harmonic injection. The
degree of merit (DOM) is adopted here and is mathematically
expressed in the following equation:
THD (THIPWMn) −THD (Optimal)
DOM = ×100%
THD (THIPWMn)
(6)
where THIPWMn is any THIPWM scheme including SPWM
and THD(Optimal) is the THD when GOTHIPWM is adopted.
All terms in (6) are calculated for the same modulation index.
The DOM provides insight into the THD performance close-
ness of the investigated schemes to the optimal performance.
Indirectly, it reflects the gap (i.e., the area) between the THD
performances of these schemes. The more the gap is decreased,
the better the injection scheme is. For example, the DOM of the
proposed THIPWM5 at modulation index m = 1.05 is around
0.3, whereas for THIPWM4 [14] at the same modulation index is
around 2.1. This means that the performance of the THIPWM5
is much closer to the optimal performance than the THIPWM4
is. In the same sense, the lower the DOM value is, the better the
performance indices are.
Applying the DOM to the pure sinusoidal injection reveals
the maximum available span of improvement. Applying it to
THIPWM4, THIPWM6, or any other injection scheme of in-
terest shows the effectiveness of these injections. Figs. 4 and 5
show the DOMs obtained for the aforementioned modulating
references. As THIPWM4 is considered in the literature as the
best suboptimal THIPWM scheme in terms of THD, Table II
provides an explicit comparison between the up to date best
 ALBATRAN et al.: MINIMIZING TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION OF A TWO-LEVEL VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER USING OPTIMAL THI
Fig. 4. Possible improvement in THD (DOM) with respect to SPWM.
Fig. 5. Possible improvement in THD (DOM) with respect to THIPWM4 and
THIPWM6.
TABLE II
THD COMPARISON BETWEEN THIPWM4 AND GOTHIPWM AT
DIFFERENT MODULATION INDICES
suboptimal THI technique (i.e., THIPWM4 [14]) and the pro-
posed GOTHIPWM scheme in terms of THD. Table II and Fig. 5
show that the proposed injection PWM scheme is superior to
THIPWM4. When m is 0.15, both THIPWM4 and GOTHIPWM
yield almost the same THD and this is clear from Fig. 5, where
the DOM is almost zero.
Figs. 4 and 5 implicitly show that each type of injection
has its own THD performance. Every injection value including
zero (i.e., the pure sinusoidal reference) is superior at specific
modulation indices and ranges and is worse at others. Even
though up-to-date suboptimal linear injection accords with this
observation in terms of THD (i.e., THIPWM4), comparison
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3291
Fig. 6. Signed THD difference between (SPWM and THIPWM4) and between
(SPWM and THIPWM6).
with SPWM is also important because all THIPWM schemes
originate from SPWM.
This supports the conclusion that SPWM has better THD
performance than THIPWM at some points and ranges of linear
modulation. To express these observations explicitly, the dif-
ferences in THD are developed as shown in (7), which repre-
sents the algebraic difference between the THD performance of
SPWM and that of the investigated scheme
ΔTHD = THD (SPWM) −THD (THIPWMn) . (7)
The sign change in Fig. 6 proves the alteration in superiority
between SPWM and the two most common THIPWM schemes
(i.e., THIPWM4 and THIPWM6, respectively). The difference
in THD shows the regions of superiority, where the positive
values give credit to the investigated injection scheme and the
negative ones grant SPWM the advantage.
To compare injections in light of this alteration, objective
functions should be used to determine the best injection to apply.
In this article, the sum of squared error (SSE) and area under the
curve (AUC) are used. Here, “error” refers to a deviation in the
examined PWM’s THD from the optimal THD resulting from the
implementation of GOTHIPWM. In the same sense, the “area”
is calculated for the DOM curves. The SSE objective function
minimizes minor differences and maximizes major ones, while
the AUC performs the same as the sum of absolute error (SAE)
does. The injection with the minimum values for SSE and AUC
is the best and should be applied.
IV. SUBOPTIMAL THIPWM
Simple injection formulas are preferred over complex ones.
Consequently, the development of several suboptimal injections
is carried out to satisfy this preference. Different suboptimal
injection techniques are developed and categorized based on
a modulation index range. Every range is chosen to satisfy a
specific purpose of operation and is illustrated in the following
subsections.
A. Constant Linear Injection Over the Entire Range of the
Linear Region
This type of injection is considered the simplest form of
third harmonic injection. Based on the aforementioned objective
functions, a holistic analysis for the THD data is performed.
 3292
Fig. 7. SSE of the THD for all possible injections.
Fig. 8. AUC of the DOM for all possible injections.
The first objective function (SSE) is applied for every THD
resulting from applying a constant linear injection.
Fig. 7 illustrates the relation between an injection and the
SSE of the associated THD. It clearly shows a convex curve
that reaches a minimum at a 0.2 injection value. The results of
evaluating the second objective function (AUC) in the same way
are presented in Fig. 8. This figure shows the implicit relation
between the third harmonic injection and the THD. It links the
injection with the DOM, which is a function of the THD. This
relation leads to the same point of interest (0.2), also holding
the minimum value. Moreover, holding the lowest AUC of the
DOM means that this suboptimal THIPWM is the closest to the
GOTHIPWM method.
Both of these results indicate an injection value of 0.2 or,
equivalently, a THI amplitude of one-fifth of the reference
sinusoid. This produces the minimum SSE and AUC for the
corresponding DOM. This constant linear injection value is the
best suboptimal injection value to be applied over the entire
linear range of the modulation index. It should be highlighted
here that any linear injection cannot be optimal over the entire
linear modulation. In some cases, SPWM or THIPWM4 can
yield better THD results than THIPWM5 can.
Fig. 9 shows a ΔTHD plot of the proposed injection.
THIPWM5 showed better performance than THIPWM4 did,
producing a larger value of THD difference. This can be proven
by further analysis using the AUC on the differences between
both schemes. Applying it to the THIPWM5 THD difference
reveals a 50.11% increase in the area compared with the
THIPWM4 THD difference. This proves that using the definition
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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 35, NO. 3, MARCH 2020
Fig. 9. Signed THD difference between SPWM and THIPWM5.
Fig. 10. Suboptimal injection over 0.2 modulation index range, 0.1 modulation
index range, and 0.05 modulation index range.
of THD difference, one-fifth injection results in a lower THD
value.
B. Constant Linear Injection Over a 0.2-Length Subrange of
the Modulation Index
The same two objective functions are used to obtain better
performance by splitting the modulation range into subranges
with a length of 0.2. This makes the modulation process more
dynamic and results in a lower THD than that of constant linear
injection. A range of 0.2 is selected because this value covers
∓10% of the region around a set point. This can lead to a
linear injection when the output voltage variation falls inside
this margin. Fig. 10 shows the proposed PWM strategy, whereas
the resulting ΔTHD from the implementation of this proposed
PWM strategy is presented in Fig. 11.
It is evident from Fig. 10 that the choice of a one-fifth
injection is not altered for the subperiods of the modulation
index, except for 0.6–0.8. Consequently, the benefits gained
from this scheme are illustrated in Fig. 11, in which the THD
over this specific range is lower on average. The improvement
can also be observed by the recorded 1.04% reduction in the
SSE value compared with the previously developed scheme (i.e.,
THIPWM5).
Although some instances of the one-fifth injection are better
than those of the 0.33 injection proposed for this period, this is
overcome by the instances when the turns are reversed. Here-
after, the differences in THD are evaluated between THIPWM5
 ALBATRAN et al.: MINIMIZING TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION OF A TWO-LEVEL VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER USING OPTIMAL THI
Fig. 11. Resulting THD difference obtained by implementing suboptimal
injection over a 0.2 modulation index range, as defined in (8).
Fig. 12. Resulting THD difference obtained by implementing suboptimal
injection over a 0.1 modulation index range, as defined in (8).
and the investigated scheme (ΔTHD5 ) using the following
equation:
ΔTHD5 = THD (THIPWM5)
−THD (Suboptimal THIPWM) .
C. Constant Linear Injection Over a 0.1 Length Subrange of
the Modulation Index
The same procedure is applied as was used in the previous
section with the exception of the modulation index range be-
ing split into 0.1 periods. This modification results in a better
performance than that of the previous scheme. The proposed
scheme is presented in Fig. 10 which limits the output or input
voltage variation to ±5% around the set point, which is accept-
able voltage regulation, is the reason for this selection. However,
the improvement in THD performance is achieved at the expense
of the needed lookup table size if the possible range of voltage
3293
Fig. 13. Resulting THD difference obtained by implementing suboptimal
injection over a 0.05 modulation index range, as defined in (8).
The discretization of this figure can be improved if the range is
narrowed to 0.05. The resulting figure can be easily represented
in a lookup table.
The same approach is followed as those in the previous sec-
tions, and reducing the modulation index periods to 0.05 resulted
in better THD performance. This improvement is evidenced by
the reduction of 15.32% in the SSE value compared to that of
THIPWM5. However, a more dynamic third harmonic injection
(closer to the optimal injection) is expected. The proposed
injection scheme is presented in Fig. 10, Fig. 13 represents the
differences in THD.
By relaxing the modulator injection selection, a better per-
formance is achieved in terms of THD. However, the injection
is tied to a tight modulation index range, which increases the
complexity of implementation in comparison to the previously
developed schemes. The 0.05 modulation index range is superior
to both the 0.2 and 0.1 modulation index ranges.
(8)
E. Effect of the New Suboptimal Method on DC Bus Utilization
Recall the mathematical definition of the third harmonic
injection PWM with a normalized sine wave
Va (ωt) = sin (ωt) + Vm3 sin (3ωt) . (9)
The derivative of the above equation with respect to ωt results
in the following equation:
dV a (t)
= cos (ωt) + 3Vm3 cos (3ωt) . (10)
dwt
Equating the above equation to zero to find the extremum and
then solving for ωt gives
variation is wide. The results are shown in Fig. 12. 

By reducing the range from 0.2 to 0.1, the injection is moving −1 9Vm3 − 1
ωt = cos . (11)
toward the case of an optimal global injection. The SSE value is 12Vm3
reduced by 4.43% from that of THIPWM5, thereby increasing
the modulator capability in choosing a suitable injection for a Combining (11) and (9) yields
relatively small modulation index period.
 3/2
9Vm3 + 1 3Vm3 + 1
Va (Vm3 ) = (3Vm3 +1) − 4Vm3 .
D. Constant Linear Injection Over a 0.05 Length Subrange of 12Vm3 12Vm3
the Modulation Index (12)
It can be difficult for some microcontrollers to represent an The amplitude of the normalized reference voltage is now
optimal global injection (as presented in Fig. 3) in a lookup table. written as a function of the third harmonic injection measure.

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 3294 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 35, NO. 3, MARCH 2020

Fig. 14. Experimental validation testbed. Fig. 17. Signed THD difference between THIPWM4 and THIPWM5 as
in (7).

Fig. 15. Experimentally obtained (DOM) with respect to SPWM.

Fig. 18. AC phase voltages and currents, considering m = 0.8 and 0.87
lagging power factor when (a) GOTHIPWM, (b) THIPWM4, and (c) THIPWM5
schemes are adopted.

Fig. 16. Experimentally obtained (DOM) with respect to THIPWM4 and

THIPWM6.

The inverse of this value presents the linear range of inverter op-
eration. THIPWM4 and THIPWM5 injection resulted in 1.1222
and 1.1481, signifying a 12.12% and 14.81% extension of the
linear region, respectively. In other words, THIPWM5 injection
gave better overall THD results and better dc bus utilization than
its THIPWM4 counterpart.

V. EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION
The proposed THIPWM methods are implemented using
ALTERA DE2-115 FPGA Development and Educational Board.
Moreover, they are applied to a three-phase IGBT power module
(Infineon, FP50R06KE3) operating on a 10 KHz switching
frequency. The dc bus consisted of a dc voltage source followed Fig. 19. Current THD considering m = 0.8 and 0.87 lagging power factor
by dc-link capacitors, which comprised a dc source of 20 V. when (a) GOTHIPWM, (b) THIPWM4, and (c) THIPWM5 schemes are adopted.

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 ALBATRAN et al.: MINIMIZING TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION OF A TWO-LEVEL VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER USING OPTIMAL THI
Fig. 20. AC phase voltages and currents, considering m = 0.9 and 0.87
lagging power factor when (a) GOTHIPWM, (b) THIPWM4, and (c) THIPWM5
schemes are adopted.
Fig. 21. Current THD considering m = 0.9 and 0.87 lagging power factor
when (a) GOTHIPWM, (b) THIPWM4, and (c) THIPWM5 schemes are adopted.
The load power factor varied between 1, 0.87, 0.66, and 0.4 to
cover a wide range of power factor variation. Fig. 14 shows the
experimental testbed used for the verification process.
During the implementation, a step size of 0.05 is taken. The
DOM plots for SPWM is shown in Fig. 15, THIPWM5 and
THIPWM4 DOM plots are manifested in Fig. 16. Additionally,
the differences in THD between the proposed THIPWM5 and
well-known THIPWM4 schemes are outlined. Minor variations
are noted when changing the power factor, so only the results
for a 0.87 power factor are presented here.
As shown by the experimental results, an alteration in supe-
riority exists with all types of injection, including SPWM. Both
the DOM and ΔTHD followed the observations derived in the
simulation stage. Comparing the experimental and simulation
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3295
Fig. 22. AC phase voltages and currents, considering m = 1.0 and 0.87
lagging power factor when (a) GOTHIPWM, (b) THIPWM4, and (c) THIPWM5
schemes are adopted.
results reveals some differences in values. However, this is due
to the influence of dead-time of 2 μs, step size, and noise. In
[27], THIPWM6 resulted in a lower THD value than that of
THIPWM4 during the experimental work, although the latter
must have been better as it was developed for the purpose of THD
minimization. The observed alteration in superiority answers
this question clearly. Using other words, at that specific point of
operation, THIPWM6 was superior to THIPWM4. In Fig. 17, it
is obvious that the proposed THIPWM5 scheme performs better
than THIPWM4, especially at a modulation index of m ≥ 0.8.
There are considerably large numbers of measured wave-
forms to obtain the experimental results. Consequently, three
experimental samples of voltage and current waveforms under
load power factor of 0.87 are comprised. Additionally, these
waveforms are measured at a modulation index of 0.8, 0.9, and
1. Meanwhile, three schemes (i.e., GOTHIPWM, THIPWM4,
and THIPWM5) are implemented at each modulation index.
Moreover, the associated FFT analysis of each scheme at every
modulation index is provided. Fig. 18 shows the voltage and
current waveforms at a modulation index of 0.8 at each scheme
and current THD results are presented in Fig. 19. The voltage and
current waveforms and the current THD when the modulation
index is 0.9 are shown in Figs. 20 and 21, respectively. The
results are presented in Figs. 22 and 23 when the modulation
index is unity.
Another point to highlight here is the noted alteration in
superiority, since THIPWM4 is better than THIPWM5 at a
modulation index of 0.8 then the latter is better at 0.9 and unity
modulation indices. Ultimately, GOTHIPWM is superior to all
schemes at every modulation index.
To investigate the effectiveness of the proposed work con-
sidering some practical uncertainties, the same study is re-
peated using three different power switches (FS75R07U1E4,
6MBI50VA-060-50, and MWI 80-12T6K). Additionally, the
 3296
Fig. 23. Current THD considering m = 1.0 and 0.87 lagging power factor
when (a) GOTHIPWM, (b) THIPWM4, and (c) THIPWM5 schemes are adopted.
time-domain analysis is carried out considering three different
switching frequencies (10, 20, and 30 kHz) and 2 μs deadtime.
All these factors do not change the optimal injection level.
Consequently, the lookup tables are still valid under different
circumstances and for different types of VSIs. In other words,
changing any of the parameters mentioned above changes the
THD value. Despite that, the minimum THD is still associated
with the proposed THI scheme (GOTHIPWM).
VI. CONCLUSION
Clear observations about THD patterns for two-level, three-
phase VSI are provided. The performance of SPWM and
THIPWM methods is studied using different adopted concepts,
such as DOM and THD difference. Two different objective
functions are employed that are suitable for the highly fluctu-
ating nature of these concepts. Additionally, the observed alter-
ation in superiority for different THIPWM methods, including
SPWM, is presented for the first time. It is shown that in some
cases, SPWM is better than many THIPWM schemes, including
THIPWM4 and THIPWM6, in terms of THD performance.
GOTHIPWM is proposed, where a complex injection shape
can be mitigated by the usage of a compact lookup table. This
optimal scheme is used in evaluating the effectiveness of dif-
ferent THIWPWM methods. Consequently, the best suboptimal
method over the entire linear modulation region is proposed
to be THIPWM5. It is proven that THIPWM5 performs better
than its counterpart, THIPWM4, in terms of THD. Another
benefit of the proposed scheme over THIPWM4 is the higher dc
bus utilization. Interestingly, benefits are derived from adopting
THIPWM5 by only modifying the injection ratio, with no added
hardware or software complexity. Several suboptimal THIPWM
methods for subranges have been developed in this article
with fair comparisons between them. Using these suboptimal
schemes, better THD performance is achieved while satisfying
different operation criteria. And finally, operating within the
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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER ELECTRONICS, VOL. 35, NO. 3, MARCH 2020
proposed subrange causes no injection complexity as it is a linear
injection level.
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Abdel Rahman Al Khalaileh was born in Amman,
Jordan, in 1992. He received the B.S. and the M.S.
degrees from Jordan University of Science and Tech-
nology, Irbid, Jordan, in 2014 and 2018, respectively,
both in electrical engineering.
In 2014, he was with Dar Al Handasah (Shair
& Partners) as a Design Engineer. He is currently
working with Zarqa University as a full time lecturer,
in the meantime, he is continuing research about mod-
ulation schemes of two level inverters. His research
interests include power electronics, PWM, dc–dc con-
verters, passive filters electric machines, and multilevel inverters and control.
Ahmad S. Allabadi was born in Saudi Arabia in
1993. He received the B.S. degree from Al-Balqa
Applied University, Salt, Jordan, in 2015, and the
M.S. degree from the Jordan University of Science
and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, in 2019, both in elec-
trical engineering.
Since 2016, he has been working with the Energy
Unit of the Water Authority of Jordan. Meanwhile,
he is working as a Research Assistant with the Jordan
University of Science and Technology. His research
interests include power electronics, electric machine
drives, control, and power system.

Saher Albatran (S’12–M’14) received the B.Sc. de-

gree in electric power engineering from Yarmouk
University, Irbid, Jordan, in 2005, the M.Sc. degree
in electric power and control engineering from the
Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid,
and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from
the Mississippi State University, Mississippi State,
MS, USA, in 2013.
He is currently an Associate Professor with the
Jordan University of Science and Technology. His re-
search interests include control of power electronics,
pulsewidth modulation, inverter topologies, power system operation, renewable
energy, filter design, and control.

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