NAA-2002 1

4.7 MULTILEVEL
INVERTERS (MLI)
Main feature
Ability to reduce the voltage stress on
each power device due to the utilization
of multiple levels on the DC bus
Important when a high DC side voltage
is imposed by an application (e.g.
traction systems)
Even at low switching frequencies,
smaller distortion in the multilevel
inverter AC side waveform can be
achieved (with stepped modulation
technique)

3 main MLI circuit topologies

NAA-2002 2
MLI (2)
Diode-clamped multilevel inverter
(DCMI)
Extension of NPC
Based on concept of using diodes to
limit power devices voltage stress
Structure and basic operating principle
Consists of series connected capacitors that
divide DC bus voltage into a set of capacitor
voltages

A DCMI with nl number of levels typically
comprises (nl-1) capacitors on the DC bus

Voltage across each capacitor is V
DC
/(nl-1)
( nl nodes on DC bus, nl levels of output
phase voltage , (2nl-1) levels of output line
voltage)

NAA-2002 3
MLI (3)
VDC/4
VDC/4
VDC/4
VDC/4
V1
V5
V4
V3
V2
V
D
C
Dc1
Dc2
Dc3
Dc4
Dc5
Dc6
Vo
S1
S2
D1
S8
S7
S6
S5
S4
S3
D5
D4
D3
D2
D8
D7
D6
NAA-2002 4
MLI (4)
Output phase voltage can assume any
voltage level by selecting any of the nodes

DCMI is considered as a type of multiplexer
that attaches the output to one of the
available nodes

Consists of main power devices in series
with their respective main diodes connected
in parallel and clamping diodes

Main diodes conduct only when most upper
or lower node is selected

Although main diodes have same voltage
rating as main power devices, much lower
current rating is allowable

In each phase leg, the forward voltage
across each main power device is clamped
by the connection of diodes between the
main power devices and the nodes
NAA-2002 5
MLI (5)
Number of power devices in ON state for
any selection of node is always equal to
(nl-1)

Output phase voltage with corresponding
switching states of power devices for a 5-
level DCMI




Output Phase Voltage (V
o
)
Power device
index
V
1


V
2


V
3


V
4


V
5


S
1
1 0 0 0 0
S
2
1 1 0 0 0
S
3
1 1 1 0 0
S
4
1 1 1 1 0
S
5
0 1 1 1 1
S
6
0 0 1 1 1
S
7
0 0 0 1 1
S
8
0 0 0 0 1

NAA-2002 6
MLI (6)
General features
For three-phase DCMI, the capacitors need to
filter only the high-order harmonics of the
clamping diodes currents , low-order
components intrinsically cancel each other

For DCMI employing step modulation
strategy, if nl is sufficiently high, filters may
not be required at all due to the significantly
low harmonic content

If each clamping diode has same voltage
rating as power devices, for nl-level DCMI,
number of clamping diodes/phase = (nl-1) x
(nl-2)

Each power device block only a capacitor
voltage

NAA-2002 7
MLI (7)
Clamping diodes block reverse voltage (Dc1,
Dc2, Dc3 block VDC/4, 2VDC/4 and
3VDC/4 respectively)

Unequal conduction duty of the power
devices

DCMI with step modulation strategy have
problems stabilizing/balancing capacitor
voltages

Average current flowing into
corresponding inner nodes not equal to
zero over one cycle

Not significant in SVC applications
involving pure reactive power transfer
NAA-2002 8
MLI (8)
Overcoming capacitor voltage balancing
problem

Line-to-line voltage redundancies (phase
voltage redundancies not available due to
structure)

Carefully designed modulation strategies

Replace capacitors with controlled
constant DC voltage source such as PWM
voltage regulators or batteries

Interconnection of two DCMIs back-to-
back with a DC capacitor link (suitable
for specific applications only UPFC,
frequency changer, phase shifter)

NAA-2002 9
MLI (9)
Imbricated cell multilevel inverter
Capable of solving capacitor voltage
unbalance problem and excessive diode
count requirement in DCMI

Also known as flying capacitor
multilevel inverter (capacitors are
arranged to float with respect to earth)

Structure and basic operating principle
Employs separate capacitors precharged to
[(nl-1)/(nl-1)xVDC], [(nl-2)/(nl-1)xVDC]
{[nl-(nl-1)]/[nl-1]xVDC}

Size of voltage increment between two
capacitors defines size of voltage steps in
ICMI output voltage waveform

NAA-2002 10
MLI (10)
nl-level ICMI has nl levels output phase
voltage and (2nl-1) levels output line voltage

3VDC/4
Vo
S1
S8
S7
S6
S5
S4
S3
S2
VDC/2 VDC/4 VDC
D1
D7
D6
D5
D4
D3
D2
D8
NAA-2002 11
MLI (11)
Output voltage produced by switching the
right combinations of power devices to allow
adding or subtracting of the capacitor
voltages

Constraints : capacitors are never shorted to
each other and current continuity to the DC
bus capacitor is maintained

5-level ICMI 16 power devices switching
combinations (SWC) . To produce VDC and
0 (1 SWC all upper devices ON, all lower
devices ON), VDC/2 (6 SWC), VDC/4 and
3VDC/4 (4 SWC)

Example - capacitor voltage combinations
that produce an output phase voltage level of
VDC/2
NAA-2002 12
MLI (12)
VDC - VDC/2
VDC 3VDC/4 + VDC/4
VDC - 3VDC/4 +VDC/2 VDC/4
3VDC/4 VDC/2 + VDC/4
3VDC/4 VDC/4
VDC/2

Power devices switching states of a 5-level
ICMI

Output Phase Voltage (V
o
)
Power device
index
V
1


V
2


V
3


V
4


V
5


S
1
1 0 0 0 0
S
2
1 1 0 0 0
S
3
1 1 1 0 0
S
4
1 1 1 1 0
S
5
0 1 1 1 1
S
6
0 0 1 1 1
S
7
0 0 0 1 1
S
8
0 0 0 0 1

NAA-2002 13
MLI (13)
General features
With step modulation strategy, with
sufficiently high nl, harmonic content can be
low enough to avoid the need for filters

Advantage of inner voltage levels
redundancies - allows preferential charging or
discharging of individual capacitors,
facilitates manipulation of capacitor voltages
so that their proper values are maintained

Active and reactive power flow can be
controlled (complex selection of power
devices combination, switching
frequency/losses for the former)

Additional circuit required for initial charging
of capacitors

NAA-2002 14
MLI (14)
Assuming each capacitor used has the same
voltage rating as the power devices, nl-level
ICMI requires:
(nl 1) x (nl 2)/2 auxiliary capacitors per
phase
(nl 1) main DC bus capacitors

Unequal conduction duty of power devices

Modular structured multilevel
inverter (MSMI)

Referred to as cascaded-inverters with
Separate DC Sources (SDCs) or series
connected H-bridge inverters

Structure and basic operating principle
NAA-2002 15
MLI (15)
Consists of (nl1)/2 or h number of single-
phase H-bridge inverters (MSMI modules)

MSMI output phase voltage

Vo = Vm1 + Vm2 + .. Vmh

Vm1 : output voltage of module 1
Vm2 : output voltage of module 2
Vmh : output voltage of module h

Structure of a single-phase nl-level MSMI







NAA-2002 16
MLI (16)
Vphase (Vo)
S11 S21
S31 S41
S1h S2h
S3h S4h
S12 S22
S32 S42
VDC
Module 1
Module 2
Module h
Vm1
0
VDC
VDC
Vm2
Vmh
NAA-2002 17
MLI (17)
Power devices switching states of a 5-level
MSMI

Power devices index Output voltages
S
11
S
21
S
31
S
41
S
12
S
22
S
32
S
42
V
m1
V
m2
V
o

1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 +V
DC
+V
DC
+2V
DC

1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 +V
DC
0 +V
DC

1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 +V
DC
0 +V
DC

1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 +V
DC
V
DC
0
1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 +V
DC
+V
DC

1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 V
DC
V
DC

0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 +V
DC
+V
DC

0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 V
DC
V
DC

0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 V
DC
+V
DC
0
0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 V
DC
0 V
DC

0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 V
DC
0 V
DC

0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 V
DC
V
DC
-2V
DC


NAA-2002 18
MLI (18)
General features

Known to eliminate the excessively large
number of bulky transformers required by the
multipulse inverters, clamping diodes
required by the DCMIs and capacitors
required by the ICMIs

Simple and modular configuration

Requires least number of components

Comparison of power devices requirements
per phase leg among three MLI (assuming all
power devices have same voltage rating, not
necessary same current rating, each MSMI
module represented by a full-bridge, DCMI
and ICMI use half-bridge topology)
NAA-2002 19
MLI (19)
Type of multilevel inverter DCMI ICMI MSMI
Main power devices (nl 1) x 2 (nl 1) x 2 (nl 1) x 2
Main diodes (nl 1) x 2 (nl 1) x 2 (nl 1) x 2
Clamping diodes (nl - 1) x (nl - 2) 0 0
DC bus capacitors (nl 1) (nl 1) (nl 1)/2
Balancing capacitors 0 (nl 1) x (nl 2)/2 0

Flexibility in extending to higher number of
levels without undue increase in circuit
complexity simplifies fault finding and
repair, facilitates packaging

Requires DC sources isolated from one
another for each module for applications
involving real power transfer

Adaptation measures have to be taken in
complying to the separate DC sources
requirement for ASDs applications


NAA-2002 20
MLI (20)
Feed each MSMI module from a
capacitively smooth fully controlled three-
phase rectifier, isolation achieved using
specially designed transformer having
separate secondary windings/module

Employ a DC-DC converter with medium
to high frequency transformers (between
rectifier output and each MSMI module
input), allows bidirectional power flow

Isolated DC sources not required for
applications involving pure reactive power
transfer (SVG) pure reactive power drawn,
phase voltage and current 90 apart
balanced capacitor charge and discharge








NAA-2002 21
MLI (21)
Originally isolated DC voltages, alternate
sources of energy (PV arrays, fuel cells)

Advantage of availability of output
phase voltage redundancies

Allows optimised cyclic use of power
devices to ensure symmetrical utilization,
symmetrical thermal problems and wear

Design of power devices utilization pattern
possible

Overall improvement in MSMI performance
high quality output voltage etc.







NAA-2002 22
MLI (22)
Modulation strategies for multilevel
inverters
Step modulation

Space vector modulation

Optimal/programmed PWM technique

Sigma delta modulation (SDM)

High-dynamic control strategies
Multilevel hysterisis modulation strategy
Sliding mode control based on theory of
Variable Structure Control System (VSCS)