• Journal of international Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.190-196
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• 2013

It presents a unification of buck-boost and flyback converter for driving a cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter with a single independent DC voltage source. Cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter is useful to make many output voltage levels for sinusoidal waveform by combining two or more H-bridge modules. However, each H-bridge module needs an independent DC voltage source to generate multi levels in an output voltage. This topological characteristic brings a demerit of increasing the number of independent DC voltage sources when it needs to increase the number of output voltage levels. To solve this problem, we propose a converter combining a buck-boost converter with a flyback converter. The proposed converter provides independent DC voltage sources at back-end two H-bridge modules. After analyzing theoretical operation of the circuit topology, the validity of the proposed approach is verified by computer-aided simulations using PSIM and experiments.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2099-2108
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• 2016

The cascaded multilevel converter is widely adopted to medium/high voltage and high power electronic applications due to the small harmonic components of the output voltage and the facilitation of modularity. In this paper, the operation principle of a T-type H-bridge topology is investigated in detail, and a carrier phase shifted pulse width modulation (CPS-PWM) based control method is proposed for this topology. Taking a virtual five-level waveform achieved by a unipolar double frequency CPS-PWM as the output object, PWM signals of the T-type H-bridge can be obtained by reverse derivation according to its switching modes. In addition, a control method for the T-type H-bridge based cascaded multilevel converter is introduced. Then a single-phase T-type H-bridge cascaded multilevel static var generator (SVG) prototype is built, and a repetitive controller based compound current control strategy is designed with the DC-link voltage balancing control scheme analyzed. Finally, simulation and experimental results validate the correctness and feasibility of the proposed modulation method and control strategy for T-type H-bridge based cascaded multilevel converters.

• Journal of international Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.197-201
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• 2013

Cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter requires independent DC voltage sources to produce multi output voltage levels. When it needs to generate more levels in the output voltage wave, the number of independent DC voltage sources usually limits its extension. To solve this problem, we propose a cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter employing a front-end flyback converter for unifying input DC voltage sources. After theoretical analysis of the proposed circuit, we verify the validity of the proposed inverter using computer-aided simulations and experiments.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2011.07a
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• pp.1163-1164
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• 2011

Cascaded H-bridge 멀티레벨인버터의 구동을 위해서는 독립된 입력전압원의 확보가 필요하다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 Cascaded H-bridge 멀티레벨 인버터의 구조적 제약을 극복하기 위해 Buck-boost 컨버터와 Flyback 컨버터의 결합을 이용한 단일입력전원 구동 방법을 제안한다. 제안된 회로의 이론적 분석을 수행하고 시뮬레이션을 통하여 타당성을 검증한다.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.507-518
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• 2014

This paper presents a new cascaded asymmetrical single phase multilevel converter with a lower number of power semiconductor switches and isolated DC sources. Therefore, the number of power electronic devices, converter losses, size, and cost are reduced. The proposed multilevel converter topology consists of two H-bridges connected in cascaded configuration. One H-bridge operates at a high frequency (high frequency inverter) and is capable of developing a two level output while the other H-bridge operates at the fundamental frequency (low frequency inverter) and is capable of developing a multilevel output. The addition of each power electronic switch to the low frequency inverter increases the number of levels by four. This paper also introduces a hybrid switching algorithm which uses very simple arithmetic and logical operations. The simplified hybrid switching algorithm is generalized for any number of levels. The proposed simplified switching algorithm is developed using a TMS320F2812 DSP board. The operation and performance of the proposed multilevel converter are verified by simulations using MATLAB/SIMULINK and experimental results.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.567-577
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• 2012

This paper introduces a new scheme to balance the DC bus voltages of a cascaded H-bridge converter which is used as a Distribution Static Synchronous Series Compensator (D-SSSC) in electrical distribution network. The aim of D-SSSC is to control the power flow between two feeders from different substations. As a result of different cell losses and capacitors tolerance the cells DC bus voltage can deviate from their reference values. In the proposed scheme, by individually modifying the reference PWM signal for each cell, an effective balancing procedure is derived. The new balancing procedure needs only the line current sign and is independent of the main control strategy, which controls the total DC bus voltages of cascaded H-bridge. The effect of modulation index variation on the capacitor voltage is analytically derived for the proposed strategy. The proposed method takes advantages of phase shift carrier based modulation and can be applied for a cascaded H-bridge with any number of cells. Also the system is immune to loss of one cell and the presented procedure can keep balancing between the remaining cells. Simulation studies and experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed method in the balancing of DC bus voltages.

• Journal of international Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.354-359
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• 2012

A transformerless converter suitable for multiphase drive application is presented in this paper. The topology employs a cascaded H-bridge rectifier as the interface between the grid and multi inverters which drive the multiphase motor. Compared with the conventional structure, the new topology eliminates the input transformer and also has the advantages such as four quadrant operation, simple configuration, low cost, high efficiency, and so on. The control strategies for the grid-side cascade H-bridge rectifier and the motor-side inverter are studied accordingly. Based on the multi-rotational reference frame, modular control scheme is developed to regulate the multiphase drive system. Simulation results show the proper operation of the proposed topology and the corresponding control strategy.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2010

Reliability is an important issue in cascaded H-bridge converters (CHB converters) because they use a high number of power semiconductors. A faulty power cell in a CHB converter can potentially lead to expensive downtime and great losses on the consumer side. With a fault-tolerant control strategy, operation can continue with the undamaged cells; thus increasing the reliability of the system. In this paper, the operating principles and the control method for a CHB multilevel rectifier are introduced. The influence of various faults on the CHB converter is investigated. The method of fault diagnosis and the bypassing of failed cells are explained. A fault-tolerant protection strategy is proposed to achieve redundancy in the CHB rectifier. The redundant H-bridge concept helps to deal with device failures and to increase system reliability. Simulation results verify the performance of the proposed strategy.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2011.07a
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• pp.1161-1162
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• 2011

본 논문에서는 독립된 DC 입력전원을 요구하는 Cascaded H-bridge 멀티레벨 인버터를 단일 입력전원으로 구동시키기 위한 회로 구조를 제안한다. 변압기 포화를 방지하기 위해 채용되는 리센 권선을 가지는 포워드 컨버터의 구조를 변경한 것으로 리셋 권선에 의해 전원으로 회생되는 에너지가 출력단으로 전달되도록 변경된다. 제안된 회로 구조의 입출력전압과 스위치의 도통비와의 관계를 이론적으로 분석하고 시뮬레이션을 통해 타당성을 검증한다.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2272-2283
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• 2016

This paper proposes a power conditioning system (PCS) for distributed photovoltaic (PV) applications using an asymmetric cascaded multilevel inverter with a single PV source. One of the main disadvantages of the cascaded multilevel inverters in PV systems is the requirement of multiple isolated DC sources. Using multiple PV strings leads to a compromise in either the voltage balance of individual H-bridge cells or the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) operation due to localized variations in atmospheric conditions. The proposed PCS uses a single PV source with a flyback DC-DC converter to facilitate a reduction of the required DC sources and to maintain the voltage balance during MPPT operation. The flyback converter is used to provide input for low-voltage H-bridge cells which processes only 20% of the total power. This helps to minimize the losses occurring in the proposed PCS. Furthermore, transient analyses and controller design for the proposed PCS in both the stand-alone mode and the grid-connection mode are presented. The feasibility of the proposed PCS and its control scheme have been tested using a 1kW hardware prototype and the obtained results are presented.