The authors discuss high-voltage power conversion. Conventional series connection and three-level voltage source inverter techniques are reviewed and compared. A novel versatile multilevel commutation cell is introduced: it is shown that this topology is safer and more simple to control, and delivers purer output waveforms. The authors show how this technique can be applied to either choppers or voltage-source inverters and generalized to any number of switches.<<ETX>>

Multi-level conversion : high voltage choppers and voltage-source inverters

Hybrid renewable energy system has been introduced as a green and reliable power system for remote areas. There is a steady increase in usage of hybrid renewable energy units and consequently optimization problem solving for this system is a necessity. In recent years, researchers are interested in using multi-objective optimization methods for this issue. Therefore, in the present study, an overview of applied multi-objective methods by using evolutionary algorithms for hybrid renewable energy systems was proposed to help the present and future research works. The result shows that there are a few studies about optimization of many objects in a hybrid system by these algorithms and the most popular applied methods are genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization.

Multi-objective optimization of a stand-alone hybrid renewable energy system by using evolutionary algorithms: A review

In this paper, a novel platform for the single phase switched-capacitor multilevel inverters (SCMLIs) is presented. It has several advantages over the classical topologies, such as an appropriate boosting property, higher efficiency, lower number of required dc voltage sources, and other accompanying components with less complexity and lower cost. The basic structure of the proposed converter is capable of making nine-level of the output voltage under different kinds of loading conditions. Hereby, by using the same two capacitors paralleled to a single dc source, a switched-capacitor (SC) cell is made that contributes to boosting the value of the input voltage. In this case, the balanced voltage of the capacitors can be precisely provided on the basis of the series–parallel technique and the redundant switching states. Afterward, to reach the higher number of output voltage levels, two suggested SC cells are connected to each other with a new extended configuration. Therefore, by the use of a reasonable number of required power electronic devices, and also by utilizing only two isolated dc voltage sources, which their magnitudes can be designed based on either symmetric or asymmetric types, a 17- and 49-level of the output voltage are obtained. Based on the proposed extended configuration, a new generalized version of SCMLIs is also derived. To confirm the precise performance of the proposed topologies, apart from the theoretical analysis and a complete comparison, several simulation and experimental results are also given.

A New Boost Switched-Capacitor Multilevel Converter With Reduced Circuit Devices

Multilevel inverters (MLIs) are being used in wide range of power electronic applications. These converters have attracted a lot of attention during recent years and exist in different topologies with similar basic concepts. This paper presents five main submodules (SMs) to be used as the basic structures of MLIs. The paper reviews the common MLI topologies from the structural point of view. The topologies are divided into the different SMs to show conventional MLI configurations and future topologies that can be created from the main SMs. A comparative study between different topologies is performed in detail. The MLIs are categorized and investigated with from different perspectives such as the number of components, the ability to create inherent negative voltage, working in regeneration mode and using single dc source.

A General Review of Multilevel Inverters Based on Main Submodules: Structural Point of View

Hybrid renewable energy (HRE) system based power generation is a cost effective alternative where power grid extensions are expensive. This system utilizes two or more locally available renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, biomass, biogas and small hydro power with or without conventional fossil fuel energy sources to create standalone mode to meet the energy needs in rural remote areas. This study offers a comprehensive review of the research work carried out in planning, configurations, and modeling and optimization techniques of hybrid renewable energy systems for off grid applications. Hybrid renewable system utilities today are more dependent on an optimal design to minimize the cost function. This paper presents a review of various mathematical models proposed by different researchers. These models have been developed based on objective functions, economics and reliability studies involving design parameters. The present study will familiarize the reader with various optimization techniques of system modeling and enable them to compare these models on the basis of their cost functions. Researchers may consider the most suitable model from the various hybrid renewable system models proposed in this study to develop customized designs for optimizing system size while incurring least cost.

A review on planning, configurations, modeling and optimization techniques of hybrid renewable energy systems for off grid applications

Increasing demands for power supplies have contributed to the population of high-frequency ac (HFAC) power distribution system (PDS), and in order to increase the power capacity, multilevel inverters (MLIs) frequently serving as the high-frequency (HF) source-stage have obtained a prominent development. Existing MLIs commonly use more than one voltage source or a great number of power devices to enlarge the level numbers, and HF modulation (HFM) methods are usually adopted to decrease the total harmonic distortion (THD). All of these have increased the complexity and decreased the efficiency for the conversion from dc to HF ac. In this paper, a nine-level inverter employing only one input source and fewer components is proposed for HFAC PDS. It makes full use of the conversion of series and parallel connections of one voltage source and two capacitors to realize nine output levels, thus lower THD can be obtained without HFM methods. The voltage stress on power devices is relatively relieved, which has broadened its range of applications as well. Moreover, the proposed nine-level inverter is equipped with the inherent self-voltage balancing ability, thus the modulation algorithm gets simplified. The circuit structure, modulation method, capacitor calculation, loss analysis, and performance comparisons are presented in this paper, and all the superior performances of the proposed nine-level inverter are verified by simulation and experimental prototypes with rated output power of 200 W. The accordance of theoretical analysis, simulation, and experimental results confirms the feasibility of proposed nine-level inverter.

A Novel Nine-Level Inverter Employing One Voltage Source and Reduced Components as High-Frequency AC Power Source

Based on the switched-capacitor (SC) principle, a seven-level inverter is proposed, which can synthesize seven levels containing a single dc source. Moreover, it can further generate more levels by a cascaded extension. Meanwhile, the proposed topology does not require any sensor due to the use of SC technology. Furthermore, the capacitor voltage is self-balanced without utilizing the complicated control strategy and additional control circuits. The phase disposition pulsewidth modulation is adopted to reduce the total harmonic distortion. The topology can generate different levels with a wide range of modulation index. In addition, the topology can also work in overmodulation. Compared with the traditional SC multilevel inverter, the absence of H-bridge makes low-voltage stress in proposed topology. The voltage stress of all switches is not more than the input voltage. Operational principles, modulation strategy, and voltage stress analysis are discussed. Simulation and experiment are conducted in low power to verify the feasibility of the proposed topology.

A Seven-Level Inverter With Self-Balancing and Low-Voltage Stress

A novel single-phase nine-level switched-capacitor inverter (9LSCI) is presented with quadruple boost ability and reduced components. The proposed topology with single dc source employs only eight switches to realize nine-level output, self-voltage balance of capacitors, quadruple boost and inductive-load ability, thus, the effective cost is cut down compared to other switched-capacitor multilevel inverters (SCMLIs). Different from other SCMLIs, the proposed 9LSCI has no need for back-end H-bridge, of which four switches need to withstand the peak voltage of output. Hence, total standing voltage can be reduced. The operation principles containing the self-voltage balance of capacitors are described in detail. The quantitative comparisons, modified cost function, as well as the loss evaluations are examined in depth. Finally, multicarrier phase disposition pulsewidth modulation method is adopted and a laboratory prototype is implemented with the rated output of 220 V–500 W. The experimental results also verify the feasibility of the proposed topology.

A Novel Nine-Level Quadruple Boost Inverter With Inductive-Load Ability

In this paper, a quasi-resonant switched-capacitor (QRSC) multilevel inverter (MLI) is proposed with self-voltage balancing for single-phase high-frequency ac (HFAC) microgrids. It is composed of a QRSC circuit (QRSCC) in the frontend and an H-bridge circuit in the backend. The input voltage is divided averagely by the series-connected capacitors in QRSCC, and any voltage level can be obtained by increasing the capacitor number. The different operational mechanism and the resulting different application make up for the deficiency of the existing switched-capacitor topologies. The capacitors are connected in parallel partially or wholly when discharging to the load, thus the self-voltage balancing is realized without any high-frequency balancing algorithm. In other words, the proposed QRSC MLI is especially adapted for HFAC fields, where fundamental frequency modulation is preferred when considering the switching frequency and the resulting loss. The quasi-resonance technique is utilized to suppress the current spikes that emerge from the instantaneous parallel connection of the series-connected capacitors and the input source, decreasing the capacitance, increasing their lifetimes, and reducing the electromagnetic interference, simultaneously. The circuit analysis, power loss analysis, and comparisons with typical switched-capacitor topologies are presented. To evaluate the superior performances, a nine-level prototype is designed and implemented in both simulation and experiment, whose results confirm the feasibility of the proposed QRSC MLI.

A Quasi-Resonant Switched-Capacitor Multilevel Inverter With Self-Voltage Balancing for Single-Phase High-Frequency AC Microgrids

This article proposed a single-source multilevel inverter (MLI) based on the novel K-type unit (KTU). The 13-level topology with two KTUs and 1.5 voltage gain is first introduced, and its operation modes at different output levels are described in this article. The two capacitors in series connection with each KTU can get self-voltage balance due to their symmetric operation in a cycle, reducing the complexity of control compared with conventional MLIs. The analysis of self-balance and capacitance calculation are given in detail. Afterward, the single-source generalized structure equipped with more KTUs is presented for increasing output levels. The output levels are significantly increased with additional KTUs, and the voltage gain rises as well. Moreover, through the comparative study against other MLI topologies proposed in recent years, the advantages of the proposed KTU topology are indicated in the aspects for reduced components, self-balance, voltage stress, and overall cost. Finally, the 13-level simulation and 1-kVA experimental prototype with fundamental frequency modulation (FFM) are implemented to verify the feasibility and transient performance of the proposed topology.

Jun Zeng

Papers

A Novel Nine-Level Inverter Employing One Voltage Source and Reduced Components as High-Frequency AC Power Source

A Seven-Level Inverter With Self-Balancing and Low-Voltage Stress

A Novel Nine-Level Quadruple Boost Inverter With Inductive-Load Ability

A Quasi-Resonant Switched-Capacitor Multilevel Inverter With Self-Voltage Balancing for Single-Phase High-Frequency AC Microgrids

Novel K-Type Multilevel Inverter With Reduced Components and Self-Balance