Voltage level multiplier module for multilevel power converters
AssigneeSocovar S.E.C.
InventorsMostafa Abarzadeh, Kamal Al-Haddad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Generalized circuit topology of voltage level multiplier modules (VLMMs) for use with multilevel inverters (MLIs) and power converter circuits comprising at least one VLMM and a MLI are described herein. The VLMM is configured to receive a first output voltage from the MLI having a first number of voltage levels and to generate a second output voltage having a second number of voltage levels. If the first number of voltage levels is M, and the VLMM is N-fold voltage level multiplier, then second number of voltage levels is M×N+1. Switching pattern generators for use with the VLMM and modulation methods for controlling switching elements of the VLMM are also described herein.
Claims19
A power converter circuit, comprising:
- a multilevel inverter providing at an output thereof a first output voltage having M voltage levels;
- and
- at least one N-fold voltage level multiplier module electrically connected to the output of the multilevel inverter and comprising a plurality of circuit elements configured to provide at least five voltage levels, the at least one voltage level multiplier module configured to receive the first output voltage from the multilevel inverter and to generate a second output voltage having M×N+1 voltage levels, where N is at least four.
A power converter circuit, comprising:
- a multilevel inverter providing at an output thereof a first output voltage having M voltage levels;
- and
- at least one N-fold voltage level multiplier module electrically connected to the output of the multilevel inverter and comprising a plurality of switching elements,
- wherein said at least one N-fold voltage level multiplier module provides at least five voltage levels, receives the first output voltage from the multilevel inverter and generates a second output voltage having M×N+1 voltage levels, where N is at least four.
A method for controlling a plurality of switching elements of a voltage level multiplier module configured to provide at least five voltage levels, the method comprising:
- generating a first reference signal having staircase voltage levels based on level detection of a sinusoidal input reference signal;
- generating a second reference signal by subtracting the first reference signal from the sinusoidal input reference signal;
- comparing the second reference signal to a plurality of triangular carrier signals to generate comparison results;
- processing the comparison results to generate a plurality of switching signals;
- and
- providing the plurality of switching signals to the voltage level multiplier module, each of the plurality of switching signals for controlling a given one of the plurality of switching elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.