Quasi three-level power converter

A power converter, comprising:

• a positive terminal;
• a neutral terminal;
• a negative terminal, wherein a first DC link capacitor connects the positive terminal with the neutral terminal and a second DC link capacitor connects the neutral terminal with the negative terminal;
• a first intermediate node, wherein a first vertical switch connects the positive terminal with the first intermediate node and a second vertical switch connects the first intermediate node with the neutral terminal;
• a second intermediate node, wherein a third vertical switch connects the neutral terminal with the second intermediate node and a fourth vertical switch connects the second intermediate node with the negative terminal;
• and
• an AC terminal, wherein a first horizontal switch connects the first intermediate node with the AC terminal and a second horizontal switch connects the second intermediate node with the AC terminal,
• wherein the vertical and horizontal switches are configured to switch a DC voltage between the positive and negative terminal to an AC voltage at the AC terminal, the AC voltage comprising three main voltage levels, a transition between any two of the main voltage levels following a trapezoidal shape with at least one voltage sub-level, wherein each of the vertical switches are made of directly series-connected power semiconductor devices.