A Comparative Study of 5level and 7-level Multilevel

Inverter Connected to the

Grid
Nurul Aisyah binti Yusof
University of Malaya

PECON 2012

Overview
Objectives
PV system
Multilevel Inverter
Pulse Width Modulation
Technique
Simulations model
Results
Conclusion

Objectives
To model 5-level and 7-level
multilevel inverter (MLI) in
PSCAD/EMTDC software.
To compare the power factor, total
harmonic distortion (THD) and
efficiency from the output of 5-level
and 7-level MLI

Photovoltaic (PV)
System
Photovoltaic refers to Solar Panel.
A type of renewable energy.
Solar energy - energy derived from
thesunthrough the form ofsolar radiation.
Consist of solar panel, boost converter,
inverter, filters, maximum power point
tracking (MPPT) controller.

... (cont. ) PV system

Multilevel Inverter
Introduced as an alternative in high
power and medium voltage situations
.
Even at low switching frequencies,
smaller distortion in the multilevel
inverter AC side waveform can be
achieved.
The output is staged; near
resemblance of sinusoidal waveform.
Controlled by pulse width

 (cont.) Multilevel
Inverter
Conventional inverter output

 (cont.) Multilevel
Inverter
Multilevel inverter output

 (cont.) Multilevel
Inverter
Various topology for MLI
implementation
H-Bridge
Diode-clamped
Flying capacitor
Hybrid

 (cont.) Multilevel Inverter

New Full-Bridge topology
5-level multilevel inverter

 (cont.) Multilevel Inverter

New Full-Bridge topology
7-level
multilevel
inverter

Pulse Width
Modulation (PWM)

A technique for controlling

electrical devices, made practical by
modern electronic power switches.
Had tons of types, chosen sinusoidal
PWM (SPWM) method.
The principal: generate gate signal
by comparing triangular carrier signal
with the reference signal

 (cont.) PWM
Switching pattern for 5-level MLI

 (cont.) PWM
Switching
pattern for
7-level
MLI

Grid
Use an AC source act
as load (the distribution
network)
240 V of RMS voltage
Frequency of 50Hz

PV Module
Characteristics

Simulations (MLI
model)

The model in PSCAD/EMTDC software

for 5-level MLI

 (cont.) Simulations
(MLI model)

The model in PSCAD/EMTDC software

for 7-level MLI

Simulations (PWM model)

5-Level MLI

Refere
nce
Signals

Carrier
Signal

 (cont.) Simulations
(PWM model)

 (cont.) Simulations
(PWM model)

7-Level MLI

Reference
Signals
Carrier
Signal

 (cont.)
Simulations
(PWM
model)

Results
Results of simulation for 5level MLI
Output
Voltage
Power Factor
THD
Efficiency

0.861
1.876%
67.9%

... (cont.)
Results Results of simulation for 7level MLI
Output
Voltage
Power Factor
THD
Efficiency

0.913
1.175%
88.5%

Comparison of both levels

Conclusion
MLI is a good inverter for PV
application.
7-level MLI had given better
performance in terms of power
factor, THD and efficiency than 5level MLI

THE END