TY - JOUR
T1 - Three-level converter topologies with switch breakdown fault-tolerance capability
AU - Ceballos, Salvador
AU - Pou, Joseph
AU - Robles, Eider
AU - Gabiola, Igor
AU - Zaragoza, Jordi
AU - Villate, José L.
AU - Boroyevich, Dushan
PY - 2008/3
Y1 - 2008/3
N2 - This paper presents some modified topologies of the neutral-point-clamped converter. In all of them, the main change consists of adding a fourth leg, which is based on the flying-capacitor converter structure. The aim of this additional leg is to provide the converter with fault tolerance. Furthermore, during normal operation mode, this leg is able to provide a stiff neutral voltage. Consequently, the low-frequency voltage oscillations that appear at the neutral point of the standard three-level topology in some operating conditions no longer exist. As a result, the modulation strategy of the three main legs of the converter does not have to take care of voltage balance, and it can be designed to either achieve optimal output voltage spectra or improve the efficiency of the converter. Simulation and experimental results are presented to show the viability of this approach both under normal operation mode and in the event of faults.
AB - This paper presents some modified topologies of the neutral-point-clamped converter. In all of them, the main change consists of adding a fourth leg, which is based on the flying-capacitor converter structure. The aim of this additional leg is to provide the converter with fault tolerance. Furthermore, during normal operation mode, this leg is able to provide a stiff neutral voltage. Consequently, the low-frequency voltage oscillations that appear at the neutral point of the standard three-level topology in some operating conditions no longer exist. As a result, the modulation strategy of the three main legs of the converter does not have to take care of voltage balance, and it can be designed to either achieve optimal output voltage spectra or improve the efficiency of the converter. Simulation and experimental results are presented to show the viability of this approach both under normal operation mode and in the event of faults.
KW - Fault tolerance
KW - Multilevel converter
KW - Neutral-point-clamped (NPC) converter
KW - Postfault-handling reconfiguration
KW - Voltage oscillation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=41349119870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/TIE.2008.917072
DO - 10.1109/TIE.2008.917072
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:41349119870
SN - 0278-0046
VL - 55
SP - 982
EP - 995
JO - IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics
JF - IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics
IS - 3
ER -
