2016 International Conference on Circuit, Power and Computing Technologies [ICCPCT]

A PSCAD Simulation on Integration of Multi-

Level Converters with DC-DC Converter for
AC Drive Applications
D R Karthik B Mallikarjuna Reddy Satendra KrSingh Kushwaha
Research Scholar Research Scholar PG Scholar
Karthik.dasarathi@gmail.com reel505@mnnit.ac.in

Abstract-Bidirectional dc-dc converter allows transfer of 1. It can operate in one mode either buck or boost
energy between two dc buses. As renewable energy mode in one direction i.e. voltage ratio is either
systems are fluctuating in nature we use a energy storage smaller or greater than unity [5].
system, bidirectional dc-dc converter allows exchange of
2. For higher voltages ratios structure becomes
energy between storage system and the system.
impractical.
Bidirectional dc-dc boost converter can be utilized to step- 3. No galvanic isolation is present.
up voltage level in renewable energy sources which A galvanic isolation is required for
reduces the ripple content in output. This paper focuses
personal safety, noise reduction and correct
on Integration of Multilevel converter with bidirectional
operation of protection systems [6-7]. By employing
dc-dc converter by connecting to a common DC bus to
feed AC motor drives. multilevel converters has low a transformer both galvanic isolation and voltage
ripple content, can generate near sinusoidal voltages with matching are performed, however bidirectional dc-
only fundamental switching which is very suitable for dc converter becomes complex for isolated mode.
large motor drives this paper focuses on low frequency, II. MULTI-LEVEL INVERTERS
high power applications of AC motor drives by The function of multilevel inverters is to
employing a Hysteresis current control. synthesize a desired voltage from several level of
Key words-Bidirectional dc-dc boosts converter; DC voltages obtained from capacitors , the
multilevel converters; Renewable energy systems; Energy
multilevel voltage source inverters allows to reach
storage systems; hysteresis current control.
high voltages with low harmonics without using a
I. INTRODUCTION
transformer, they can provide high power which is
Renewable energy systems are fluctuating
suitable for AC motor drives.
in nature due to many environmental conditions like
The harmonics are reduced as number of
partial shading, wind direction and other factors
level increases; the synthesized waveform has more
which makes unsuitable for standalone operation the
steps, which produces a staircase wave that
possible solution is to employ an energy storage
approaches a desired waveform [8]. The
system such as battery or ultra-capacitor
classification of multilevel inverters includes
bidirectional dc-dc converter allows to exchange
1.Diode clamped multilevel inverter, 2.Flying
energy from energy storage system [1-3] and the
capacitor multilevel inverter. 3. Cascaded multilevel
rest of the system which is not possible in
inverter.
unidirectional dc-dc converter due to the fact that
The multilevel inverters employed in
unidirectional dc-dc converter employs diodes in its
motor drives must be capable of bidirectional power
structure which prevents reverse power flow
flow and they must be used some form of PWM
bidirectional dc-dc(BDC) converters are classified
technique to control the switching action multilevel
into two types non isolated and isolated, non-
PWM has lower rate of change of voltage than that
isolated BDC have simpler structure and can higher
of in two level inverter PWM drives. The drives are
efficiency, isolated BDC have complex structure
generally adjustable speed drives; these adjustable
because of AC link present in its structure by which
speed drives usually employ a diode rectifier on
is achieved by employing a transformer and also
front side to obtain dc output and inverter with
provides galvanic isolation however there are some
PWM-controlled switching devices to convert
limitations associated with the Non-isolated BDC
variable voltage and variable frequency for motor
some of them are listed below [4].
speed control. Due to large rate of change of voltage

978-1-5090-1277-0/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE

 2016 International Conference on Circuit, Power and Computing Technologies [ICCPCT]

which produces common-mode voltage across the 4Vdc

motor windings which motor damage and failures V (wt ) =
π
¦[cos(nθ ) + cos(nθ ) + − −
1 2

may occur, this problem is of serious concern when

− − − + cos(nθ S )] (1)
the switching frequency is very high, the common
problem that appears are motor bearing failure and (nwt )
sin ; n = 1,3
motor winding insulation breakdown because of the n
circulating current and dielectrically stresses voltage
surge and corona discharge. The switching
frequency causes steep voltage wave fronts across
the motor terminals. These voltage wave fronts may
be so high so as cause corona discharge between the
winding layers.
The above mentioned problems can be
overcome by employing a multilevel inverter as
these have lower rate of change of voltage per
switching.

Fig.2.Single phase structure of a multilevel cascade H-bridge

inverter

This paper presents integration of 3-level

and 5-level multilevel inverter with dc-dc boost
converters one with bidirectional capability along
with energy storage system for exchange of energy
and another with unidirectional capability for a
renewable energy source with and a energy storage
system connected to a common dc bus voltage of
200 V, which explained in block diagram.
Fig.1.Multilevel inverter structure

The cascaded multilevel inverter needs a

separate dc source for their conversion renewable
energy sources like fuel cell, photovoltaic are well
suited for this for converter. We use a cascaded H-
bridge multilevel inverter in present paper for
conversion process.

III.ANALYSIS

The phase voltage of an five level inverter

is almost sinusoidal and it has less than 5% THD as
each H-bridge switch at only fundamental
frequency, each H-bridge generates a quasi-
waveform by phase-shifting its positive and
negative phase legs switching timings the Fourier
transform of this waveform as follows; Fig.3.Block diagram of proposed circuit
 2016 International Conference on Circuit, Power and Computing Technologies [ICCPCT]

IV.THREE-LEVEL MULTILEVEL INVERTER 2

THD = FF −1 (5)
WITH HCC CONTROLLER

Here cascaded H-bridge multilevel Where FF is form factor.

inverters are operated with hysteresis current control
to obtain high efficiency and low THD which is
very suitable for AC drive applications operating at
fundamental frequency.

Fig.5.fft analysis of three-level inverter with HCC controller

Fig. 4.three-level multilevel inverter with HCC controller

THD analysis of H-Bridge with HCC controller:

The THD is usually calculated till a specific
harmonic of order (2k+1) using the expression:

m=k

¦V 2
2 m +1
THD = m =1

V 21
(2)

Exact THD must include all harmonics as given by:

m=∞

¦ V 2
2 m +1
THD = m =1
Fig.6.HCC for the five-level inverter
1 (3)
V.BI-DIRECTIONAL DC-DC BOOST
The expression for exact THD is thus CONVERTER FOR DC MICRO-GRID

The relation between input voltage ( Vs ) and output

2
V rms voltage ( VO ) is derived by the volt- second balance
THD = −1 in the output inductor of the bi-directional dc-dc
V2avg (4) converter. Because, the voltage wave is periodic and
symmetrical wave in the inductor as well as voltage
 2016 International Conference on Circuit, Power and Computing Technologies [ICCPCT]

across inductor has been zero over a cycle.it is duty 150

Iref output current

ratio D.
100

50

-50

-100

-150

(b)

Iref
150

100

50

-50

-100

-150
Fig.7.bi-directional dc-dc converter
(c)

error
0.0060

0.0040

0.0020

0.0000

-0.0020

-0.0040

-0.0060

(d)
Fig.8.control and display panel of the bi-directional dc-dc
converter. Vout2 Vout1
150

VI.PSCAD SIMULATION RESULTS 100

output voltage voltage across resistance

500 50
400
300 0
200
100 -50
0
-100 -100
-200
-300 -150
-400
-500 (e)

(a) Fig.9.Three-level inverter (a) output voltage (b) output current (c)
reference current (d) error (e) three-level output voltage
 2016 International Conference on Circuit, Power and Computing Technologies [ICCPCT]

Table.1.comparision of multi-level inverter

parameters Output Output THD In

voltage current PU

3-level Three- Non- 3.15021

inverter level with sinusoidal
(a) huge
ripple
THD analysis content
110.0

5-level Five-level Non- 6.7575

inverter with less sinusoidal
ripple but less
compare ripple in
to the than the
0.0
three three-
[1] 3.15021 level level

(b)
Fig.10.thd analysis (a) three-level (b) five-level inverter
The output voltage waveforms of a 3- level
multilevel inverter are shown in fig.8 obtained in
PSCAD software, the output voltage is 410, and
output current is 128 amps.
The output voltage waveforms are shown
in fig.8 the output voltage is 203 volts and output
current is 28 amps.
THD analysis with HCC controller of an
H-Bridge controller is shown in fig.9 the measured
THD for 3-level and 5-level multilevel inverter are
3.15021 and 7.7117 respectively, with P.U values
and 6.7575 respectively.
The output waveforms of the five level
inverter for motor drive applications is shown in
fig.11
300
Vout Iout
VII.CONCLUSION
The above converter shows improved
performance of by integration of the bidirectional
dc-dc boost converter with multilevel inverter.
Above converter improved THD for both 3-level
and 5-level inverter which also efficient and reliable
operation by connecting a battery for supplying load
during low output. This converter can employs HCC
current controller for its operation and suitable for
AC motor drive applications as it operates with low
THD and high power, and these converters has
extensive scope in many applications as well
especially to improve reliability where the input is
obtained from renewable sources such as solar cell.
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