Asymmetrical Cascaded Multi Level Inverter using Control Freedom Pulse width Modulation Techniques

International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive System (IJPEDS)
Vol. 7, No. 3, September 2016, pp. 848~856
ISSN: 2088-8694, DOI: 10.11591/ijpeds.v7i3.10534  848
Journal homepage: http://iaesjournal.com/online/index.php/IJPEDS
Asymmetrical Cascaded Multi Level Inverter using Control
Freedom Pulse width Modulation Techniques
D. Periyaazhagar*, G. Irusapparajnar**
* Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Bharath University, India
** Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mailam Engineering College, India
Article Info ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received Nov 12, 2015
Revised Mar 27, 2016
Accepted Apr 28, 2016
In this paper, the suggested topologies are gained by cascading a full bridge
inverter with dissimilar DC sources. This topology has several new patterns
adopting the fixed switching frequency, multicarrier control freedom degree
with mixture conceptions are established and simulated for the preferred
three-phase cascaded multilevel inverter. In outstanding switching
arrangement terminations, there are convinced degrees of freedom to produce
the nine level AC output voltages with terminated switching positions for
producing altered output voltages. These investigations focus on
asymmetrical cascaded multilevel inverter engaging with carrier overlapping
pulse width modulation (PWM) topologies. These topologies offer less
amount of harmonics present in the output voltage and superior root mean
square (RMS) values of the output voltages associated with the traditional
sinusoidal pulse width modulation. This research studies carries with it
MATLAB/SIMULINK based simulation and experimental results obtained
using appropriated prototype to prove the validity of the proposed concept.
Keyword:
Cascaded Multilevel Inverter
Control Freedom Techniques
Pulse Width Modulation
Total Harmonic Distortion
Trinary Multilevel Inverter
Copyright © 2016 Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science.
All rights reserved.
Corresponding Author:
D. Periyaazhagar,
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
Bharath University, Chennai, India.
Email: periyaazhagar@gmail.com
1. INTRODUCTION
The cascaded half bridge multilevel inverter combined a several units of single phase half bridge
power cells. The importance of this configuration is recognized to some characteristics required in other
inverter topologies [1, 2]. This topology compromises a good prospect for the growth of the number of levels
with decreased total harmonic distortion and switching losses. Asymmetrical type cascaded half bridge
inverters demonstration great efficiency up to 90% at the supply frequency [3, 4]. In [5], the optimum
arrangements for this topology are examined for several objectives such as less number of power
semiconductor switches and input DC voltage sources and lowest standing voltage on the power
semiconductor switches for generating the supreme output voltage levels [5]. The Neutral A single phase
seven level Asymmetrical Multilevel Inverter fed resistive load using carrier overlap PWM technique with
different reference [6], it is a modular improve allowing presented converter topologies, particularly the five-
level active neutral point clamping, to create an improved number of levels (in this case 9 level) and, thus, a
high-quality output with a very narrow amount of extra switches while keeping the switching frequency at a
level headed.
A new scheme of line-voltage total harmonic distortion calculation gives estimated answers,
because high-order harmonics are unnoticed. In this work, an analytical algebraic scheme based on
formulates the line-voltage with total harmonic distortion of multilevel inverters with uneven DC sources is
accessible. These schemes are general and relevant to the each number level [7]. A new approach on the
cascaded multilevel inverter analysis a carrier based discontinuous pulse width modulation scheme. The

 ISSN: 2088-8694
IJPEDS Vol. 7, No. 3, September 2016 : 848 – 856
849
separation of the offset into the major and supplementary components shows the use for analysis of pulse
width modulation manage a characteristics of multilevel inverters [8]. Technology of a hybrid modulation
scheme present combination of fundamental frequency modulation and multilevel sinusoidal-modulation
scheme, and are planned for performance of the famous alternative phase opposition disposition control,
phase shifted control, carrier based space vectormodulation control, and single carrier sinusoidal modulation
control [9]. The two level and three level neutral point clamped inverter by using SVPWM Technique with
Photovoltaic Cell is used as input source [10]. The carrier phase shifted SPWM equipment is implemented in
the cascaded multilevel inverter to decreaseharmonic content available in output voltage wave and current
wave, in the interim, a novel style of bypassmanage technique is projected to collect all the energy in
feedback system and return it into the energy to feedback unit [11]. The recognized fractal arrangement is
utilized to recommend a generalized algorithm for SVPWM production for two legged five level multilevel
inverters [12]. The assessment of carrier arrangement based bipolar PWM techonolgy of trinary nine level
multilevel inverters with various PWM technologies [13].
This paper proposes a novel three phase, Nine-level inverter topologies with a Trinary-DC sources.
The suggested topologies are gained by cascading a full bridge inverter with uneven DC sources. These
topologies have several new patterns adopting the fixed switching frequency, multicarrier control freedom
degree with mixture conceptions are established and simulated for the preferred three-phase cascaded
multilevel inverter.
2. PROPOSED TRINARY MULTILEVEL INVERTER
The three-phase multilevel inverter is being used for a large number of industrial applications due to
their capability of high-power accompanying with lesser output harmonics and lesser switching losses.
Multilevel inverter has grown into an active and applied resolution for increasing output power and
decreasing total harmonics distortion of AC load system. The proposed Trinary cascaded multilevel inverter
contains two full bridges with dissimilar voltage sources. The first full bridge contains the DC source of
1VDC and the second full bridge contains the DC source 3VDC as presented in Figure 1.
Figure 1. The Proposed Trinary Cascaded Multilevel Inverter
Each DC source is connected to a proposed three phase inverter. Each inverter produces a three
dissimilar output voltage levels, such as positive, zero and negative levels by different groupings of the four
power semiconductor switches S1, S2, S3 and S4. Whenever the switches, S1 and S4 is turned ON, then the
output voltage is positive level (+Ve); whenever the switches S2 and S3 is turned ON, then the output voltage
is negative level (-Ve); whenever either pair of switches (S1 and S2) or (S3 and S4) is turned ON, then the
output voltage will be at zero level (0). Then the output voltage of first bridge can be made equal to the
−1VDC, 0, or 1VDC, correspondingly the output voltage of second bridge can be made equal to the −3VDC, 0,
or3VDC by turning ON and turning OFF its power semiconductor switches properly. Consequently, the output
voltage of the inverter values for −4VDC, −3VDC, −2VDC, −1VDC, 0, 4VDC, 3VDC, 2VDC, 1VDC, can be planned,
as represented in Figure 1 and table 1 represents the switching sequence of proposed multilevel inverter. The
lower inverter (HB2) produces a necessary output voltage with three levels, and then the upper inverter (HB1)

IJPEDS ISSN: 2088-8694 
Asymmetrical Cascaded Multi Level Inverter using Control Freedom Pulse width … (D. Periyaazhagar)
850
adding or subtracting one level from the fundamental output voltage wave to produce Level ped waves. Here,
then the final output voltage levels becomes the summing of each terminal voltage of cascaded H bridge, and
Then the output voltage of the load is given in (1a) and (1b)
Vout=VHB1+VHB2 (1a)
(Or)
The output voltage of the first bridge is indicated by Vdc and the second full bridge is indicated by 3Vdc.
Then the output voltage of the load is
Vout=VDC+3VDC (1b)
In the proposed inverter circuit topologies, if m number of cascaded H bridge segment has unequal DC
sources in order of the power of 3, a predictable output voltage levels are given as
3 , 1,2,3........m
mV m 
Table 1. Output Voltage Level and Their Switching Sequence of Proposed MLI
Output Voltage
Level
Vout
Switching Sequence of Proposed MLI
First Half Bridge (HB1) Second Half Bridge (HB2)
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 S7 S8
4VDC On Off Off On On Off Off On
3VDC Off On Off On On Off Off On
2VDC Off On On Off On Off Off On
1VDC On Off Off On Off On Off On
0 Off On Off On Off On Off On
-1VDC Off On On Off Off On Off On
-2VDC On Off Off On Off On On Off
-3VDC Off On Off On Off On On Off
-4VDC Off On On Off Off On On Off
3. CARRIER OVERLAPPING PULSE WIDTH MODULATION TECHNIQUES
In this research, sinusoidal reference signals with several overlapping triangular carriers are selected
to produce a preferred output voltage. Then the purpose of every inverter is to modify a DC input voltage into
a nearby AC output voltage with preferred magnitude and frequency which can be attained by using a
number of modulation schemes. Then the proposed multilevel inverter needs N-1 triangular carriers
producing a nine level output voltage. As far as the certain reference wave is disturbed, there is also several
control freedom containing frequency, amplitude, phase angle of the modulating signals and as in three phase
proposed circuits, to insert zero sequence signal to the modulating signals. Then, multilevel carrier based
pulse width modulation techniques offer many control freedom.
These control freedom arrangements combined with the simple topologies of the multilevel inverters
produce an output voltage with the help of multilevel carrier based pulse width modulation approaches. This
research offers four carrier overlapping pulse width modulation techniques that employs the control freedom
of a vertical offsets amongst carrier. The following carrier overlapping techniques are used: Sub harmonic
pulse width modulation scheme (SHPWM), Phase disposition scheme with carrier overlapping pulse width
modulation (COPWM-1), Phase opposition disposition scheme along with carrier overlapping pulse width
modulation (COPWM-2), alternate phase opposition disposition along with carrier overlapping pulse width
modulation (COPWM-3). The above four schemes are employed in this work.
The N-level inverter (using N-1 carriers with the equal frequency of fc and equal peak-to-peak
amplitude of AC) is predisposed such that the bands they occupy overlapping with each other; the
overlapping vertical detachments concerning each carrier are Ac/2.

 ISSN: 2088-8694
851
3.1. Sub Harmonics Pulse Width Modulation
In Sub harmonics pulse width modulation schemes, all the triangular carriers are in phase with each
other. For an N-level inverter using bipolar switching multicarrier pulse width modulation techniques, (N-1)
carriers have same frequency fc and same peak-to-peak amplitude Ac. Then the reference waveform has
amplitude of Am and frequency of fm and it is centered about the zero level. Then the reference wave is
always compared with each of the triangular carrier signals. When the reference wave is more than the
triangular carrier signal, the active devices equivalent to that carrier signals are switched ON. Otherwise, the
devices switched OFF. Then the sub harmonics pulse width modulation scheme yields only odd harmonics
order for odd mf; and yields odd and even order harmonics for even mf. Figure 2 shows the pulse generation
and carrier arrangement for sub harmonics pulse width modulation scheme for ma = 0.85 and mf = 2000HZ.
Figure 2. Carrier and reference wave arrangement of a SHPWM control (ma=0.85 and mf = 2000 hz)
3.2. Carrier Overlapping In Phase Disposition Pulse Width Modulation System
The vertical offset of carriers for a nine level Trinary DC source multilevel inverter with carrier
overlapping in phase disposition pulse width modulation techniques are illustrated in Figure 3. In this
topology, all the eight carriers are overlapped with each other and the reference sinusoidal waveform is
placed at the central point of the eight carriers.
Figure 3. Carrier and reference wave arrangement
of a COIPD PWM control
(ma=0.85 and mf = 2000 hz)
Figure 4. Carrier and Reference Wave Arrangement of a
COPOD PWM Control (ma=0.85 and mf = 2000 hz)
3.3. Carrier Overlapping Phase Opposition Disposition Pulse Width Modulation System
The carriers for a nine level Trinary-DC source, multilevel inverter with carrieroverlapping phase
opposition disposition pulse width modulation techniques are illustrated in Figure 4. In this topology, all the
carriers are divided uniformly into two groups according to the positive/negative standard levels. These two
groups are opposite and 180◦
out of phase width those below the zero values.180◦
out of phase with each
other while maintenance in phase within the group phase opposition disposition pulse width modulation
topology.

852
3.4. Carrier overlapping Alternate Phase Opposition Disposition Pulse Width Modulation system
The carriers for a nine level Trinary DC source multilevel inverter with carrieroverlapping alternate
phase opposition disposition pulse width modulation techniques are illustrated in Figure 5. In this topology,
the carriers are 180◦ alternate phase displace from each other. It may be recognized as pulse width
modulation with amplitude overlapping, and neighbouring phases are interleaved carriers.
Figure 5. Carrier and reference wave arrangement of a COAPOD PWM control (ma= 0.85 and mf =2000 hz)
4. SIMULATION RESULTS
A novel three-phase, Nine-level inverter topologies with a Trinary - DC sources are offered. The
three phase nine level cascaded multilevel inverters with Trinary - DC sources are modeled in SIMULINK
using power systems block set is shown in Figure 6. The three phase inverter it has the 120 degree phase shift
with each phase. Simulations are performed for a choice of ma assorted from 0.8 to 1 and the resultant
%THD is measured using the FFT blocks and their values are exposed in Table 2. Table 3 displays the
fundamental VRMS of inverter output voltage for similar values of modulation indices. Figure 7-11 shows
the simulation output voltage and FFT plot of a nine level cascaded multilevel inverter with Trinary DC
source, and their appropriate harmonic order of a spectrum with bipolar pulse width modulation technology,
but for only one sample of the modulation index. For modulation indices (ma=0.85) it is observed from the
Figures (8, 9, 10 and 11) the harmonic energy level is governing in: Figure 8 represent the harmonic energy
level in sub harmonics PWM techniques shows 40th
order of harmonic. Figure 9 represents the harmonic
energy level in PD PWM technique shows 40th
order of harmonic.
Figure 6. Simulink model of Trinary DC source three phase multilevel inverter
Figure 10 represents the harmonic energy level in POD PWM technique shows 38th
, 40th
order of
harmonic. Figure 11 represents the harmonic energy level in APOD PWM technique shows 29th
, 31st
, 39th
order of harmonic. Simulations are performed for various values of ma ranges from 0.8 to 1 and the results
are obtained by using following parameter such as VDC = 25V , 3VDC = 75V, load resistance is 100Ω, carrier
frequency fc is 2000Hz and modulation frequency fmis 50Hz.
Figure 12 represent the THD contrast of COIPD, COPOD, COAPOD and SHPWM pulse width
modulation techniques no more than one pulse modulation techniques such as SHPWM (Sub Harmonics
Pulse Width Modulation) it hold minimum quantity of harmonic distortion. Figure 13 represent the VRMS
contrast of COIPD, COPOD, COAPOD and SHPWM pulse width modulation techniques no more than one

 ISSN: 2088-8694
853
pulse modulation techniques such as COP (Carrier overlapping Phase Opposition Disposition ) it hold
maximum quantity of fundamental RMS output voltage.
Figure 7. Output Voltages Generated by Control Freedom PWM Control with Sinusoidal Reference
Figure 8. FFT Plot for a Output Voltage of Sub Harmonics PWM Control with Sinusoidal Reference
Figure 9. FFT Plot for Output Voltages Of Carrier Overlapping in Phase Disposition PWM control with
Sinusoidal Reference
Figure 10. FFT Plot For Output Voltage of Carrier Overlapping Phase Opposition Disposition PWM Control
with Sinusoidal Reference

854
Figure 11. FFT Plot for Output Voltage of Carrier Overlapping Alternate Phase Opposition Disposition
PWM Control with Sinusoidal Reference
Table 2. % THD for Different Kind of Modulation
ma
Sine Reference
SHPWM COIPD COPOD COAPOD
1 13.75 20.67 20.02 22.02
0.95 15.59 22.02 21.41 23.67
0.9 16.78 23.48 22.88 25.36
0.85 16.99 24.89 24.08 27.18
0.8 17.13 26.62 25.76 29.52
Table 3. Fundamental RMS Voltage for Different Kind of Modulation Indices
Vrms
Ma
1 0.95 0.9 0.85 0.8
SHPWM 70.71 67.16 63.65 60.09 56.59
COIPD 75.62 73.26 70.75 68.09 65.21
COPOD 75.67 73.31 70.73 68.04 65.19
COAPOD 74.4 71.78 69.24 66.12 63.15
Figure 12. Carrier Overlapping Technique %THD Vs Modulation Indices
Figure 13. Carrier Overlapping Techniques Fundamental Vrms Vs Modulation Indices
0
10
20
30
1
0.95
0.9
0.85
0.8
0
20
40
60
80
1
0.95
0.9
0.85
0.8

 ISSN: 2088-8694
855
5. HARDWARE TEST BOARD AND RESULTS
Experimentally the research authenticates the proposed nine level cascaded multilevel inverter and
prototype model of single phase nine level Trinary - DC source cascaded multilevel inverter has been
developed by using IGBTs as switching devices. In this research the hardware test board is implemented by
using the PIC microcontroller PIC16F877. The hardware implementation for nine level cascaded multilevel
inverter is as shown in Figure 14. The input voltage for cascaded H-Bridge circuit is 1VDC and 3VDC Volt.
The output voltage waveforms of nine level single phase cascaded trinary multilevel inverter shown in Figure
15.
Figure 14. Complete Set of Nine Level Single Phase Cascaded Trinary Multilevel Inverter by Using
Multicarrier PWM Techniques
Figure 15. Output Voltage Waveforms of Nine Level Single Phase Cascaded Trinary Multilevel inverter by
Using Multicarrier PWM Techniques
6. CONCLUSION
Three-phase asymmetrical cascaded multilevel inverter with control freedom pulse width
modulation techniques has been developed. This topology has established that the newly adopted control
freedom techniques such as sub harmonics pulse width modulation techniques produce a lesser value of total
harmonic distortion and carrier overlapping phase opposition disposition method develop a higher value of
fundamental VRMS voltage. Finally, the simulation and research laboratory tests (prototype model) are
achieved to show the strength of the proposed three-phase asymmetrical cascaded multilevel inverter. After
that foot level in the three-phase asymmetrical cascaded multilevel inverter testing is carried out with help of
three-phase induction motor drive using predictable speed and torque control.
REFERENCES
[1] M. Malinowski., et al., “A survey on cascaded multilevel inverters”, IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron., vol. 57, pp. 2197–
2206, 2010.
[2] C. Kiruthika, et al., “Implementation of digital control strategy for asymmetric cascaded multilevel inverter”,
International Conference on Computing, Electronics and Electrical Technologies (ICCEET), pp. 295–300, 2012.
[3] K. Radha Sree, et al., “Asymmetric cascaded multilevel inverter for electric vehicles’. International Conference on
Advances in Engineering, Science and Management (ICAESM), pp. 758–763, 2012.
[4] Khoucha, F., et al., “A comparison of symmetrical and asymmetrical three-phase H-bridge multilevel inverter for
DTC induction motor drives”, IEEE Trans. Ind.Electron., vol. 26, pp. 64–72, 2011.

856
[5] E. Babaei, “Optimal Topologies for Cascaded Sub- Multilevel Converters”, Journal of Power Electronics, Vol. 10,
No. 3, pp. 251-261, 2010.
[6] R. Johnson Uthayakuma., et al., “A Carrier Overlapping PWM Technique for Seven Level Asymmetrical
Multilevel Inverter with various References”, IOSR Journal of Engineering, vol. 2, no. 6, pp. 1301-1307, 2012.
[7] N. Farokhnia, et al., “Calculating the Formula of Line-Voltage THD in Multilevel Inverter With Unequal DC
Sources”, IEEE Transactions On Industrial Electronics, vol.58, no. 8, pp. 3359–3372, 2011.
[8] N. Nguyen, et al., “An Optimized Discontinuous PWM Method to Minimize Switching Loss for Multilevel
Inverters”, IEEE Transactions On Industrial Electronics, vol. 58, no. 9, pp. 3958–3966, 2011.
[9] C. Govindaraju, et al., “Efficient Sequential Switching Hybrid-Modulation Techniques for Cascaded Multilevel
Inverters”. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 1639–1648, 2011.
[10] Shantanu Chatterjee, “A Multilevel Inverter Based on SVPWM Technique for Photovoltaic Application,”
International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive System (IJPEDS), vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 62 -73, 2013.
[11] Wang Pan, et al., “Research on a New Type of Energy Feedback Cascade Multilevel Inverter System”,
TELKOMNIKA, Vol.11, no.1, pp. 494-502, 2013.
[12] DevisreeSasi, et al., “Generalized SVPWM Algorithm for Two Legged Three Phase Multilevel Inverter”,
International Journal of Power Electronics and Drive System (IJPEDS), Vol.3, no.3, pp. 279-286, 2013.
[13] D. Periyaazhagar et al.,”Comparative study on three phase cascaded inverter for various bipolar PWM
techniques,”Int. J. Modelling, Identification and Control, Vol. X, No. Y, 200x in press.
BIOGRAPHIES OF AUTHORS
D. Periyaazhagar
He has obtained B.E (Electrical and Electronics Engineering) and M.E (Power Electronics and
Drives) Degrees in 2009 and 2011 from GKM College of Engineering and Arunai Engineering
College, Chennai, India, and pursuing his Ph.D degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
from Bharath University, Chennai, India. His areas of interest include power electronics, Power
Quality and Electrical Drives.
G. Irusapparajan
He received his B.E. Degree from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in 2000, M.E from
AnnamalaiUniversity in 2005. He received his Ph.D from Bharath University in 2011, in the area
of Power System. He has more than 14 years of teaching experience. He has published 17
research papers in reputed international journals and conferences. His research areas are FACTS
and Power Electronic Drives.Currently he is working as a Research Coordinator and Professor in
the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Mailam Engineering College, Mailam,
Tamil Nadu, India.

Asymmetrical Cascaded Multi Level Inverter using Control Freedom Pulse width Modulation Techniques

More Related Content

What's hot (19)

Similar to Asymmetrical Cascaded Multi Level Inverter using Control Freedom Pulse width Modulation Techniques (20)

More from IAES-IJPEDS (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

Asymmetrical Cascaded Multi Level Inverter using Control Freedom Pulse width Modulation Techniques