The Power loss reduction from continuous PWM to discontinuous PWM in a 3L ANPC converter

Inhalt:
PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) control is a method of controlling the power electrical devices. This paper will introduce the modern PWM control methods in a three-level ANPC converter, incl. continuous PWM(CPWM) and discontinuous PWM (DPWM). The main advantage of DPWM is that it can reduce switching losses, resulting in higher efficiency at the same carrier frequency. However, it can also produce more harmonics in the output voltage compared to CPWM. A benchmark analysis is performed between the CPWM and DPWM in a specified PV inverter. A detailed simulation model is also built to get more accurate power loss, system efficiency, and temperature rise. The results show obvious benefits in power losses and system efficiency. This benchmark is meaningful to select the right control method in a real system design.