Comparison of Three-Level Inverter Topologies for MVDC Reversible Railway Substations

Inhalt:
Rail is one of the most energy-efficient modes of transport and the lowest emitter of greenhouse gases. In the years to come, rail will play a key role in accelerating the transition to more sustainable mobility. In 2018, a new Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) electrification system, which also offers perspectives for the integration of renewable energy sources, was proposed. To achieve reversible power flow between the MVDC power system and the public grid, reversible substations are required. Considering the characteristics of HiPak IGBT power modules, this paper presents a comparative study between two three-level inverter topologies that can be used for this application.