Methodology for the Selection of Optimum Switching Frequency and Modulation Technique for System Power Loss Minimization in Inverter-fed Variable Speed Drives

Abstract:
The use of electric powertrains in energy-limited mobility solutions demands for optimized system efficiency. Therefore, a holistic approach for modeling losses needs to be incorporated into the design process to maximize overall system efficiency. The combined losses in the electric machine and the voltage source inverter are highly dependent on their selected interface parameters, namely the current set-point, switching frequency and modulation technique. To optimize these at an early design stage, an efficient calculation and optimization methodology is proposed. Additionally, the implications of the optimization results for the operation of inverters with variable modulation technique and frequency are discussed.