Space vector modulation algorithms with multilevel medium voltage inverters

This paper presents a real time switching algorithm for space vector modulation in three phase multilevel inverters. It allows minimizing the voltage ripple in the sinusoidal output voltage waveforms, independently of level number. The approach was validated by numerical simulations using Simulink and Spice programs. Any multilevel inverter, independently of voltage levels number, can be presented as a multiplication of 3×1 vector by the level voltage, where each row in the vector is a count of switches in ON state at an appropriated phase leg. The use of matrix model representation and properties of equilateral triangles allow performing this calculation in 3 steps, for any number of levels.