Improved modular multilevel converter topology with magnetically coupled branch inductors

The Modular Multilevel Converter (M²LC) is a well-known modular multilevel topology. This paper proposes a novel branch inductor coupling and compares it to the center-tapped inductor and the standard non-coupled inductor topology. The proposed coupling has a significant influence on the inductor and converter dimensioning. Its properties make it especially well-suited for use in M²LC single-to-three-phase AC/AC converter applications.