This paper presents a method for predicting parasitic capacitances of solenoid HF inductors made of one layer of turns with circular cross sections, uniformly wound around a cylindrical nonconductive core. The method is based on an analytical approach to obtain the turn-to-turn and turn-to-shield capacitances of coils. The influence of the wire insulation is taken into account. An equivalent lumped parallel capacitance is derived. The method was tested by experimental measurements. The calculated and measured values were in good agreement in the considered cases. The derived expressions are useful for designing HF inductors and can also be adopted for modeling and simulation purposes

A maximum power point tracking algorithm for single-stage converters connecting photovoltaic (PV) panels to a single-phase grid is presented in this paper. The algorithm is based on the application of the "ripple correlation control" using as perturbation signals the current and voltage low-frequency oscillations introduced in the PV panels by the single-phase utility grid. The proposed control technique allows the generation of sinusoidal grid currents with unity power factor. The algorithm has been developed to allow an array of PV modules to be connected to the grid by using a single-stage converter. This simple structure yields higher efficiency and reliability when compared with standard solutions based on double-stage converter configurations. The proposed maximum power point tracking algorithm has been numerically simulated and experimentally verified by means of a converter prototype connected to a single-phase grid. The results are presented in the paper, showing the effectiveness of the proposed system.

A novel scheme for three-phase grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) generation systems is presented in this paper. The scheme is based on two insulated strings of PV panels, each one feeding the dc bus of a standard two-level three-phase voltage-source inverter (VSI). The inverters are connected to the grid by a three-phase transformer having open-end windings on the inverter side. The resulting conversion structure performs as a multilevel power active filter (equivalent to a three-level inverter), doubling the power capability of a single VSI with given voltage and current ratings. The multilevel voltage waveforms are generated by an improved space-vector-modulation algorithm, suitable for the implementation in industrial digital signal processors. An original control method has been introduced to regulate the dc-link voltages of each VSI, according to the voltage reference given by a single maximum power point tracking controller. The proposed regulation system has been verified by numerical simulations and experimental tests with reference to different operating conditions.

A multilevel inverter topology feeding a three-phase open-end winding machine is analyzed in this paper. The scheme is based on the use of two insulated DC supplies, each one feeding a standard two-level three-phase inverter. The three-phase six-wire winding is connected across the output terminals of the two inverters. A new modulation technique that is able to regulate the sharing of the output power between the two DC sources in each switching cycle is presented. The performance of the whole system has been verified by both numerical and experimental tests.

Three-phase multilevel (ML) inverters are used in many medium- and high-power applications such as motor drives and grid-connected systems. Despite the fact that numerous pulsewidth modulation (PWM) techniques for ML inverters have been developed, the impact of these modulation schemes on the peak-to-peak output current ripple amplitude has not been addressed yet. In this paper, analysis and comparison of current ripple for two-level (2L) and three-level (3L) voltage source inverters are given. Reference is made to optimal and popular modulation, so-called centered PWM, easily obtained by both carrier-based modulation (phase disposition, with proper common-mode voltage injection) and space vector modulation (nearest three vectors). It is shown that the peak-to-peak current ripple amplitude in 3L inverters can be determined on the basis of the ripple in 2L inverters, obtaining the same results as by directly analyzing the output voltage waveforms of the 3L inverters. This procedure can be readily extended to higher level numbers. The proposed analytical developments are verified by both numerical simulations and experimental tests.

Two-level multiphase voltage source inverters (VSIs) are typically used as the supply for multiphase machines. Such machines are often with concentrated winding in which case, certain low-order stator current harmonics are injected to provide torque enhancement. Also, a multimotor drive system can be realized by connecting a number of multiphase machines in series, using phase transposition while supplying the whole system from a single multiphase VSI. In both situations, it is important to know the limits of the inverter operation in the linear modulation region. This paper develops a simple method that enables analytical determination of the boundaries of the linear modulation region for all multiphase inverters with a prime number of phases. The limits are independent of the actual pulse width modulation (PWM) method utilized, and are equally applicable to both carrier-based and space vector PWM techniques. Theoretical considerations are verified experimentally using the five-phase and seven-phase VSI rigs.