Title: On the common mode current reduction in induction motor fed by three-level NPC inverter for pumping photovoltaic application

Authors: Zouhaira Ben Mahmoud; Adel Khedher

Addresses: LATIS – Laboratory of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Systems, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sousse, Université de Sousse, 4023, Sousse, Tunisia ' LATIS – Laboratory of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Systems, Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs de Sousse, Université de Sousse, 4023, Sousse, Tunisia

Abstract: The presence of common mode voltage (CMV) poses a significant challenge in motor drive applications. Particularly, for Photovoltaic Pumping (PVP) systems, the high-frequency fluctuations of CMV can induce a common mode current (CMC). These challenges not only diminish the lifespan and the reliability of the motor and PV panel but also present safety problems. This work suggests a novel space vector modulation (SVM) for three level NPC (3L-NPC) converter fed induction machine (IM). The proposed SVM simplifies the 3L space vector diagram (SVD) to six two level (2L) diagrams. The synthesis of the zero voltage vector is then achieved through a virtual approach, combining two active vectors. The principal features of the latter are low complexity, low computation burden, reduced CMV and leakage current with high DC bus utilisation ratio. The feasibility and effectiveness of the suggested SVM scheme is verified through both numerical tests and FPGA-based real time implementation.

Keywords: PV pumping system; 3L-NPC inverter; SVM; CMV; leakage current; FPGA board.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPELEC.2025.143952

International Journal of Power Electronics, 2025 Vol.21 No.1, pp.28 - 45

Received: 25 Mar 2024
Accepted: 14 Jul 2024
Published online: 15 Jan 2025 *