Comparative Study of 3-phase 4-wire Converter Topologies for Active Thermal Control Techniques

This paper presents an in-depth investigation of different types of 3-phase 4-wire converters commonly used in power electronics applications. The paper begins by providing an overview of the significance of 3-phase 4-wire converters in modern power systems and their relevance in addressing per-phase active thermal control for prolonging the lifetime of specific phase leg or asymmetrical operation for unbalanced conditions. Subsequently, a detailed examination of various converter topologies, such as 2-level 4-leg converter and 3-level 4-wire converter, is presented. Each topology is explained, highlighting their operational mechanisms, control and applications. Additionally, the output performance comparison between different types of 3-phase 4-wire converters is evaluated in terms of output current total harmonic distortion (THD) value, leakage current root-mean square (RMS) value, and power losses. The performance comparison results are obtained by implementing in simulation environment of PSIM program. Copyright © The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers.