Space vector modulation with reduced common mode voltage for six-phase drives

Purpose This paper aims to present a modified space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique for six-phase induction motor drive based on common-mode voltage (CMV) and current losses which are two important issues affecting drive system behavior and quality. Design/methodology/approach It is shown that the presence of z-component currents and the presence of CMV in six-phase drive system are two major limiting factors in space vector selection. The behavior of several space vector selections in a two-level inverter considering minimum CMV and z-components is investigated. Then, the space vectors in a three-level inverter is analyzed and tried to explore an SVM technique with better behavior. Findings The analyses show that all the problems cannot be solved in a six-phase drive system with two-level inverter despite having 64 space vectors; this study tried to overcome the limitations by exploring space vectors in a three-level inverter. Originality/value The proposed pulse width modulation (PWM) strategy leads to minimum current distortion and undesired current components with zero CMV and modest torque ripple.