A Hybrid CBPWM Scheme for Single-Phase Three-Level Converters

A novel hybrid carrier-based pulse width modulation (CBPWM) scheme that combines unipolar and dipolar modulations is proposed for single-phase three-level rectifiers, which are widely applied in railway traction drive systems. The proposed CBPWM method can satisfy the volt-second balancing principle in the complete modulation index region through overmodulation compensation. The modulation scheme features two modulation modes: unipolar and dipolar. The operation range limits of these modulation modes can be modified by changing the separation coefficient. In comparison with the traditional unipolar CBPWM, the proposed hybrid CBPWM scheme can provide advantageous features, such as lower high-order harmonic distortion of the line current and better utilization of switching frequency. The separation coefficient value is optimized to achieve the maximum utilization of these advantages. The experimental results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed hybrid CBPWM scheme.