27 Level/IGBT asymmetrical multilevel inverter using PWM for locomotives

Abstract

This paper presents a new twenty seven level cascaded H-bridge multi level inverter for locomotives. This proposed multi level inverter can overcome the need for a large number of electronic switches when the number of level increased. This proposed topology increases the efficiency of the inverter by reducing the switching losses using pulse width modulation technique. Recently in Japan they developed an advanced inverter drive system for bullet trains. By comparing all multilevel inverter topologies this proposed topology can achieve economic voltage control in locomotives which can reduce the total harmonic distortion in both electronic devices and traction motor in general. The proposed multilevel inverter and total harmonic distortion results with MATLAB software was described in this paper.