مجلة الجامعة الإسلامية للعلوم التطبيقية

A switching-loss reduction strategy for improving the efficiency of three-level inverters

Sid-Ahmed Touil, Nasserdine Boudjerda, Hemza Gueddar

الكلمات مفتاحية: Three-phase inverters; Space Vector Modulation; Discontinuous Pulse Width Modulation (PWM); switching losses; Total Harmonic Distortion (THD).

التخصص العام: Engineering

التخصص الدقيق: Power electronics and drivers

https://doi.org/10.63070/jesc.2025.032; Received 02 November 2025; Revised 01 December 2025; Accepted 05 December 2025. Available online 10 December 2025.
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الملخص

This paper investigates a generalised discontinuous pulse width modulation (DPWM) technique designed to minimise switching losses in three-level inverters. The proposed approach addresses one of the primary sources of power loss in multilevel power converters by strategically reducing the number of commutations per switching period. The study compares the performance of various DPWM strategies with that of the conventional hybrid space vector modulation (HSVM) method using detailed MATLAB/Simulink simulations. The results show that switching losses can be significantly reduced by a third compared to the classical PWM technique. However, the proposed technique leads to a deterioration in Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) relative to the conventional method, while staying within acceptable operational standards. These findings highlight the capability of the proposed technique to effectively balance inverter efficiency and output waveform quality. The proposed method presents a promising way to enhance the performance of high-power and high-efficiency applications, such as motor drives and renewable energy conversion systems.

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