A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel Converter

In various variable speed applications with power converters, failures in the bearings caused by common mode voltage (CMV) have been frequently reported. This study investigates space vector modulation (SVM)-based strategies for reducing CMV in a modular multilevel converter (MMC). Two strategies fo...

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Main Authors: Chengjun Tang, Jian Zhao, Torbjorn Thiringer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2024-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10806720/
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author Chengjun Tang
Jian Zhao
Torbjorn Thiringer
author_facet Chengjun Tang
Jian Zhao
Torbjorn Thiringer
author_sort Chengjun Tang
collection DOAJ
description In various variable speed applications with power converters, failures in the bearings caused by common mode voltage (CMV) have been frequently reported. This study investigates space vector modulation (SVM)-based strategies for reducing CMV in a modular multilevel converter (MMC). Two strategies for CMV reduction, complete and partial, are examined. The study compares the impact of these strategies on feasibility, total losses, and current total harmonic distortion (THD). Both simulation and experimental results are analyzed, with experiments conducted on a wind turbine emulator driven by a five-level MMC. The findings demonstrate that both strategies can effectively limit CMV amplitude compared to cases without any CMV reduction strategy. The partial CMV reduction strategy, while resulting in a 6.7% increase in switching loss, offers the lowest current THD (0.73%). The complete CMV reduction strategy achieves near-zero CMV and reduces switching loss by 3.9%, but at the cost of the highest current THD (1.81%) and limited DC-link voltage utilization. Experimental results confirm the significant impact of CMV on main bearing performance, as both CMV reduction strategies can reduce the bearing current amplitude and the number of bearing current events. Specifically, the partial CMV reduction strategy extends the bearing lifetime by a factor of 49, while the complete CMV reduction strategy extends it by a factor of 416, both relative to no CMV reduction. These results underscore the effectiveness of CMV reduction strategies in mitigating bearing currents in modern power electronics-based electric drives.
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spelling doaj-art-cd484ac3591844c8b84f29aa5492a8da2025-08-20T02:55:57ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362024-01-011219272119273010.1109/ACCESS.2024.351951810806720A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel ConverterChengjun Tang0Jian Zhao1https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8405-1566Torbjorn Thiringer2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5777-1242Department of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SwedenDepartment of Electrical Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, SwedenIn various variable speed applications with power converters, failures in the bearings caused by common mode voltage (CMV) have been frequently reported. This study investigates space vector modulation (SVM)-based strategies for reducing CMV in a modular multilevel converter (MMC). Two strategies for CMV reduction, complete and partial, are examined. The study compares the impact of these strategies on feasibility, total losses, and current total harmonic distortion (THD). Both simulation and experimental results are analyzed, with experiments conducted on a wind turbine emulator driven by a five-level MMC. The findings demonstrate that both strategies can effectively limit CMV amplitude compared to cases without any CMV reduction strategy. The partial CMV reduction strategy, while resulting in a 6.7% increase in switching loss, offers the lowest current THD (0.73%). The complete CMV reduction strategy achieves near-zero CMV and reduces switching loss by 3.9%, but at the cost of the highest current THD (1.81%) and limited DC-link voltage utilization. Experimental results confirm the significant impact of CMV on main bearing performance, as both CMV reduction strategies can reduce the bearing current amplitude and the number of bearing current events. Specifically, the partial CMV reduction strategy extends the bearing lifetime by a factor of 49, while the complete CMV reduction strategy extends it by a factor of 416, both relative to no CMV reduction. These results underscore the effectiveness of CMV reduction strategies in mitigating bearing currents in modern power electronics-based electric drives.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10806720/Bearing currentcommon mode voltagemodular multilevel converterspace vector modulationwind turbine
spellingShingle Chengjun Tang
Jian Zhao
Torbjorn Thiringer
A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel Converter
IEEE Access
Bearing current
common mode voltage
modular multilevel converter
space vector modulation
wind turbine
title A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel Converter
title_full A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel Converter
title_fullStr A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel Converter
title_full_unstemmed A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel Converter
title_short A Comparative Analysis of Space Vector Modulation-Based Common Mode Voltage Reduction Strategies in a Modular Multilevel Converter
title_sort comparative analysis of space vector modulation based common mode voltage reduction strategies in a modular multilevel converter
topic Bearing current
common mode voltage
modular multilevel converter
space vector modulation
wind turbine
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10806720/
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