Simulation of a 3-Level Grid Connected Current Mode Level Shifted SPWM Inverter for Renewable Energy Systems

Abstract

This article presents the accomplishment of a new current mode PWM inverter using fuel cell stack with single port drive power supply. The proposed inverter circuit requires a single gate drive power supply because all the switching devices are connected on a common source (CS) or common emitter (CE). This common emitter configuration (CE) drastically reduces the number of gate driven power supply to just one without bootstrap technology or using many isolated power supplies. The results of simulation show that the inverter normally operates and produces 3 levels of output inverter current wave-form, and filtered sinusoidal output inverter current is injected into the ac grid. Harmonics in the inverter output current are reduced by using low pass filter.

Keywords: fuel cell, sinusoidal pulse width modulation, current source inverter, power grid, common emitter