Design and Validation of a Single Phase Multilevel Inverter Utilizing Reduced Switches Number

Multilevel-inverters (MLI) usage has been spread, recently, due to their convenience over the conventional one. This paper suggests a single phase 5-level pulse-width modulated (PWM) inverter for load voltage regulation. The presented MLI uses a PWM technique and hence some power switches are controlled at the line frequency, while the others are switched at the switching frequency. The MLI synthesizes the five-level output voltage at a less number of switches and low harmonic contents compared with the conventional inverters. The mathematical model and the operational modes are presented. For closed-loop load voltage regulation, a PI controller is required to control sinusoidal load voltage. MLI validity has been investigated experimentally by using a laboratory-prototype controlled with dSPACE DS-1103.