Z-source inverter

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A Z-source inverter is a type of power inverter, a circuit that converts direct current to alternating current. The circuit functions as a buck-boost inverter without making use of DC-DC converter bridge due to its topology.

Contents

Impedance (Z) source networks efficiently convert power between source and load from DC to DC, DC to AC, and from AC to AC. [1] [2]

The numbers of modifications and new Z-source topologies have grown rapidly since 2002. Improvements to the impedance networks by introducing coupled magnetics have also been lately proposed for achieving even higher voltage boosting, while using a shorter shoot-through time. [3] They include the Γ-source, T-source, trans-Z-source, TZ-source, LCCT-Z-source that utilizes a high-frequency transformer connected in series with two DC-current-blocking capacitors, [4] high-frequency transformer-isolated, and Y-source networks. [5] Amongst them, the Y-source network is more versatile and can be viewed as the generic network, from which the Γ-source, T-source, and trans-Z-source networks are derived. [3] The incommensurate properties of this network open a new horizon to researchers and engineers to explore, expand, and modify the circuit for a wide range of power conversion applications.

Types of inverters

Inverters can be classified by their structure as [6]

Inverters are also classified based on the type of input source as follows:

Operation

Normally, three-phase inverters have 8 vector states (6 active states and 2 zero states). There is an additional state known as the shoot through state, during which the switches of one leg are short-circuited. In this state, energy is stored in the impedance network, and when the inverter is in its active state, the stored energy is transferred to the load, thus providing boost operation. This shoot through state is prohibited in VSI. [7]

Achieving the buck-boost facility in ZSI requires pulse-width modulation. The normal sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) is generated by comparing carrier triangular wave with reference sine wave. For shoot through pulses, the carrier wave is compared with two complementary DC reference levels. These pulses are added in the SPWM. ZSI has two control freedoms: modulation index of the reference wave which is the ratio of amplitude of reference wave to amplitude of carrier wave and shoot through duty ratio which can be controlled by DC level. [7]

Advantages

The advantages of Z-source inverter are: [8] [9]

Disadvantages

Typical inverters (VSI and CSI) have few disadvantages: [10] [11]

Applications

  1. Renewable energy sources
  2. Electric vehicles
  3. Motor drives

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References

  1. Siwakoti, Yam P.; Peng, Fang Zheng; Blaabjerg, Frede; Loh, Poh Chiang; Town, Graham E. (2015). "Impedance-Source Networks for Electric Power Conversion Part I: A Topological Review". IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics . 30 (2): 699–716. Bibcode:2015ITPE...30..699S. doi: 10.1109/TPEL.2014.2313746 . S2CID   44236767.
  2. Siwakoti, Yam P.; Peng, Fang Zheng; Blaabjerg, Frede; Loh, Poh Chiang; Town, Graham E.; Yang, Shuitao (2015). "Impedance-Source Networks for Electric Power Conversion Part II: Review of Control and Modulation Techniques". IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics . 30 (4): 1887–1906. Bibcode:2015ITPE...30.1887S. doi: 10.1109/TPEL.2014.2329859 . S2CID   39497030.
  3. 1 2 Siwakoti, Yam P.; Blaabjerg, Frede; Loh, Poh Chiang (2016). "New Magnetically Coupled Impedance (Z-) Source Networks". IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics . 31 (11): 7419–7435. Bibcode:2016ITPE...31.7419S. doi:10.1109/TPEL.2015.2459233. S2CID   21489048.
  4. Adamowicz, Marek (2011). "LCCT-Z-Source inverters". 2011 10th International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering. pp. 1–6. doi:10.1109/EEEIC.2011.5874799. ISBN   978-1-4244-8779-0. S2CID   27917468.
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  6. Rashid, M. (2011) Power Electronics. Pearson Education. ISBN   8131762297
  7. 1 2 Shen, Miaosen; Peng, Fang Zheng (2008). "Operation Modes and Characteristics of the Z-Source Inverter with Small Inductance or Low Power Factor". IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. 55: 89–96. doi:10.1109/TIE.2007.909063. S2CID   10619253.
  8. Florescu, A.; Stocklosa, O.; Teodorescu, M.; Radoi, C.; Stoichescu, D. A.; Rosu, S. (2010). "The advantages, limitations and disadvantages of Z-source inverter". CAS 2010 Proceedings (International Semiconductor Conference). pp. 483–486. doi:10.1109/SMICND.2010.5650503. ISBN   978-1-4244-5782-3. S2CID   33649768.
  9. Murali, M.; Gopalakrishnan, N.; Pande, V.N. (2012). "Z-sourced unified power flow controller". 6th IET International Conference on Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD 2012). pp. A74. doi:10.1049/cp.2012.0222. ISBN   978-1-84919-616-1.
  10. Fang Zheng Peng (2003). "Z-source inverter". IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications. 39 (2): 504–510. doi:10.1109/TIA.2003.808920.
  11. Shen, M.; Joseph, A.; Wang, J.; Peng, F.Z.; Adams, D.J. (2004). "Comparison of traditional inverters and Z-source inverter for fuel cell vehicles". Power Electronics in Transportation (IEEE Cat. No.04TH8756). pp. 125–132. doi:10.1109/PET.2004.1393815. ISBN   0-7803-8538-1. S2CID   5782046.