A Transformation Method from Conventional Three Phases

Full-Bridge Topology to Conergy NPC Topology

Lin Ma 1,3 , Kai Sun2, Xinmin Jin1
1. School of Electrical Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, China;
2. State Key Lab of Power Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, China
3. SEER, Universitat Politcnica de Catalunya, Spain;
E-mail: 05117293@bjtu.edu.cn
Abstract Conergy NPC topology is a new topology derived
from classical NPC topology. Due to its higher efficiency, less
components and better EMI performance compared with three
phase full bridge topology and classical NPC topologies, it was
already used in photovoltaic inverters and other power electrical
applications. This paper conducts a comparison between
traditional NPC topology and Conergy NPC topology. A
transformation method is developed which could change
conventional three phase full-bridge topology to Conergy NPC
topology by adding one integrated block. Simulation results
verify the effectiveness of the developed method.

II. CONERGY NPC TOPOLOGY

Index Terms Conergy NPC, NPC, high efficiency, Fullbridge

I.

INSTRUCTION

Nowadays classical three phase full-bridge converters are

widely used in all kinds of power electrical applications. But
compared with Neutral point clamped (NPC) topologies [1], the
NPC topologies shows great improvements in terms of lower
dV/dt and switches stress in comparison with the classical 2level full-bridge inverter. It was one of the first ones to avoid
the presence of transformers for galvanic isolation. Compared
with the traditional PWM inverters, the NPC topology also
can produce lower switch loss, harmonic and common mode
current which improving the efficiency of the inverters
significantly.
Due to these advantages, the NPC topologies converters
got more and more popular during last decade [2-5], and
replaced full-bridge topology in many areas such as mediumvoltage systems and motor driving systems. Many kinds of
topologies derived from NPC topology were also proposed
such as Active NPC [6] and Conergy NPC [7] etc.
Conergy NPC is a variant of the conventional NPC
which was patented by Knaup P. from Conergy Company [3]
in 2007. Compared with classical NPC topology, Conergy
NPC has less components and higher efficiency due to lower
conduction losses. Its more suitable for compact and high
efficiency demanding applications such as grid connected
photovoltaic inverters.
This paper introduced Conergy NPC topology and made a
comparison between classical NPC topology and Conergy
NPC, then proposed a new method which could change
conventional three phases full-bridge topology converters to
Conergy NPC topology by adding one integrated clamp
circuit and using different Pulse Width Modulation method.
At last some simulation results were given.

Figure 1: Single leg of Conergy NPC topology

Fig.1 shows a variant of the classical NPC which is a

half-bridge with the output clamped to the neutral using a
bidirectional switch realized with 2 series back-to-back IGBTs
named Conergy NPC topology.
The main concept of this topology is that the zero voltage
can be achieved by clamping the output to the grounded
middle point of the DC bus using S+ or S- depending on the
sign of the current. The switching state for generating positive
current is depicted in Fig.2. In the positive half cycle, S1 and
S+ commutates complementarily with the switching frequency.
During the negative half cycle, S2 and S- commutate with the
switching frequency. In the whole process of the work period,
the voltage between DC ground and AC neutral point VON is
clamped to -VDC/2, no comment mode current generated.
During one switching period, just one pair switches taking the
switching loss, meanwhile just one switch taking the
conduction loss during the active state.

(a) Active state during the positive half cycle (inverter mode)

mode voltage generation, three output voltage levels and better

efficiency. And due to these facts its suitable for low power
PV system applications.
III. TWO LEVEL BRIDGE AND CLASSICAL NPC TOPOLOGY
Classical NPC topology is the most popular 3L topology [8. It is also very versatile and can be used in both single phase
(full-bridge or half-bridge) and three-phase inverters. As
presented in Fig.4, the NPC half bridge is composed by four
switches and two clamp diodes. The main concept is that zero
voltage can be achieved by clamping the output to the
grounded middle point of the dc bus using D+ or Ddepending on the sign of the current.

9]

(b) Zero state during the positive half cycle (inverter mode)
Figure 2: The commutation of Conergy NPC topology during positive half
cycle
Table I: Switches States of Conergy NPC Half Bridge Inverter

Positive
0+
0Negative

S1

S+

S-

S2

1
0
0
0

0
1
1
1

1
1
1
0

0
0
0
1

The control strategy of Conergy NPC is not flexible as it

also just has two uncontrollable zeros states. The
communication states and the sinusoidal PWM strategy are
given by Table I and Fig.2.
The switching loss stresses on outer IGBTs S1 and S2, as
when S+ and S- turn off, the voltage is zero. The IGBTs S+
and S- with their anti- parallel diode take more conduction loss
as they conduct current during the zero state of both positive
and negative cycle. The losses unequal distribution is
compensated by the double conduction loss of S+ and S-.
Meanwhile as during the active states, just one IGBT
makes the conduction loss, so the total loss is less than other
topologies, the efficiency is also better than classical NPC
topology topologies. In this paper all the simulation models use
VDC=400V bus and AC 220V 50Hz grid, the switching
frequency is set to 16kHz and the same passive components are
used. Switch model is based on EUPEC FS35R12KT3 IGBT.
Simulation power rate is set to 5kW. As shown in Fig.3. The
total loss is saved 18.5% compared with classical NPC
topologies in the simulation results (Fig.5).

Figure 4: Switch losses of 5000W half bridge Conergy NPC topology inverter

The control strategy of NPC is quite simple, as it just has

two uncontrollable zeros states, the communication states and
the sinusoidal PWM strategy are given by Table II.
Table II: Switches States of NPC Half Bridge Inverter

Positive
0+
0Negative

S1

S2

S3

S4

1
0
0
0

1
1
1
0

0
1
1
1

0
0
0
1

Figure 5: Switch losses of 5000W half bridge Conergy NPC topology inverter
(Power factor = 1, Modulation = 0.9)

Figure 3: Switch losses of 5000W half bridge Conergy NPC topology inverter
(Power factor = 1, Modulation = 0.9)

The Conergy topology has only four switches, no common

One disadvantage of the NPC inverter is given by an

unequal distribution of losses in semiconductor devices which
leads to an unequal distribution of temperature. As Fig.5
shown, the full switching loss stresses on the outer IGBTs.
The conduction loss distribution is relative with the
modulation index (M), when M=1, the outer IGBTs takes
highest conduction loss stress. As the conduction loss and
switching loss both stress on the outer IGBTs (S1, S4). The
unbalance losses distribution restricts the system power rate in

high power applications.

Compared with Classical NPC topology, the Conergy NPC
has better losses distribution performance, also more
efficiency.

Figure 7: Switch losses of 5000W half bridge 2 levels topology inverter

(Power factor = 1, Modulation = 0.9)

Figure 6: Switch losses of 5000W half bridge Conergy NPC topology inverter
Table III: Switches States of NPC Half Bridge Inverter

S1

S2

Positive
1
0
Negative
0
1
Fig.6 shows the two levels half bridge inverter, actually
this inverter is one leg of conventional 3-phases full bridge
converters. Meanwhile Fig.1 and Fig.4 are also the one leg of
3 phases NPC converters. The difference between these half
bridge converters is that the converter shown in Fig.6 just has
two output voltage levels: VDC/2 and -VDC/2 while the NPC
half bridge converters have three levels: VDC/2, -VDC/2 and 0.
Due to this reason, compared with NPC half bridge converters,
the converter shown in Fig.6 need more output filters, also
takes more switching losses.
Its easier to find the particularities of converters by
comparing one leg (half bridge converter) working
performance. Table IV shows the difference between them.

Table IV: Comparison of half-bridge topologies (one leg)

2 levels
NPC
Conergy
NPC
Output voltage
2
3
3
level
Output filter need
high
low
low
Conduction losses
Low
High
Middle
Switching losses
High
Low
Low
Switches Quantity
2 IGBTs
4IGBTs+2Diode
4IGBTs

NPC converters have better EMI performance due to their

3 levels voltage output. 2 levels converter takes less
conduction losses due to it just has two switches, but these two
switches take more switching losses compared with 3 levels
NPC topologies. Considering that 2 levels converter need
more output filter, the total losses should be similar with
classical NPC topology. Conergy NPC is the highest efficient
topology among them.
Actually, the only difference between 2 levels converter
and Conergy NPC topology is the Clamped circuit between
the point A and B as shown in Fig.1 and Fig.6. That provide a
possibility we could easily change conventional 2 levels
converter to Conergy NPC by adding one branch. Its not only
suitable for half bridge, but also suitable for 3-phases
converters as shown in Fig.8.

Figure 8: Three phases Conergy NPC topology

IV. 3 PHASES CONERGY NPC TOPOLOGY TRANSFORMATION

In order to transform classical 2-levels full bridge topology
converter to Conergy NPC topology, in spite of hardware
changing, the other important changing is the Pulse Width
Modulation method. That because 2-levels full bridge
converter usually uses bipolar PWM method, but for 3-levels
Conergy NPC, additional zero state must be considered. This
paper just introduced a simple and general unipolar PWM
method which could be used in Conergy NPC topology.
Topology Transformation: As mentioned in last
section, the different between 3-phases 2-levels full bridge
converter and 3-levels Conergy NPC converter is the
clamped circuit. By adding two back-to-back IGBTs bidirection switches to each phases clamped with the DC bus
middle point (which also could be replaced by other bidirection switch) as shown in Fig.8.
These bi-directional IGBTs SA+, SA-, SB+, SB-, SC+,
SC- are not same with the diodes used in conventional NPC
topology, the IGBTs also need to take VDC/2 device stress,
which could use the same IGBTs with S1-S6 as shown in
Fig.8.
Pulse Width Modulation method changing: The
original full bridge topology, each phase two switches just
need two opposite PWM signals which generated by bipolar
PWM while Conergy need using another different PWM
method generated by unipolar PWM which could generate
zero state for the converter.

levels full bridge converters and 3-levels Conergy NPC

converters. Fig.9 (a) shows 2-levels full bridge converter
PWM used bipolar triangle waveform as carrier. S1 and S4
commutate with the switching frequency. Fig.9 (b) shows 3levels Conergy NPC converter PWM used two unipolar
triangle waveforms as carrier. S1 and S+ commutate with the
switching frequency during positive half cycle, S4 and SAcommutate with the switching frequency during negative half
cycle.
V. SIMULATION RESULTS
In order to compare the working performance between
classical 2-levels full bridge inverters and 3-levels Conergy
NPC inverters, some simulation was carried. The simulation
circuits were shown in Fig.8 and the simulation parameters
details was shown in Table V. PWM methods used the
methods shown in Fig.9.
Table IV: Simulation facilities

Facilities

Value

Comments

DC power supply

800 V

Constant voltage

Grid voltage

380 V RMS

Phase to Phase

Grid impedance

0.6 mH

Switching frequency

10 kHz

Sample time

1e-6 s

L-C-R filter

5 mH-5 uF-4.7 ohm

Power factor

1.0

Power rate

6.6 kW

(a) Bipolar PWM method used for 2-levels full bridge converters

(a) Conventional 3-phase 2-levels full bridge inverter

(b) Unipolar PWM method used for 3-levels Conergy NPC converters
Figure 9: Modulation Method

(b) 3-phase 3-levels Conergy NPC inverter

Figure 10: Three phases inverter simulation results

Fig.9 shows one phase (phase A) switches pulse used by 2-

Fig.10 (a) shows the conventional 2-levels full bridge

inverter simulation results while Fig.10 (b) shows the Conergy
NPC inverter simulation results. From Fig.10, it could find
that the Conergy NPC phase to phase voltage vAB waveform is
similar to conventional NPC topology waveform which has
three voltage levels, and the full bridge phase to phase voltage
just has two levels. The difference between 3 phase current
waveforms is not obvious due to the L-C filter could eliminate
the high frequency noise well.
Using this transformation Conergy NPC topology also
could optimize the EMI performance. It could find that the
Conergy NPC common mode voltage vGN was just one third of
full bridge common mode voltage vGN. It could reduce the
common mode leakage current between the grid neutral point
and ground of DC power supply, which is good for motor
driving and other applications.
VI. CONCLUSION
This paper compares the difference between 2-level half
bridge inverters, classical NPC half bridge inverters and
Conergy NPC half bridge inverters. The comparison shows
that the Conergy NPC has the highest efficiency and best EMI
performance.
Its easy to find that there is little structure difference
between 2-levels topology and Conergy NPC topology, which
provide an opportunity transforming 2-levels topology to
Conergy NPC topology. Then a transformation method
between these two topologies is developed and validated by
simulations. This method could transform three phases fullbridge topology to Conergy NPC topology effectively. It has
high practical value for modifying and optimizing existing 2level full bridge inverters.
VII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank the financial supports by
grants from the Power Electronics Science and Education
Development Program of Delta Environmental & Educational
Foundation (DREG2010007).
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