Comparison of a 3 Level Inverter and a Multi-Level Inverter

for a 3.3kV output Medium Voltage AC Drive Application

Multi-Level Inverter
Sr Parameter 3 Level Inverter
(“TMdrive-MV” of TMEIC)
1 Inverter Circuit Topology
1.1 Circuit Type A voltage Source Inverter, with 12 pulse input A Voltage Source inverter, with 18 pulse
rectifier and IGCT based 3 Level Neutral Point input rectifier and IGBT based 7 Level
coupled inverter, with output sine filter (3.3kV) Multiple H bridge inverter
The 6.6kV output drives work on 13 Level,
which provide sinusoidal waveform
1.2 Future Another improved version developed, to provide Same power circuit design maintained, since
Development 36 pulse input rectifier and IGCT based 5 Level it meets all the system requirement of a MV
Neutral point coupled inverter, without sine filter Drive

1.3 Technology Globally, there is a trend and popularity for Multi-Level Medium voltage output, mainly because
Trend it takes care of all the system issues and allows a standard induction motor to be used.

2 Input Power Supply side Harmonics

2.1 Input side Typically works on 12 pulse system. A 24 pulse Works on 18 pulse system, for both 3.3kV
Harmonics system is also provided in some cases to output and 6.6kV output type TMdrive-MV
improve harmonics

2.2 IEEE519 Does not meet IEEE519 specifications on Meets IEEE519 specifications. No need of
specs Harmonics. It needs study of customer’s power customer’s power supply network, or any
supply network & requires harmonic analysis harmonic analysis

2.3 Harmonic It would require harmonic filter to remove lower Does not require any harmonic filter
Filters order harmonic currents from supply system

3 Input Power Supply Quality

3.1 Input Power
Supply Side
Waveforms

A distorted current waveform because of 12 A clean input current and voltage waveform
pulse input rectifier because of 18 pulse input rectifier

4 Output Power Supply Quality

4.1 Inverter Raw
Output
(Without
output filter)

a 7 Level waveform for 3.3kV drive

3 Level switching waveform

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 Multi-Level Inverter
Sr Parameter 3 Level Inverter
(“TMdrive-MV” of TMEIC)
4.2 Raw Output
Voltage and
Filtered
Output

Filter not required for TMdrive-MV

Output filter is must, to get rid of 3 Level square
waveform
4.3 Motor Filter ¾ A Large Sine filter is required to make above ¾ No Motor Filter required because of multi-
Design waveform into a sine wave level switching pattern
aspects ¾ This filter has power losses, as it takes same ¾ The torque response of this drive is much
motor current better, since no output capacitors are
¾ It also causes a voltage drop used.
¾ The filter limits the torque response of the
control, and requires the control to provide
damping

4.4 Various ¾ If capacitor in output sine filter fails, the motor
Issues for experiences square wave voltage, and can fail
use of Motor ¾ Risk of Motor Heating because of high
Harmonic Current, which also lowers the life
expectancy of the motor
¾ Higher harmonic current generates more
torque ripple by motor, which puts the
expensive load under stress, where after
prolonged use the load shafts can crack
¾ Risk of Reflecting wave, which can damage
motor insulation, since the voltage of
switching is half the motor voltage
¾ High dv/dt generates voltage spikes which can
damage motor insulation
¾ The motor needs to be highly derated, and
hence becomes special
¾ No output sine filter required
¾ No harmonic heating, since output current
harmonics are very low because of Multi-
Level switching waveform
¾ Negligible torque ripple from motor, since
the output current is sinusoidal because of
multi-level switching waveform
¾ Very Low risk of reflecting wave, because
the voltage of switching step is too small,
as compared with the motor voltage
¾ dv/dt is low, since the voltage of a step is
low, which does not put motor under any
risk
¾ Motor is not required to be derated, as
standard motor can be used

5 Device Comparison
5.1 Main
Switching
Component
Used

Cell Inverter Module of TMdrive-MV, which is

the IGCT with its Gate Drive Circuit, which is
mounted in a Stack, one above the other
5.2 Main ¾ The switching losses in the IGCT are
Switching minimized by using “hard” drive. In this
Component gating method, the driver draws out 100% of
Working the anode current through the gate in one
mounted discretely, and joined by solid cable
connections
¾ Very Simple Gating Circuit.
¾ IGBT does takes the gating current in
mA range for triggering of IGBTs
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 Multi-Level Inverter
Sr Parameter 3 Level Inverter
(“TMdrive-MV” of TMEIC)
Issues microsecond.
¾ This means the gate driver has to be very
powerful and located virtually on top of the
IGCT. Of course, the gate power (both
positive and negative voltage) has to be
delivered by 12 power supplies isolated for
the full medium voltage. This implies that
there are 42 medium-voltage power supply
wires going to a transformer somewhere
¾ In order to achieve the required peak current
and di/dt, the gate driver has many
MOSFET’s and electrolytic capacitors in
parallel. So the 3-Level Inverter has lots of
electrolytic capacitors in critical roles
¾ These very high number of parts count of the
Gate Driver is a serious reliability issue, as
any small faulty component can damage the
main IGCT device
¾ Each IGCT driver has 222 parts.

5.3 Device ¾ The IGCT has a very low on voltage
Comparison compared to an IGBT. So the conduction
losses are very low compared to an IGBT.
The reason is that the IGCT like the GTO, is
regeneratively turned on.
¾ The IGCT is capable of enormous short-term
over current, so protection from short
circuits is more difficult. You have to detect
the overcurrent and initiate a turn-off, before
the current gets too high to safely turn off.
The rate of rise of fault current has to be
limited during this process. We have
information that short circuit protection is a
problem
¾ The IGBT is inherently current limiting at
about 3 times rated, at which it point
comes out of saturation and triggers a
shutdown.
¾ The IGBT only needs a single-ended low
power gate driver to turn it on; when that
drive ceases, the device turns off.
¾ Turnoff is not the issue for the IGBTs, as
IGBTs can easily be turned off

¾ But the turnoff of the IGCT causes a large

energy loss in the device. The switching
losses of the IGCT are the limiting factor in
how fast it can switch, and hence, the
quality of the output waveform.

6 Maintainability
6.1 Main ¾ The 3 Level Inverter uses IGCT ¾ Multi-Level Inverter uses Cell inverter.
Component ¾ To replace an IGCT, you have to unclamp its
Replacement stack and remove it, then retorque the clamp. ¾ To replace cell inverter, you have to
remove 5 electrical connections, and one
¾ Presumably, you have to make sure the joint optic cable connection, and rail out the
compound is replaced and not contaminated. module.

¾ The gate driver, which is a complex circuit, is ¾ No joint compound required

attached to the IGCT. It cannot be replaced
separately. If the driver fails, the IGCT has to
¾ Very simple gate interface card, which is
be replaced. But the IGCT will probably be voltage driven. Fiber Optic signal from
destroyed by any driver malfunction. controller for IGBT triggering is easily
interfaced
6.2 Transformer ¾ These drives use Oil Cooled separate ¾ These drives use dry type transformer,
transformer, which requires a separate room, which are within the drive panel, hence
and annual maintenance do not require separate room.
Transformer is maintenance free
6.3 Cooling of ¾ These drives would be water cooled, requiring ¾ These drives forced air cooled, do not
Drive maintenance on account of replacement of require water anywhere. Hence very
resin filters. The secondary water used for simple cooling arrangement.
cooling is required to be cooled wither by a
cooling tower or a chiller.

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