Hybrid PWM Techniques for a DCM-232 Three-Phase Transformerless Inverter with Reduced Leakage Ground Current

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) strategies are crucial for controlling DC-AC power converters. In particular, transformerless inverters require specific PWM techniques to improve efficiency and to deal with leakage ground current issues. In this paper, three hybrid PWM methods are proposed for a DCM-232 three-phase topology. These methods are based on the concepts of carrier-based PWM and space vector modulation. Calculations of time intervals for active and null vectors are performed in a conventional way, and the resulting waveforms are compared with a carrier signal. The digital signals obtained are processed using Boolean functions, generating ten signals to control the DCM-232 three-phase inverter. The performance of the three proposed PWM methods is evaluated considering the reduction in leakage ground current and efficiency. The proposed modulation techniques have relevant performances complying with international standards, which make them suitable for transformerless three-phase photovoltaic (PV) inverter markets. To validate the proposed hybrid PWM strategies, numerical simulations and experimental tests were performed.