Evaluation of a multiphase cascaded H-bridge inverter for induction motor operation

Multi-phase systems are becoming more popular for applications requiring high power and precise motor control, even if single-phase AC power is still frequently utilized in households and some enterprises. While both systems have benefits over single-phase, there are trade-offs associated with each. Because of its balanced operation and effective power transfer, the three-phase (3-Φ) system is the most widely used multi-phase system. Nevertheless, different phase values can be investigated for particular applications where reducing torque ripple and harmonic content is essential. Using odd numbers of phases (such as 5-Φ) that are not multiples of three is one method. This design has the ability to reduce torque ripple by producing a more balanced magnetic field as compared with even-numbered phases. But adding more phases also makes the system design and control circuitry more complex. Systems with five phases (5-Φ) provide a compromise between performance and complexity. Applications such as electric ship propulsion, rocket satellites, and traction systems may benefit from their use. Nevertheless, choosing a multi-phase system necessitates carefully weighing the requirements unique to each application, taking into account elements like cost, power transmission, control complexity, and efficiency. The increasing popularity of electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies has led to the need for inverters in current electric applications. Conventional inverters provide square wave outputs, which cause the drive system to become noisy and cause harmonics. Multi-phase multilevel inverters can be used to enhance inverter functioning and produce an improved sinusoidal output. This study focuses on an induction motor drive powered by a five-phase multilevel cascaded H-Bridge inverter. With less torque and current ripples in the motor rotor, the power conversion harmonics are reduced and the switching components of the inverter are under less stress. However, in comparison to traditional inverters, it does require a greater number of legs. Because the switches needed for the cascaded H-Bridge inverter are less expensive in five-phase systems, they are favoured over higher phase orders. Furthermore, the suggested inverter removes 5th order harmonics, something that is not possible with traditional inverters. A five-phase induction motor appropriate for variable speed driving applications is also suggested by this research. Lastly, utilizing pulse width modulation (PWM) converters and an FPGA controller, an experimental study is carried out to assess the dynamic performance of the suggested induction motor drive. Particular attention is paid to the In-Phase Opposition Disposition (IPD) PWM technique.