Space vector PWM signal generation for multilevel inverters using only sampled amplitudes of reference phase voltages

A pulse width modulation (PWM) scheme for multilevel inverters is proposed. The proposed PWM scheme generates the inverter leg switching times, from the sampled reference phase voltage amplitudes and centres the switching times for the middle vectors, in a sampling interval, as in the case of conventional space vector PWM (SVPWM). The SVPWM scheme, presented for multilevel inverters, can also work in the overmodulation range, using only the sampled amplitudes of reference phase voltages. The present PWM technique does not involve any sector identification and considerably reduces the computation time when compared to the conventional space vector PWM technique. The present PWM signal generation scheme can be used for any multilevel inverter configuration. A five-level inverter configuration, using an open-ended winding induction motor drive, is used to verify the SVPWM generation scheme experimentally.