Modular Multilevel Converters for Electric Transportation Applications

A comprehensive overview of the fundamentals, the technical challenges, and the control aspects of modular multilevel converters

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) have emerged in recent years as the newest breed of multilevel converters, and have received wide acceptance both in industry and academia. The benefits and desirable features of MMCs are manifold: modularity, high-quality output waveforms, absence of dc-link capacitance, and lower electromagnetic interference. MMCs rely on transformerless operation and can be a multi-motor operation, so it can be scaled to higher power and voltage levels--resulting in high efficiency--and tolerate faults to a greater degree than other systems.

Modular Multilevel Converter offers a uniquely wide range of topics relating to MMCs, from electrical machines, to control theory, to electronics and power electronics. The book provides the reader with information to strengthen their understanding of basic concepts, as well as the latest technologies in propulsion systems, power supplies, and battery charging infrastructure. The scope of this resource is comprehensive with detailed discussions on different submodule design, diverse modeling approach, pulse width modulation schemes, and voltage balancing methods. It also examines charge-balancing control techniques, circulating current suppressing control schemes, and reliability enhancement features. Most significantly, the text reflects the latest technologies in electric transportation--electric railway traction, battery-charging infrastructure, and marine applications--and is aligned to current industry requirements.

Modular Multilevel Converter readers will also find:

• Discussion of the fundamentals and important concepts with the simulations in PLECS(R) platform and OPAL-RT(R) real-time digital simulator.
• Coverage of the global standards such as IEC and IEEE for each application and their requirements
• A series of case studies that highlight aspects of MMC application
• A companion website that provides self-explanatory demo-simulation models of MMC with different variants of carrier-based pulse width modulation schemes

Modular Multilevel Converter isa useful reference for academic researchers, design engineers, graduate courses, and other professionals in the field of electric transportation.