ANALYTICAL CURRENT THD EVALUATION FOR THREE-PHASE VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTERS

Abstract

This study addresses the calculation of current total harmonic distortion (THD) for three-phase (3P) pulse-width modulation (PWM) inverters. First, it demonstrates how an analytical approach to PWM current ripple normalised mean square (NMS) calculation introduced in the late 1980s for a two-level (2L) inverter can be used for current THD evaluation. Second, it is shown how to evaluate current THD for a three-level (3L) 3P inverter using the current ripple NMS concept. Though considered is a 3P cascaded inverter with one H-bridge per phase, the results are applicable to popular 3L neutral point clamped (T-type) and flying capacitor inverters.