Evaluation of a three-phase three-level ZVZCS DC-DC converter using phase-shift PWM strategy

Abstract

This paper presents the evaluation of a three-phase three-level DC-DC converter which achieves the soft switching condition for all switches in the circuit and uses the phase-shift PWM strategy to adjust electric power at the output side. According to the analysis, the operation modes can be categorized into two cases: in the first case, where the phase shift angle is less than 120 degrees and in the second case, where the phase shift angle is more than 120 degrees. The outer switches of the circuit operate under ZVS condition and the inner switches operate under ZVZCS condition. It has been discovered that under ZCS condition of the inner switches, when the blocking capacitors decrease, they make the voltage across the blocking capacitor higher so the current reduce rapidly. A three-phase three-level DC-DC converter has a maximum efficiency of 93.5% when its load is of 5.7 kW. The results from the experiment have been compared to the results obtained by the MATLAB® simulator in order to confirm the validity of the proposed converter.