Faculty Publications

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  • Item
    A sorted modified multi-reference PWM technique for solar PV panel companion grid-tied inverters
    (Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025) Maheswari, G.; Manjunatha Sharma, K.M.; Prabhakaran, P.
    Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) techniques are increasingly vital in solar energy-driven grid-tied companion inverters, significantly enhancing power quality. This paper proposes the Sorted Modified Multireference Pulse Width Modulation (SMMR PWM) technique. The SMMR PWM with a Maximum PowerPoint Tracking (MPPT) control strategy is implemented in a Solar PV Panel Companion Grid-Tied Inverter (SPPCGTI) system featuring single-stage power conversion. In the SPPCGTI system, each inverter's output voltage adopts a quasi-square waveform, where the pulse width correlates with the power generated by the associated solar PV panel. By employing the SMMR PWM technique with the MPPT control strategy in the SPPCGTI system, precise MPPT for each PV panel is achieved, irrespective of uniform or non-uniform irradiation conditions. Additionally, this technique reduces Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) in the AC grid current of the solar PV panel companion inverter (SPPCI) while simultaneously enhancing MPPT efficiency, inverter efficiency [inverter efficiency is less than the Sorted-Staircase Modulation (SSCM) and more than the Sorted PWM (SoPWM)], and reducing settling time compared to the existing techniques like SSCM and SoPWM. The SPPCGTI with the integrated SMMR PWM technique, MPPT algorithm, and current controller is modeled and simulated in MATLAB/Simulink. Experimental testing affirms the outstanding performance of the proposed SMMR PWM technique. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.
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    Novel sorted PWM strategy and control for photovoltaic-based grid-connected cascaded H-bridge inverters
    (Springer, 2025) Maheswari, G.; Manjunatha Sharma, K.M.; Prabhakaran, P.
    This paper proposes a novel sorted level-shifted U-shaped carrier-based pulse width modulation (SLSUC PWM) strategy combined with an input power control approach for a 13-level cascaded H-bridge multi-level inverter designed for grid connection, specifically tailored for photovoltaic (PV) systems, which avoids a double-stage power conversion configuration. In this methodology, every inverter generates a quasi-square output voltage waveform with a width that is intricately linked to the output power of its corresponding PV panel. The application of this SLSUC pulse width modulation technique with input power control in a solar energy-based 13-level grid-tied inverter facilitates precise maximum power point (MPP) tracking for each of the PV panels under uniform and non-uniform irradiation conditions and ensures the consistent maintenance of capacitor voltage balance. Moreover, this novel SLSUC PWM method for 13-level inverters offers a range of benefits, including a low total harmonic distortion (THD) in the output voltage of the multi-level inverter and higher inverter and MPPT efficiencies over the existing PWM techniques. To verify the efficacy of the proposed control method over existing techniques, a PV-based grid-connected multi-level inverter with the proposed control strategy undergoes modeling and simulation using MATLAB/Simulink. Then, experimental hardware-in-the-loop (EHIL) testing is conducted to confirm and evaluate its effectiveness. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2024.
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    A Novel Seven-Level Triple-Boost Inverter for Grid-Integrated Photovoltaic Systems
    (Springer, 2025) Maheswari, G.; Manjunatha Sharma, K.M.; P, P.
    Transformer-less switched-capacitor-based multilevel inverters (TL-SCMLIs) are increasingly preferred for photovoltaic (PV) applications due to their voltage boosting capability, high efficiency, reduced dv/dt stress, and lower cost. However, existing SC-based multi-level inverters often require more components, suffer from leakage currents, have lower boost gain capability, have higher PU total standing voltage, and exhibit lower efficiency. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel seven-level switched-capacitor (SC)-based TL-MLI with higher voltage boosting gain and a common ground (CG) configuration for improved performance in grid-tied PV applications. A proportional-integral (PI) controller is designed for the grid-tied seven-level PV inverter, and its performance is evaluated through simulation studies and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experimental verification. Finally, a detailed comparative analysis with existing multi-level inverters highlights the proposed seven-level inverter’s advantages, including leakage current reduction, high boost gain, lower cost, lower PU total standing voltage, lower voltage stress, lower peak inverse voltage, and improved efficiency. The total harmonic distortion (THD) of the grid current is less than 5% for the proposed grid-tied seven-level inverter. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.