A Precise Switching Frequency Formulation of Hysteresis-Controlled Grid-Connected Inverters Considering Nonlinear Ripple Current

Abstract

Hysteresis current control (HCC) is one of the most simple and rapid modulation techniques for multilevel grid-connected inverters (MGCIs). It controls the output current by limiting its ripple within fixed hysteresis limits. This results in a varying switching frequency, which is not known implicitly. The knowledge of switching frequency is essential for filter design, device selection, and loss calculations of the MGCI. The existing frequency estimations for HCC assume linear ripple current considering high-frequency operation. This assumption is invalid for the range of low frequencies. This leads to inaccurate estimation of switching frequency, which can have a considerable effect on system design. In this article, a more precise and generalized expression to estimate the switching frequency of the MGCI is obtained. The improvement in accuracy is demonstrated with an example of second-order filter design. The effect of change in hysteresis limits and input voltage on the switching frequency is analyzed to determine the operating point for accurate system design. Simulation and experimental results are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical claims. © 1982-2012 IEEE.