A Novel Two Five-Level Double-Boost Inverters for Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Applications

Abstract

This paper proposes two novel five-level inverters, both featuring a common ground configuration and double-boosting capability. The common ground configuration in the proposed topologies effectively eliminates leakage current, making them ideal for grid-connected photovoltaic applications. The first proposed inverter topology consists of a single DC source, six power switches, two diodes, two capacitors, and one charging inductor. The second topology also uses a single DC source but comprises seven power switches, one diode, two capacitors, and one charging inductor. In both proposed inverter topologies, the switched capacitors automatically balance to voltages of V<inf>dc</inf> and 2V<inf>dc</inf>. Additionally, the charging inductor helps reduce spike currents in the capacitor charging path. These inverters offer several advantages, including a reduced component count, low per-unit total standing voltage, high efficiency, increased power density due to fewer components, reduced spike currents, and a common ground (CG) structure that entirely eliminates leakage current. The proposed inverters employ a proportional-integral (PI) controller with phase disposition pulse-width modulation (for the first converter) and staircase modulation (for the second converter). A comparative analysis of existing and proposed five-level inverters is presented, demonstrating their suitability for grid-tied photovoltaic applications through MATLAB Simulink simulations and experimental validation using Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL). © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.