https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5802-3390
![Sample our Engineering & Technology journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5933/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Engineering-Tech.jpg"})
Abstract
Applications such as high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission networks, flexible alternating current power transmission (FACTS), medium voltage (MV) motor drives, and power performance improvement topologies all see significant growth in demand for modular multilevel converters (MMCs) due to their attractive features. A 3-phase MMC can be described as having an AC terminal, a DC terminal, and a kernel for conversion with three-phase legs as part of its basic configuration. Each phase/leg in an MMC is having two symmetrical arms referred to as lower and upper arms. In order to reduce the high-frequency content in the arm currents, all the submodules are coupled in series with chock inductor. Now a days, the use of MMC is widespread because of its competitive benefits includes superior output performance, high modularity, simple scaling, and minimal voltage and current rating requirements for the power switches. A lot of work is being done around the world to find ways to use it in photovoltaic (PV) applications, low/medium voltage drives, converting wind energy and other places. In this paper, a detailed review of MMC is given, including its topological variants, modulation methods, modeling and capacitor voltage balancing techniques, fault-tolerant behavior, controlling approaches and future trends and challenges.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Raghu Vamsi Krishna Challa
Challa Raghu Vamsi Krishna received the BTech degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Maharaj Vijayaram Gajapathi Raj College of Engineering, Andhra Pradesh, India, in 2016, Currently pursuing MTech in electrical and electronics engineering from NIT GOA, India, in 2021. His research interests are in power electronics multi-level converters in power systems and grid integrated applications. Email: [email protected]
Suresh Mikkili
Suresh Mikkili (M’16, SM’19) received the BTech. degree in electrical and electronics engineering (EEE) from SITE, TP Gudem, India, in 2006. He received the MTech and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India, in 2008 and 2013, respectively. He is currently working as an associate professor in the Department of EEE at National Institute of Technology Goa (NIT Goa), India. He was head of the EEE Department at NIT Goa from June 2014 to November 2015 and dean, student welfare of NIT Goa from September 2015 to July 2019. His research interests include grid integrated renewable energy systems, power quality issues, smart electric grid, power electronics applications to power systems, and applications of soft computing techniques. He authored the book entitled “Power Quality Issues: Current Harmonics,” published by CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, August 2015, He reported results of his research (90+ articles) in international journals (SCI/SCI-E) and International conferences.
Praveen Kumar Bonthagorla
Praveen Kumar Bonthagorla (S’19) received the BTech. degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Bapatla Engineering College, Bapatla, Guntur, India, in 2012, the MTech degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the Annamacharya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Hyderabad, India, in 2015, and the PhD degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Goa, India, in 2022. He is currently working as adhoc faculty in the Department of EEE at National Institute of Technology Goa (NIT Goa), India. His research interests include renewable energy systems, applications of power electronics in power systems, high gain DC-DC converters and soft computing techniques. Email: [email protected]