Mitigating Dead-Time Impact in a Three-Phase Split-Source Inverter: A Simple Compensation Method

Abstract

The use of a split-source inverter (SSI) has gained popularity due to its ability to achieve boost operation without requiring additional active semiconductor switches. This results in lower costs, reduced complexity, and a smaller overall size compared to two-stage inverter topologies. The SSI is particularly well-suited for low-voltage-fed applications and offers advantages over other single-stage topologies, such as the utilization of conventional pulse-width modulation (PWM) switching, lower passive component count, continuous input current, and constant voltage across the bridge. All PWM methods used for the SSI introduce dead time to prevent shoot-through in the inverter bridge, but it also results in lower voltage boost and higher harmonic distortion in the output currents. This study investigates the negative effects of dead time on the SSI’s performance and proposes a simple compensation method to mitigate these effects. It includes an analysis of four PWM methods – two biased and two unbiased. The effectiveness of the proposed compensation method is confirmed by experimental results.

Mateo Bašić

Full Professor | Department of Power Electronics and Control

Full professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Split, with recent research interests related to the fields of power electronics and renewable energy sources, with a special focus on energy-efficient control of inverters, battery systems, wind turbines, photovoltaic sources and self-excited induction generators in microgrids - both in island operation and in grid-tie operation.

Dinko Vukadinović

Full Professor | Department of Power Electronics and Control

Full professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Naval Architecture in Split, specialized in modern control systems for power electronic converters, electric motors, and generators. At the Power Electronics Research Laboratory, he leads experimental projects and develops advanced methods for regulating electrical machines and converters, while supervising doctoral research in these areas.

Ivan Grgić

Assistant Professor | Department of Power Electronics and Control

Assistant professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Architecture in Split, specialized in the research of power electronic converters in photovoltaic systems and microgrids. Currently, he teaches courses in the areas of control engineering, digital electronics, electrical engineering, electrical machines and transformers.