In this paper a DC-link voltage balancing strategy for multilevel Cascaded H-Bridge (CHB) converter is proposed. Presented solution bases on optimal choice of active vector durations in Space-Vector Pulse Width Modulation (SV-PWM). It makes it possible to DC-link voltages control and to properly generate the output voltage vector in the case of DC-link voltage unbalance. Results of simulation and experimental researches on proposed control strategy are presented in the paper.

Current source inverters (CSI) is one of the widely used converter topology in medium voltage drive applications due to its simplicity, motor friendly waveforms and reliable short circuit protection. The current source inverters are usually fed by controlled current source rectifiers (CSR) with a large inductor to provide a constant supply current. A generalized control applicable for both CSI and CSR and their extension namely current source multilevel inverters (CSMLI) are dealt in this paper. As space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) features the advantages of flexible control, faster dynamic response, better DC utilization and easy digital implementation it is considered for this work. This paper generalizes SVPWM that could be applied for CSI, CSR and CSMLI. The intense computation involved in framing a generalized space vector control are discussed in detail. The algorithm includes determination of band, region, subregions and vectors. The algorithm is validated by simulation using MATLAB /SIMULINK for CSR 5, 7, 13 level CSMLI and for CSR fed CSI.