Multilevel Inverters for Electric Aircraft Applications: Current Status and Future Trends

Aviation electrification has been in the spotlight over the last decade, expected to lead to a more sustainable future. As the power demand and the voltage level of onboard electric power systems dramatically increase, multilevel inverters (MLIs) have attracted the attention of the aviation industry for their superior performance. This article reviews MLIs for electric aircraft applications. The functions of MLIs in different subsystems of electric aircraft are summarized. The advantages of MLIs compared with their two-level counterparts in electric aircraft, in terms of efficiency, power density, reliability, costs, and power quality, are evaluated through a literature review and case studies. Technical innovations with respect to the design, control, modulation, and prototyping of MLIs for aviation applications are also introduced. Finally, future trends of MLIs for electric aircraft applications are discussed.