Power Loss Comparison Between Three-Level T-type and NPC Converters With SVPWM and MPCC Modulation Schemes in Electric Vehicles

Three-level (3L) converters, including neutral point clamping (NPC) converters and T-type converters, are attracting attention in electric vehicle applications due to less voltage and current harmonics. To extend the maximum mileage of an electric vehicle, the efficiency of power converters is a crucial factor. Previous research has focused on the efficiency comparison between the two 3L converters and their control schemes, but an effective modulation method called model predictive current control (MPCC) has not been well discussed. In this paper, a comparative study between the widely used space-vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) and the MPCC for 3L-NPC and 3L-T-type converters is conducted. Power losses of the 3L converters are analyzed considering the two modulation methods. System-level vehicle simulations with multiple drive cycles are performed using a developed electric vehicle model for efficiency comparison.