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Main Authors: Park, Jaeyeon, Kim, Dongjoon, Lee, Seungjun, Cui, Shenghui
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.14217
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author Park, Jaeyeon
Kim, Dongjoon
Lee, Seungjun
Cui, Shenghui
author_facet Park, Jaeyeon
Kim, Dongjoon
Lee, Seungjun
Cui, Shenghui
contents Nearest level modulation (NLM) is an attractive modulation method for its implementation simplicity in modular multilevel converter (MMC). However, it introduces significant voltage and current distortion when the number of submodules (SMs) per arm is small, as in medium-voltage applications. While indirect modulation offers fully decoupled control of ac-side current, dc-side current and SM capacitor energy, its performance is fundamentally reliant on accurate arm voltage synthesis, making it incompatible with the large quantization error inherent in NLM. To resolve this conflict, this paper proposes a new control strategy based on a disturbance observer (DOB). The key idea is to estimate and actively compensate for the inevitable arm voltage synthesis error induced by NLM, thereby enabling fully decoupled control of indirect-modulated MMC even under NLM operation with a small number of SMs. A key advantage is its ease of implementation, as it requires no modifications to the conventional NLM and decoupled control structure. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed method in improving current quality and decoupled SM energy control are verified through both simulation and experimental results.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_14217
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Improved Decoupled Control of Modular Multilevel Converter under Constaint of Nearest Level Modulation via Disturbance Observer Design
Park, Jaeyeon
Kim, Dongjoon
Lee, Seungjun
Cui, Shenghui
Systems and Control
Nearest level modulation (NLM) is an attractive modulation method for its implementation simplicity in modular multilevel converter (MMC). However, it introduces significant voltage and current distortion when the number of submodules (SMs) per arm is small, as in medium-voltage applications. While indirect modulation offers fully decoupled control of ac-side current, dc-side current and SM capacitor energy, its performance is fundamentally reliant on accurate arm voltage synthesis, making it incompatible with the large quantization error inherent in NLM. To resolve this conflict, this paper proposes a new control strategy based on a disturbance observer (DOB). The key idea is to estimate and actively compensate for the inevitable arm voltage synthesis error induced by NLM, thereby enabling fully decoupled control of indirect-modulated MMC even under NLM operation with a small number of SMs. A key advantage is its ease of implementation, as it requires no modifications to the conventional NLM and decoupled control structure. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed method in improving current quality and decoupled SM energy control are verified through both simulation and experimental results.
title Improved Decoupled Control of Modular Multilevel Converter under Constaint of Nearest Level Modulation via Disturbance Observer Design
topic Systems and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.14217