Design and implementation of a novel asymmetrical multilevel inverter optimal hardware components

Summary: The paper developed a new topology for the single‐phase asymmetrical cascaded multilevel inverter and realized with optimal hardware components. This solution aids to substantially reducing the number of semiconductor switches and DC sources, henceforth reduces the gate drivers requirement. The proposed multilevel inverter creates a waveform with a high number of staircase voltage levels compromising with low total harmonic distortion at the outputs. The configuration is asymmetric and generates thirty‐one level different output voltages. MATLAB/Simulink numerical software used to verify the modeling and validated experimentally in laboratory scale prototype. The testing of the inverter executed under both steady state and dynamic load changing conditions. A set of numerical and experimental results are provided and shown clear evidence of satisfying the expectation with theoretical development. The proposed converter is well suitable for renewable energy applications. KEYWORDS asymmetrical invertermultilevel inverterrenewable energystaircase modulation techniquetotal harmonic distortionvoltage source inverter.