High frequency Symmetrical Multilevel Current Source Inverters (S-MCSI), a topology with many advantages

Date: 17/07/2025
Time: 10:00 am
Presenter: Miguel Aguirre
Abstract: Multilevel topologies present several advantages regarding total harmonic distortion and stress on inductors and switches. Moreover, as shown in the literature, multilevel CSI have usually more degrees of freedom than multilevel VSI. The selected topology has as many degrees of freedom to impose different current levels in the three phases of the load as inductors acting as current sources. They are a smart choice to improve performance and efficiency in industrial applications where high power or low voltage and high current is required with high dynamic response and low distortion, such as induction motor drives, FACTS and HVDC.

Several Multilevel-CSI topologies have been developed and presented in the literature. In this presentation a Symmetrical-MCSI is employed to feed a three phase load. The converter consists of a number of identical modules which determine the different current levels. Each module uses two balance inductors and six power switches. All inductors of every module should carry the same amount of current. The current flowing through the inductors can be balanced and switching frequency can be reduced by applying different modulation schemes that take advantage of the multiple and redundant zero states. Industrial assemblies are easy to develop and operate because all modules are identical. The design and development of a 19 level prototype with 9 symmetrical models will be shown and discussed.

Please note: This webinar will be given in Spanish
Miguel Aguirre
PhD (2013) by Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) and Electronic Engineer by Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Argentina. Currently Full Professor, Director of the Industrial Electronics Research and Development Center (CIDEI) at ITBA. Academic Director of the Electronics Engineering career (ITBA).

Several years of experience first in the instrumentation & control industry, and then in education and research on electronics. Currently acting as director of the electronics engineering career, professor and researcher at ITBA. Worked mainly with power converters: DC/DC and inverters, and with electronics components such as capacitors and magnetics. Always focused on safety, reliability, quality and environment to meet the expectations of the industry, adding empathy and searching for didactic approaches for teaching.

Main skills are power electronics hardware (from circuit analysis and simulation to PCB design), magnetics (understanding how and why it works), teaching, and managing people in multilingual environments. His research interests are developing and analysis of power electronics and converters, particularly of Multilevel Current Source Inverter (MCSI), fast control and modulation techniques based on FPGAs, and control of power devices.