Operating performance of Modular Multilevel Converters in drive applications

  • Author:

    Johannes Kolb, Felix Kammerer, Michael Braun

  • Source:

    PCIM Europe 2012, 8-10 May 2012, Nuremberg, Germany

  • The Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is an upcoming topology for high power drive applications in the medium voltage range. This paper presents an investigation on MMCs used as motor-sided converter as well as grid-sided active-front-end converter. Experimental results from a prototype system show the operating performance of the DC-coupled MMCs at steady state including the start-up procedure. The dynamic response of the system is tested to verify the cascaded and transformed control scheme of the MMC. This control ensures a balanced energy distribution inside the MMCs in every operating point.