Multilevel Converters for Industrial Applications

chapter 1

Introduction

1.1  Introduction

Power electronics is a discipline increasingly involved in all processing stages of electric power, like generation, conversion, transmission distribution, and conditioning. But the power converters are restricted in their operational capacities by the switching devices, whose limitations are imposed by the physical characteristics of the semiconductor materials. In this sense, large amounts of research are taking place around the development of new semiconductor switching devices with larger voltage withstanding capabilities. However, the aim of increasing the working voltage of the converters with the existing power switches also finds its own way with the introduction of multilevel converters. These ...