Enhanced switching converter for photovoltaic systems: performance analysis and simulation

Abstract

This paper focuses on reducing switching losses and stresses in photovoltaic (PV) inverters by introducing a new five-level hybrid T-type multilevel inverter (T-MLI). The proposed topology was designed and simulated using physical security information management (PSIM) software and validated using one year of solar radiation and temperature data to account for seasonal variations. The proposed inverter was also experimentally implemented through hardware development, and its performance was evaluated under different load conditions. Under nonlinear load conditions, the results demonstrate that the proposed T-MLI reduces total harmonic distortion (THD) to 3.8%, reduces voltage stress on the switches, improves direct current (DC)-link utilization, and enhances the overall efficiency of the inverter system compared with the traditional topology.