A Single DC-Source Nine‑Level Boost Inverter with Reduced Components and Self‑Balancing Capacitor Control for Photovoltaic Applications
Keywords:
Boost inverter, DC-DC converters, Multilevel inverter, Photovoltaic system, SemiconductorAbstract
The increasing global energy demand and the need for sustainable solutions have accelerated the integration of Photovoltaic (PV) systems into modern power networks. However, efficient conversion of low-voltage DC from PV arrays into high-quality AC remains a key challenge due to system complexity, high component count, and voltage imbalance in conventional Multilevel Inverter (MLI) designs. This study presents a single DC-source nine-level boost inverter topology that addresses these limitations through component reduction, single-stage conversion, and self-balancing capacitor control. The proposed design integrates voltage boosting and inversion within one stage, eliminating the need for separate DC-DC converters and minimizing switching losses. A self-balancing control strategy ensures uniform capacitor voltage distribution, eliminating the need for auxiliary balancing circuits and thereby enhancing reliability and reducing costs. Simulation results demonstrate high conversion efficiency exceeding 90%, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) below 5%, and robust dynamic performance under variable irradiance and load conditions. Comparative evaluation with conventional Cascaded H-Bridge, Neutral Point Clamped, and Flying Capacitor inverters confirms the superiority of the proposed system in terms of efficiency, compactness, and simplicity of control. The presented topology offers a promising solution for residential and commercial PV applications, contributing toward the development of efficient and compact renewable energy systems
References
K. Choudhary, “Identification of potential replacement materials for lead in CH3NH3PbI3 using first principle calculations,” arXiv preprint arXiv:1505.01238v1, 2015. Available: https://arxiv.org/abs/1505.01238#:~:text=6%20May%202015%5D-
T. Senthilkumar, S.S. Sivaraju, V. Ranganayaki, T. Anuradha, “Voltage-fed single‑stage inverter for generating systems with multi‑input inverter using pulse width modulation,” Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, vol. 60, p. 103483, Dec. 2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2023.103483
P. Prem, P. Sivaraman, D. Almakhles, P. Sanjeevikumar, et al., “A new multilevel inverter topology with reduced power components for domestic solar PV applications,” IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 187483–187497, 2020. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9222096
S. S. Bohra, DC‑current sensor‑less MPPT based grid‑fed single‑phase PV micro‑inverter,” Appl. Sol. Energy, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 85–93, Mar. 2020. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342217573_DC-Current_Sensor-Less_MPPT_Based_Grid-Fed_Single-Phase_Photovoltaic_PV_Micro-Inverter
E. Abdeen, M. A. Gaafar, M. Orabi, A. Sheir, M. Z. Youssef, “A novel dual-input high‑gain transformer‑less multi‑level single‑phase micro‑inverter for PV Systems,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 35, no. 5, pp. 4703-4714, May 2020, Available: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8836634
A. Fernández-Guillamón, E. Gómez-Lázaro, E. Muljadi, A. Molina-García, “Power systems with high renewable energy sources: A review of inertia and frequency control strategies over time,” ArXiv preprint, 2020. arXiv https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109369
H. Zolfaghari, H. Karimi, H. Momeni, “Multilevel inverter real-time simulation and optimization through hybrid GA/PSO Algorithm,” ArXiv preprint, 2021. arXiv. Available: https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.13817
D. Murillo-Yarce, et al., “A review of control techniques in photovoltaic systems,” Sustainability, vol. 12, 2020, 10598. MDPI. Available: https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410598
Azizi A, Akhbari M, Danyali S, Tohidinejad Z, Shirkhani M. A review on topology and control strategies of high-power inverters in large-scale photovoltaic power plants. Heliyon. 2025 Feb; 11(3). https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(25)00714-5
S. Nyamathulla and C. Dhanamjayulu, “A review of multilevel inverter topologies for grid-connected sustainable solar photovoltaic systems,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 18, p. 13376, 2023. Available: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813376
Owais R, Iqbal SJ. Power control strategy for solar photovoltaic systems for fast frequency response ancillary service. IFAC-PapersOnLine, vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 949-954, 2022. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2022.04.156
T. Wang, et al., “Research on grid-connected control strategy of PV and energy storage system,” Energies, vol. 16, 2023, 8056. MDPI Available: https://doi.org/10.3390/en16248056
K. Bedoud, H. Merabet, T. Bahi, “Power control strategy of a photovoltaic system with battery storage system,” Journal of Engineering and Applied Science, vol. 69, 2022, Article 116. SpringerOpen https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s44147-022-00163-8
Varesi K, Esmaeili F, Deliri S, Tarzamni H. Single-input quadruple-boosting switched-capacitor nine-level inverter with self-balanced capacitors. IEEE Access. vol. 10, pp. 70350–70361, Available: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9810275
R. Varunaa, S. Kiruthika, P. Ravindran, “Ti4+ substituted magnesium hydride as promising material for hydrogen storage and photovoltaic applications,” arXiv preprint arXiv:1902.05277v1, 2019. Available: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1902.05277v1
F. Zheng, L. Z. Tan, S. Liu, A. M. Rappe, “Rashba spin‑orbit coupling enhanced carrier lifetime in organometal halide perovskites,” arXiv preprint arXiv:1505.04212v1, 2015. Available: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1505.04212v1
