Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules

Ahmed Elsanabary; Saad Mekhilef; Mokhtar Aly; Jose Rodriguez

doi:10.1109/APEC48143.2025.10977076

Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules

Ahmed Elsanabary^*
, Saad Mekhilef
, Mokhtar Aly
, Jose Rodriguez

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Submodule (SM) voltage balancing of a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is crucial for stable operation of the converter. The conventional sorting algorithm is usually used to achieve this balance through instantaneous measuring of SM voltages and arm currents. However, in practice, this process utilizes digital out pins from the controller to operate the half-bridge SM switches, which are slower and inaccurate, compared to the embedded PWM interface modules provided in most commercial controllers. This work proposes a voltage balancing technique using a modified sorting algorithm to be compatible with the PWM interface module's output ports for any type of controllers. It performs the required balancing of the capacitors by identifying the required reference voltage signal. The technique is validated experimentally through a three-phase grid connected solar MMC system and the obtained results are presented to show the performance of the proposed technique to balance the SM voltages.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	APEC 2025 - 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	746-750
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Electronic)	9798331516116
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/APEC48143.2025.10977076
State	Published - 2025
Externally published	Yes
Event	14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2025 - Atlanta, United States Duration: 16 Mar 2025 → 20 Mar 2025

Publication series

Name	Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC
ISSN (Print)	1048-2334
ISSN (Electronic)	2470-6647

Conference

Conference	14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2025
Country/Territory	United States
City	Atlanta
Period	16/03/25 → 20/03/25

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 IEEE.

Keywords

Grid
MMC
Solar systems
Voltage Balancing

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/APEC48143.2025.10977076

Cite this

Elsanabary, A., Mekhilef, S., Aly, M., & Rodriguez, J. (2025). Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules. In APEC 2025 - 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (pp. 746-750). (Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/APEC48143.2025.10977076

Elsanabary, Ahmed ; Mekhilef, Saad ; Aly, Mokhtar et al. / Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules. APEC 2025 - 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025. pp. 746-750 (Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC).

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abstract = "Submodule (SM) voltage balancing of a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is crucial for stable operation of the converter. The conventional sorting algorithm is usually used to achieve this balance through instantaneous measuring of SM voltages and arm currents. However, in practice, this process utilizes digital out pins from the controller to operate the half-bridge SM switches, which are slower and inaccurate, compared to the embedded PWM interface modules provided in most commercial controllers. This work proposes a voltage balancing technique using a modified sorting algorithm to be compatible with the PWM interface module's output ports for any type of controllers. It performs the required balancing of the capacitors by identifying the required reference voltage signal. The technique is validated experimentally through a three-phase grid connected solar MMC system and the obtained results are presented to show the performance of the proposed technique to balance the SM voltages.",

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author = "Ahmed Elsanabary and Saad Mekhilef and Mokhtar Aly and Jose Rodriguez",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 IEEE.; 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2025 ; Conference date: 16-03-2025 Through 20-03-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1109/APEC48143.2025.10977076",

language = "English",

series = "Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC",

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Elsanabary, A, Mekhilef, S, Aly, M & Rodriguez, J 2025, Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules. in APEC 2025 - 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 746-750, 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2025, Atlanta, United States, 16/03/25. https://doi.org/10.1109/APEC48143.2025.10977076

Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules. / Elsanabary, Ahmed; Mekhilef, Saad; Aly, Mokhtar et al.
APEC 2025 - 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025. p. 746-750 (Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules

AU - Elsanabary, Ahmed

AU - Mekhilef, Saad

AU - Aly, Mokhtar

AU - Rodriguez, Jose

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Submodule (SM) voltage balancing of a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is crucial for stable operation of the converter. The conventional sorting algorithm is usually used to achieve this balance through instantaneous measuring of SM voltages and arm currents. However, in practice, this process utilizes digital out pins from the controller to operate the half-bridge SM switches, which are slower and inaccurate, compared to the embedded PWM interface modules provided in most commercial controllers. This work proposes a voltage balancing technique using a modified sorting algorithm to be compatible with the PWM interface module's output ports for any type of controllers. It performs the required balancing of the capacitors by identifying the required reference voltage signal. The technique is validated experimentally through a three-phase grid connected solar MMC system and the obtained results are presented to show the performance of the proposed technique to balance the SM voltages.

AB - Submodule (SM) voltage balancing of a modular multilevel converter (MMC) is crucial for stable operation of the converter. The conventional sorting algorithm is usually used to achieve this balance through instantaneous measuring of SM voltages and arm currents. However, in practice, this process utilizes digital out pins from the controller to operate the half-bridge SM switches, which are slower and inaccurate, compared to the embedded PWM interface modules provided in most commercial controllers. This work proposes a voltage balancing technique using a modified sorting algorithm to be compatible with the PWM interface module's output ports for any type of controllers. It performs the required balancing of the capacitors by identifying the required reference voltage signal. The technique is validated experimentally through a three-phase grid connected solar MMC system and the obtained results are presented to show the performance of the proposed technique to balance the SM voltages.

KW - Grid

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KW - Solar systems

KW - Voltage Balancing

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BT - APEC 2025 - 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition

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ER -

Elsanabary A, Mekhilef S, Aly M, Rodriguez J. Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules. In APEC 2025 - 14th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2025. p. 746-750. (Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC). doi: 10.1109/APEC48143.2025.10977076

Submodule Voltage Balancing Technique of Solar MMC for Firing The Switches Using Integrated PWM Modules

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Cite this