A Simple Current Ripple Reduction Method for B4 Inverters

This paper proposes a simple current compensation method to improve the control performance of B4 inverters. Four-switch inverters so called B4 inverters employ only four switches. They have a split dc-link and one phase of three-phase motors is connected to the center-tap of split dc-link capacitors in B4 inverters. The voltage ripples in the center tap of the dc-link generate unbalanced three-phase voltages causing current ripples. To solve this problem, this paper presents a simple compensation method that adjusts switching times considering dc-link voltage ripples. The validity of the proposed method is verified by simulations and experiments carried out with a 1 HP induction machine.