New five-level active neutral point clamped converter

Multilevel converters are a proven solution for medium voltage and high power applications including renewable energy conversion. Developing 6.6 kV converters is a key goal for the wind turbines industry. Considering the voltage rating of commercially available semiconductors, five-level converters are necessary to reach 6.6 kV. The five-level active neutral point clamped converter (5L-ANPC) is one of the most advantageous topologies among five-level multilevel converters. This paper presents a new 5L-ANPC topology that overcomes the features of the previously employed 5L-ANPC topology. Along this paper, the working principle of this new 5L-ANPC is explained. Finally, the validity of the new converter is validated via simulation.