Maximizing the Voltage Utilization in Automotive Traction Drives Applying Optimized Pulse Patterns

Abstract:
With optimized pulse patterns (OPPs), it is inherently possible to maximize the voltage utilization of the electric drivetrain from linear modulation up to six-step operation. This not only increases the performance of the drive system, but also introduces additional degrees of freedom into the inverter design, which will be discussed in this paper. The implementation and specific characteristics of OPPs within the overmodulation region will be investigated. A novel method for controlling OPPs specifically for the overmodulation region is presented. Measurement results demonstrate the advantage of OPPs with overmodulation in automotive traction applications.