Simplified Predictive Direct Power Control of Three-Phase Three-Level Four-Leg Grid Connected NPC Converter

Model Predictive Control (MPC) provides various advantages over traditional controllers in power electronics applications. However, reducing the complexity and computational burden of the Finite-control set-model predictive control (FCS-MPC) in multi-leg multilevel inverters is still a challenging task. In this paper, a simplified model predictive direct power control (MPDPC) for a three-level, four-leg grid-connected converter (4L-GCC) is proposed. The main idea of the proposed strategy is to reduce the computational burden of the control algorithm by using only the switching vectors of the first sector to optimize the cost function. The proposed control method can ensure accurate control of active and reactive powers, control of zero-sequence current, as well as DC capacitor voltages balancing without using any weighting factors. Simulation and experimental results are provided to prove the effectiveness and simplicity of the proposed MPC algorithm compared with most-recently proposed solutions.