Modulation and Control Independent Dead-Zone Compensation for H-Bridge Converters: A Simplified Digital Logic Scheme

The H-bridge (HB) converters are essential components in various power typologies, offering dual energy flow, increasing power density, and enhancing extensibility. For the HB converters, the dead zone plays a crucial role in avoiding power semiconductors against shoot-through phenomenon in the phase leg of an HB converter. However, it also negatively affects the quality of the output ac currents, impacting system performance. This letter introduces a simplified digital logic-based scheme that effectively compensates for the dead zone in HB converters. Initially, the scheme examines the repercussions of dead zones in HB converter. Subsequently, it adjusts pulsewidth modulation signal waveforms by either delaying the leading edge or the lagging edge for the dead-zone compensation, irrespective of the control and modulation methods employed. Furthermore, extensibility of the proposed scheme to other power converters, such as a neutral-point-clamped converter is discussed. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is validated by experimental results.