Volume and Weight Comparison of 2-Level and 5-Level E-Type 3-Phase 4-Wire STATCOM Converter

The paper presents a comparative analysis of two STATCOM Converter topologies designed for voltage regulation in distribution LV networks. The chosen topologies include the well-known 2-Level STATCOM topology and recently introduced 5-Level E-Type 3-Phase 4-Wire STATCOM topology, both of which are based on voltage source inverters. The paper provides analytical expressions for calculating the key design parameters of STATCOM devices (AC filter, DC bus, and thermal management) and focuses particularly on comparing the required passive components from the aspect of weight and volume. Based on the analysis, it is shown that the proposed 5-L STATCOM allows for significant material savings (copper and aluminium) compared to the commonly used 2-Level topology. Proof of the concept prototype has been designed and manufactured. The most important experimental results are presented and discussed in the paper.