IJBSTR RESEARCH PAPER VOL 1 [ISSUE 6] JUNE 2013

ISSN 2320 6020

A Comprehensive Analysis of Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation

for 3-phase Voltage Source Inverter (VSI)
Lalit Vidyarthy and K. P. Singh

ABSTRACT: In recent times, developments in power electronics and semiconductor technology have lead improvements in power
electronics systems. Hence, different circuit configurations namely multilevel inverters (MLI) have become popular and significant
interest by researchers are given on them. Variable voltage and frequency supply for ac drives can be consistently obtained from a
three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI). A number of Pulse width modulation (PWM) schemes are used to obtain variable voltage
and frequency supply. The most widely used PWM schemes for three-phase VSI are carrier-based sinusoidal PWM (SPWM) and
space vector PWM (SVPWM). There is an increasing trend of using space vector PWM (SVPWM) because of their easier digital
realization and better dc bus utilization. This paper presents the performance study of a Space Vector PWM based three-phase Voltage
Source Inverter. Also this paper focuses on step by step development of MATLAB/SIMULINK model of SVPWM. Initially the model
of a three-phase VSI is discussed based on space vector representation. Subsequently he simulation model of SVPWM is obtained
using MATLAB/SIMULINK. Simulation results are obtained using MATLAB/Simulink environment for effectiveness of the study.
Further new control approach for the three phase inverters based on a variety of techniques has been developed.
Keywords: Multilevel Inverters (MLI), Voltage Source Inverter (VSI), Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation (SVPWM), Sinusoidal
Pulse Width Modulation (SPWM), Matlab, Simulink.
2. Space Vector PWM

1. Introduction
Three phase voltage-fed PWM inverters are recently showing
increasing popularity for multi-megawatt industrial drive
applications. The main reasons for this popularity are easy
distribution of large voltage between the series devices and the
enhancement of the harmonic quality at the output as
compared to a two level inverter. In the lower end of power,
GTO devices are being replaced by IGBTs because of their
rapid evolution in voltage and current ratings and higher
switching frequency. The Space Vector Pulse Width
Modulation of a three level inverter provides the additional
benefit of superior harmonic quality and larger undermodulation range that extends the modulation factor to 90.7%
from the conventional value of 78.5% in Sinusoidal Pulse
Width Modulation.

Space Vector Modulation (SVM) method was initially

developed as vector approach to pulse-width modulation
(PWM) for three-phase inverters (Fig. 1). This method limits
space vectors to be applied according to region where the
output voltage vector is placed. The determination of
switching instants may be achieved using space vector
modulation method based on the representation of switching
vectors in - plane. Space Vector Modulation increases the
output potential of Sinusoidal PWM (SPWM) without
distorting output voltage waveform; and prevents unnecessary
switching.

Research Scholar and Associate Professor,

Department of Electrical Engineering,
MMM Engineering College, Gorakhpur, Uttar
Pradesh, India
Corresponding Author: l.vidyarthi@gmail.com

Fig. 1: Basic Three-Phase Voltage-Source Converter

circuit connected to Power Supply

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IJBSTR RESEARCH PAPER VOL 1 [ISSUE 6] JUNE 2013

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3. REALIZATION OF SPACE VECTOR PWM

Vbc = 0

The topology of a three-leg voltage source inverter is shown in

Fig. 2. Because of the constraint that the input lines must
never be shorted and the output current must always be
continuous a voltage source inverter can assume only eight
distinct topologies. These topologies are shown in Fig. 3. Six
out of these eight topologies produce a non-zero output
voltage and are known as non-zero switching states and the
remaining two topologies produce zero output voltage and are
known as zero switching states.

Vca = Vg..................................(1)
This can be represented in the (-) plane as shown in Fig.
4(b), where voltages Vab, Vbc, and Vca are three line voltage
vectors displaced 120 in space. The effective voltage vector
generated by this topology is represented as V1 (pnn) in Fig.
4(b). Here the notation pnn refers to the three legs/phases a,
b, c being either connected to the positive dc rail (p) or to the
negative dc rail (n). Thus pnn corresponds to phase a
being connected to the positive dc rail and phases b and c
being connected to the negative dc rail.

Fig. 2: Topology of a three-leg voltage source inverter

Fig. 4(a): Topology 1-V1 (pnn) of a voltage source inverter

Fig. 3: switching states topologies of a voltage source

inverter
3.1 Voltage Space Vectors

Fig. 4(b): Representation of topology 1 in the (-) plane

Space vector modulation (SVM) for three-leg VSI is based on

the representation of the three phase quantities as vectors in a
two-dimensional (-)plane. This is illustrated here for the
sake of completeness. Considering topology 1 of Fig. 3, which
is repeated in Fig. 4(a) we see that the line voltages Vab, Vbc,
and Vca are given by

Proceeding on similar lines the six non-zero voltage vectors

(V1 - V6) can be shown to assume the positions shown in Fig.
5. The tips of these vectors form a regular hexagon (dotted
line in Fig. 5). We define the area enclosed by two adjacent
vectors, within the hexagon, as a sector. Thus there are six
sectors numbered 1 - 6 in Fig. 5.

Vab = Vg

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3.2 Space Vector Modulation
The desired three phase voltages at the output of the inverter
could be represented by an equivalent vector V rotating in the
counter clock wise direction as shown in Fig. 7(a). The
magnitude of this vector is related to the magnitude of the
output voltage (Fig. 7(b)) and the time this vector takes to
complete one revolution is the same as the fundamental time
period of the output voltage.

Fig. 5: Non-zero voltage vectors in the (-) plane

Considering the last two topologies of Fig. 3 which are
repeated in Fig. 6(a) for the sake of convenience we see that
the output line voltages generated by this topology are given
by
Vab = 0
Vbc = 0
Vca = 0 ....... (2)
These are represented as vectors which have zero magnitude
and hence are referred to as zero-switching state vectors or
zero voltage vectors. They assume the position at origin in the
(-)plane as shown in Fig. 4(b). The vectors V1-V8 are
called the switching state vectors (SSVs).

Fig. 7(a): Output voltage vector in the ( ) plane

Fig. 6(a): Zero output voltage topologies

Fig. 7(b): Output line voltages in time domain

Fig. 6(b): Representation of the zero voltage vectors in the

( ) plane

Let us consider the situation when the desired line-to-line

output voltage vector V is in sector 1 as shown in Fig. 8. This
vector could be synthesized by the pulse-width modulation
(PWM) of the two adjacent SSVs V1 (pnn) and V2 (ppn), the
duty cycle of each being d1 and d2, respectively, and the zero
vector [V7 (nnn) / V8 (ppp)] of duty cycle d0:
d1 V1 + d2 V2 = V = m Vgej.............................. (3)
d1 + d2 + d0 = 1.. (4)

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IJBSTR RESEARCH PAPER VOL 1 [ISSUE 6] JUNE 2013

Where, 0 m 0.866 is the modulation index. This would
correspond to a maximum line-to-line voltage of 1.0Vg, which
is 15% more than conventional sinusoidal PWM as shown.

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4.1 Open Loop Speed Control of an Induction Motor using
constant V/Hz Principle and SVPWM Technique

Fig. 9: Model for Open loop speed control of an induction

motor using a space vector PWM modulator

Fig. 8: Synthesis of the required output voltage vector in

sector 1
All SVM schemes and most of the other PWM algorithms use
Eqns. (3) and (4) for the output voltage synthesis. The
modulation algorithms that use non-adjacent SSVs have been
shown to produce higher THD and/or switching losses and are
not analyzed here, although some of them, e.g. hysteresis, can
be very simple to implement and can provide faster transient
response. The duty cycles d1, d2, and d0, are uniquely
determined from Eqns. (3) and (4) , the only difference
between PWM schemes that use adjacent vectors is the choice
of the zero vector(s) and the sequence in which the vectors are
applied within the switching cycle.
The degrees of freedom we have in the choice of a given
modulation algorithms are:
1) The choice of the zero vector; whether we would like to use
V 7(ppp) or V8 (nnn) or both,
2) Sequencing of the vectors and
3) Splitting of the duty cycles of the vectors without
introducing additional commutations.
4. SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS
The simulation and analysis for Space Vector Modulation
based Voltage source inverter (VSI) has been done on
MATLAB 7.10 (R2010a) using Simulation modelling.

Fig. 10: FFT analysis of stator phase voltage waveform

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IJBSTR RESEARCH PAPER VOL 1 [ISSUE 6] JUNE 2013

Fig. 11: Response of stator voltage Vab and stator current

Ia versus time

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Fig. 12: Response of Speed (in rpm) of rotor, stator voltage

(Vab), Freq and Torque (Te) of the Induction Motor versus
time

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IJBSTR RESEARCH PAPER VOL 1 [ISSUE 6] JUNE 2013

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4.2. Three-phase two level PWM voltage source motors

Fig. 13: Model for three-phase two level PWM voltage

source motors

Fig. 15: Response of Vab Inverter and Vab Load versus time
5. RESULT
The FFT Analysis and output waveforms from Simulation
modelling are shown below.

Fig. 14: FFT analysis of stator phase voltage waveform

6. CONCLUSION
The above discussion shows that Space Vector PWM
technique is better as compared to other pulse width
modulation technique sin many aspects such as high
Modulation Index, 15% more output voltage, less current and
torque harmonics. However, despite of all the mentioned
advantages that SVPWM technique enjoys over any other
PWM technique, SVPWM algorithm used in three-level
inverters is more complex because of large number of inverter
switching states. Hence it is seen that there is a certain trade
off that exists while using SVPWM for inverters for
Adjustable Speed Drive Operations.

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7. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I would like to thank the Department of Electrical
Engineering, MMM Engineering College, Gorakhpur for
extending all the facilities for caring out this work.
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