Space Vector Based Random Pulse Width
Modulation Scheme for a 3-level Inverter in
Open-end Winding Induction Motor Configuration
David Solomon George
Dept. of Electronics & Communication
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kottayam, India
david@rit.ac.in
Abstract – In this paper a Random Pulse Width Modulation
(RPWM) scheme for a dual inverter fed 3-level open-end
winding induction motor based drive is presented. The proposed
scheme is a variable switching frequency technique in which
randomization is achieved by sampling the reference space
vector at random intervals. Any reference space vector for the 3-
level inverter is mapped into a vector of a basic 2-level inverter.
For the mapped vector, randomization is done to achieve
spreading of spectral characteristics. This space vector based
method in the proposed scheme uses no sector identification.
Switching time for actual switching vectors of the 3-level
inverter is calculated for the vector mapped into the 2-level
inverter and actual switching vectors are generated. No external
circuitry is required for generation of switching signals. The
proposed work is implemented in a 2 hp open-end winding
induction motor based drive using TMS320LF2407 DSP
platform and the experimental results are presented.
I. INTRODUCTION
Deterministic Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) schemes
produce output spectrum with energy concentrated at
harmonics of switching frequency. This causes annoying
acoustic noise, vibration and electromagnetic interference
[1]-[3]. Owing to the capability of mitigating these effects,
Random Pulse Width Modulation techniques have attracted
researchers. Basic strategy in these techniques is to spread the
energy concentrated at harmonic frequencies into continuous
spectrum. Random switching, random pulse position and
random switching frequency are the major RPWM techniques
[1]. Most of the RPWM techniques are of carrier based [1]-
[4], [6], [8], [11]. But there are a few Space Vector PWM
(SVPWM) based implementations also [7], [9], [10].
SVPWM techniques have the advantages of easy digital
implementations and better utilization of dc bus [12].
Most of the RPWM schemes are implemented for 2-level
inverters. But recently, it has been implemented for different
3-level inverter topologies also [8]-[11]. Neutral Point
Clamped (NPC), flying capacitor, cascaded H-bridge and
open-end winding induction motor based drives are the major
multilevel inverter topologies. Advantages of deterministic
and random techniques are combined by using weighted
978-1-4673-0158-9/12/$31.00 ©2012 IEEE
M. R. Baiju
Dept. of Electronics & Communication
College of Engineering, Trivandrum, India
mrbaiju@cet.ac.in
random switching decisions [8]. By randomizing the
sequence of switching vectors, RPWM can be generated [9].
A random switching frequency RPWM is obtained for a
Neutral Point Clamped inverter by using the concept of
distribution ratio [10]. For a dual inverter fed 3-level open-
end winding induction motor drive, a random switching
scheme with a decoupled strategy can be adopted [11].
In the proposed work, a space vector based RPWM
scheme using the principle of random switching frequency is
implemented. Random switching vectors for the 3-level
inverter are generated by randomizing vectors for a 2-level
inverter only. The proposed space vector based scheme uses
no sector identification methods. Switching vectors are
generated from instantaneous amplitudes of three phase
reference voltages. No translation circuitry is required for the
generation of switching vectors for the 3-level inverter. The
proposed work is implemented in a 2 hp open-end winding
induction motor based drive using TMS320LF2407 DSP
platform and the experimental results are presented.
II. OPEN-END WINDING INDUCTION MOTOR BASED
3-LEVEL INVERTER
The structure of a 3-level open-end winding induction
motor based drive is shown in Fig. 1. A three phase open-end
winding induction motor is obtained by opening the neutral
point of the star connected motor [13-15]. The motor is fed
by two 2-level inverters from both the ends [13-15]. The 2-
level inverters are given isolated dc link voltages of Vdc/2.
Thus the pole voltages of individual 2-level inverters can
attain one of the two levels of either Vdc/2 or 0. When fed by
two 2-level inverters from both the ends, an equivalent 3-
level inversion is obtained. The phase voltage VAA’ can have
the values of either –Vdc/2, 0 or +Vdc/2.
Fig. 2 shows the space vector locations of individual
inverters. As the individual 2-level inverters can assume 8
independent states, a dual inverter produces 64 (28) states
which are distributed over 19 vector locations [14]. The
resultant 3-level space vector locations obtained are as shown
in Fig. 3.
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 III. PROPOSED METHOD
Principle

Principle of the proposed space vector based random

PWM scheme is that randomization can be achieved by
sampling the reference space vector at random intervals.
Randomly spaced samples of the reference phasor are
obtained by randomly varying the switching frequency for
every PWM cycle and are realized by SVPWM. The resulting
PWM signals are non periodic, leading to spreading of
frequency spectrum.
Fig. 1: Open-end winding induction motor based 3-level inverter

Fig. 2: The space vector locations of the individual 2-level inverters

At any instant, the resultant vector of the 3-level inverter

is obtained by subtracting the vector generated by inverter-2
from the vector generated by inverter-1 [14]. Thus by
properly switching the two inverters, any vector for the 3-
level inverter can be realized.
Fig. 4: Random sampling of reference space vector

In Fig. 4, circle in the space vector diagram of a 3-level

inverter represents locus of reference space vector for a given
modulation index. Random samples of the reference space
vector obtained in the proposed scheme in the interval ωt = 0º
to ωt = 60º are indicated in the figure. As a consequence of
random sampling of reference phasor, in different cycles of
reference signal, samples are obtained at different angular
positions as shown in Fig. 5. This results in non repetitive
time domain PWM signal. This non periodic PWM switching
function leads to spreading of the frequency spectrum.

Fig. 3: Space vector locations of dual inverter fed 3-level inverter

Fig. 5: Non periodic PWM signals generated for A-phase of the reference
signal for two different cycles consequent to random sampling of the
reference phasor

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The proposed method involves the following steps
A. Random sampling of reference space vector
B. Resolving reference space vector into two component
vectors
C. Generation of switching vectors for inverter-1
D. Mapping and generation of switching vectors for inverter-2
E. Calculation of switching time for random vectors
A. Random sampling of reference space vector
In the proposed method, reference space vector is sampled
by randomly varying the switching frequency for every PWM
cycle. A uniformly distributed random number corresponding
to random frequency is generated by the DSP by using the
Linear Congruential Generator (LCG) for pseudo random
number generator given by
X n +1 = ( aX n + c )( mod l ) (1)
where the coefficients a, c and l are multiplier,
increment and modulus. X n +1 is the current value of random
number generated from the previous value X n . X 0 is the
seed for the LCG. In the proposed scheme, switching
frequency is limited in the range 2.5±1KHz by limiting the
bounds of the randomization.
B. Resolving reference space vector into two
components
Fig. 6 shows the space vector diagram of a 3-level
inverter. O can be identified as center of a hexagon with six
vertices denoted as A, B, C, D, E and F. This hexagon is
similar to the space vector diagram of a 2-level inverter with
a dc link voltage of Vdc/2 and is referred to as inner sub
hexagon. Similarly six other hexagons can be identified with
centers as A to F. These are referred to as outer sub
hexagons.
Fig. 6: Reference space vector OT split up into component vectors OF
and FT
Any reference space vector with its tip lying in the outer
sub hexagon can be expressed as the vector sum of two
components. First vector component is one of the vertices of
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the inner sub hexagon which is realized by inverter-1 of the
open-end winding induction motor based drive shown in Fig.
1. The second component is a vector realized by random
SVPWM switching of inverter-2.
Let OT be the reference space vector at any instant. The
vector OT can be resolved into OF and FT. The vector OF is
switched by inverter-1. The vector FT is realized by the
random SVPWM of inverter-2 by switching the three
neighboring vectors with appropriate switching times.
C. Generation of switching vectors for inverter-1
When the tip of the reference space vector is lying outside
the inner sub hexagon, inverter-1 is clamped to one of its
vertices depending on the position of the reference space
vector. This switching vector can be directly obtained from
the instantaneous polarity of the three phase reference signal
[18]. The polarity of a positive reference signal is denoted by
‘1’ and a negative reference signal by ’0’. Then the polarity
of the three phase reference signal directly gives the vector to
be switched by inverter-1.
For example, if the reference space vector is positioned
between, ωt = 0º and ωt = 60º, then, the A-phase and C-phase
signals are positive while B-phase signal is negative. Then
inverter-1 is clamped to the vertex, F (101). Fig. 7 relates the
polarity of the reference signal for 360º and the
corresponding vertex to which inverter is to be clamped.
Fig. 7: Relation between polarity of reference signal and vector to be
switched by inverter-1
D. Mapping and generation of switching vectors for
inverter-2
Fig. 8 shows the vectors to be switched by the 2-level
inverters to generate the reference space vector for the 3-level
inverter. Let OT be the reference space vector to be realized.
To generate OT, inverter-2 should realize the vector FT. But
in an open-end winding induction motor based drive, the
resultant vector is obtained by subtracting the switching
vector of inverter-2 from that of inverter-1. So instead of
vector FT, its opposite vector, FI is to be realized by the
inverter-2
The inverter-2 switches the SVPWM signal irrespective of
whether the reference space vector is lying inside or outside
the inner sub hexagon. If the reference space vector is lying
outside the inner sub hexagon, the duration of each vector to
be switched is found out by mapping the vector FT into the
inner sub hexagon. In Fig. 6, OT’ represents the reference
space vector which is mapped to the inner sub hexagon [17].
No mapping is required if the reference space vector is lying
inside the inner sub hexagon.
Fig. 8: Vectors switched by inverter-1, inverter-2 and the resultant
reference space vector
E. Calculation of switching time for random vectors
Let Vα and Vβ represent the (α, β) coordinates of the tip of
the reference vector OT in Fig. 8. The (α, β) coordinates of
the mapped reference vector OT’ is obtained by subtracting,
Vα and Vβ from of the (α, β) coordinates of the nearest sub
hexagon center. A simple algorithm based on the concept of
imaginary switching times is used to find the switching time
of 2-level inverter [17].
From the mapped reference space vector, the instantaneous
values of phase reference voltages vas , vbs and vcs are
calculated. The switching time is proportional to the
instantaneous values of mapped reference voltages. The
switching times Txs is given by
Txs = ( Ts / Vdc ) vxs where x ∈ a , b, c
The imaginary switching time Txs can be of positive or
negative depending on vxs .
Fig. 9 shows instantaneous mapped reference voltages,
corresponding switching signals and the effective switching
time. The effective time is the time for which the load is
connected to the source. The vectors switched during the
effective time are the effective or active vectors. It is the time
duration between the smallest and largest of three imaginary
switching times.
Teff = Tmax −Tmin (2)
where Tmax and Tmin are maximum and minimum of Txs .
Fig. 9: Instantaneous mapped reference signals, corresponding gating pulses
and effective (active) switching time [18]
The actual gating signal for the 2-level inverter can be
generated by time shifting of imaginary switching times by
adding an offset. In SVPWM, centralized pulses are obtained
by placing the active vectors at the center of the sampling
period by adding an offset given by
Toffset = T0 / 2 − Tmin (3)
For optimum switching and to generate symmetrical
switching signals within two sampling intervals, the actual
gate timing signals for the OFF sequence and ON sequence
are respectively obtained as
Tgx = Txs + Toffset and
Tgx = Ts − Tgx where x ∈ a , b, c (4)
IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
The proposed scheme is implemented in a 2 hp, 3-phase
open-end winding induction motor based drive. The
(1) algorithm is implemented and the switching signals for both
the inverters are generated on a TMS320LF2407 DSP
platform. The switching frequency is randomly varied
between 2.5 KHz. and 5 KHz.
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 The Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) output of the
random gate timing signals for A-phase of inverter-2,
generated by the DSP are shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11. Fig.
10 shows the gate timing signal Tga for a modulation index is
0.3 where the reference space vector is lying inside the inner
sub hexagon. Fig. 10 shows plot of Tga for a modulation
index of 0.7 where the reference space vector lies outside the
inner sub hexagon. The abrupt changes occurring in Tga is
due to random frequency variations.
voltage and current are similar to that of a deterministic
PWM output.
A-phase pole voltage of the 3-level inverter for a
modulation index of 0.7 is shown in Fig. 13. Upper trace is
the pole voltage of inverter-1. It is seen that inverter-1 is
clamped to one of the vertices of inner sub hexagon and is a
low frequency switching signal. Middle trace is the pole
voltage of inverter-2. It is the random SVPWM signal. The
lower trace is the effective pole voltage of the 3-level inverter
obtained by taking the difference between the pole voltages
of inverter-1 and inverter-2.

Fig.10 Trace of gate timing signal Tga for modulation index of 0.3.
X-axis: 20ms/div; Y-axis: 2V/div
Fig.13 Trace of pole voltage for modulation index of 0.7.
Upper trace: A-phase pole voltage of inverter-I; Middle trace: A-phase pole
voltage of inverter-II; Lower trace: Pole voltage of equivalent 3-level
inverter obtained as the difference between upper and middle traces
Scale: X-axis: 10ms/div; Y-axis: 100V/div

Fig.11 Trace of gate timing signal Tga for modulation index of 0.7.
X-axis: 20ms/div; Y-axis: 2V/div

Fig.14 Spectrum of phase voltage for modulation index of 0.3 for the
proposed scheme
Scale: X-axis: 5KHz/div; Y-axis: 20dB/div
Fig. 14 and 15 shows the spectrum of phase voltage for a
modulation index of 0.3 and 0.7 respectively. It is observed
that the frequency spectrum of the output is having spread
spectrum characteristics. There is no peaking of harmonic
components of switching frequency. For the purpose of
comparison, spectrum of phase voltage for deterministic
SVPWM for a modulation index of 0.7 in the same
experimental set up is shown in Fig. 16. The switching
Fig.12 Trace of phase voltage and phase current for modulation index of 0.7. frequency is 2.5 KHz. All the harmonic components of the
Upper trace: A-phase voltage; Scale: X-axis: 10ms/div; Y-axis: 50V/div
LowerFig.
trace: 12
A-phase current; switching frequency are having considerable amplitudes and
shows theScale: X-axis:
phase 10ms/div;
voltage Y-axis:
and 2A/divof the
current
energy is energy is concentrated at theses frequencies. Thus
induction motor for a modulation index of 0.7. The phase

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 the proposed method is shown to have mitigated the adverse
effects of deterministic SVPWM.
Fig.15 Spectrum of phase voltage for modulation index of 0.7 for the
proposed scheme
Scale: X-axis: 5KHz/div; Y-axis: 20dB/div
Fig.16: Spectrum of phase voltage for modulation index of 0.3 for Space
vector PWM with constant switching frequency in the same experimental
set up
Scale: X-axis: 5KHz/div; Y-axis: 20dB/div
V. CONCLUSION
In this paper a space vector based random PWM scheme
for a 3-level inverter is presented. The undesirable spectral
harmonics for SVPWM are eliminated by introducing
randomness in switching frequency. Switching frequency is
randomly varied for every PWM cycle. This results in
randomly spaced sampling of the reference space vector. The
reference space vector for the 3-level inverter is translated
into a vector lying in the basic 2-level inverter by a mapping
technique. RPWM is generated for a 2-level inverter and the
actual switching vectors are generated. By using the mapping
technique in the proposed paper, the scheme can be extended
to any n-level inverter. The proposed scheme is implemented
in a dual inverter fed 3-level open end winding induction
motor drive using the DSP platform, TMS 320LF2407 and
the experimental results are presented. The spread spectrum
characteristics of the output demonstrate the effectiveness of
the proposed method.
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