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Electronics
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Power Electronics and Multilevel Converters
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Power Electronics and Multilevel Converters

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Power Electronics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2026 | Viewed by 1631

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xinwei Wei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Electrical and Power Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Interests: control method; fault diagnosis and fault tolerance of multilevel converters
Dr. Zhen Zhu

E-Mail
Guest Editor
College of Electrical and Information Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
Interests: optimal control; multilevel DCDC converters; energy router; power quality control; microgrid
Dr. Ziheng Xiao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Energy Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
Interests: T-type inverters; modular multilevel converters; energy router, and the application of artificial intelligence in power electronics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Power electronics technology, at the core of modern energy conversion and management, is profoundly reshaping sectors such as energy, transportation, industry, and information. Multilevel converters, as an advanced power conversion architecture, have become the preferred solution for critical systems including medium/high-voltage DC transmission, grid integration of renewable energy generation, high-end industrial motor drives, electric vehicle charging, and data center power supplies, owing to their outstanding advantages such as superior output power quality, lower switching losses, and reduced electromagnetic interference in high-voltage, high-power scenarios. Currently, the rapid development of wide-bandgap semiconductor devices, the deep integration of digital control technologies, and the ever-increasing demands for system-level energy efficiency and reliability are jointly driving the evolution of power electronics and multilevel converter technologies towards higher power density, higher efficiency, greater intelligence, and enhanced robustness.

To showcase the latest research progress, core challenges, and cutting-edge breakthroughs in this field, and to foster academic exchange and industry-academia-research collaboration, this Special Issue hereby announces an open call for papers to scholars and engineering professionals worldwide. This Special Issue aims to explore the full spectrum of key technologies for multilevel converters—from underlying devices, topological innovations, and control strategies to system integration and applications—with a focused emphasis on their innovative solutions for future energy and power systems. The scope of submissions includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

  1. Novel Multilevel Topologies and Modulation Techniques
  1. Derivative and optimized designs of innovative topologies such as Modular Multilevel Converters (MMC), Cascaded H-Bridge (CHB), Flying Capacitor, Diode-Clamped, and their hybrid combinations.
  2. Efficient modulation strategies (e.g., Nearest Level Modulation, Carrier Disposition PWM, Space Vector Modulation) and their improved algorithms for multilevel converters, focusing on loss reduction, voltage balancing, and harmonic suppression.
  3. Design and performance enhancement of multilevel converters based on wide-bandgap semiconductors (SiC, GaN).
  1. Advanced Modeling, Control, and Stability Analysis
  1. High-precision modeling, simulation, and digital twin technologies for multilevel converters.
  2. Advanced control strategies, including Model Predictive Control, Model-Free Control, and applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data-driven control techniques in voltage balancing, circulating current suppression, and fault ride-through.
  3. System-level stability analysis and oscillation suppression strategies, particularly addressing interactive stability issues under weak grid conditions or with complex loads.
  1. Reliability, Fault Diagnosis, and Fault-Tolerant Operation
  1. Lifetime modeling, condition monitoring, and health management of key power devices (e.g., IGBTs, capacitors).
  2. Online fault diagnosis, localization, and intelligent early warning technologies for multilevel converters.
  3. Fault-tolerant topology design and fault-tolerant control strategies to ensure uninterrupted system operation under partial failures.
  1. System Integration, Applications, and Emerging Interdisciplinary Fields
  1. Integration design and optimization of multilevel converters in large-scale systems such as High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission, Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS), Solid-State Transformers (SST), and medium-voltage variable frequency drives.
  2. Application challenges and solutions in emerging scenarios such as renewable energy (PV, wind) based hydrogen production, electrochemical energy storage systems, ultra-fast electric vehicle charging, and aerospace/shipboard electric propulsion.
  3. Integration of multilevel converters with Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), the Internet of Things (IoT), and smart grids.
  1. Experimental Verification, Case Studies, and Standardization
  1. Development of experimental platforms and validation of measurement results for innovative topologies, control methods, or diagnostic methods.
  2. Successful industrial application cases, field operation data, and experience summaries.
  3. Discussions on design specifications, testing standards, and performance evaluation systems related to multilevel converters.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Xinwei Wei
Dr. Zhen Zhu
Dr. Ziheng Xiao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • power electronics
  • multilevel converters
  • fault diagnosis
  • fault-tolerant control
  • topology
  • modulation strategy
  • system reliability

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 6655 KB  
Article
Triple Phase Shift Modulation for Active Bridge Converter: Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Efficiency Optimization
by Yiqi Huang, Qiang Zhao, Miao Zhu, Shuli Wen and Bing Zhang
Electronics 2026, 15(8), 1563; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15081563 - 8 Apr 2026
Viewed by 439
Abstract
A triple phase shift (TPS) modulation strategy is proposed for a three-port active bridge (TAB) converter in shipboard zonal DC systems. Unlike traditional multi-port converters, the TAB realizes voltage conversion and bidirectional power conversion under TPS modulation. It exhibits superior performance in reducing [...] Read more.
A triple phase shift (TPS) modulation strategy is proposed for a three-port active bridge (TAB) converter in shipboard zonal DC systems. Unlike traditional multi-port converters, the TAB realizes voltage conversion and bidirectional power conversion under TPS modulation. It exhibits superior performance in reducing control complexity, enhancing fault-tolerant capability, and extending the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) region under normal and fault operation modes. To further enhance its conversion efficiency, a deep reinforcement learning optimization approach based on the deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm is introduced to adaptively optimize TPS control parameters and minimize the overall power losses of the converter. To verify the proposed TPS modulation and DDPG-based optimization strategy for the TAB converter topology, a corresponding hardware prototype is built and experimentally tested under different operating conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that the TAB architecture with DDPG optimization effectively reduces current stress and power loss, boosting the converter’s maximum efficiency to 96.9% under normal mode and a 3% efficiency gain after fault isolation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Power Electronics and Multilevel Converters)
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23 pages, 6708 KB  
Article
Capacitance Reduction in IGCT-Based MMC Through Elevated Ripple Tolerance Under Linear Modulation Constraints
by Jianxiang Xie, Zhe Yang, Jiaqi Wu, Zhichao Fu, Jiajun Ou and Peiqian Guo
Electronics 2026, 15(7), 1468; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15071468 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 353
Abstract
Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission require substantial submodule (SM) capacitance to limit capacitor voltage ripple, resulting in bulky and costly converter valves. The integrated gate-commutated thyristor (IGCT), with its higher voltage rating and lower conduction loss compared to [...] Read more.
Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission require substantial submodule (SM) capacitance to limit capacitor voltage ripple, resulting in bulky and costly converter valves. The integrated gate-commutated thyristor (IGCT), with its higher voltage rating and lower conduction loss compared to the insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), enables a significant reduction in the number of SMs per arm, offering a pathway toward compact converter design. This paper investigates how the reduced SM count of IGCT-based MMCs affects the feasibility and benefit of operating with elevated capacitor voltage ripple to further decrease SM capacitance. An analytical framework is developed to evaluate the modulation boundary under increased ripple, explicitly accounting for the voltage ripple coupling (CVR) effect and circulating-current suppression. A ripple-tolerance coefficient κ is introduced, and its optimal value is determined by identifying the inflection point beyond which the achievable AC voltage output begins to decline. For a ±500 kV/2000 MW IGCT-MMC case study using 6.5 kV devices with 250 SMs per arm, the proposed method reduces the per-unit energy storage requirement by up to 39.4% compared with conventional-ripple operation. Simulation and prototype experimental results on a 400 V, 3 kW, 4-SM/arm test bench validate the analytical predictions and confirm the practical feasibility of the approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Power Electronics and Multilevel Converters)
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20 pages, 2984 KB  
Article
Current Estimator LESO-Based Discrete-Time LADRC of a DC-DC Buck Converter
by Onur Demirel
Electronics 2026, 15(5), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15051133 - 9 Mar 2026
Viewed by 471
Abstract
This study proposes a systematic approach for implementing discrete-time Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control in the closed-loop regulation of power converters. The continuous-time Linear Extended State Observer was discretized using the zero-order hold method to obtain a current estimator-based Linear Extended State Observer [...] Read more.
This study proposes a systematic approach for implementing discrete-time Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control in the closed-loop regulation of power converters. The continuous-time Linear Extended State Observer was discretized using the zero-order hold method to obtain a current estimator-based Linear Extended State Observer that is suitable for real-time implementation. The design considerations for discrete-time Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control, including the selection of observer and controller parameters and the sampling period, are addressed. For performance comparison, a PI controller was designed and implemented in discrete time. The control schemes were evaluated via MATLAB/Simulink (2025b) simulations and real-time closed-loop experiments on a microcontroller to assess the transient response, disturbance rejection capability, and steady-state accuracy of the buck converter. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the discrete-time Linear Active Disturbance Rejection Control incorporating a current-estimator-based Linear Extended State Observer significantly outperforms the PI controller in terms of transient response and disturbance rejection capability. From this perspective, this study provides a meaningful contribution to the limited literature on linear extended state observer-based discrete-time Active Disturbance Rejection Control methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Power Electronics and Multilevel Converters)
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