Dear Colleagues,

Multilevel converters, initially emerged to overcome the blocking voltage limitation of the most commonly used two-level converters, featuring several output voltage steps. This allows using power semiconductor devices rated for a lower voltage than the DC link. Moreover, this enables higher system voltage for AC and DC applications, it improves system efficiency, reducing harmonic distortion and passive filters, due to the higher apparent switching frequency.

Recently, multilevel converters are gaining more interest in applications like photovoltaic and wind power systems, uninterruptible power supplies, MV drives, and active filters. Moreover, in HVDC transmission and MV applications, the topologies based on a split DC link, like the MMC are commonly used.

Among the benefits of working with multilevel converters it is possible to highlight the following:

• Use of cost-effective power semiconductors at lower voltage ratings
• Reduction of passive filters due to the increased output frequency
• Improved availability using redundant components
• Improved EMI behavior with less harmonics
• Higher bandwidth

Nevertheless, there are several challenges to selecting the optimal solution for the desired application. Therefore, it is mandatory to give more attention to the design of converters, working with novel and more established techniques, starting with the optimization of the components, until the optimal system solution is found.

This Special Issue is intended to motivate further research, development, and design of multilevel converters. Increasing the state-of-the-art of emerging topologies, and novel techniques to find optimal solutions for desired applications. Original contributions including experimental validation are expected. The topics of interest include, but they are not limited to the following:

• Traditional multilevel and multicell converter topologies;
• Optimization methods for the design of power converters;
• Passive filter design and selection of the appropriate semiconductors;
• Multilevel modulation strategies;
• Natural voltage balancing in multilevel capacitor-based inverters;
• Multilevel converters for renewable energy power applications;
• Multilevel converters for EV’s applications;
• Fault tolerant analysis in multilevel converters;
• Dedicated control strategies for fast response and high bandwidth;
• EMC behavior and design of EMC filters for multilevel converters.

Prof. Dr. Thierry A. Meynard
Dr. Jaime W. Zapata
Guest Editors

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• multilevel inverters
• multicell converters
• interleaved converters
• converter topologies
• optimization
• design
• natural voltage balancing