Comparative analysis of harmonic reduction of VSI fed induction
motor using SVPWM and sinusoidal PWM
Satya Prakash Jena 1(Author)
1M.tech Scholar (PSE),
Dept. of Electrical Engg,
College of Engineering & Technology,
Bhubaneswar, India
satyaprakash1234567890@gmail.com
Abstract- The quality of power has deteriorated
due to increasing practice of electronic gadgets
which are responsible for generating harmonic
currents and reactive power. To overcome this
issue we can use PWM technique, especially Space
Vector Modulated PWM (SVPWM) since it
manages to produce high voltages accompanied
with less total harmonic distortion as well as toils
splendidly field oriented structures to achieve
motor control. Sinusoidal PWM also exhibits
similar results as that of SVPWM. The emphasis
of the thesis has been laid on induction motor on
which the two methods of harmonic elimination
technique has been executed – SVPWM and
sinusoidal PWM and to compare the amount of
harmonics suppressed by both techniques and
improve the SVPWM technique using closed loop
control.
Keywords- Harmonics, VSI, sinusoidal PWM,
SVPWM, PI controller, total harmonic distortion.
1. Introduction
Three phase voltage source inverters (VSI) are
recently showing growing popularity for multi-
megawatt industrial drive applications which are
mostly induction motors. The main reasons for this
popularity are easy sharing of large voltage between
the series devices and the improvement of the
harmonic quality at the output which improves the
motor performance [7]. Pulse width modulation
(PWM) is a technique in which the duty ratio of
pulsating waveform is controlled by another
waveform [8]. Based on the intersections of reference
waveform and carrier waveform the switching time
of IGBTs is calculated. As far as performance of
induction motor is considered there is no single
PWM method that suits to our requirements [5].
Some of the techniques are sinusoidal PWM,
sinusoidal PWM+ third harmonic reduction
technique, modified sinusoidal PWM, trapezoidal
SPWM, staircase SPWM, space vector PWM and
many more[4]. Popularly for harmonic reduction and
better output performance of industrial appliances
such as induction motor sinusoidal PWM is used. It is
Kamalesh Chandra Rout 2 (Author)
2Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Electrical Engg,
College of Engineering & Technology,
Bhubaneswar, India
rout.kamalesh@gmail.com
simple method to implement and hence is widely
used. But there is another PWM technique that gives
better output voltage and is more capable of reducing
the harmonics. Space vector PWM (SVPWM) is a
complex method as it includes minute calculations
regarding the switching time of individual switching
devices. SVPWM gives more output voltage as
compared to other techniques and has fewer ripples
in output waveforms that give smooth torque
characteristics in industrial appliances such as
induction motors. In this paper a brief comparison is
carried out between sinusoidal PWM and SVPWM
which are fed to induction motor through a voltage
source inverter (VSI). Since the comparison is done
on an open loop system where there is no control
over output, a closed system will be made using a PI
controller and its output will be studied.
2. Sinusoidal PWM
Sinusoidal PWM technique is a method in which a
carrier wave and a sinusoidal reference wave are used
to produce a modulated output [3]. The output
waveform is a pulse whose width is varied in
proportion to the amplitude of a sinusoidal wave used
as reference wave. The pulse is then fed to the three
phase inverter and hence applied to induction motor.
Fig 1- Sinusoidal Pulse width modulation
Since it is a three phase VSI fed to the induction
motor, the sinusoidal PWM technique will require
three sinusoidal waves with 120⁰ phase shift in
between them. The width of the output pulse can be
varied by varying the modulation index which is the
ratio between amplitude of sinusoidal wave and
amplitude of carrier wave [9]. Preferably the carrier
wave is a triangular wave of frequency in terms of
odd multiples of three. Thus on modulation all phase
voltages are identical, 120⁰ out of phase without even
harmonics. Moreover for odd multiples of three times
the carrier frequency the ninth harmonic gets
eliminated. The pulse generated during this technique
gives best result when the modulation index is set as
1. The waveforms for sinusoidal PWM are in Fig-2.
generating sinusoidal waves that supplies higher
voltages with less total harmonic distortion with
sufficient sophistication. For a standard three phase
VSI there are 8 switching states. Out of eight
switching states 2 are zero switching states and 6 are
non zero switching states as shown in table-1.[6]

Fig 2- Waveforms of sinusoidal PWM for 3 ph VSI Table 1- Switching vectors, phase voltages, output
line to line voltages.
The triangular signal i.e. the carrier wave is imposed
upon the sinusoidal reference wave. A comparison is Based on the discrete voltage vectors shown above,
done between the two waves and a gate pulse is the vector position is traced and shown in fig-4.
generated where the sinusoidal wave amplitude is
more than the triangular carrier wave [10]. Since it is
a three phase system so there are three sinusoidal
reference waves. As a virtue of which there will be
three types of gate pulse that will be fed to six
thyristors using suitable logic. Using this method a
block model is prepared for the sinusoidal PWM VSI
fed to induction motor shown in fig-3.

Fig 4- switching vectors and sectors

Fig 3- simulink block diagram of sinusoidal PWM

VSI fed to an induction motor.

3. Space Vector PWM

SVPWM has been a very advanced PWM technique

as it ensures to produce high voltages accompanied
with less harmonic content which is a welcome
property for being used in industrial drives [1].
Elimination of a number of small order harmonics
gives a splendid output. The technique of SVPWM
initially came into existence as a vector approach to Fig 5-Reference vector as a combination of adjacent
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for 3-phase vectors at sector 1
inverters [2]. This technique is well-versed in
The vectors divide the plan into six sectors.
Depending on the sector that the voltage reference is
in, two adjacent vectors are chosen. The binary
representations of two adjacent basic vectors differ in
only one bit, so that only one of the upper transistors
switches when the switching pattern moves from one
vector to the adjacent one[11][12]. The two vectors
are time weighted in a sample period Tz to produce
the desired output voltage. In fig-5, it is shown how
adjacent vectors result to form reference vector in
sector 1. Based on the above theory MATLAB
simulink model is developed as shown in fig-6.

Fig 8- FFT analysis of output current in sinusoidal

PWM VSI fed to induction motor

Fig 6- Simulink block model of SVPWM VSI fed to

induction motor

4. Simulation and result of sinusoidal PWM and

SVPWM

Here MATLAB simulation for sinusoidal PWM VSI

fed to induction motor is shown in fig-7. Stator
current for all three phases, angular frequency,
electrical torque and line voltage Vab is plotted.

Fig 9- FFT analysis of line voltage for sinusoidal

PWM VSI fed to induction motor.
MATLAB simulation results for SVPWM VSI fed to
induction motor are shown in fig-10.

Fig-7

For the calculation of harmonic content in current

and voltage FFT analysis is done. In fig-8 the THD of
output current waveform is calculated and in fig-9 the
THD of output voltage Vab is calculated. In fig-8, the
stator current Ia is taken into consideration. Fig-10
THD calculation for the output current waveform and
voltage waveform is done in FFT analysis in fig-11
and fig-12 respectively.
Fig 11- FFT analysis of output current for SVPWM
VSI fed to induction motor
Fig 12- FFT analysis of output line voltage for
SVPWM VSI fed to induction motor
From the above FFT analysis the THD for current
and voltage for sinusoidal PWM and SVPWM are
measured which is shown in table-2.
Table-2 THD for current and voltage of output of
sinusoidal PWM and SVPWM
5. Conclusion
On the basis of MATLAB simulation it can be
concluded that THD for current in sinusoidal PWM is
19.25% and THD for voltage is 33.08% where as in
SVPWM the THD for current in sinusoidal PWM is
16.65% and THD for voltage is 14.15%. This clearly
states that harmonic reduction is better done in
SVPWM technique than sinusoidal PWM.
In the future work a closed loop system for the
SVPWM technique can be developed using a
controller like PI controller or fuzzy controller.
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Mr. Satya Prakash Jena, he is pursuing his M. Tech

in Power system from Department of Electrical
Engineering of College of Engineering &
Technology, Bhubaneswar, India. He has 2 years of
experience in industries. His area of interests is
power system.

Mr. Kamalesh Chandra Rout, he is now working

as an Assistant Professor in Department Electrical
Engineering of College of Engineering
&Technology, Bhubaneswar, India. He has 7 years of
experience in teaching. His area of Interests are
power system, machine and control system