A dead-time compensation method for motor drive inverters based on nonlinear observer

Silicon carbide (SiC) inverters and interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSMs) are widely employed in electric vehicles (EVs) due to their superior efficiency and high power density. However, the harmonics generated by the high switching frequency and the dead-time effect in SiC inverters present a significant challenge. The time-varying nature of on–off delays and conduction voltage drops in power devices makes it difficult to establish a precise nonlinear model for inverters, thus limiting the effectiveness of traditional dead-time compensation methods. This paper introduces a dead-time compensation approach for voltage source inverters (VSIs) that leverages a nonlinear observer, thereby circumventing the need for a complex inverter model while enhancing compensation accuracy. The method determines the three-phase stator current polarity of the IPMSM by deriving the relationship between the current vector angle and the rotor position angle. Along with duty cycle variations computed by the PI controller, the inverter's nonlinearity is adaptively compensated. Simulation and experimental results indicate that the proposed method outperforms the traditional method based on the error voltage model, effectively reducing the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the phase current.