Patent ID: 9553516
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: H02M

Claim:
1. A multi-level converter comprising: a plurality of arms configured to each be connected between a voltage source and a current source; each arm including two stages connected in cascade with a first stage to be connected to the voltage source, a second stage to be connected to the current source, the first stage including n elementary stages of rank one to n (n greater than one) connected in cascade, an elementary stage of rank one being connected to the second stage and an elementary stage of rank n being connected to the voltage source, wherein each elementary stage comprises a pair of identical cells of a neutral point clamped (NPC) type connected in series, outputs of the cells of the NPC type being directly connected in series in the elementary stage of rank one, the cells of the NPC type being connected via n−1 capacitive cells for each elementary stage of rank n (n greater than one), the second stage including a cell of floating capacitor type, and each arm being connected to another arm via inductors.