Theoretical and Experimental Study on the Overvoltage in the PWM Inverter–Cable–Induction Machine Association

Induction motors (IMs) are widely used in variable-speed electric drive systems, where the motor is supplied by a voltage source inverter (VSI). Thus, PWM inverter–IM combination presents several issues that can degrade system performance, particularly overvoltage phenomena when long cables are used. In inverter-fed drive systems, the physical separation between the converter and the motor often requires long motor cables, which can significantly affect voltage stress. As the inverter’s output pulses propagate through the cable, voltage reflections and high-frequency oscillations occur at the motor terminals. We theoretically and experimentally investigate the effect of three PWM methods, namely Space Vector (SVPWM), Selective Harmonic Elimination PWM (SHEPWM), and Random PWM (RPWM) strategies, on overvoltage at the terminals of an induction motor fed by a PWM inverter through a long cable. The simulation results exhibit the validity and efficiency of SVPWM control to reduce overvoltage for different cable lengths. In addition, in order to reduce and eliminate all overvoltage peaks, three filters are proposed and evaluated: an RC filter, an RLC filter, and a compensator. The proposed PWM strategies are assessed using equivalent experimental results obtained on an induction motor fed by a two-level VSI. The experimental tests demonstrate also the efficiency of the SVPWM compared to other strategies.