Review of Inverter Topologies with Emphasis on Pulse Width Modulation Techniques for Efficient Power Conversion

Inverters have critical components in modern power electronic converter systems, empowering operative adaptation of DC to AC power across various applications, including renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, variable speed drives, and industrial drives. This chapter presents a comprehensive review of inverter topologies with an in-depth exploration of pulse width modulation (PWM) controllers that enhance power conversion efficiency and control performance. Conventional and advanced inverter configurations, such as voltage source inverters (VSI), current source inverters (CSI), multilevel inverters (MLI), and resonant inverters, are discussed. Additionally, various PWM methods, including Sinusoidal PWM (SPWM), Space Vector PWM (SVPWM), Hysteresis PWM, and recent intelligent modulation strategies, are critically investigated in terms of harmonic performance, switching and conduction losses, and enactment complexity. The comparative analysis delivered in this review serves as a valuable reference for researchers and engineers in selecting appropriate inverter-PWM combinations tailored to specific application needs, with an emphasis on optimizing energy productivity, dynamic response, and overall system consistency.