Through an analysis of a modular multilevel converter (MMC) based on the double-star chopper-cells (DSCC) configuration

a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) topology using the MMC based on the single-star chopper-cells (SSCC) configuration is presented

which is compared with the STATCOM based on single-star bridge cells (SSBC)

single-delta bridge cells (SDBC) and DSCC configurations. The proposed SSCC-based MMC-STATCOM uses only half the number of the DSCC-based MMC-STATCOM and can save about 13.4% of the insulated gate bipolar translators (IGBTs) than the SSBC-based STATCOM. A comprehensive capacitor voltage control strategy using direct current control for the SSCC-based MMC-STATCOM is presented

along with an improved phase-phase capacitor voltage balance control scheme. The improved scheme does not have to perform complex calculations on zero sequence voltage compensation quantity. Furthermore

a 10 kVA experimental prototype of three-phase SSCC-based MMC-STATCOM is developed. In the end

simulation and experimental results have proved that the proposed SSCC-based MMC-STATCOM possesses excellent dynamic and static characteristics

while the proposed topology of STATCOM and its control schemes are feasible and effective. This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51177091

No. 51177095).