IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-1 3, NO.
5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1977
High-Frequency Link Power Conversion
PAUL M. ESPELAGE AND BIMAL K. BOSE, MEMBER, IEEE-
Abstract-A class of electrical power conditioners incorporating an
intermediate variable high-frequency link concept is introduced by con-
sidering a converter with dc source and variable voltage and frequency
polyphase output, then extending the concept to polyphase ac source
voltage. The aC60 Hz-achigh-freq-acoutput-freq system is essentially
comprised of two cascade 12-thyristor cycloconverters separated by a
parallel resonant tank circuit. The tank circuit provides commutation
means for both cycloconverters. Normally, the input cycloconverter
operates in the inverting mode and the output cycloconverter in the
rectifying mode, although during regeneration their roles are reversed.
For static var control applications, the output cycloconverter is not
required. The input cycloconverter separating the 60-Hz supply from
the resonant tank circuit can be envisioned as a "solid-state synchro-
nous machine" capable of controlling real and reactive power indepen-
dently. Various control strategies for doing this is discussed. The de-
sign and potential performance characteristics for a 50-kVA system
suitable for motor drives is illustrated with regard to power capability
and tank frequency versus tank-to-supply voltage radio, input power
factor setting, load voltage, and power factor.
INTRODUCTION
i OLID-STATE power conversion equipment incorporating a
hvariable high-frequency link can be used in place of the
customary dc link to obtain the following advantages:
a) simple, adaptive commutation,
b) ohmic isolation at the high-link frequency,
c) independent real and reactive power control,
d) inherent four-quadrant capability.
The variable high-frequency link power conversion concept is
universal in that either a polyphase ac or a dc voltage can be
stepped up or down to a variable voltage, variable frequency,
polyphase ac, or to a dc voltage. The ac input and output
current waveshape can be made nearly sinusoidal and input
power factor is controllable.
DESCRIPTION OF VARIABLE LINK
FREQUENCY CONCEPT-DC INPUT
The variable link frequency concept described by Bedford
in [11 can be illustrated with the aid of Fig. 1 consisting of a
parallel inverter supplying a twelve-thyristor cycloconverter
and its load.
At light load, the inverter control circuit operates slightly
above nominal tank resonance. Assuming constant tank volt-
Paper TOD-76-5 7, approved by the Static Power Converter Commit-
tee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society for presentation at the
1975 Tenth Annual Meeting of the IEEE Industry Applications
Society, Atlanta, GA, September 28-October 2. Manuscript released for
publication July 7, 1976.
The authors are with the General Electric Company, Schenectady,
NY 12345.
387
HIGH Ff7PP
TAI
f-2KHZ- 4KHZ
30
0-230 V
0-300HZ
Fig. 1. High-frequency link system-dc input.
N I
AC
60HZ 30
30
230V B8 0-230V
0-300HZ
Fig. 2. High-frequency link system-ac input.
age as the cycloconverter loading increases, added leading kVA
for commutation is obtained by corresponding increase in
inverter frequency. McMurray, in [21, has described a very
fast control wlhich senses the state of the inverter tank circuit
and maintains the minimum required commutation kVA by
constant thyristor turn-off timIe regulation. This is accom-
plished by sensing, scaling, and summing tank voltage, load
current, and tank capacitor current to create a voltage signal
which crosses through zero when the predicted thyristor turn-
off time equals a predetermined reference. Alternate thyristor
firing occurs at these zero crossings.
AC INPUT CIRCUIT CONFIGURATION
For ac input, a diode or thyristor bridge can be added to
the circuit of Fig. 1. An alternative is the circuit of Fig. 2,
consisting of a cascade connection of two cycloconverters
separated by a high-frequency tank circuit. Normally, the
input cycloconverter operates in the inverting mode with
power flow from a polyphase 60-Hz source to the single-phase
high-frequency tank. The output cycloconverter normally
operates in the rectifying mode supplying power from the tank
to the load. During regeneration, the role of the two cyclo-
converters is reversed.
388 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-1 3, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1977

IL
L C
Ix
Fig. 3. Analogy of input cycloconverter to synchronous machine.

INPUT CYCLOCONVERTER CONTROL PHILOSOPHY

IC
With the ac input system of Fig. 2, it is desirable to have
nearly sinusoidal input current and independent control of
real and reactive power. Thus the constant turn-off time
control criterion used with the dc input system is not directly Fig. 4. Phasor diagram for real power control.
applicable. The controls for the output cycloconverter pres-
ently consist of standard biased-cosine circulatingcurrent-free
cycloconverter firing control and external motor load controls.
The circulating-current mode of operation may be preferred
for some applications. The input cycloconverter can be con-
sidered analogous to a synchronous machine operating on an
infinite bus as illustrated in Fig. 3.
Then, assuming pure inductance between the source and
input cycloconverter and a small angle 6 between the source
voltage Eb and the cycloconverter 60 Hz back EMF Es the
power P can be controlled according to the relationship
EbES sin 6 EbESb Fig. 5. Phasor diagram for power factor control.
P = - xs (1)
XS Xs
where
L~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I
Xs coiL, ES

L line inductance between source and cycloconverter,

c 2rfz 377 rad/s.
Lb E~~~~~ IEb
LX
The phasor diagram in Fig. 4 illustrates variable power control
at constant input power factor in the motoring mode, and Fig. I,
5 illustrates variable power factor control at constant input k I~ ~ ~ ,'
power in the generating mode.
The high-frequency link system can provide a variable lead- (a) (b)
ing or lagging input power factor. Fig. 6 illustrates leading Fig. 6. Phasor diagrams for power factor control.
power factor control, Fig. 6(a) for the generating mode, Fig.
6(b) for the motoring mode. Fig. 7 illustrates lagging power
factor control, again, Fig. 7(a) for the generating mode, Fig.
7(b) for the motoring mode.
These phasor diagrams show that operation in any quadrant
can be obtained by proper control of in-phase and quadrature
components of the 60-Hz line-to-neutral back EME Es. A
somewhat faster, though equivalent, control can be obtained
by control of direct and quadrature components of line cur-
rent. The controls can be designed to control real and reactive (LAGGING PE) (LAGGING PE)
power or real power and power factor control for either three-
phase balanced or unbalanced systems. The control for one
phase of a three-phase system is shown for the general case in (a) (b)
Fig. 8. The simpler control for a three-phase balanced system Fig. 7. Phasor diagrams for power factor control.
is shown in Fig. 9 where split secondary transformer windings,
multipliers, and summing amplifiers are used to fabricate the
cycloconverter reference waveforms as shown in Fig. 10.
ESPELAGE AND BOSE: HIGH-FREQUENCY POWER LINK COVERSION
Fig. 8. Phase shifter for power control-one phase.
Fig. 9. Phase shifter for power control-three phase.
,Esc
-E
Z4
Fig. 10. Phasor diagram for three-phase power controller.
OVERALL SYSTEM CONTROL STRATEGY
It is necessary to maintain the tank voltage within
determined limits in order to
a) be able to develop sufficient input cycloconverter back
EMF to limit 60-Hz input current,
b) be able to develop distortion-free output voltage,
c) keep tank voltage within thyristor voltage rating.
Whereas equivalent reactive loading reflected to the tank
389
Fig. 11. Tank voltage regulator-voltage controlled.
circuit merely changes the tank frequency, equivalent real
loading tends to reduce the tank voltage, and this must be
offset by an increased input power command.
Since the energy storage in the high-frequency tank is small
in comparison to rated load, the need for a fast tank voltage
regulator is implied. A control block diagram is shown in Fig.
11 wherein the- tank voltage error signal operates on the power
control previously described.
To reduce the required gain and increase the voltage regu-
lator bandwidth, auxiliary load compounding feedbacks are
summed with the tank voltage error signal in determining the
power command signal. This power command signal is
summed with the independently established power factor
control signal to form the cycloconverter 60-Hz voltage refer-
ence. This reference voltage is compared to the actual cyclo-
converter voltage. For the circulating current-free mode of
cycloconverter control being used, a reversal in the cyclo-
converter error voltage calls for reversal of thyristor bank
polarity after thyristor state detectors indicate current extinc-
tion of that phase. The cycloconverter error voltage is also
passed through a high-gain compensated amplifier, then
compared with a biased-cosine wave to determine cyclo-
converter thyristor firing instants.
ALTERNATE INPUT CURRENT CONTROL TECHNIQUE
The phase shift technique just described is nearly instanta-
neous in that is it comprised of only transformer windings,
multipliers, and summing amplifiers. The dominant time con-
stant in the tank voltage regulator loop is due to the 60-Hz
input reactors. This time constant can be reduced by changing
from cycloconverter voltage control to line current control as
shown in Fig. 12.
pre- The current controlled system is similar to the voltage
controlled system except that the Ix, IR phasors in Figs. 4
and 5 are now the independent variables, replacing Ex, ER.
Simplification in cycloconverter polarity bank selection is also
possible with the current command system.
The calculated no-load and full-load closed-loop frequency
response for simplified models of the voltage and current-
controlled systems is shown in Fig. 13.
390 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-1 3, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1977

Ls RsI Cr} RTr LT Ro

EQUIVALENT HIGH FREQUENCY TANK
Fig. 14. Equivalent high-frequency tank circuit.

Ls equivalent shunt inductance reflected from source,

Rs equivalent shunt resistance reflected from source,
Lo equivalent shunt inductance reflected from load.

Fig. 12. Tank voltage regulator-current controlled. It is necessary Ls, Lo, Ro in terms of known
to find Rs,
system quantities. The maximum rms phase volts that can be
50
developed from a given rms tank voltage is given by
40 VT
NO LOAD\
CL\NOSELOOPRESPONEAD
\ ELM =K
ir
COS CTtx (2)
30 _- V A FULL LOAD CURRENT
CONTROLLE TANK VOLTCONTROLLEE
20 - LSATM
FRLL STESYSTEM
where
K _ 0.95 a reduction factor to account for commutation
\
overlap,
CLOSED-LOOP RESPONSE
OF UJT tank frequency in rad/s,
VOLTAGE a CURRENT\
c] CONTROLLED TANK VOLTAGE VOLTAGLED tx ta tr as appropriate,
or
z REGULATOR SYSTEMS CONTROLLE ta advance limit in s,
tr retard limit in s.
. . I _____ __ __..S_
iO iOO .n
IK
,^nU
IOK
,,\2 ln,\~~~~~IU IQO K Pelly, in [3], shows a universal set of curves relating high-
FREQUENCY RAD /SEC
-
frequency side versus low-frequency side displacement factor
Fig. 13. Closed-loop response of voltage and current controlled ta nk as a function of a ratio
voltage regulator systems.
EL (3)
RELATIONSHIP OF kVA RATING AND TANK ELM
FREQUENCY TO TANK VOLTAGE AND
INPUT/OUTPUT POWER FACTOR where
The kW rating of the cascaded cycloconverter high-fre- EL actual fundamental rms phase voltage,
quency link systenm is affected by minimum ratio of tank to ELM maximum achievable fundamental rms phase voltage.
source voltage, input and output power factor, input and This family of curves is approximately satisfied by
output current limit settings, cycloconverter advance and
retard limits, and output cycloconverter modulation index. cos Oi = 0.8 rL cos OL (4)
Reasonable knowledge of these relationships is required in
systemn design in order to make trade-off decisions, particularly as defined in Fig. 15.
in determining a stable tank voltage regulator with sufficient Although
response to keep the tank voltage within prescribed limits
during transient or heavy static loading. The regulator must PO -1L PT, (5)
have sufficient rejection of line and load frequency related
harmonics which act as disturbance inputs. where PT = conversion losses VT2IRT, as a first approxima-
tion let
DERIVATION OF TANK FREQUENCY FOR
ARBITRARY LOAD CONDITIONS Po -PL = 3ELIL cos F'L, (6)
The equivalent high-frequency tank circuit is shown in Fig. then
14 where
CT nominal tank capacitance, QL -3ELIL sin FL = PL tan OL' (7)
LT nominal tank inductance,
RT equivalent resistance to represent conversion losses, Qo =Po tan i= PL tan (i (8)
ESPELAGE AND BOSE: HIGH-FREQUENCY POWER LINK COVERSION 391

QI
P1
PoP0 Pl PS
HIGH FREQUENCY SIDE LOW FREQUENCY SIDE HIGH FREQUENCY SIDE LOW FREQUENCY SIDE
Fig. 15. Load to tank power transformation. Fig. 16. Line to tank power transformation.

or ant tank frequency given by

Qo = PL( -cos 24)1 /2/cos 4i. (9) 1
[CL 4R C1 ]~/2
(22)
ST=CTLeq 4Req 2CT2
The reflected parameters Ro, Lo are then given by
where
VT2
(10) 1 1 1 1
(23)
PL Req RT RS RO
VT2
LO = (11)
WTQO 1 1 1 1
=- +- + .(24)
Leq LT LS LO
SOURCE SIDE RELATIONSHIPS
Equations (10), (11), (20), (21), (23), (24) can be substituted
The following equations apply for the input cycloconverter into (22), and the resultant quadratic equation yield the
final expression for the tank frequency given by
Ps = 3EbIs COS 0b (12)
ES = [(VS -I8X sin S)2 (ISXScos 0)2] 1/2 (13) LQ QVT2 Qo+Q1l
+ /PL +PT 2
(14) 2CT VT2 _i2CT VT2 / CT VT2
q5i = Os- 6
Es 1/2
(15) + Co2 (25)
ESM

where all quantities have previously been defined in Figs. 3, 4, where

and 5. Similar to the load transformation, Fig. 16 defines the
source transformation parameters. coP
L L- [1 -0.64rL2 COS2 OL4] 1/2
QO (26)
Where O0.8rL COS FL'
PS =Pl =PL +PT, (16)
PL + PT
then Q = 0 88+PT [1 - 0.64r, 2 Cos2 Ij 1 /2 (27)
0.8r, cos Oi
Q, = P1 tan 01 = Ps tan 01 (17)

Qs = Ps tan (i = 3EbIh sin Oi (198) CO =

LTCT (28)
cos 01 = 0.8r8 cosoi. (19)
HIGH-FREQUENCY LINK POTENTIAL
The reflected tank parameters are then given by CAPABILITY CHARACTERISTICS
VT2 Equations (25)-(27) above are combined with a compari-
RS= son of the required input cycloconverter back EMF
PS versus
the maximum attainable to obtain the potential performance
VT2 of a 50-kVA high-frequency link design as a function of tank
Ls =

WTQ1
(21)
voltage, supply voltage, input power factor, load power factor,
and output voltage ratio. The kvar capability of a single cyclo-
The equivalent tank circuit can be assumed to be energized converter system is calculated in similar fashion. Illustrative
each half-cycle by a rectangular step of current with a result- results are shown in Figs. 17, 18, and 19.
392 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-13, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1977

POWER RATING
901- VS
TANK a SOURCE VOLTAGE
INPUT PF =1.0
80 - LOAD VOLTAGE RATIO = 0.8 2.7
LOAD PF = 0.8
POWER CURVES
70O TW CURVES 2.5-E
3:
_ 60
/
~~// 2.3 x

/
0
LU 50 _ ~~~~/ 2. 1 'o
0:
Cl
-
zo / / w

40 / / ..I 9 -
Co
<X
x 150 AMP INPUT /
301 _ CYCLOCONVERTER
CURRENT LIMIT/
1.7 >-
U3
/

201 .5 w
LL

2-
Zl-
CC-
10 .3

200 300 400 500 600

RMS TANK VOLTAGE

POWER RATING
LAGGING LEADING VS
INPUT PF TANK B SOURCE VOLTAGE
Fig. 17. Potential performance of high-frequency link system. INPUT PF = 1.0
LOAD VOLTAGE RATIO= 0.4 2.7 c
LOAD PF =0.8
C-
Fig. 17 shows the following. POWER CURVES / 3
701- WT CURVES / 2.5 z
a) The region of permissible operation is bounded by /
/
/
three constraints, i.e., input and output cycloconverter 601
/
/ /
current limit and back EMF saturation limit.
b) Power rating decreases as line or load power factor / I-uc
decreases. 50 A,/
10 /
0

C)
c) The back EMF saturation limit is more sensitive to 0- .V, /
x
leading than lagging input power factor setting. -::
C2:
:D

d) Typical tank frequency variation is 2:1 maximum and -cr- 1.3X

I. cr
is nearly proportional to loading for a given input and C]
o',/
load power factor condition. CB 30 / LU

-x
:
150 AMP INPUT ":r
Fig. 18 shows the following. CYCLOCONVERTER
CURRENT LIMIT \,.
1-

201_ 1.3 >

a) There is a significant derating for tank voltage less than

the nominal 580 V. Thus adequate response of the 10
tank voltage regulator is required.
b) Power capability for a given tank voltage can be in-
creased by a decrease in the line voltage with regard to 200 300 400 500 600
the back EMF constraint but this is offset by addi- RMS TANK VOLTAGE
tional thyristor current rating. Fig. 18. Power rating versus tank and source voltage.
c) System power rating decreases with load voltage,
i.e., the system provides essentially constant current
capability.
ESPELAGE AND BOSE: HIGH-FREQUENCY POWER LINK COVERSION 393

1O00
For the two-pulse cycloconverters being used, the principal
90
SYNCHRONOUS CONDENSER OPERATION output harmonics are 2ft f0, 2ft 3f0 where

80
ft tank frequency,
ft output frequency.
70
The worst case amplitude for the lowest harmonic is known
' 60 1.6 to be
3
- 50 1.5 :
Kw
o
E2ft - 1.32.
R
'n

ELN(p)
w
r-
40
4// 1.4 9r
;z

1.3 o If 10 percent filter drop is allowed at a maximum output

frequency of 200 Hz, the filter inductance is given by
20 1.2 r

V L L2
Lf =P (1. 12-12 l 2 40ih (32)
200 300 400 500 600
RMS TANK VOLTAGE
This value of inductance is compatible with tank voltage regu-
Fig. 19. Synchronous condenser operation. lator response requirements. The remainder of the design pro-
cedure follows the standard cycloconverter design techniques
Fig. 19 shows that a given design has nearly equal maxi- given in [3] and [4].
mum kvar or kW capability and similar derating with respect
to tank/source voltage ratio.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
REACTIVE COMPONENT SIZING FOR High-frequency link power conversion is attractive for ap-
A 50-kW 230-VLL SYSTEM plications requiring any combination of
As a compromise between component rating and tank volt- a) lightweight ohmic isolation or voltage ratio transforma-
age waveshape, assume constant nominal tank frequency and tion,
select a loaded tank Q or 2. Estimate a tank frequency range b) lightweight means of isolating multiple input or output
of 2:1. Minimum and maximum tank frequency decisions are systems such as uninterruptible power supply systems,
based on thyristor turn-off time availability, line and load c) inherent regeneration,
harmonic considerations, acoustics, tank voltage regulator d) input power factor or line current waveshape control.
response. e) simple reliable adaptive commutation means, thus re-
Assume the use of 30-ps devices, a nominal tank frequency duced commutation losses for stepped load applica-
range of 1650-3300 Hz, 230-VLL output voltage and 10 tions,
percent output filter voltage drop. Neglecting commutation f) lightweight fast response static var control systems.
overlap and advance limit reductions and allowing 25 percent
tank voltage modulation, the relation between tank and load
voltage is given by ACKNOWLEDGMENT

230 The authors are indebted to the contributions of several

staff members of General Electric's Corporate Research and
ETT X
\/iXN~_x 0.9 X X 1.25 = 580Vrms (29)
9
Development Center and, in particular, B. D. Bedford, W.
McMurray, F. G. Turnbull, R. H. Guess, R. E. Tompkins, and
The tank capacitor value is then given by L. H. Walker.

2 X Pout (max) 100 000

C REFERENCES
((30)
= 28 f.
5802 X 27r-X 1650
= =
Vc2W (min) 2
[ 11 B. D. Bedford, "Versatile cycloinverter power converter circuits,"
U.S. Patent 3 742 336, June 26, 1973.
The tank inductance is then given by [21 W. McMurray, "A constant turn-off time control for variable fre-
quency thyristor inverters," IEEE-IAS 1975 Annual Meeting
1 1 Paper, September 28,1975.
0h (31)
LT = - =
= 330/h (31 B. R. Pelly, Thyristor Phase-Controlled Converters and Cyclocon-
COT2c (27r X 1650)2 X 28 X 10-6 verters. New York: Wiley 1971.
394 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY
[41 W. McMurray, The Theory and Design of Cycloconverters, Cam-
bridge, MA: MIT Press, 1972.
Paul M. Espelage was born in 1936 in Cincin-
9 nati, OH. He received tne B.S.E.E. degree in
1959 from University of Cincinnati, Cincinatti,
I 0 0OH, and the M.E.E.E. degree in 1974 from
> Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
He was employed at Avco Corporation fron
1954-1961 and the Bendix Corporation from
1961-1966. Since 1966 he has been employed
at General Electric Corporate Research and De-
velopment, engaged in solid-state power elec-
tronics, motor drive systems analysis and simu-
lation, and currently development of microprocessor control of various
motor drive systems. Mr. Espelage holds six patents related to power
electronics.
Line Current Waveforms and Harmonics for a Large
Multiphase Thyristor Converter System
JAMES H. GALLOWAY, MEMBER,
Abstract-Actual operating conditions of a large 18-phase rectifier
group, which is one-half of a 36-phase system, are examined. Harmonic
analysis of the actual line currents for this large thyristor converter sys-
tem is performed. These results are compared with the idealized diode
converter.
INTRODUCTION
A N INVESTIGATION of the waveforms and harmonic con-
Atent of the line currents and power system for a 108-MW
electrochemical chlorine cell line installation at Taft, LA was
undertaken. The waveforms were obseTved using an oscillo-
scope with camera and were then photographically expanded.
These waveforms were analyzed with a general purpose wave-
form analysis program, which is given in the Appendix. The
results show the thyristor equipment operating with harmonic
levels in agreement with those observed for previous conver-
sion equipment. An interesting readjustment of the propor-
Paper approved by the Static Power Converter Committee of the
IEEE Industry Applications Society for presentation at the 1975 Tenth
Annual Meeting of the IEEE Industry Applications Society Atlanta,
GA, September 28-October 2. Manuscript released for publication
April 25, 1977.
The author is with Oxy Metal Industries Corporation, Warren, MI
48089.
APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-13, NO. S, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1977
Bimal K. Bose (S'59-M'60) received the B.E.
degree from Calcutta University, Calcutta,
India, in 1956, the M.S. degree from University
of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1960 and the Ph.D.
degree from Calcutta University in 1966.
From 1956 to 1958, he was an Electrical
Engineer in Tata Power Company, Bombay,
dih_ India, and in Morang Hydro Power Company,
India. In 1960, he joined Bengal Engineering
College (Calcutta University) where he organ-
ized the Industrial Electronics Program and did
research in the areas of magnetic amplifiers, instrumentation, and semi-
conductor power electronics. He was awarded the Premchand Roy-
chand Scholarship in 1968 and Mouat Gold Medal in 1970 by Calcutta
University for research contributions. In 1971, he joined Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY,where he has been responsible for or-
ganizing the power electronics program for the last five years. He was
a consultant with several industries which include General Electric
Company and Bendix Corporation. In September, 1976, he joined Gen-
eral Electric Corporate Research and Development in Schenectady, NY.
Currently his research interests are in power electronics, machine con-
trol, analog and digital electronics, etc. He has authored and coauthored
28 papers in the field and holds 3 patents Currently, he is engaged in
the microprocesser control of electric vehicles project.
IEEE
tions of the harmonic currents between the 5th and 7th
harmonics was noted. This is apparently due to a change in
the waveforms due to the dynamics of current sharing on a
common dc bus. An example of a 12-phase idealized system is
discussed and the effect shown graphically. The converter
system analyzed has been in operation since December, 1974.
A similar converter system has been operating since July,
1974. Comparable converter systems have been operating
worldwide for the last four or five years.
INSTALLATION DESCRIPTION
The object of this investigation is a large 108-MW chlorine
production installation at the Hooker Chemicals and Plastics
Corporation plant in Taft, LA. Fig. 1 shows a photograph of
the rectifier installation.
This installation consists of two 150-kA electrochemical
chlorine cell lines. One cell line is fed by three thyristor con-
verters, each rated at 50-kA 364-V connected in a balanced
18-phase system. Each 18-phase group is supplied from one
side of a dual winding 140-MVA transformer. The correspond-
ing 18-phase group on the other side is shifted so that the total
installation acts as a 36-phase system. A 9600-kvar power
factor correction capacitor bank is switched with each