5-1

Rectifiers, Inverters & Motor Drives

5-2
A Simple Diode Circuit with a Pure Resistive Load
The load voltage v
d
and the current i have an average component
5-3
Bottom group
Diode-Rectifier Bridge Analysis
It is very unlikely that a purely resistive load will be supplied
Constant dc current is equivalent to a large inductor in series at the dc output
Current flows continuously through one diode of the top group and one diode
of the bottom group.
Top group
5-4
Redrawing Diode-Rectifier Bridge
Current flows continuously through one diode of the top group and one diode of
the bottom group.
In the top group, cathodes of the two diodes are at the same potential. Therefore,
the diode with its anode at the highest potential will conduct i
d
When v
s
goes negative, i
d
instantaneously commutes to D
3
as D
1
is reversed biased.
Similar argument could be applied to the bottom group.
Top group
Bottom group
5-5
Items that are worth noting:
Waveforms with a purely resistive load and
a purely dc current at the output
When v
s
is positive, D
1
and D
2
conduct
v
d
=v
s
and i
d
=i
s
When v
s
is negative, D
3
and D
4
conduct
v
d
= -v
s
and i
d
= -i
s
In both cases, the dc-side voltage and
current waveforms are the same
The average value of the dc output voltage



( )
s s
T
s do
V V
dt t V
T
V
9 . 0 2
2
sin 2
2
1
2
0
=
t
=
}
e =
5-6
Three-Phase, Full-Bridge Rectifier
In industrial applications, where three-phase power is available, it is
preferable to use three-phase rectifier circuits because of
Higher power handling capability

Lower ripple content in the waveforms
5-7
Three-Phase, Full-Bridge Rectifier: Redrawn
Current flows through one diode from the top group and one from the bottom

Diode with highest anode potential from the top and diode with lowest cathode
potential from the bottom will conduct


5-8
Three-Phase, Full-Bridge Rectifier Waveforms
Six-pulse rectifier:
V
d
(=V
Pn
-V
Nn
) waveform
consists of six segments per
cycle
Each diode conducts for 120
o
Conduct sequence: 1-2-3.
Average dc output voltage,
( )
( )
LL LL
LL do
V V
t
t d t V V
35 . 1 2
3
6 6
cos 2
3
1
6
6
=
t
=
t
( e (
t

}
e e
t
=
t
t
5-9
Summary
Line-frequency diode rectifiers converts line-frequency ac into dc in an
uncontrolled manner

Various diodes rectifier circuits have been discussed

Three-phase rectifiers are preferable in most respects over the single-
phase ones

Rectifiers inject large amounts of harmonic currents into the utility
systems remedies would have to be implemented
5-10
Three-phase diode rectifier.

The diode rectifier shown in the figure below, supplies a DC machine, which has a
constant load torque T = 100 Nm. The flux is held constant and K
a
| = 1. This gives an
armature current I
a
= 100 A. The armature inductance of the machine, L
a
, is so large
that the armature current may be considered to be constant. The line voltage of the grid,
V
LL
, is equal to 230V. Assume ideal grid, L
s
=0.
(a) Sketch the armature voltage v
d
(t) and the line currents i
r
(t).
(b) Calculate the average dc voltage, V
d
.
(c) Calculate the rms current in phase r, I
r,rms
.
(d) List the advantages for a three-phase rectifier compared to a single-phase rectifier?
5-11
Solution: Example
5-12
Thyristor Converters

In some applications (battery charger, some ac/dc drives),
the dc voltage has to be controllable
Thyristor converters provide controlled conversion of ac
into dc
Primarily used in three-phase, high power application
Being replaced by better controllable switches
5-13
Thyristor in a Simple Circuit (Review Class)
For successful turn-off, reverse voltage required
5-14
Thyristor Converters
Average dc voltage V
d
can be controlled from a positive maximum to a
negative minimum on a continuous basis
The converter dc current I
d
can not change direction
Two-quadrant operation
Rectification mode (power flow is from the ac to the dc side): +V
d
& +I
d

Inverter mode (power flow is from the dc to the ac side): -V
d
& +I
d

Inverter mode of operation on a sustained basis is only possible if a source of
power, such as batteries, is present on the dc side.
5-15
Basic thyristor circuits: Line-frequency voltage source connected to a load
resistance
In the positive half cycle of v
s
, the current is zero until et=o, at which a
gate pulse of a short duration is applied
With the thyristor conducting, v
d
= v
s
v
d
becomes zero at et = t
By adjusting the firing angle o, the average dc voltage V
d
and current I
d

can be controlled
5-16
Thyristor Gate Triggering
Generation of the firing signal
The sawtooth waveform
(synchronized to the ac input) is
compared with the control signal
v
control
, and the delay angle o with
respect to the positive zero crossing
of the ac line voltage is obtained in
terms of v
control
and the peak of the
sawtooth waveform V
st
.



|
|
.
|

\
|
=
st
control o o
V
v
180 o
5-17
Full-Bridge (Single- and Three-Phase) Thyristor Converters
5-18
Single-Phase Thyristor Converters
One thyristor of the top group and one of the bottom group will conduct
If a continuous gate pulse is applied then this circuit will act like a full
bridge diode rectifier and the web forms are as shown below
o=0 for 1 and 2 and o=t for thyristors 3 and 4
5-19
1-Phase Thyristor Converter Waveforms
Assumptions: L
s
=0 and purely dc current
I
d
o: delay angle or firing angle
Prior to et=0, current is flowing through 3
and 4, and v
d
= -v
s
Beyond et=0, thyristors 1 and 2 become
forward biased, but cannot conduct until
o.
v
d
becomes negative between 0 and o as a
consequence of the delay angle
At et=o, gate pulse applied and current
commutation from thyristors 3 and 4 to 1
and 2 is instantaneous (L
s
= 0), and v
d
= v
s
Thyristors 1 and 2 will keep conducting
until 3 and 4 are fired
5-20
The expression for the average voltage V
d
:
Average dc Voltage as a Function of the Delay Angle
( ) o e e
t
t o
o
o
cos 9 . 0 sin 2
1
s s d
V t d t V V = =
}
+
Let V
d0
be the average dc voltage with o=0,
( )
s s d
V t d t V V 9 . 0 sin 2
1
0
0
= =
}
e e
t
t
Then, drop in average voltage due to o,
( ) o
o o
cos 1 9 . 0
0
= = A
s d d d
V V V V
The average power through the converter,
( ) dt i v
T
dt t p
T
P
T
d d
T
}
=
}
=
0 0
1 1
With a constant dc current (i
d
=I
d
),
o cos 9 . 0
1
0
d s d d
T
d d
I V V I dt v
T
I P = =
(

}
=
5-21
Average dc Output Voltage
The variation of V
d
as a function of o:
Average dc voltage is positive until o=90
o
: this region is called
the rectifier mode of operation

Average dc voltage becomes negative beyond o=90
o
: this
region is called the inverter mode of operation

o
o
o
cos
9 . 0
cos 9 . 0
0
= =
s
s
d
d
V
V
V
V
5-22
Thyristor Converters: Inverter Mode (V
d
is negative)
Average value of v
d
is negative for
90
o
<o<180
o
. Average power P
d
is
negative (P
d
=V
d
I
d
) and thus power
flows from the dc to the ac side
On the ac side, P
ac
=V
s
I
s1
cos|
1
is
also negative because |
1
>90
o
Inverter mode of operation is
possible because there is a source
of energy on the dc side
ac side voltage source provides
commutation of current from one
pair of thyristors to the others
5-23
3-Phase Thyristor Converters
Current I
d
flows through the one thyristor of the top group and one of the
bottom group
If a continuous gate pulse is applied then this circuit will act like a three-
phase full bridge diode rectifier and, as a result,

LL d
V V 35 . 1
0
=
5-24
3-Phase Thyristor Converter Waveforms
5-25
Average Output DC Voltage
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )
o
o
t
o
t

o e e
o
e
t
o o
o
o

o
cos 35 . 1
35 . 1 cos 35 . 1
3
cos 1 2
35 . 1
3
cos 1 2 sin 2
sin 2
3
0
0
0
0
d LL d d d
d LL
LL
LL d d
LL LL
LL ac
d d
I V I V P
Power Average
V V
V
V
A
V V
V t d t V A
angle delay the to due voltage dc average the in reduction The
t V V
A
V V
= =
= =

= =
= =
=
=
}
5-26
dc-side voltage waveforms
as a function of o
V
d
repeats at six times the
line frequency


5-27
Conclusions
Thyristor converters provides controlled transfer of power
between the line frequency ac and adjustable-magnitude dc

By controlling o, transition from rectifier to inverter mode
of operation can be made and vice versa

Thyristor converters are mostly used at high-power levels

Thyristor converters inject large harmonics into the utility
system
5-28
Motor Drives
5-29
Single-Phase Full-Wave-Converter Drives
The converter in the field circuit could be a full, or even a dual converter.
The reversal of the armature or field allows operation in the second and
third quadrants.
The current waveforms for a highly inductive load are shown in Figure
15.13c for powering action.
5-30
Three-Phase Drives
The armature circuit is connected to the output of a three-phase
controlled rectifier.

Three-phase drives are used for high-power applications up to
megawatt power levels.

The ripple frequency of the armature voltage is higher than that of
single-phase drives and it requires less inductance in the armature
circuit to reduce the armature ripple current.

The armature current is mostly continuous, and therefore the motor
performance is better compared with that of single-phase drives.
5-31
Three-Phase Inverter
Used to supply three-phase loads
Three single-phase inverters could be used, however, 12 switches are
necessary, as a result, less efficient
Consists of three legs, one for each phase
One of the two switches in a leg is always ON at any instant
Output of each leg depends on V
d
and the switching status

5-32
Three-Phase Full-Wave-Converter Drives
A three-phase full-wave-converter drive is a two-quadrant drive without
any field reversal, and is limited to applications up to 1500 kW.
During regeneration for reversing the direction of power
However, the back emf of the motor is reversed by reversing the field
excitation.
The converter in the field circuit should be a single- or three-phase full
converter.