18EE53 POWER ELECTRONICS
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1.5 Types of Power Converters or Types of Power Electronic Circuits
For the control of electric power supplied to the load or the equipment/machinery or
for power conditioning the conversion of electric power from one form to other is necessary
and the switching characteristic of power semiconductor devices (Thyristors) facilitate these
conversions.
The thyristorised power converters are referred to as the static power converters and
they perform the function of power conversion by converting the available input power
supply in to output power of desired form.
The different types of thyristor power converters are
Diode rectifiers (uncontrolled rectifiers).
Line commutated converters or AC to DC converters (controlled rectifiers)
AC voltage (RMS voltage) controllers (AC to AC converters).
Cyclo converters (AC to AC converters at low output frequency).
DC choppers (DC to DC converters).
Inverters (DC to AC converters).
1. AC TO DC Converters (Rectifiers)
+
AC Line DC Output
Input Commutated V0(QC)
Voltage Converter
-
These are AC to DC converters. The line commutated converters are AC to DC power
converters. These are also referred to as controlled rectifiers. The line commutated converters
(controlled rectifiers) are used to convert a fixed voltage, fixed frequency AC power supply
to obtain a variable DC output voltage. They use natural or AC line commutation of the
Thyristors.
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Fig1.4: A Single Phase Full Wave Uncontrolled Rectifier Circuit (Diode Full Wave Rectifier) using a
Center Tapped Transformer
Fig: 1.5 A Single Phase Full Wave Controlled Rectifier Circuit (using SCRs) using a Center Tapped
Transformer
Different types of line commutated AC to DC converters circuits are
Diode rectifiers – Uncontrolled Rectifiers
Controlled rectifiers using SCR’s.
o Single phase controlled rectifier.
o Three phase controlled rectifiers.
Applications of Ac To Dc Converters
AC to DC power converters are widely used in
Speed control of DC motor in DC drives.
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UPS.
HVDC transmission.
Battery Chargers.
2. a. AC TO AC Converters or AC regulators.
V0(RMS)
AC Vs AC Variable AC
Input Voltage RMSO/P Voltage
Voltage fs Controller
fs fS
The AC voltage controllers convert the constant frequency, fixed voltage AC supply into
variable AC voltage at the same frequency using line commutation.
AC regulators (RMS voltage controllers) are mainly used for
Speed control of AC motor.
Speed control of fans (domestic and industrial fans).
AC pumps.
Fig.1.6: A Single Phase AC voltage Controller Circuit (AC-AC Converter using a TRIAC)
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2. b. AC TO AC Converters with Low Output Frequency or CYCLO CONVERTERS
V0 , f0
AC Vs Variable Frequency
Cyclo
Input AC Output
Voltage Converters
fs
f0< fS
The cyclo converters convert power from a fixed voltage fixed frequency AC supply to a
variable frequency and variable AC voltage at the output.
The cyclo converters generally produce output AC voltage at a lower output frequency. That
is output frequency of the AC output is less than input AC supply frequency.
Applications of cyclo converters are traction vehicles and gearless rotary kilns.
3. CHOPPERS or DC TO DC Converters
+ V0(dc)
+
DC Variable DC
Vs
Chopper Output Voltage
-
-
The choppers are power circuits which obtain power from a fixed voltage DC supply and
convert it into a variable DC voltage. They are also called as DC choppers or DC to DC
converters. Choppers employ forced commutation to turn off the Thyristors. DC choppers are
further classified into several types depending on the direction of power flow and the type of
commutation. DC choppers are widely used in
Speed control of DC motors from a DC supply.
DC drives for sub-urban traction.
Switching power supplies.
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Fig.1.7: A DC Chopper Circuit (DC-DC Converter) using IGBT
4. INVERTERS or DC TO AC Converters
+ Inverter
DC AC
Supply (Forced Output Voltage
- Commutation)
The inverters are used for converting DC power from a fixed voltage DC supply into an AC
output voltage of variable frequency and fixed or variable output AC voltage. The inverters
also employ force commutation method to turn off the Thyristors.
Applications of inverters are in
Industrial AC drives using induction and synchronous motors.
Uninterrupted power supplies (UPS system) used for computers, computer labs.
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Fig.1.8: Single Phase DC-AC Converter (Inverter) using MOSFETS
1.6 Peripheral Effects
The power converter operations are based mainly on the switching of power
semiconductor devices and as a result the power converters introduce current and voltage
harmonics (unwanted AC signal components) into the supply system and on the output of the
converters.
Fig.1.9: A General Power Converter System
These induced harmonics can cause problems of distortion of the output voltage, harmonic
generation into the supply system, and interference with the communication and signaling
circuits. It is normally necessary to introduce filters on the input side and output side of a
power converter system so as to reduce the harmonic level to an acceptable magnitude. The
figure below shows the block diagram of a generalized power converter with filters added.
The application of power electronics to supply the sensitive electronic loads poses a
challenge on the power quality issues and raises the problems and concerns to be resolved by
the researchers. The input and output quantities of power converters could be either AC or
DC. Factors such as total harmonic distortion (THD), displacement factor or harmonic factor
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Forward Voltage Drop:
Is the forward-conducting junction level
The forward voltage drop is due to the forward resistance of the junction.
forward volt drop is across the junction
Reverse Leakage Current:
Thermal agitation does break some of the bonds in the crystal, resulting in minority carriers,
Which permit a small reverse current flow, i.e. leakage current.
1.8 Reverse Recovery Characteristics
When a diode is in forward conduction mode, a sudden reversal of the polarity of the applied
voltage would not stop the diode current at once. But the diode continues to conduct in the
opposite direction due to minority carriers that remain stored in pn-junction and the bulk
semiconductor material. Fig.2 shows the effect of minority carriers on the turn off characteristics
of the power diode.
The charge carriers (holes & electrons) require a certain time to recombine with opposite n
charges and to be neutralized; this time is called the reverse recovery time trr of the diode.
From Fig.2, one can found the following relationships:
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For Fast recovery :
Hence,
The fast decay of negative current creates an inductive drop that adds with the reverse blocking
voltage VR as illustrate in Fig.3.There are two types of reverse recovery characteristics of
junction diodes: Soft recovery and Fast recovery where, the softness factor, SF is the ratio of
t2/t3.
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Hence, the blocking voltage across the diode increases to: where, Vrr is reverse
recovery voltage due to the fast decay in the negativecurrent and equal to:
Based on the diode reverse recovery characteristics power diode are classified into:
► Standard Recovery (General) Diodes
► Fast Recovery Diodes
► Schottky Diodes
► Silicon Carbide Diodes.
For high frequency rectifier applications, Fast recovery and Schottky Diodes are generally used
because of their short reverse recovery time and low voltage drop in their forward bias condition
General Purpose Diodes
The diodes have high reverse recovery time of about 25 microsecs (μsec). They are used in low
speed (frequency) applications. e.g., line commutated converters, diode rectifiers and converters
for a low input frequency upto 1 KHz. Diode ratings cover a very wide range with current
ratings less than 1 A to several thousand amps (2000 A) and with voltage ratings from 50 V to 5
KV. These diodes are generally manufactured by diffusion process. Alloyed type rectifier diodes
are used in welding power supplies. They are most cost effective and rugged and their ratings
can go up to 300A and 1KV.
Fast Recovery Diodes:
The diodes have low recovery time, generally less than 5μs. The major field of applications is in
electrical power conversion i.e., in free-wheeling ac-dc and dc-ac converter circuits. Their
current ratings is from less than 1 A to hundreds of amperes with voltage ratings from 50 V to
about 3 KV. Use of fast recovery diodes are preferable for freewheeling in SCR circuits because
of low recovery loss, lower junction temperature and reduced di/dt. For high voltage ratings
greater than 400V they are manufactured by diffusion process and the recovery time is controlled
by platinum or gold diffusion. For less than 400 V rating epitaxial diodes provide faster
switching speeds than diffused diodes. Epitaxial diodes have a very narrow base width resulting
in a fast recovery time of about 50 ns.
Schottky Diodes :
A Schottky diode has metal (aluminium) and semi-conductor junction. A layer of metal is
deposited on a thin epitaxial layer of the n-type silicon. In Schottky diode there is a larger barrier
for electron flow from metal to semi-conductor. Figure shows the Schottky diode.
When Schottky diode is forward biased free electrons on n-side gain enough energy to flow into
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