IRACST - International Journal of Advanced Computing, Engineering and Application (IJACEA), ISSN: 2319-281X,

Vol. 1, No.3, December 2012

Experimental Studies of Series-Resonant Inverters

Using PDM for Induction Hardening Applications
S.Arumugam1 E.L.Karthikeyan2
1. Professor, Ganadipathy Tulsis Jain Engineering College, Vellore, India
[email protected]
2. 2. PG scholar, Anna University, Chennai, India
[email protected]

.
Abstract: This paper deals with a high-power (50 kW) high applications (availability, cost, etc.), and it will only be possible if a
frequency (150 kHz) voltage-fed inverter with a series-resonant load low-loss power control scheme is found. This paper describes an
circuit for industrial induction heating applications, which is induction heating system of 50 kW and 150 kHz for industrial
characterized by a full bridge inverter made of insulated-gate bipolar
applications that use a novel low-loss control scheme. The induction
transistor and a power control based on pulse density modulation
(PDM). This power control strategy allows the inverter to work close system consists of a three-phase diode rectifier, a single-phase
to the resonance frequency for all output-power levels. In this voltage-fed inverter using four IGBTs, and a series-resonant circuit
situation, zero-voltage switching and zero-current switching with a matching transformer. The working frequency is automatically
conditions are performed, and the switching losses are minimized. An adjusted close to the resonance frequency in order to allow zero-
additional improvement of inverter efficiency is achieved by current switching (ZCS) inverter operation for any load condition. In
choosing appropriate values of the modulation index. The inverter fact, the inverter performs as a quasi- ZCS because the transistors are
system is designed and the simulation is done using Matlab. The
always turned off at almost zero current. The output-power control
simulation and Hardware results of are presented. Results are verified
experimentally using a prototype for induction hardening based on pulse density modulation (PDM) maintains this condition in
applications. The induction heater system uses embedded controller a wide range of output power. The blanking time of the inverter
to generate driving pulses. The objective is to develop an induction transistors is designed to maintain zero-voltage switching (ZVS)
heater system with minimum hardware. mode [13], [14].With this circuit, an important improvement of the
inverter efficiency is expected at high-frequency working conditions.
Keywords: Induction heating, pulse density modulation (PDM) In addition, this paper presents a study to determine the most
control, series-resonant inverter (SRI),. appropriate values of the pulse density and the output current in order
to obtain a further improvement of the inverter efficiency for high-
I.INTRODUCTION
frequency working conditions. Under these conditions and with fixed
INDUCTION heating generators are resonant inverters in which transistor losses, the total output power of the inverter will be
the resonant tank is formed by a heating coil and a capacitor, in a increased, improving significantly the relative cost of the induction
series-resonant inverter (SRI) [1]–[3] or in a parallel resonant inverter heating generators without reducing its reliability.Many practical
[4]–[7]. They are used to heat metals to be welded, melted, or work pieces in induction heating applications have a cylindrical
hardened. The use of SRIs that are fed with a voltage source shape and are heated by being placed inside of coils with one or more
represents a cost-effective solution; however, it does not have the turns. The magnetic field, induced in the coil when it is fed with an
ability to control the output power by itself when a simple control alternate current, causes eddy currents in the work piece, and these
circuit is used, so that the output power of such an inverter has to be give rise to the heating effect. A theoretical analysis demonstrates
controlled by adjusting the dc input voltage. A thyristor bridge that most of the heat, generated by eddy currents in the work piece, is
rectifier having input inductors and a dc-link capacitor has been concentrated in a peripheral layer of thickness δ given by δ = (ρ/πµf),
conventionally used as a variable dc-voltage power supply. This where µ and ρ are the magnetic permeability and electrical resistivity
causes some problems in size and cost. In order to overcome these of the work piece, respectively, and f is the applied frequency (skin
problems, an inverter with power control by frequency [8], [9] or effect). Induction heating loads (heating coil and work piece) can be
phase-shift [10]–[12] variation is normally used to regulate the output modeled by means of a series combination of its equivalent resistance
power and, using a diode bridge rectifier, as a dc-voltage source. RL and inductance LL. These parameters depend on several
These power control schemes, however, may result in an increase of variables, including the shape of the heating coil, the spacing between
switching losses and electromagnetic noise because it is impossible the work piece and coil, the work piece temperature, its electrical
for switching devices to be always turned on and off at zero current. conductivity and magnetic permeability, and the frequency. work
Therefore, in high-frequency induction heating applications, only piece temperature, its work piece. A large number of topologies have
MOSFET inverters can be used. Nevertheless, insulated-gate bipolar been developed in this area. Current-source and voltage-source
transistors (IGBTs) are preferred in high-power industrial inverters are among the most commonly used types. The advantages

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 IRACST - International Journal of Advanced Computing, Engineering and Application (IJACEA), ISSN: 2319-281X,
Vol. 1, No.3, December 2012

of this inverter are high switching speed, short-circuiting protection signals of transistor Q1 and Q3 are also represented. Signals Q2 and
capability, superior no-load performance because of its current- Q4 have been omitted since they are the complementary of Q1 and
limiting DC link characteristic and low component count. Q3, respectively. The PDM inverter repeats “run and stop” in
accordance with a control sequence to adjust its rms output voltage.

 
Fig.1. Induction Heating System
Fig.3. Switching modes (a) Mode I. (b) Mode II. (c) Mode III.
II. THE PROPOSED CONVERTER
(d) Mode IV.
Fig.2. shows the typical system configuration of a series
generator for induction heating. The output-power stage consists of a B.0utput power
single-phase voltage-source inverter using four IGBTs. The output of
the inverter is connected to a series-resonant circuit with a matching The dotted shape in Fig. 3.1. Shows the envelope of the resonant
transformer. The dc power supply for the inverter is a three-phase current iE that exhibits a first-order response. The time constant of
diode bridge rectifier connected to a 400-V 50-Hz power line. The this envelope is τ . The active output power of the series resonant
working frequency is 150 kHz, the maximum rms value of the output PDM inverter is obtained by following the procedure explained in
voltage is 450 V, and the maximum output power is 50 kW. Water-
cooled load is used [16]. The output current is limited by power
losses in order to ensure the inverter reliability.

T is the period of the PDM sequence; Ton is the time where the
inverter is “running”; Pmax = (2/π)VdImax cos θ, where θ is the
phase shift between the output voltage and the output current; Vd is
Fig.2.System configuration
the dc voltage; and Imax is the maximum amplitude of the inverter
III. ANALYSIS OF THE PDM INVERTER current in the case of Ton = T. If T _ τ , the output voltage and
current become discontinuous waveforms, and the output power can
A. Switching Scheme be written as

Fig.3. shows the equivalent circuit of the voltage-fed series

resonant PDM inverter and its switching modes. A conventional SRI
changes between modes I and II in Fig. 3(a) and (b) to produce a
square-wave ac voltage. In addition to modes I and II, the PDM
inverter adds modes III and IV to produce a zero voltage State at its
output terminals, as shown in Fig. 3(c) and (d). During mode III or If T _ τ (high values of the resonant load quality factor), the envelope
IV, a gate turn-on signal is provided to either lower or upper leg of the output current is limτ→∞ iE = Imax(Ton/T ); thus, the output
IGBTs, respectively. As a result, both one IGBT and the diode power is given by
connected in antiparallel to the opposite IGBT remain turned on. Fig.
3 shows the principle of the PDM-based power control. νo and io are
the output voltage and current of the inverter, respectively. The gate
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 IRACST - International Journal of Advanced Computing, Engineering and Application (IJACEA), ISSN: 2319-281X,
Vol. 1, No.3, December 2012

reaches the value Vd just at t = 0. It is obtained by substituting into

(4) νo(0) = Vd

The term Ton/T is defined as modulation index or pulse density, and

its value determines the output power. One differentiating
characteristic of this work consists in the fact that the maximum
output power of the inverter, when working at high frequencies, is
obtained for modulation index values less than one, due to a major
improvement in the inverter efficiency. This time is also used to define the minimum value of the blanking
time td.

A working frequency of 150 kHz, a maximum amplitude of inverter

current of 300 A, and a dc-link voltage of Vd = 520 V are assumed in
the design of the experimental system. The total equivalent
capacitance of the inverter switches, including the snubbing capacitor
and the output capacitance of the IGBT, is approximately 20 nF.
Since the toff min obtained from (5) is 385 ns, toff is set up as 550 ns
for the experimental system. The blanking time td is set as 400 ns. A
phase-locked loop (PLL)-based switching frequency control
discussed in the following section makes the PDM inverter achieve
ZVS condition.

Fig. 3.1. Switching pattern in PDM.

C. ZVS

Fig.3.2.shows a detail of the voltage and current at the output of the

inverter in mode I or II. The vertical dashed lines represent the times
when the IGBT are turned off (toff) and turned on (ton), and td is the
blanking time when all transistors are turned off. The origin of time is
Fig.3.2.Waveforms of the inverter in the switching process.
set at the zero crossing of the inverter current io = I sin(ωot). In order
to prevent undesirable off switching of diodes, the turn-on of
IV.SIMULATION RESULTS
transistors must occur necessarily before the zero crossing of the
inverter current. This means that the switching frequency should be The PWM inverter circuit of IGBT series-resonant inverters using
larger than the resonant frequency. On the other hand, the ZVS is pulse density modulation is shown in figure 4.3. This AC supply is
achieved only if the +Vd (or vice versa) is achieved just before of the converted into DC then it give as input to inverter. Then the ac is
turn-on process. To ensure this condition, the following calculations boosted by using a high frequency transformer then this boosted ac
must be done. When an IGBT is turned off at the time toff, the voltage is passed through load. The AC input voltage waveforms are
shown in figure 4.4(a).
inverter output voltage νo starts to rise up from −Vd, as given by the
following expression: The switching pulses for Q1& Q2 is shown in figure 4.4(b).The
Switching pulses given to Q3& Q4is similar that of Q1&Q2. The gate
voltage and drain to source voltage waveforms of the switches is
shown in figure4.4(c). The primary voltage waveform of the
transformer is shown in figure4.4 (d). Similarly the secondary voltage
waveform of the transformer is shown in figure4.4 (e). The output

Where Ce is the equivalent capacitance of the inverter (output

capacitance of the IGBT, snubbing capacitors, and layout). The
minimum value of the time toff corresponds to the time on which νo

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 IRACST - International Journal of Advanced Computing, Engineering and Application (IJACEA), ISSN: 2319-281X,
Vol. 1, No.3, December 2012

voltage waveform of the circuit is shown in figure4.4 (f). Then the Fig.4.4. (d)-Transformer primary voltage
output current waveforms of the circuit are also is shown in figure4.4
(g). Finally the output voltage and current are shown in single scope Fig.4.4. (e)-Transformer secondary voltage
in figure 4.4(h).

Fig.4. 3-Circuit Diagram for proposed circuit

Fig.4.4. (a)-Input waveform Fig.4.4. (f)-Output voltage

Fig.4.4. (g)-Output current

Fig4.4. (b)-Gate pulse Q1&Q3

Fig.4.4. (h)-Output voltage & Output current

V. Hardware Results

Laboratory model is fabricated and tested. Top view of

Fig4.4. (c)-Gate voltage and Drain to source voltage the hardware is shown in fig.5.a.The hardware consist of
control board and power board. The pulses are generated using
microcontroller. Dc input voltage is shown in fig 5b. Drain
current waveform is shown in 5c. Driver output waveform is
shown in fig 5d. Output of the Inverter is shown in Fig.5.f.
Output of the Inverter is not a pure sine wave due to the
resistance present in the circuit.

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Vol. 1, No.3, December 2012

Fig.5.a. Top view of hardware kit Fig.5.e.Output voltage

VI.CONCLUSION

This paper has proposed a voltage-source series-resonant PDM

inverter for induction heating industrial applications. This power
control strategy allows the inverter to work close to the resonance
frequency for all output-power levels. In this situation, ZVS and ZCS
conditions are performed, and the switching losses are minimized.
Therefore, IGBT transistors can be used for an optimum design of the
power stage. A 50-kW 150-kHz PDM inverter prototype with IGBT
has been tested successfully in order to meet the industrial application
requests. Tests made with the presented prototype using the IGBT
module FZ600R12KS4. This quantitative comparison concludes that
the PDM inverter would be more suitable for various induction
Fig.5.b.DC Input voltage heating applications, particularly those of high frequency when IGBT
transistors are applied.

The converter using full-bridge inverter is simulated using mat

lab simulink. The proposed circuit is implemented using
microcontroller based driver circuit. The response of micro controller
based system is faster since Atmel controller operates at 12MHz. The
experimental results are in line with the simulation results. This work
deals with open loop system. The closed loop implementation is
beyond the scope of the work. This inverter system can also be used
for dielectric heating.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Fig.5.c.Drain current waveform The authors are acknowledging the support given by
Power Electronics division and Simulation Laboratory in
Ganadipathy Tulsis Jain Engg College, Vellore, Tamilnadu,
for conducting the d Hardware and simulation studies during
July 2012 to November 2012.

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