FILTER SYSTEM

1. DC link filter

A number of systems require only DC and therefore the conversion from AC to DC is necessary.
A simple AC/DC converter is called rectifier. It consists of a diode rectifier and L/C filter.

2. Capacitor filter

A simple arrangement is shown in Fig 1.

Fig 1. Simple capacitor filter using bridge rectifier

The complete analysis is complex, by making the following assumption, the circuit can be analysed
as follows:

a. Load current lo is constant

2.1 Output voltage

It can be seen from Fig 2a where the circuit waveforms have been shown, during the interval , the
supply voltage is charging up the capacitor through diode bridge. It is also assumed after the peak
voltage, the supply voltage becomes less than the capacitor voltage so the diode ceases conduction.
That is, during  period, the capacitor supplies the load.

The capacitor ripple voltage V, between t = - /( 2 ) and t = t' is given by:
I 
V  o (  t') (1)
C 2
therefore:
^
I 
v'  V  o (  t' ) (2)
C 2

1
 ^
and v'  V sin t '
^
CV 
t' (1  sin t ' ) 
IL 2
(3)

Hence t’ can only be obtained by iterative calculation.

2.2 Capacitor current

The capacitor current ic is shown in Fig 2c. Its value is given by:

dV
ic  C
dt (4)

Hence,

^
ic  C V cos t (5)

This applies from t’ to /(2 ).

During the  period, the capacitor current is equal to Io.

It should also be noted that the charge-in of the capacitor is equal to charge-out of the capacitor.
The charge-in is given by:

 / 2 ^
 C V cos tdt (6)
t'


The charge-out is given by: I o (  t' )
2

It should be noted that equating the above two equations also gives eqn (4).

2.3 Diode current ID

It is the sum of ic and iL.

2.4 AC input current

It is similar to ID but is bi-polar.

2.5 Tutorial Example:

Calculate the ripple voltage and average DC voltage when a simple capacitor filter is designed with
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the following component values:
iL= 10A
C = 2000F
Vin = 240V
Source frequency = 50Hz

2.7 Average output voltage and comment

From the above example, it can be found that reduced ripple voltage gives higher DC voltage at the
expense of higher peak current. The diode must be rated at much higher value.

The power factor is poor and has a leading power factor to the supply and high harmonic contents.
As the capacitor value increases, the pulse current also increases. This is especially in the start-up
of the circuit where the initial capacitor voltage is zero, but the large current is usually limited by
the source impedance.

Fig. 2 Typical waveforms of the capacitor filter

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See : Tutorial 1 and 2

3. L-C Filter

A simple L-C filter with a diode bridge and single phase supply is shown in Fig 3 The following
assumption has been made:

a. The capacitor is large so that the voltage across it is constant.

Fig 3. A simple L-C Filter

3.1 Output voltage

Under steady-state, If the current through the inductor is continuous, the average voltage across the
inductor is zero. The output voltage across the output is equal to the average voltage of the input
after the diode bridge. (Fig 4a) Hence the output voltage is:

3.2 Inductor current (Fig 4b and c)

The inductor current is given by the equation:

1
L
iL  v L dt

where vL is the difference between the rectified mains voltage and the output voltage. This current
can only be positive because of the diode bridge. Hence, the inductor current becomes:
^
V 2
iL  (2 cos  1  (2 1   ))
L 

which can be reduced to:

4
 ^
^ 0.42 V
iL 
L

Therefore,

^
 0.21V
iL 
L

3.3 Discontinuous mode

If the output current is greater than average iL, the inductor current is continuous, the output voltage
^
V
remains at. 2 See Fig 4d and 4e

If the output current is less than average iL, the inductor current is discontinuous, the output voltage
^
V
is greater 2 than increases to some equivalent position.


It is left to you as an exercise to calculate the output voltage when the current is discontinuous.

3.4 Comments

With this type of filter, the dc output voltage is close to the peak supply value at light loads but
decreases to the average value as load current increases.

The size of the inductor required to maintain continuous conduction can be expressed as a 'k'
percentage of the full load current:
^ ^
V V
L  0.21  0.21
I Lmin  (kI L full )
It can be seen that from Fig 4g, the short pulse (spike current) has been disappeared from the main
current. The current lags the voltage slightly.

For higher load current (Fig 4d and e), there is a sharp jump in supply current.

3.5 Selection of capacitor

It is the usual practice to select the LC resonant frequency far away from the rectified mains
frequency. The L can be selected according to the current ripple requirement. The current ripple
affects the voltage ripple on the capacitor. The ripple voltage of the capacitor can be given by:

dV
c  iL  I o
dt

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Fig 4 Waveforms of LC rectifier under (a-c) Boundary mode. (d-e) Continuous mode, and (f-h)
Discontinuous mode