POWER CONVERTER AND
ITS TOPOLOGIES
I.INTRODUCTION TO POWER
ELECTRONICS
A.What is Power Electronics?
Power electronics is the technology associated with efficient conversion
and control of electric power by using power semiconductor devices.
Power electronics encompasses the use of electronic components, the
application of circuit theory and design techniques, and the
development of analytical tools toward efficient electronic conversion,
control, and conditioning of electric power. Definition given by IEEE
Power Electronics Society.
Electric Power
Supply(Electric
Utility or Electric
Energy Sources
Power Electronics
Converters or system
Electrical Energy
Utilization
System( Consumers
Load
Fig 1. A General System for Power Electronics Conversion
B.Goals of Power Electronics
Efficient conversion, conditioning, or processing and control of
electric power using solid-state semiconductor devices in order to
supply high quality power to the load causing minimum pollution of
environment and the utility supply circuit.
To develop different types of efficient Power electronics controllers
ranging from few watts to several Megawatts keeping in view the
recent trend in Energy conservation and Energy exploration.
Develop Integrated Power Electronics Modules (IPEM) based power
electronics processes using an integrated systems approach,improve
the quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of power electronics
systems; and reduce both the time and effort associated with design
cycles for systems application.
Fig 2. Block Diagram of a Power Electronics Processor
Converter has power switching semiconductor devices and energy
storing elements like inductors and capacitors.
Resistive elements are avoided in converters because they cause
power loss and reduce efficiency.
Controller switches on/off the switching devices present in the
converter.
Fig 3. Example of a Power Processor
A power processor may have more than one stage of power
conversion.
Fig 2 shows an example of a power processor containing 2
Converters (AC-DC and a DC-AC) which converts a fixed voltage
and fixed frequency AC Source to Variable voltage and variable
frequency AC employed in a AC Motor
Solid
State
Physics
Circuit
Theory
Simulation
and
Computing
Signal
Processing
Power
Systems
Power
Electronics
Analog
Electronics
Electrical
Machines
Systems
and
Control
Theory
ElectroMagnetics
Microcontrollers
Fig 4. Multi Disciplinary Nature of Power Electronics
II.POWER CONVERTERS
A Power Electronic Converter processes the available form to
another having a same/different frequency and/or voltage
magnitude.
There can be five basic types of converters depending upon
the function performed:
1. AC-DC Converters
2. DC-AC Converters
3. Fixed DC- Variable DC Converters
4. Fixed AC- Variable AC (Fixed Frequency) Converters
5. Fixed AC- Variable AC (Variable Frequency) Converters
Fig 5. Different types of Power Converter Topologies and Their Symbols
III.AC-DC
CONVERTERS/RECTIFIERS
Converter rectifier circuits are used to convert AC power into DC
Power.
The Converter circuits employing only diodes are called
Uncontrolled Rectifiers . The output voltage does not vary for a
given load and given AC supply. Therefore, it is called an
Uncontrolled Converter.
The converter circuit which employs both Diodes and thyristors
(SCRs) is called a semi or half controlled converters. The
controlled output voltage and current are unidirectional and
power flows in one direction i.e from source to load.
The converter circuit employing only SCRs is called Fully
controlled converters. The direction of the current remains the
same but the output DC voltage can be reversed, to allow the
power from load to the supply.
AC-DC Conveters/Rectifiers
Single phase
Type
Uncontrolled
Converters
Half wave (1pulse)
Full Wave (2Pulse)
Three Phase
Type
Controlled
Converters
Half wave (1Pulse)
Full Wave (2Pulse)
Full wave
Midpoint
Converter
Full wave
Midpoint
Converter
Fig 6. Classification of AC-DC Converters/Rectifiers
In the study of AC-DC Converters, SCRs and
diodes are assumed to be ideal switches.
During Turn-ON there is no voltage drop across
SCR or Diode.
No reverse current exists during reverse blocking
mode
Transition time is negligible i.e Zero .
Holding current is zero
A.Single-phase Half wave phase controlled
rectifier with RL Load
Consider a Single phase half controlled
rectifier with RL Load as shown in fig.7(a) and
the corresponding current and voltage
waveforms are shown in fig.7(b).
The thyristor T is fired at wt = and the
extinction angle is .
During postive half cycle of supply voltage
Thyristor is forward biased at wt = , the
thyristor is turned on by gating signal. The
load voltage becomes equal to source
Fig 7(a).Single phase half wave
rectifier with RL Load
Voltage VS.
Load Inductance forces load current i o to rise gradually.After
sometime io reaches the maximum value and then decreases as
shown in fig. 7(b).
At wt=, VO is zero but io is not zero due to load Inductance and
SCR will not turn off untill io reduces below holding value. At wt=,
io reduces to zero and SCR is turned Off.
After wt= and till
wt=2 VO=0 and io=0.
= (-) is the
conduction angle.
Average DC output
voltage,
RMS Output Voltage,
Fig 7(b).Volatge and current waveforms for
Single phase half wave rectifier with RL Load
