 Inverters

 The devices that change a DC power to AC power (opposite

of converters).
 The inversion process can be achieved with the help of
transistors (for low and medium outputs) , SCRs (high power
outputs) and tunnel diodes (for low voltage and high current
requirements).
 For inverter applications ,transistors have definite advantages
over SCRs regarding; the switching speed, simplicity of control
circuitry ,high efficiency and greater reliability.
 The circuitry required to turn off SCR is complex and so other
power semiconductor devices e.g bipolar junction transistors
,power MOSFET, insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT] etc are
used with inverters.
 Inverters with high rating such as 500kw or higher are likely to
be built with either SCRs or gate turn off thyristors(GTOs)
 For sinusoidal ac outputs ,the magnitude ,frequency and phase should
be controllable.
 Inverters can be considered as;
 Voltage source inverters-voltage waveform ac output is
independently controlled.
Widely used because it behave as voltage source as required
by many industrial applications.e.g adjustable speed drives-most
common application of inverters.
VSI generates an ac output voltage waveform composed of
discrete values (high 𝑑𝑣 Τ𝑑𝑡) and so the load should be inductive
at the harmonic frequencies in order to produce a smooth
current waveform.
A capacitive load would generate large current spikes.
If capacitive load is the case, then an inductive filter between
VSI side and the load should be used.
Voltage driven inverter
 Called voltage driven inverter because a voltage driven source
is connected through semiconductor switches directly to the
primary of the transformer. • 𝑆 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆 , are switching
1 2
devices (transistors or
SCRs which open and
close alternately at
regular intervals of time.
• The switching devices
are generally driven by
astable multi-vibrator
operating at the
desired frequency
applied across points A
and B.
 When 𝑆1 is closed ,the entire dc source voltage 𝑉 is applied across points A and C of the
transformer primary.
 𝑆1 remains closed for a certain period of time after which it is cut off and 𝑆2 closes.
 It also remains closed for the same period of time during which the source voltage 𝑉 is
impressed across B and C of the primary and vice versa.
 In this way ,an alternating voltage is applied across the primary which induces an ac
voltage in the secondary.
 Since the dc supply voltage is connected directly across the primary ,the output
waveform of the secondary voltage is a square wave irrespective of load and the load
power factor as shown below.

 So the waveform of both the primary and secondary currents depend on the type of
load whether resistive ,inductive or capacitive.
Single phase inverter  This single phase inverter has a load
resistor using 4 SCRs working in pairs.
(triggering and commutation cctry not
shown).
 Two thyristors 𝑆𝐶𝑅1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝐶𝑅4 are triggered
simultaneously so that load current
passes through 𝑅𝐿 from left to right.
 Exactly when these two SCRs are
switched off by the commutating
circuitry, thyristors 𝑆𝐶𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝐶𝑅3 𝑎𝑟𝑒
triggered into conduction thereby
sending current through 𝑅𝐿 from right to
left.
So ac voltage is developed across the
load whose waveform is shown in the
figure (b)
Push pull inverter
 It employs two SCRs and one
transformer. These two are triggered
into conduction alternately for the
same period of time.
 As a result ,current through primary
becomes alternating which induces ac
voltage across the secondary and
hence the load.(output –square
waveform)
 The capacitor C is connected across
the diodes of the two SCRs and
provides commutation .i.e the switching
off of the SCRs.
 The capacitor charges double the
supply voltage as a result of transformer
action between the halves of the
primary winding.
 The large voltage is sufficient to reverse
bias the SCRs and drive the holding
current below its rated value.
Half wave VSI
Two large capacitors are required to provide
a neutral point N ,such that each capacitor
maintains a constant voltage 𝑣𝑖 Τ2.
Switches 𝑆+ and 𝑆− can not be simultaneously
on, because a short circuit across the dc link
voltage source 𝑣𝑖 would be produced.
Three states are used as shown below to avoid
the short circuit.
Current source inverters- where the independently
controlled ac output is a current waveform (widely
used in medium voltage industrial applications
where high quality voltage waveforms are required).
CSI generates an ac output voltage waveform
composed of discrete values (high 𝑑𝑖 Τ𝑑𝑡) and so
the load should be capacitive at the harmonic
frequencies in order to produce a smooth voltage
waveform.
An inductive load would generate large voltage
spikes
If inductive load is the case, then capacitive filter
between CSI side and the load should be used.
  Three phase current source -Main purpose is to produce ac
inverters output from dc current supply.
-Since the ac line currents feature
high 𝑑𝑖 Τ𝑑𝑡,capacitive filter should
be connected to the ac terminals
in inductive load applications.
-Nearly sinusoidal load voltages
are generated-for medium
voltage industrial applications e.g
ASDs.
-Single phase CSI are not of
Three phase CSI topology practical use although can be
developed under similar
principles.
Applications of inverter
 Emergency lighting systems
 AC variable speed drives
 Uninterrupted power supplies
 Frequency converters
 Static var compensators
 Flexible ac transmission system
 Active filters
 Voltage compensators
 AC-AC Converter
 Accepts ac supply from one system and converts it for delivery to another ac system with waveforms of
different amplitude, frequency and phase.
 Types

Ac voltage controller/ac regulator.

 They vary rms voltage across the load at constant frequency.
 Voltage control is accomplished by either phase control under natural commutation or under
forced commutation.
 Application
 Lighting and heating control
 Speed control of pump and fun drives

Concloconverter/matrix converter
 Ac/ac power converter in which ac power at one frequency is directly converted to ac power at another
frequency without any intermediated dc conversion link.
 Majority use naturally commutated SCRs for their operation.
 Have a high power output
 However force commutated ones with bidirectional on /off control switches provide
independent control of the magnitude and frequency of the generated output as well as
sinusoidal modulation of output voltage and current.
 Application
 Used for high power low speed large ac motor drives for application in cement kilns, rolling mills
and ship propellers.
 Phase control for ac to ac converters
 The switches conduct the load current for a chosen period of each input
cycle of voltage.
 Forced commutation/on and off control switches for ac to ac
converters
 Integral cycle control-The switches connect the load either for a few cycles
of input voltage disconnect it for a few cycles.
 Pulse wave modulation (PWM)/ac chopper/ac voltage controller-Switches
are turned on and off several times within alternate half cycles of input
voltage.
 A basic power circuit of a single phase ac-ac voltage controller
• SCRs are connected back to back
between the ac supply and the load
to provide bidirectional full wave
symmetrical control .
• SCR can be replaced by a triac for
low power applications
• For symmetrical phase control ,the
SCRs are gated at 𝛼 and π + 𝛼
respectively from the zero crossing of
the input voltage and by varying
𝛼,the power to the load is controlled
through voltage control in the
alternate half cycles.
• As long as one SCR is carrying current
,the other SCR remains reverse biased
by the voltage drop across the
conducting SCR.
• (Principle of operation in each half
cycle is similar to that of controlled
half wave rectifier).
Single phase ac voltage controller
 Waveforms of single phase full wave voltage controller with R-load.
 Single phase Cycloconverter
 Operates at a direct ac/ac frequency changer with an inherent voltage control
feature.
 A naturally commuted converter with the inherent capability of bidirectional power
flow.
 Switching losses are considerably low ,delivers a nearly sinusoidal waveform
resulting in losses.
 Limitations
 Limited frequency range for subharmonic free and efficient operation.
 Poor input displacement/power factor esp at low output voltages.
 Single phase bridge type Cycloconverter  Operation of single phase to
single phase Cycloconverter is
rarely used but useful for
demonstration.
 The firing angles of the individual
two pulse two quadrant bridge
converters are continuously
modulated so that each, ideally
produces the same
fundamental ac voltage at its
output terminals as marked in
the simplified equivalent circuit.
 Because of the unidirectional current carrying property of the individual
coverter,it is inherent that the positive half cycle of the current is carried
by the P- converter and the negative half cycle of the current by the N-
converter regardless of the phase of the current with respect to voltage.
 I.e. for each reactive load, each converter operates in both rectifying
and inverting region during the period of the associated half cycle as
shown below.

Input & output waveforms

of a cyclo-converter