Cycloconverters

 AC voltage controller provide a variable output

voltage but the frequency of the output voltage is
fixed and in additional the harmonic content is high,
especially at low output voltage range
 A variable output voltage at variable frequency can
be obtained from two-stage conversions
 Fixed ac voltage to variable dc (controlled
rectifier) and then variable dc to variable ac at
variable frequency (inverters)
 A variable ac voltage and frequency can also be
obtained by using CYCLOCONVERTER
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 1
 Cycloconverters
 This type of converter eliminates the need of one or
more intermediate converters

 A CYCLOCONVERTER is a direct frequency

changer that converts ac power at one frequency to
ac power at another frequency by ac-ac conversion

 The CYCLOCONVERTERS can be broadly divided

into two categories

 Naturally (Line Commutated) Cycloconverters and

 Forced-Commutated Cycloconverters
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 2
 Cycloconverters
 The naturally commutated cycloconverters provide
a maximum output frequency that is limited to a
value that is only a fraction of the source frequency

 As a result the major applications of

cycloconverters are LOW Speed ac motor drives in
the range up to 15000 kW with frequncies up to 20
kHz
 Cycloconverters are used in high power
applications driving Induction and Synchronous
motors

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 3

 Cycloconverters

1 phase or 3 phase
fi fo

1phase or 3phase

 Cyclocoverters are not very common because the

switching is not simple as it requires many
switching devices
 4 or 8 switching devices for single phase
cycloconverters
 36 for three phase converters
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 4
 Cycloconverters
 Applications
 Cement mill drives
 Ship propulsion drives
 Rolling mill drives
 Ore (rock) grinding mills
 Mine (hoist) winders – raise and lower conveyances
in underground mining
 Although typical applications of ac voltage
controllers include lighting and heating control etc.
 The cycloconverters are mainly used for high
power, low speed, large ac motor drives for
application in the cement kilns, rolling mills and
ship propulsion drives
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 5
 Cycloconverters
 The forced-commutated cycloconverter has a
complex nature of derivation and will not be
discussed

Single Phase Converters

 The principle of operation of a single-phase
cycloconverter is explained using the following
diagram

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 6

 Single Phase Converters
Circuit Diagram
in
P - CONVERTER N - CONVERTER

ip + -
io T2’ T4’
T1 T3
+ L
1 O 2
S A
D
-
T3’ T1’
T4 T2
- +
POSITIVE - CONVERTER NEGATIVE - CONVERTER

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 7

 Single Phase Converters
 The two single-phase controlled converters are
operated as bridge rectifiers
 The output voltage of one converter is however equal
and OPPOSITE to that of the other converter V1 = - V2
 If converter P is operating alone, the average output
voltage is Positive and if converter N is operating, the
output voltage is NEGATIVE
 The waveforms are shown for the output voltage and
gating signals of +ve and –ve converter, with +ve
converter ON for time T/2 and the negative converter
for time T/2
 When one converter is operating the other is disabled,
so that there is no circulating current between the two
rectifiers
8
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl
Single Phase Converters

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 9

 Single Phase Converters
• The frequency of the output voltage , Vo is 3 times
less than that of the input voltage, thus if fi is 60 Hz
then fo is 20 Hz. This is a step down converter
• For the output voltage of the negative converter to
be equal and opposite to that of the +ve converter ,
its firing angle would be   , where = firing angle
of the +ve converter
• The waveforms shows a single-phase to single–
phase cycloconverter waveforms: (a) Input voltage
(b) Output voltage for zero firing angle (c) Output
voltage for firing angle say, 60 degrees (d) Output
voltage with varying firing angle
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 10
 Single Phase Converters
Assignment: Sketch waveforms for a cycloconverter to
get one-fourth of the input frequency at the output
with (a) Output voltage for zero firing angle (b) Output
voltage for firing angle of 60 degrees (c) Output
voltage with varying firing angle

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 11

 Three Phase Cycloconverters
Circuit Diagram: Three-Phase/ Single Phase Converter

+ -
T1 T3 T5 T2’ T6’ T4’

A
L
C
B O B
C A A
D
T5’ T3’ T1’
T4 T6 T2
- +
POSITIVE - CONVERTER NEGATIVE - CONVERTER

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 12

 Three Phase Converters
 The output of a three-phase/single phase converter
is ONE PHASE output
 In order to have three phase output two more three-
phase/single phase converter are employed. Thus, a
total of 36 switches will be used
 The two ac-dc converters shown in the circuit
diagram are three phase controlled rectifiers
 The POSITIVE CONVERTER operates for half the
period of output frequency and the NEGATIVE
CONVERTER for the other half the period
 The analysis is the same (similar) to that of a single-
phase/single phase converter 13
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl
 Three Phase Cycloconverters
In Block Diagram: Three-Phase/ Single Phase Converter

P1 CON P2 CON P3 CON

N1 CON N2 CON N3 CON

Load

Phase A Phase B Phase C

Star Connected Load

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 14

 Three Phase Cycloconverters
Block Diagram: For a Delta Connected Load

P1 CON P2 CON P3 CON

N1 CON N2 CON N3 CON

Load

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 15

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Waveforms: Consider the three-phase/single phase
converter that would provide one phase output

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 16

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
 If the supply frequency = 50Hz Fig. (a) = 3 cycles
up to 6π
 then the output = 1 cycle will be
50Hz
3

 The three phase input is through isolation

transformers

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 17

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Example1: Single-phase/ Single phase
cycloconverter
The input voltage to the cycloconverter is 230V (rms)
at 50Hz. The load resistance is 5Ω. The frequency of
the output voltage is 20Hz. If the converters are
operated as semiconverters such that 0    
and the delay angle is  p  2
3
Determine:
(a) The rms value of output voltage, VO
(b) The rms current of each thyristor, IR
(c) The input power factor
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 18
 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 1:
(a) The rms value of output voltage, VO
1

The equation VO  VS  1      sin 2  of a phase

2

  2 
controlled resistive load will apply, thus1
1  2  2  2
VO  230       sin 
  2  3 
 102V
VO 102V
  20.4 A
(b) The rms current R 5
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 19
 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 1:
The rms current through each thyristor is obtained as follows;

 The rms current through each converter

IO
I p  IN   (Remember, I O  2I R )
2
IO
Then I p  I N   14.43 A
2
Then rms current through each thyristor
14.43
  10.2 A
2
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 20
 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 1:
(c) The input power factor
The volt-ampere rating VA  VS I S  230V  20.4
 4692 VA

The output power, PO  VO I O cos   102V  20.4

 2080.8W
2080.8
Input, PF   0.443
4692

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 21

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Example 2:
In the example given above, consider an inductive
load with resistance of 5Ω and inductance of 40mH.

Determine;

(a) The rms value of the output voltage, VO

(b) The rms current of each thyristor, IR
(c) The input power factor

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 22

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 2:
(a) The extinction angle is determined from
 R     
  
sin(    )  sin(    )e  
L  

1  O L 2f O L
  tan 
R R
2  20  40
  45.2 o

1000  5

 
1
Z  R   O L   7.09 
2 2 2

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 23

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
 R     
Solution 2:   
sin(    )  sin(    )e  
L  

1 O L 2f O L
  tan 
R R
2  20  40
  45.2 o

1000  5

 
1
Z  R 2  O L   7.09
2 2

 R     
  
sin(    )  sin(    )e  L   

 ?
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 24
 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 2:
(a) The rms output voltage
1
1 sin 2 sin 2   2
VO  VS           ?
  2 2 
VO
(b) The output current 
Z
IO
The current through each converter 
2
IP
The rms current through each thyristor I R 
2

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 25

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 2:
VO
(c) The rms input current I S  I O 
Z
VO
The input power VA  VS I S  230 
Z

The output power o o o
P V I cos   V I
o o cos 45.2 o

Vo I o cos 45.2o
The input power factor 
VS I S

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 26

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Example 3:

Ignoring the effect of inductance on assuming that

the current goes to zero instantaneously.

Find: (a) The rms value of the output voltage, Vo

(b) The rms current of each thyristor, IR
(c) The input PF

DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 27

 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 3:
(a) The rms value of the output voltage, Vo
1
1  sin 2  2
Vo  VS         102V
  2 
 L 
(b) Z  R 2  (o L) 2  7.09 and tan 1  o   45.2o
 R 

The rms current of each thyristor, Io

Vo 102
Io    14.4 A
Z 7.09
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 28
 Three Phase Cycloconverter
Solution 3: 14.4
The rms current through each converter   10.2 A
2
10.2
The rms current of through thyristor   7.2 A
2

(c) The input PF

VA  VS I S  230 14.4 A
Po  Vo I o cos   102 14.4 cos 45.2o  102 14.4  0.7046
102 14.4  0.7046
PF   0.367
230 14.4
DP314 Lecture Notes Sem II 2012/13 - © nkl 29