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TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRK APPLICATIONS. VOL. IA-21. NO.

1,

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1985

Novel Type of
GEORGES-EMILE APRIL
AND

12-Pulse Converter
GUY OLIVIER,
SENIOR MEMBER, IEEE

Abstract-A new family of ac-dc converters for low-voltage highcurrent applications is introduced in which a peculiar connection of the power transformers is used to ensure current sharing amongst semiconductors.

I. INTRODUCTION M ANY VERY high-current, low-voltage rectifier applications, such as electroplating, exceed the capacity of the largest available semiconductors and require some form of parallel connection. Direct paralleling of semiconductor devices is of very little help for well-known reasons, and elaborate current sharing schemes become necessary. Classical solutions, for simple converters, involve resistive current sharing networks and load sharing inductors or transformers. For more elaborate converters, parallel bridges may be used, but the current sharing problem remains since any dissymetry between the transformers would result in severe current unbalance. This is partly offset by the use of 12pulse converters, but in order to get full utilization of transformer and semiconductor ratings interphase transformers must be used. These are subject to severe saturation problems requiring them to have air gaps and consequently increasing their size. Furthermore, all of these schemes require complex wiring on the low voltage (busbar) side of the converter. When controlled converters are needed, the problem is compounded by the slightest variations in thyristor turn-on and tum-off times. Although the balance may be reestablished by some form of differential feedback, this can only by achieved at the cost of a considerable increase in controller complexity. This paper introduces what is believed to be an original family of converters using the power transformers as current sharing devices. Very few references to similar circuits have been found in the literature, the nearest being the "snowflake" converter suggested by Rissik [1 J. However, the circuit suggested by Rissik makes poor use of transformer ratings and was not studied in detail. Others [21, [31 have suggested converters mainly for inverter use which, interestingly, seem to behave as the dual of the converter proposed here, i.e., they produced current waveforms that resemble the voltages in this circuit and voltages similar to the currents.
Paper IPCSD 84-9, approved by the Static Power Converter Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society for presentation at the 1982 Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, October 4-8, 1982. Manuscript released for publication April 5, 1984. This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The authors are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, P.O. Box 6079, Station A, Montreal, PQ, Canada H3C 3A7.

OR

OR

Fig. 1. Six-pulse converters, four possible configurations: star-delta, starstar, delta-delta, and delta-star.

II. NOVEL CONVERTER FAMILY Six-Pulse Converters The circuits of Fig. I result when an attempt is made to use the power transformers themselves as current sharing components. In these circuits nearly equal secondary currents are ensured even in the face of slight differences in winding ratios by wiring the transformer primaries in series. Furthermore, complex wiring has been transferred to the high-voltage side of the circuit where lighter gauge conductors make it less cumbersome. The use of two three-phase transformers with one secondary winding instead of one three-phase transformer with two secondaries is offset by the fact that at high power levels, transformers are basically sold by the pound and the total transformer rating is not changed. Since some components have been eliminated, there seems to be a net gain.

Twelve-Pulse Converters Trying to extend this idea to 12-pulse converters leads to the configurations of Fig. 2. Of these four circuits, only the third one has been fully analyzed. This circuit is redrawn in details in Fig. 15 (Appendix I) which also identifies the various symbols used throughout this text. However, even though the results presented here are exact only for this particular circuit, similar results are expected for the other three. It can be seen at a glance that this circuit is going to behave in a peculiar fashion. For instance, if thyristors Ql, Q2, Qii, and Q12 (see Fig. 15) are all to be conducting at once for any length of time, voltage across secondary windings s2 and 512 must be equal during that time, which seems to indicate the absence of a

0093-9994/85/0100-0180$01.00 1985 IEEE

APRIL AND OLIVIER: NOVEL 12-PULSE CONVERTER

181

A. DC Terminal Voltage The converter dc terminal voltage is typical of

converters:

12-pulse
(35)

Ed=EdQ
OR

cos

(a)

IA-

Ed=- sin (2 ) -f
b

KV'I E,,

(36)
(22)

where

K, - 1/(2 + V) = (2 -V) = 0.268

and El, is the primary rms line voltage. Equation (36) assumes transformer ratio of 1l/:1I for the star-connected units and 1:1 for the delta-connected ones.

Apparent Power, Power Factor, Displacement Factor

B.
OR

and Power

by the rms line current II:

S
=

The apparent power S is the product of the line voltage E,?

V-3 IE,,
p
S

1. 0 1 1 EJ,.

(1)

The next two equations relate the power factor (PF) and the power displacement factor (cos k) to the firing angle ai:

Fig. 2.

Four possible 12-pulse converters.

PF=-=0.989

cos

(ca)

(2) (3)

phase difference between the delta- and star-connected sections. Closer examination of the circuit of Fig. 2(c) yields some expected and some surprising results. 1) The output voltage is typical of 12-pulse converters. 2) Five semiconductors are conducting at any time for continuous periods of 5wr/6 each, resulting in lower current crest factor and, therefore, better use of semiconductor current ratings. 3) Transformer primary and secondary voltages are heavily distorted (see Appendix I) while all currents are typical of those usually found in the primary of classical 12-pulse converters. The harmonic contents of these currents are lower than is usual throughout six-pulse converters and in the secondary side of 12-pulse converters, resulting in better copper utilization. 4) For uncontrolled converters at least, transformer voltage rating may be reduced by almost four percent compared to what would be expected with a linear ac load. This results from the fact that harmonics in the voltage waveforms have a demagnetizing effect as will be seen later (see also Appendices II and III). A consequence or possible significance of this unexpected state of affairs is that, for some applications (like electric heating), transformer size may be reduced by some three percent by using dc rather than ac.
III.

Cos (c) = Cos (a).

C. Control Scheme
Table I lists the 12 possible combinations of conducting semiconductors along with their normal beginning and ending times relative to 0 (the electrical angle measured with respect to the positive going zero crossing of line voltage Eac) and to ca (see Appendix I and, in particular Fig. 16 for details). This control scheme has been implemented using a slightly modified version of a controller described in [4].

D. Semiconductor Ratings Fig. 3 shows the instantaneous current flowing through any semiconductor. Simple calculations show that the average current Iq (av) is Id/6 and that its rms value Iq (rms) is 0.268 Id rather than 0.289 Id as is usual in 12-pulse converters. Equation (64) states that for nonconducting semiconductors eq(n) = EKqn cos (Xqn + y + a) from which we can ascertain that the peak voltage across a semiconductor eq is

eq-EKqn. The worst case occurs when Kq, equals VS /iK,; then
.qV0.268

(4)

,=,.91l[.

CONVERTER OPERATION However, remember that, if current were to fall below some This section is a summary of the results obtained from the critical value, some semiconductors might see full line analysis of the circuit of Fig. 2(c). The details of this analysis voltage, and they should therefore be rated for E. are given in Appendices I-III. Since it is more convenient for the sake of comparison to

(5)

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-21, NO.

1, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1985

TABLE I CONTROL SCHEME

Time slot 0

begins
*/12 3w/12 5v/12 7r/12 97T/12
+

e8

1 2 3

+ a

4
5
6

+ a + a

7 8 9
10

+ a 13n/12 + a 15s/12 + a

11V /12

ll/12 + a 137/12 + a

ends 8 3n/12 + a 5n/12 + a 7n/12 + a 9n/12 + a

Ql LQ2 Q3 IQ4 IQ IQ6 Ql IQ12 IQ13 Q14 Q15 Q16

x x
X x

Xx x

x
x

x x

17r/12
197/12

+ a

21lr/12
-s/J2

11

a a +a
+
+

15n/12 + a 17n/12 + a 19n/12+ a 21n/12 + a

x X x x x

x
x

x X x

23n/12 + a /12 + a

x x x X

x x X x

x X x x x

x X x X x

X X

x X

x X

KPID
KpID 600
1 80

3PID
I

(a)

13O0

(b)
Fig. 3. Typical semiconductor and line currents. (a) Predicted thyristor current. (b) Measured line (top trace) and thyristor (bottom trace) currents (Id = 50 A and a = 0).

an odd harmonic at 1800 of the fundamental will reduce transformer flux by Ck/k where k is the order of the harmonic and Ck is its amplitude relative to the fundamental. A quick check using the calculated values found in Appendix Im shows that, for a = 0, transformer voltage rating may be reduced by approximately 4.1 percent (0.1478/5 + 0.074/7) to 95.9 percent of line voltage. The discrepancy between this and the 96.1 percent calculated in Appendix II is accounted for by the harmonics being neglected whose phase is such as to increase the flux. Total transformer ratings are tabulated in Table II for various values of a. It is obvious that for full-range converters, worst-case values (c 115 percent) should be used. However, there are a number of applications where a limited control range is sufficient, so that a reduction in transformer size may be possible: 1) electroplating (using diode converters), 2) electrolysis, 3) fixed voltage inverters for fuel cells, solar cells etc., 4) fixed voltage supplies (voltage regulators), 5) electric furnaces and electric heating.

rate semiconductors with respect to Ed0, we get from (36)

eq=E= 2.18 Ed,

In all cases, the advantages relating to semiconductor current ratings and the elimination of the interphase transformer remain.

(6)
IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate current sharing performances between the two circuit halves. The figures show the difference between the current in each half of the converter circuit plotted against total dc current. As expected, the total current error is small as sooh as Id becomes reasonnably larger than the magnetization currents. Fig. 5 shows the results for nominally balanced transformers, while Fig. 6 shows the effect of 7.2-percent winding error. Current unbalance is approximately proportional to winding error. Fig. 7 illustrates the dc-terminal voltage for firing angles of 0, 450, and 900. As expected the waveforms are typical of 12-pulse converters. The effect of overlap seems to be less than usual considering the fact that these waveforms were obtained at nominal current rating.

while in a classical 12-pulse bridge converter eq Ed,. This is not, however, of substantial significance since such circuits are intended for low-voltage applications where modern semiconductors usually have an ample reserve of blocking voltage capability. E. Transformer Ratings Appendix II shows that, for at least some firing angles, total transformer kVA rating may be smaller than either apparent power or even real dc power. In Appendix II, this result is obtained by actually evaluating transformer flux at various firing angles. The reduction in flux is due to the presence of higher harmonics of such phase and amplitude as to have some demagnetizing effect. One can easily see by looking at Fig. 4 that the addition of

APRIL AND OLIVIER: NOVEL 12-PULSE CONVERTER

183

140
120

0-

60-T
40

-j

=1-

-40
a.

*20-

60-

120

180

30

Fig. 4. Reduction of transfonner flux by addition of properly phased odd harmonics. Figure shows total applied voltage E, (fundamental plus 30 percent third harmonic out of phase with respect to fundamental), flux due to fundamental alone p, flux due to the third harmonic 03, and total flux o,.
A
6

TABLE I PARAMETERS TO COMPUTE THE INSTANTANEOUS VOLTAGES AND CURRENTS

n

A = 0.7 %
5
a =75
4

Kn

Xn
0 0

Kqn
0 0

Xqn
-

iql (n)/I Id

iPI (n) /Id

a=60e

0 I

-K

Kp
p

Kp
2 /3 K

/3
2

Kp
jp

0 3 Ap 5-a/1 2 /3,/Kp 7i/12 Kp 0O 4 0r 13 K O O 7 7p7/l27 K 5 - K 0 it 6 /3 K Kp w rl -/3K 0 __ PIJ _P_ 0 - 2 K Tr /3 K 7 p 7T 8 /3 K 1r -/3 K 0 p 7K -7ir/12 /3 /K -7 gV12 0 9 KP 0 0 0 O 10 K_ P /3K 11 -1 /5 -5T/12 0 P

KP

j3

IDV'D2
3

Kp

Di

I
0

I..

20

I
30

10

I I~~~~~~
40
50
60

a =o
-

Fig. 5. Current sharing performance with transformers approximately balanced (nominal winding error: 0.7 percent). Fig. shows the difference between Idl and I,2 as function of the total dc current I at three values of firing angle a.

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III

Should any of these present special interest, they shall be the subject of a paper at a later time.

A=+72%

A = 7.2 0/075'

Fully Controlled Converters Fig. 10 illustrates a way of obtaining higher dc current by increasing the number of thyristor bridges connected to the load. The basic idea may be expanded further by the use of zig-zag configurations on either the primary of the secondary side in order to provide higher order converters. Fig. 11 shows an example of a 24-pulse converter. However, in this case transformer size would have to be increased slightly due to the zig-zag connection. One simple variation removes the deltadelta transformer, loosing galvanic isolation but saving 50 percent of the transformer rating (Fig. 12) (or 25 percent in the case of the 24-pulse version).

Half-Controlled Converters Three basic types of half-controlled converters may be built

(Fig. 13). However, these circuits have obvious shortcomings:

10

20

30

40

50

1o 60

ID
Fig. 6. Current sharing performnance with transformer unbalanced by
percent.

1) higher harmonic contents in line currents as well as in dc-terminal voltage (moreover, line currents will be more typical of six-pulse converters than 12-pulse converters), 2) limited control range.

seven

Modified (13 Thyristor) Converter The circuit of Fig. 14 presents advantages where operation at large delay angles may occur. However, like its seventhyristor counterpart [5], it is likely to be plagued by commutation problems when used as an inverter. However, an

interesting variation, using a GTO as the thirteenth thyristor allows a fully controllable displacement factor in the inverter mode. This will be the object of study at a later time.

Fig. 7. DC terminal voltage for

00,

45, and 90, Id

50 A.

VI. CONCLUSION An interesting new family of 12-pulse converters has been introduced which presents advantages with respect to load sharing, transformer and semiconductor current ratings, and simplicity on low-voltage high-current side. The basic idea may be extended to higher order converters with similar results. APPENDIX I CURRENT AND VOLTAGE CALCULATIONS Notes 1) The load current is assumed to be large with respect to magnetizing currents. If such were not the case, exact waveforms would become unpredictable, although experience shows this to have little effect on performance, except with respect to regulation. 2) Only the configuration with delta-connected secondaries is analyzed in detail here. The star configuration behaves in a similar manner. This circuit is shown in Fig. 15. 3) No freewheeling is allowed. Configurations with freewheeling thyristors or diodes as well as half-controlled converters shall be analyzed at a later time.

Fig. 8(a)-(d) show typical instantaneous voltages measured across a transformer winding and across a semiconductor. For comparison's sake, Fig. 8(e) and (f) show predicted waveformns across a transformer winding for the same firing angles. Fig. 9 illustrates the effect of extreme unbalance between transformers. Surprisingly, current and voltage waveforms are little changed as compared with the balanced case, proving this converter to be highly insensitive to transformer errors.
V. RELATED CONVERTERS This section lists a number of variations on the basic scheme that may be employed with similar results. They are listed here for completeness and have not yet been fully investigated.

APRIL AND OLIVIER: NOVEL 12-PULSE CONVERTER

185

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
0(
=

(X=450

I
(c)

Fig. 8. Voltage across Q,, (top trace) and across winding s,, (bottom trace). (a) a= O, Id= 50 A, 80 V/div, and 60/div. (b) a = 45, Id = 50 A, 80 V/div, and 60/div. (c) ax = 900, Id = 50 A, 80 V/div, and 6 )/div. (d) a = 105, Id = 35 A, 8OV/div, and 60/div. (e) Predicted waveform of Ej I for a = 00 and 45. (f) Predicted waveform of E5,, for ar 900 and 1050.
=

186

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APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-21, NO. 1, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1985

0(

9 00

.:flL-1- -tflL_. ___'

1-1-

r__1_

t - 1050

(f)

Fig. 8. (Continued).

1
IF O
Fig. 9. Unbalance effect with a transformer ratio of 1:1 instead of Jqq: 1. Top trace: line current Id; bottom trace: voltage across winding pI (a = 90, Idl = 10 A, and Id2 = 36 A).

..

ie2plcvt

Fig. I1l. One possible 24-pulse converter.

{O*

Fig. 12. Twelve-pulse converter with single transformer (rated 50 percent of nominal power). Fig. 10. Higher current 12-pulse converter.

APRIL AND OLIVIER: NOVEL 12-PULSE CONVERTER

Fig. 13. Half-controlled 12-pulse converters.

L
IF

187
d

-A L

ii

; k-

-A

A k

i
r

IF

IIF
c

-1

07

Fig. 14. Modified 12-pulse converter with freewheeling SCR or GTO (Q,) (transforners not shown).

Fig. 15. Symbol definition for 12-pulse converter of Fig. 2(c).

4) The dc load current is assumed perfectly constant (id =

Id).

equations may be written:

eac

Referring to Fig. 16, it is easy to see that only 12 possible combinations of semiconductors may be in conduction in any time. Any other combination would violate the requirement that transforner primary and secondary currents cancel out. In normal converter operation, these combinations occur in the sequence shown and each of them lasts for 30. These 12 different time slots have been denoted To-T 1. Calling 0 the electrical angle measured from the positive going zero crossing of line voltage Ec, the following

connected ones.

5) The turn ratios of the transformers are, respectively, 1/ /:1 for the star-connected units and 1:1 for the delta-

E((V/

sin

(0) =

-v2 cos (0- ir/2)

(7)

eca Eir.k sin (0 ir)== E,,<2 cos

(0+ w/2)

(8)

eab=E,f sin (0+ ir/30= -E,,2

cos

(O-wr/6)

(9)

ebc =E11V sin (0 + r/3 1) = E,,N cos (0- 57r/6).

(10)

The instantaneous currentts and voltages within circuit at various time slots will nowv be examined.

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lA-21, NO. 1. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1985

A;\,
s 'i;.

_z.

-I2
vw

rvi2

10

11

Fig. 16. Current distribution in each of 12 time slots.

Note that for ir/12 < 0 6 3ir/12, this constitutes the top part During Time Slot To of a sine wave. 1) Instantaneous DC-Terminal Voltage: During time slot Instantaneous Transformer Voltages: Using the equa2) To both Q2 and Q6 are conducting. Thus tions established in the preceding section, the following (1 1) relationships can be derived for the instantaneous transformer e.1 =ed voltages during time slot To:
eS2=
- ed

es3 = 0

(12) (13)

ep, = es/43 = EKpcos (0- 7r/6)

,

(24) (25)
(26)

ep1

= ed/3

(14)
(15)

ep2= - ed/l3

ep2 = e<,/-3

EKp

cos

(0- 7r/6)

ep3 = 0

(16)
(17)

ep3 = es3/-3=0
epl
=

eplI + ep13 = ed and

ebc:- ep2 - epl3 - ep3 - -ed/Vi- epl3 - O
eca = - epI - epl l + ep3= - ed/VJ -epl I +0.

esl I = eac - epl + ep3

=Ei1 'IKi
(18) (19)
(20)
(21)
eI2 = esI2 =: E

cos (0-7xr/12)

(27)
(28)

c3 Kp Cos (0- 7r/6)

Combining the last three equations

eba = ebc + eca -2ed/'
-

ed

The equations for the thyristor voltages can be derived in a similar way. Since during time slot To Ql, Q2, Q6, Q, 1, and Q16 are conducting:
eql = eq2=eq6= eq1 I = eqI6 =Esat =

-Kp cos ( + 7r/4). 3) Instantaneous Thyristor Voltages:

=E3

ep13 =e13

(29)

-,3 -i3 cos ( -7r/6) -= E,, 2+l3 2+li Furthermore, if we define E -/2 E,, and

ed=eab

(30)

and

2+te
then
ed

Kp =

I 1

= (2-V) =0.268

(22)

-EV eq3 = eq4 eq5 - eq13 = eqI4 -

Kp

cos

(0-i/6). (31)

Finally, eql2 = - es13 =-Eli <K cos (0 + 7r/4)

(32)
(33)

=,eKpY'3

cos

(O x16)-

(23)

eqI5 = -es15 = -Ei NKp

cos

(0- 7ir/12).

APRIL AND OLIVIER: NOVEL 12-PULSE CONVERTER

189

4) Average Value of the DC- Terminal Voltage: Assuming To to last from 0 =i-/12 + a to 0 3ir/12 + a (ir/6 duration), the average value of the dc-terminal voltage (Ed) during this time slot is 12 Ed= - sin (7r/12)LV3 Kp cos (a) (34)
7r

iql I = lq16-V 3 K,d = iq4 = 1415 = iq12 1 -3 1q13 -=

Generalized Relationships

q14 -q15 = 0

(51) (52)

=Edo cOS (a)

where

(35)

Applying the same reasoning to every time slot leads to similar results. The bulk of equations so produced would be too cumbersome to list. They can, however, be reduced to a
defined by

Edo=- sin (71/2)v'3K -V2E11

= 0.649E,1.

few generalized relationships. It is important to remember that in steady state each time slot lasts for 30. The limits of the various time slots (Tn) are

(53) Furthermore, in order to simplify the writing of the 5) Instantaneous Transformer and Thyristor Currents: following equations, let us define the angle y such as its value During time slot To, Ql, Q2, Q6, Qii, and Q16 are conducting. is - 7r/12 at the beginning of any time slot and 7r/12 at the end. Therefore, The relationship between 0 and y is, therefore, Id=iql + iql4. (37) ='+ (n + 1)r/6 + a (54) Furthermore, since no current flows through winding p3 and 53 and (53) becomes, for any time slot,
(36)

(2n + l)7r/12+ ai<,.< (2n + 3)7r/12 +a.

ipl +ip2=0
=

1si =and

iq2 = to-2iq

(55) 1) Instantaneous and Average DC-Terminal Voltage: (39) For any time slot,
(40) (41)
ed=EZKp cos (y + (X) and the average value

(38)

ir/12 c er/12.

iqi = 2iI= 2ip1/i3.

On the other hand,

(56)

Ed=Ed,

cos

(a).

.1-ipl l-ipl2=isl I= sl2=iql lI Combining (37), (40), and (41),

ipl
J
3

(57)

2) Instantaneous Winding Voltages: The following equations permit calculation of any primary or secondary voltage during any time slot:

- -K (42) 'd 2 +Vi The current ip, known, all the othier currents can be determined:

e,i(n) = EK

cos

(X,+ y+ a)

(58)

where K,, and X, are taken from Table II. Furthermore,

ep2(n) = es2(n)/V3 = ep I(n - 4)
ep3(n) = es3(n)/1i3 = ep I(n + 4)
(59)

ip

3i

=-= KpId
is2=
-

(43)

ip2= -13
P3 =-i3

KId

(44)
(45)

(60)

i,3

=0

ep I(n) =es,I(n) =Vi3ep,(n - 1)

(61) (62)
(63)

epI2(n) e1 (n) = Viep1(n - 5)

=

ipii :sl I S -1/V3 KPId

ip12
is12 = -2/A/3 KIld

(46)
(47)
(48)

ep,3(n) = e13(n) = V3ep1(n + 3).

S 11).
3)

Note: Calculations on n are to be performed modulo 12 (0 S n

next equation gives the instantaneous voltage across Qi during any time slot:

ip131s13= 1/-i3 KId

Instantaneous Thyristor Voltages and Currents: The

and
i

2Kp,,
iq6 Kp,Id
=

(49)

eqi (n)

-EK,,

cos
Xqn

(X,7" + y + a)
are taken

(64)

(50)

where Kqn and

from Table 11. The normalized

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current flowing through Q, at any instant is also given in Table II. Voltages across Q2-Q6 and Q1 1-Q16 are out of phase copies of voltage across Ql. The same remark applies to all semiconductor currents (see Fig. 3). 4) Instantaneous Winding Currents: The current in winding Pi can be found in Table II. The other instantaneous currents are

TABLE III TRANSFORMER VOLTAGE AND VA RATINGS

cl

Eeq
E 11

VA

Eeq
F I I

VA

I d E do

d E do

ipI(n) = V3 iS(n)
ip2(n) = V3

(65)
(66) (67)

i,2(n) = ip,(n -4)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

and and and and and and and and and and

180 175

170 165 160 155 150 145 140 135

0.961 0.964 0.974 0.989 1.011 1.039 1.072 1.105 1.128 1.144

0.972 0.975 0.985 1.000 1.022 1.050 1.084 1.117 1.140 1.157

50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85

and and and and and and and and 90

180 125 120 115 110 105 100

95

1.150 1.147 1.137 1.118 1.089 1.053 1.012 0.970 0.928

1.163 1.160 1.150 1.130 1.101 1.065 1.023 0.981 0.938

ip3(n) = 3 i,,(n) = ipI(n + 4)

For any value of at, Asp,, may be evaluated by integrating the transformer voltage epi ((58) and Table II) over a full cycle. (69) This integration must be performed for each time slot, and the ip12(n) = 412(n) = ip1(n - 5)!Iii difference between the minimum and the maximum values reached becomes Ap,. Within any time slot, one of three i=i3(n) = ip1(n + 3)/V3 (70) possible situations may arise. iP13(n)= 1) Voltages at the beginning and at the end of time slot are RMS Currents of the same polarity. Then the flux variation during that time The rms value of the line current I, and of the thyristor slot is current, Iq (rms) are obtained by integration of the corresponding instantaneous currents ((65) and Table II): 5p= =-E[sin (Xn+a +7r/12)- sin (Xn+a-!-r/12)].
=
-

iPiI(n) =is,i(n) ipi(n 1)/li

(68)

I, = V KpId= 0.379Id

(71)

LI)

and
Iq (rms) = KpId = 0.268Id.

(76) 2) Voltage starts positive and ends negative. Therefore, the flux increases during the first part of the time slot and decreases during the second part. The flux excursion must be evaluated in two parts (0&Pno and 6opfl):

(72)

APPENDIX II TRANSFORMER RATINGS The kVA rating of transformers is usually obtained by simple multiplication of rated rms voltage and current. However, this assumes a sinusoidal voltage waveform of a given frequency. Whenever voltage is either distorted or of a different frequency, it must be remembered that, aside from considerations of insulation, it is the available flux excursions within the core that limit the voltage a transformer can withstand. In order to get the transformer rating in classical terms when a distorted waveform is applied, the resulting flux excursions have to be evaluated (by integration of the voltage waveform) and compared with the flux excursions produced by a sine wave. For a sine wave of rms amplitude E and frequency w, the flux excursion A(p in volt-seconds is A(p = 2V2 E/w
and E = wAp/2'I2.
Therefore,
angle

6so,o=-E[I- sin (X0+ a- r/12)]

(77)

P sin (Xn + at + wl 12) - 1)] . b(Pn I =-E

3) Voltage starts negative and ends up positive. Then

LI

(78)

6(pno
CA

nE[I+ sin (Xn+a- r/12)]

(79)
(80)

b(n I =-E[ 1 + sin (Xn + a + r/ 12)].

(73)

Once the maximum and minimum have been established, the equivalent transformer voltage rating may be determined from (75). The results for transformer voltage and VA ratings with respect to E,, Id, Ed0, and a are listed in Table III. APPENDIX III HARMONIC CONTENT OF TRANSFORMER VOLTAGES Fourier series of the transformer voltages for various firing angles were analytically evaluated, and relevant ones are listed in Table IV. It can be shown that the only nonzero harmonics arethoseoforder6(2i + 1) 1 fori > 0.

(74)
flux

if the
the

excursion
rms

is known for

given firing

(A(pa),

equivalent

voltage

is

Ee,q

=CAApa,/2N'2.

APRIL AND OLIVIER: NOVEL 12-PULSE CONVERTER

191
received the B.Sc.A. degree from the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, Montr6al, PQ, Canada, in 1966, and the M.Sc.A. degree from Imperial College of Science and Technology in 1967. After working on automatic control systems for English Electric in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, England, he joined the teaching staff at the Ecole Polytechnique of Montreal where he is now an Associate Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department. With the advent of microprocessors, his activities shifted from industrial electronics to microprocessor applications. he has been involved in a number of specific microcomputer designs and is presently teaching microprocessor-related courses.

AMPLITUDE OF THE HARMONICS OF Epl1 (FUNDAMENTAL = 1.0 = 0.5E11)

naic
0 10 5 7 17 |19 29 31 41 43 53 55 0.148 0.074 0.194 0.116 0.038 0.034

TABLE IV

Georges-Emile April was born in July 1942. He

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

0.288 0.391 0.488 0.574 0.644 0.696 0.728

10.739

0.190 0.266 0.337 0.399 0.449 0.487 0.509 0.517

0.073 0.105 0.135 0.161 0.181

0.065 0.04210.039 0.0,94 0.061 0.057 0.121 0.079 0.074 0.143 0.094 0.088 0.162 0.106 0.099 0.197 0.176 0.115 0.108 0.206 0.184 0.1Z1 0.113 0.209 0.187 0.122 0.114

0.043 0.055 0.066 0.075 0.081 0.085 0.087

= 0.053 0.063 0.071 0.078 0.081 0.082

0.058 0.063 0.066 0.067

0.056 0.061 0.064 0.064

REFERENCES
[1] H. Rissik, The Fundamental Theory of Arc Convertors. England: Chapman and Hall, 1939, ch. VI. [2] C. W. Flairty, "A 50kVA adjustable-frequency 24-phase controlled rectifier invertor," Direct Current, pp. 278-282, Dec. 1961. [3] J. W. A. Wilson, "Double bridge invertors with magnetic coupling," in Conf. Rec. 1976Annu. Meeting IEEE Ind. AppL Soc., pp. 11071119. [4] G. Olivier, V. R. Stefanovic, and G.-E. April, "Microprocessor controller for modified converter with an improved power factor," IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron. Contr. Instrum., vol. IECI-28, pp. 188193, Aug. 1981. "Evaluation of phase-commutated converters for slip-power [5] control in induction drives," IEEE Trans. Ind. AppI., vol. IA-19, pp. 105-111, Jan./Feb. 1983.
,

Guy Oliver (S'71-M'81-SM'84) was born in Montreal, PQ, Canada, on September 18, 1952. He received the B.Sc.A. and M.Sc.A. degrees in electrical engineering from Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal in 1975 and 1977, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in power electronics from Concordia University, Montreal, in 1982. Since June 1981, he has been with the Department of Electrical Engineering of Ecole Polytechni_ que of Montreal where he is currently Assistant Professor. His research interests include static converters, machine drives and microprocessor controllers. Dr. Oliver is a member of the Order of Engineers of the-Province of Quebec and member of the Industrial Drives Committee.
_ g.