Comparative analysis of 6, 12, 36 pulse AC-DC Controlled Multipulse Converter for Harmonics
Mitigations
Akshay Rathi, Anurag Mishra, Puneet Kr. Chaudhary
Deptt. of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Anand Engineering College, Agra, India
akshay.rathi002@gmail.com, anuragtheking979@gmail.com, pkcaeceee@gmail.com
Abstract: This paper deals with Multi-pulse AC
to DC conversion scheme for reduction of Total
Harmonic Distortion. This conversion system
employs a phase-shifting transformer and a
three-phase. Every such converter provides 6-
pulse AC to DC conversion, so in order to
produce more sets of 6- pulse systems, a uniform
phase-shift is required and hence with proper
phase-shifting angle, 6, 12, 36 pulse systems have
been produced. The performance enhancement
of multi-pulse converter is achieved for total
harmonics distortion (THD) in supply current,
DC voltage ripples and form factor. All the
simulations have been done on MATLAB
platform for similar ratings for same
configuration. The results are obtained for
controlled converters for R Load.
Keywords: Multi-pulse, Total Harmonic Distortion,
Form factor, Ripple Content
I. INTRODUCTION
The paper deals with multi-pulse converter for
high voltage & power application for example as in
HVDC. The technique shown is based on dc current
reinjection. Moreover, a control strategy over the
whole range of phase delay angle is obtained along
with complicated input current and output voltage
study. Due to power electronics device various
harmonics are encountered and thus it subject to
voltage dip. Devices such as adjustable speed drive,
HVDC system, uninterruptible power supplies etc.
are employed with three phase ac-dc conversion.
AC-DC converters also known as rectifier, are
developed by using thyristors and diodes which
provides controlled and uncontrolled dc power. The
present work analyzes the different multi-pulse AC-
DC converters in solving harmonic problem in the
three phase system. It is also analyzed the
performance of increasing the number of pulses on
AC to DC converter. The performance enhancement
of multi-pulse converter is achieved for total
harmonics distortion (THD) in supply current, DC
voltage ripples and form factor. All the simulations
have been carried out for similar ratings of R Load,
for all the multi-pulse converters configurations, so
as to represent a fair comparison among controlled
continuations of multi-pulse converters. The
presented simulation results show the reduced THD
at supply side.
II. MULTI-PULSE METHODS
Multi-pulse methods involve multiple converters
connected so that the harmonics generated by
one converter are cancelled by harmonics
produced by other converters. By this means,
certain harmonics related to number of
converters are eliminated from the power source.
In multi-pulse converters, reduction of AC input
line current harmonics is important as regards to
the impact the converter has on the power
system. For the simplicity & expediency these
multipulse converter are shown in block of
positive and negative group. The detailed of
positive group is shown in each of the section
below, in which only positive group is shown.
III. SIMULATION OF CONTROLLED MULTI- PULSE
CONVERTERS
(I) 6-PULSE 12-PULSE AND 36-PULSE RECTIFIER
MODELS
The basic configuration for HVDC uses a three
phase bridge rectifier or six pulse bridges,
containing six electronic switches, each connecting
to one of the three phases power supply. A
complete switching element is usually referred to as
a valve, irrespective of its construction. The
simulated diagram of six Pulse Bridge is shown in
figure.1. Normally, two diodes in the bridge are converters. Figure1 shows 6-pulse diode bridge
conducting at any time, one on the top row (D1, D3 rectifier. The three single-phase AC voltage
and D5) and another from bottom row (D2, D4 and sources, each 120 degrees out of phase with the
D6). The two conducting valves connecting to two other, each being rectified through a diode, RL load
of three AC phase voltages, in series to the DC was used.
terminals. Thus the DC output voltage at any given
instant is given by the series combination of two
AC phase voltages. For example, if valves D1 and
D2 are conducting, then the DC output voltage is
given by the voltage of phase 1 minus the voltage of
phase 3. In fact, with a line commutated converter,
the firing angle represents the only way of
controlling the converter output voltage. Firing
angle control is used to regulate the DC voltages of
both ends of the HVDC system continuously in
order to obtain the desired level of power transfer.
For high power applications such as high voltage Fig: 1 six pulse converter on Matlab
DC transmission and DC motor drives, a 12 pulse
output is generally required to reduce the output (III). 3-PHASE THYRISTER RECTIFIER USING 12-PULSE
ripples and to increase the ripple frequencies. A The MATLAB 3-phase diode rectifier
three phase bridge gives a six pulse output voltages. demonstration model, described above, features
An enhancement of the six pulse bridge three single-phase AC voltage sources, each 120
arrangement uses 12 valves in a twelve pulse degrees out of phase with the other, each being
bridge. A twelve pulse bridge is effectively two six rectified through a diode and RL load was used.
pulse bridges connected in series on the DC side
and arranged with a phase displacement between
their respective AC supplies so that some of the
harmonics voltages and currents are get cancelled.
The phase displacement between the two AC
supplies is usually 30 and is realized by using
converter transformer with two different secondary
windings. Usually one of the valve winding is star
(wye) connected and the other is delta connected.
MATLAB software, particularly Simulink,
MATLAB's graphical interface is an Environment
for designing and modeling systems, was used to
model various aspects of the proposed power
generation and transmission system. MATLAB Fig2: Twelve pulse converter on Matlab
version 2012, equipped with the SimPower Systems
block set, was the software used. (IV). 3-PHASE THYRISTER RECTIFIER USING 36-PULSE
(II). 3-PHASE THYRISTER RECTIFIER USING 6-PULSE The block diagram representation of 36-pulse
converter and the corresponding connections are
shown in Fig.3 and detailed positive group 3 six-
The MATLAB SimPower Systems software is a pulse converters which are of positive phase
subsystem contains numerous demonstration sequence phase shifted by 100 from each other, can
models, including a model of a 3-phase diode provide thirty-six pulse conversion, and obviously
rectifier. This model was the inspiration for our with much lower harmonics on AC and DC side is
simplified models of 3-phase 6-pulse and 12-pulse shown in Fig. 4. Its AC output voltage would have
30n1order. Block diagram of 36 pulse converter.
In figure above there are two blocks, upper block is
showing the positive group and lower block is
showing negative group. The detail analysis of
positive group only is shown in Figure 4, negative
harmonics group is same as the positive group.
Fig3.Block Diagram of 36-pulse converter.
Fig 4. 36 pulse converter on Matlab.
IV.CONTROLLED MULTI-PULSE CONVERTERS
The ripple content and the form factor blocks are
shown below in figure 5.
Fig.5: Modeling for ripple content
Fig 6: Modeling for form factor
EQUATIONS USED
V.
The average output voltage is
The rms value of output voltage is
VI. HARMONIC REDUCTION
The harmonic reduction schemes are presented in
brief. The important point to be noted is that,
recently due to increasing use of power electronic
units, utility or electricity supply agencies (boards),
have restricted that the power is drawn by the
consumers, so as to decrease the harmonic content
in the input current, or make it sinusoidal, and at the
same time, improved load power factor is achieved.
Two schemes (a) passive (filter) circuits and (b)
Active shaping of input line current, are presented,
in brief.
Low pass (L-C) filter circuit on ac side
Before going into the aspect, let us take a rebook at
the input current drawn in the circuit. Assuming that
output (load) current is constant (dc) without any 2) For 12-pulse converter
ripple, the ac input (source) current is square wave
in nature as this current changes sign, when the
input voltage changes sign. If a Fourier analysis of
the above current is done, there are harmonic
components present in it. Just as filters have been
used on the output (dc) side, a low pass (L-C) filter
is used on the input (source) side to reduce the
harmonic components in the input current. The
inductors used tend both to improve the power
factor and also reduce harmonics as given earlier.
The overall energy efficiency remains the same,
though additional losses occur in the inductors, but
conduction losses in the diodes are reduced.
Active Shaping of Input (line) Current
By using a power electronic converter for current 3) For 36-pulse converter
shaping, it is possible to shape the input current
drawn by the single phase bridge converter
(rectifier) to be sinusoidal and also in phase with the
input voltage. The choice of the power electronic
converter is based on the following considerations:
No need for electrical isolation between the input
(dc) and output (dc) sides
the power flow is always unidirectional from the
utility side to the equipment
the cost, power losses and size of the circuit used
should be small.
With increasing the pulses in the converter, the
VII. SIMULATION RESULTS
input side the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) has
Both 6-pulse, 12-pulse and 36-pulse rectifier reduces and efficiency of the system is increased.
models were simulated. With increasing pulses in For RL type load with R= 10 ohm, L = 650H and
the converter, the input side the Total Harmonic the results obtained are as follows: THD in 6 pulse
Distortion (THD) is reduces and efficiency of the converter = 36.95 % THD in 12 pulse converter =
system is increased. For RL type load with R= 10 12.48 % THD in 36 pulse converter = 6.158 % It is
ohm, and L=650H. The results obtained are as observed that the total harmonic distortion (THD)
follows: decreases as the number of converter pulses
1) For 6-pulse converter increases and it is within limits as per IEEE
standards.
VIII. CONCLUSION
It is concluded therefore that in general with
increase in number of pulses in multi-pulse case the
performance parameters of these converters have
remarkably improved. The THD for controlled
converters has reduced than for the consecutive
uncontrolled converters. The results are also
compared and found effective with IEEE guide for
Harmonic Control.
 IX. ACKNOWLEGEMENT
I take this opportunity to thanks Asst. Professor
Mr. Puneet Kumar Chaudhary to work under his
valuable guidance, closely supervising this work and
offering innovating idea and helpful suggestion
which lead to this work I would give thanks to HOD
of EN dept. Dr Himanshu Vijay for his valuable
guidance and their motivation.
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