CONTROLLED &

UNCONTROLLED
RECTIFIERS

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 Phase controlled rectifiers are simple and less expensive
 Efficiency of these rectifiers are, in general, above 95%
 These controlled rectifiers are also called ac-dc
converters
 These are extensively used in industrial applications,
specially in variable-speed drives, ranging from fractional
horse power to mega power level

Phase-control converters

Single-phase Three-phase
converters converters

Semiconverters Full converter Dual converters

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 Single-Phase half-wave Controlled
Converter with resistive load

(a)
Vo

Vdc
Io
Idc

(c) Quadrant
(b)
(a) Circuit diagram (b) Voltage and current waveforms

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 The average output voltages can be found from

sin t dt 
1
Vdc 
2 V

m


Vm
 
 cos t 


2

Vm
1  cos  
2

Vdc can be varied from Vm / to 0 by varying α from 0 to . The

average output voltage becomes maximum when α=0 the
maximum voltage, Vdm , is

Vdm = Vm / 

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 The rms output voltages can be found from

1
 1  2  2
Vrms   Vm sin t dt 
2

 2  
1
V 2 

 1  cos 2t dt 
2
 m

 4
1
Vm 1  sin 2   2
       
2   2 

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 Single-Phase half-wave Un-controlled
Converter with resistive load

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 Single-phase half wave thyristor
converter with RL load

(a)

(b)
(a) Circuit diagram (b) Voltage and current waveforms

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 Single-phase half wave
Uncontrolled Rectifier with RL load

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Single-phase half-wave thyristor
converter with RL load and
freewheeling diode

(a)

(b)

(a) Circuit diagram (b) Voltage and current waveforms

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 Single-Phase Half-Wave Rectifier with RL Load and
Freewheeling Diode (Continuous Load Current)

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Single-Phase Full-wave Centre
tapped Controlled Converter
with resistive load
Input
voltage

Firing pulses
for TH1

Firing pulses for TH2

Output voltage

Output current

Voltage
across TH1

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Voltage across TH2
 The average & rms output voltages can be found from

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 Single-Phase Full-wave
Centre tapped Controlled
Converter with R-L load

The average & rms output voltages can be found from

Rectification mode

α π π+α

Inversion mode

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Single-Phase Full Uncontrolled
Bridge With Resistive Load

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Single-Phase Semi Converter With
Resistive Load

(c)

(a) Circuit
(b) Waveforms
(c) Quadrant

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 The average output voltage can be found from

and Vdc can be varied from 2Vm/ to 0 by varying α from 0 to  .

The rms output voltage can be found from:

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 Single-phase full-converter

(a)
Rectification mode

Inversion mode

(b)

(c)
(a) Circuit (b) Quadrant (c) Waveforms

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 The average output voltage can be found from

and Vdc can be varied from 2Vm/  to -2Vm /  by varying α

from 0 to .
The rms output voltage can be found from:

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 Comparison Between Centre-Tapped
Rectifier & Full-Bridge

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 Single-Phase Dual-Converter

(a)

(c)

(b)

(a) circuit (b) waveforms (c) quadrant

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 If α1 and α2 are the delay angles of converter 1 & 2,
respectively, the corresponding average output voltages
are Vdc1 & Vdc2.
 The delay angles are controlled such that one converter
operates as a rectifier & other operate as an inverter; but
both converters produce same average output voltage.
The average output voltages of both the converters are:
2Vm
Vdc1  cos 1

2Vm
Vdc2  cos 2

Since, one converter is rectifying & the other is inverting .
Therefore, Vdc1 = -Vdc2 or, cosα1 = -cosα2 = cos ( - α1)
Therefore, α2 =  - α1

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  Since, the instantaneous output voltages of two
converters are out of phase there will be an
instantaneous voltage difference & this will result in
circulating current between the two converters.
 This circulating current will not flow through the load &
is normally limited by a circulating current reactor Lr .
 The circulating current depends upon the delay angle.
 The dual converters can be operated with or without
circulating current.
 Without circulating current, only one converter operates
at a time & carries the load current; and the other
converter is completely blocked.

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The operation with circulating current though it
has disadvantages such as:
1. A reactor is required to limit the circulating
current. The size & cost of the reactor may be
significant at high power levels.
2. Circulating current gives rise to more losses
in converters & hence efficiency & pf is low.
3. As the converters have to handle load as well
circulating current, the thyristors of two
converters are rated for higher currents.
.

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 Inspite of the above drawbacks, a dual converter with
circulating current mode is preferred as:

1. The circulating current maintains continuous

conduction of both converters over the whole control
range, independent of the load.

2. Since one converter always operates as a rectifier &

the other converter operate as an inverter, the power
flow in either direction at any time is possible.

3. Since both converters are in continuous conduction,

the time response for changing from one quadrant
operation to another is faster.

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 3-phase Half-uncontrolled bridge
Vs

D1

V1
3-phase V2 D2
supply IL

V3 D3 ID1
Load

ID2

ID3

VL

VD1 = V1 - VL
√3 Vm
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 3-phase un-controlled bridge

+ Converter

- Converter

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 3-phase un-controlled bridge waveforms

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 3-Phase Half Controlled Bridge

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 The average output voltages can be found from
5

6
sin t dt 
3
Vdc 
2 
V m

6

3 3Vm
 cos 
2

The average output voltage becomes maximum when α=0

the maximum voltage, Vdm , is
3 3Vm

2
The rms output voltages can be found from
1
 5
  2
3  6

Vrms  V
2
sin2 t d t 
2 
m
 
 
 6 
1
1 3 2
 3 Vm 
6  cos 2 

 8  
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 3-Phase Fully Controlled Bridge

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3-Phase Fully Controlled Bridge Waveforms

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 Waveforms for 3-phase fully
controlled bridge

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The average output voltage can be found from:
 
 
2 2
 
Vdc 
3
 V d  t  
3
 3 V sin  t   dt 
 
ab m
 6 The phase voltages:
  Van =Vm sinωt
6 6 Vbn =Vm sin (ωt – 2π/3 )
Vbn =Vm sin (ωt + 2π/3 )
3 3Vm 3
 cos  The corresponding Line-to-Line
  voltages:
Vab = Van – Vbn = √3 Vm sin (ωt + π/6 )
Vbc = Vbn – Vcn = √3 Vm sin (ωt – π/2 )
The maximum average output voltage for Vca = Vcn – Van = √3 Vm sin (ωt + π/2 )
delay angle α=0 is Vdm = 3√3 Vm / 

The rms value of the output voltage can be found from:

1
 
  2
3 2
  
Vrms    3Vm2 sin t   dt 
  6
   
 6 
1 3 3 

 6Vm   cos 2 
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 3-PHASE THYRISTOR BRIDGE WAVES SHOWING
COMMUTATION OVERLAP EFFECT

Waveforms showing the line inductance effects

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 THANKS

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 V1 - V2 = Vm [sin ωt – sin (ωt – 120o )]
= Vm [sin ωt – sinωt cos120o + cos ωt sin120o ]
= Vm [sin ωt + ½ sinωt + √3/2 cos ωt ]
= Vm [ 3/2 sin ωt + √3/2 cos ωt ]

Let, A cosα = 3/2 & A sinα = √3/2

Therefore,
V1 - V2 = Vm [A cosα sin ωt + A sinα cos ωt ]
= A Vm sin (ωt + α )
A = √(3/2)2 + (√3/2)2 = √3

Therefore, V1 - V2 = √3 sin (ωt + α )

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 Vdc =

= (-cos(150o+α ) + cos (30o + α))

= (-cos150o cosα + sin150o sinα + cos30o cosα – sin30o sinα)

= (-0.866 cosα + 0.5 sinα + 0.866 cosα – 0.5 sinα)

= (1.732 cosα) = cosα

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