Harmonic reduction in multiplex convertors

by triple-frequency current injection

B. M. Bird, M.Sc, Ph.D., C.Eng., M.I.E.E., J. F. Marsh, B.Sc, Ph.D., and P. R. McLellan, B.Sc, Ph.D.

Abstract
Conventionally, harmonic filters have hitherto been used to reduce the very undesirable effects of current
harmonics in the input current to convertor equipment. The present paper describes an investigation into a
new method of eliminating these current harmonics at the source, this being a more fundamental method
than merely suppressing their consequences. The cost of the new method is not likely to be more expensive
than elaborate filter equipment.
The process consists of modifying the primary current waveform by the injection of triple-frequency
currents into the convertor. An explanation of the fundamental action is presented, together with an analysis
of the effects of triple-frequency current injection upon the harmonics generated by duplex convertor
equipment.

List of symbols been formulated by the supply authorities as a guide to

h = ld\2
Ia = r.m.s. value of injected current, A
ld = direct current, A
Im = magnetising current, A
n = order of harmonic
p — pulse number
Vd = direct voltage
Vp = peak voltage per secondary phase
VMN = interphase transformer voltage
p = turns ratio
1 Introduction
The development of the high-power grid-controlled
mercury-arc rectifier/invertor has had a great effect on con-
temporary power-engineering practice, and such equipment
has found very many industrial applications. The development
of its solid-state equivalent, the high-power thyristor, will
undoubtedly serve to increase the use of rectifier/invertor
equipment because the thyristor is so much more robust,
smaller, lighter, more portable, and generally more acceptable
as an engineering device than a mercury-filled bulb. In addi-
tion, the power loss in a thyristor is much less than in the
corresponding mercury arc. Development of the technology
of the thyristor is steadily proceeding, and the cost of
thyristors is slowly being reduced.
The production of current harmonics by convertor equip-
ment is, however, a fundamental problem, and until basic
remedies are invented and developed, the matter can only
become more serious as the use of conversion equipment
spreads.
Although a convertor causes current harmonics in the
supply mains, the undesirable effects of these are usually
observed in the form of voltage harmonics. The former are
dependent only on the type of convertor used, but the latter
also depend on the properties of the supply network.
This paper describes the principle of a new method of
greatly reducing the harmonics in the supply current to a
convertor. The well-known duplex 6-phase rectifier, with an
interphase transformer, is taken as an example, but the method
is applicable to other types of convertor.
Hitherto, the subject of harmonic reduction has been
subdivided into (a) voltage-harmonic reduction and (b)
current-harmonic reduction.
(a) Voltage-harmonic reduction is a complex subject, and
the problem has usually been studied for a particular
installation.1"4 Nevertheless, a few general rules5 have
Paper 5925 P, first received 21st January and in revised form 2nd June
1969
Dr. Bird is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, University
of Bristol, University Engineering Laboratories, University Walk,
Bristol BS8 1TR, England, Dr. Marsh is with English Electric Ltd.,
Stafford, England and Dr. McLellan is with the University of Ankara,
Ankara, Turkey
1730
the effect of any standard convertor upon the supply
system.
(b) Current-harmonic reduction has been the subject of many
papers.6"8 Hammond and Whittaker7 state that any con-
vertor system with an infinitely inductive d.c. load will
have harmonics in its primary-current waveform which
are purely dependent on the pulse number p of the
convertor, where p is the number of anode-anode com-
mutations equispaced in time in one cycle of the supply.
The harmonics present in the current waveform will be of
the order Kp ± 1, where K = 1, 2, 3 etc., and the r.m.s.
magnitude of each harmonic as a percentage of the
fundamental is 100/«, where n is the order of the har-
monic; this is true for the line current, but additional
triplen harmonics might be present in the phase current.
There are at least two ways of avoiding this condition:
(i) The commutations are made unequally spaced in time,
i.e. some anodes conduct for a longer time than others.
This could readily be done, but, in general, the technique
causes asymmetrical currents to flow, and it introduces
even-order harmonics into the primary-current waveform,
(ii) The commutations could remain equispaced in time, but
the shape of the current waveform could be modified in
spite of the presence of a large inductive d.c. load.
Probably the simplest way of obtaining this effect is by
the injection of harmonic currents into the convertor.
The present paper seeks to establish the simple principles
which underlie current-injection schemes and to indicate the
particular characteristics of triple-frequency current injection
in duplex convertors.
2 Duplex 6-phase common-cathode
rectifier
2.1 Mode of operation
The simplest form of convertor into which triple-
frequency current can be injected is the duplex 6-phase
rectifier with common-cathode connection, shown in Fig. 1.
output
voltage
group M group N
Fig. 1
Duplex 6-phase rectifier
PROC. IEE, Vol. 116, No. 10, OCTOBER 1969
If the interphase transformer is short-circuited, the system
acts as a 6-phase common-cathode convertor with only one
of the six rectifier elements conducting at any given time.
Thus each rectifier element conducts for only one sixth of a
cycle. (Overlap is ignored here.) With the interphase trans-
former interposed between the two 3-phase groups, one
rectifier element in each group conducts at any given time
and thus each rectifier element passes current for one third
of a cycle.
The overall effect is to produce a decrease in the current
loading of the transformer windings and rectifier elements,
and hence to obtain a considerable improvement in the
utilisation of equipment, relative to the 6-phase common-
cathode configuration. Fig. 2 shows the secondary phase
thyristor mean d.c.output
conducting
sequence
interphase
transformer
voltage
Fig. 2
Output voltage and interphase transformer voltage for duplex 6-phase
rectifier
secondary phase voltages of group M
secondary phase voltages of group N
voltages of the two groups. The difference between the two
sets of voltages for the conducting rectifier elements represents
the interphase transformer voltage, which has an approxi-
mately triangular waveform, and has a frequency three times
that of the supply voltage.
2.2 Triple-frequency excitation of interphase
transformers
It is well known that, for the proper operation of a
rectifier with an interphase transformer, the direct load
current must exceed a certain minimum value. If it does not,
the rectifier will revert from a duplex (or multiplex) regime
to a simplex regime, with an appreciable rise in direct output
phase 1
phase 3
phase 5
interphase
transformer
voltage and
magnetising current
thyristor
conducting
sequence
phase 2
phase 4
phase 6
Fig. 3
Secondary phase currents showing the magnetising current of the
interphase transformer
The inductance of the d.c. load is assumed to be very large
PROC. IEE, Vol. 116, No. 10, OCTOBER 1969
voltage, reduced total-load range and increased current
harmonics. Fortunately, the minimum direct current is
small; in theory, it must be at least twice the peak mag-
netising current for the interphase transformer. When the
operating conditions make very light loads possible, it is
common to provide an auxiliary load resistance, which is
switched in as the main d.c. load falls away, to prevent a
voltage rise on very low loads.
Another method of dealing with the same problem is to
provide an additional triple-frequency magnetising circuit, so
that the alternating magnetising current for the interphase
transformer need not flow through the rectifier elements. This
overcomes the requirement for a minimum direct load current
which must swamp the magnetising current. The method has
been described in a paper by Blake.9 The secondary phase
currents of a duplex 6-phase rectifier, with an interphase
transformer, are shown in Fig. 3, which also shows the super-
imposed magnetising current. This has either to be drawn
from the rectifier itself, or supplied from the auxiliary mag-
netising circuit.
I TT 2 VP
The impedance of the interphase transformer is high, as
is the open-circuit impedance of any transformer, and the
current drawn from the 'triangular' voltage presented to it,
by duplex operation of the rectifier, is therefore very small.
Its phase, and its effect on the phase currents of a duplex
6-phase rectifier, are shown in Fig. 3.
3 Current-injection in duplex rectifiers
It is possible to use an auxiliary power source in con-
junction with a duplex rectifier for improving the input-
current waveform to the rectifier transformer, by harmonic
neutralisation. This arrangement, which is shown in Fig. 4,
interphase transformer
output
voltage
groupM group N
Fig. 4
Duplex 6-phase rectifier
typical injected-current path at the instant when elements I and 2 are
conducting
may appear similar to the auxiliary magnetising circuit
proposed by Blake,9 but it is, in fact, substantially different
in form and in function.
Consider the duplex 6-phase rectifier as an example. Sup-
pose that a heavy-current low-voltage low-impedance triple-
frequency power supply is connected between the star points
of the two 3-phase groups. The interphase transformer
voltage, as the difference of the two rectifier secondary phases,
is inexorable, and the heavy-current source will therefore
cause current to circulate around two secondary phases of
the rectifier, and a corresponding balancing current will flow
in the primary of the rectifier transformer. The impedance
presented to this heavy current is simply the low leakage
reactance of two phases of the transformer.
The generator must be capable of delivering a 150Hz
current comparable with half the direct load current, and the
phase of this current must differ by 90° from the phase of
the magnetising current of the interphase transformer. The
current injected can be chosen at will, although the amount
of harmonic reduction will depend on the magnitude of the
injected current, which has an optimum or, at least, a preferred
value.
It could be said that the Blake9 circuit is basically a 'voltage'
system, which causes a working flux in the interphase trans-
former, whereas the current-injection circuit is basically a
'current' system. Their functions are, in some sense, analogous
to a voltage transformer and a current transformer,
respectively.
The operation of the current-injection circuit is explained
1731
in Section 3.1, and it is shown in Fig. 5 that the phase of Table 1
the injected current must be displaced by 90° from the phase
HARMONICS AS PERCENTAGES OF FUNDAMENTAL WITH VARYING
of the magnetising current, as discussed in Section 2.2 and
DEGREES OF CURRENT INJECTION FOR DUPLEX 6-PHASE
shown in Fig. 3.
CONVERTOR

Injection
(Drder of harmonic
ratio
ylh
5 7 u 13 17 19 23 25

0 20 14-28 9 0 9 7-69 5-88 5-26 4-35 4

0-64 0 2-8 2-6 2-3 1-83 1-65 1-42 1-3
0-816 5 0 0-84 1 0-83 0-77 0-68 0-63
0-926 7-9 1-7 0 018 0-21 0-25 0-28 '0-23
0-947 8-5 2 019 0 01 014 015 015
0-969 9-2 2-4 0-3 016 0 003 006 008
0-975 9-3 2-5 0-44 0-2 002 0 003 005
0-983 9-5 2-6 0-5 0-25 005 001 0 003
0-986 9-6 2-7 0-53 0-28 007 003 002 0
0-25 11-7 9-64 6-45 5-44 4-21 3-77 3 1 3 2-90
0-50 4-12 5 21 3-93 3-42 2-68 2-41 201 1-85
0-75 3-25 1 1-57 1-45 119 1-1 0-96 0-88
100 100 2-86 0-65 0-38 017 012 007 005

Table 2
RESIDUAL HARMONICS AS PERCENTAGES OF CORRESPONDING
HARMONICS WITHOUT CURRENT INJECTION FOR DUPLEX 6-PHASE
CONVERTOR

Drder of harmonic
Injection
nitio
ylh
5 7 n 13 17 19 23 25
Fig. 5
Primary phase current with 150Hz current injection at different 0-64 0 19-6 28-6 30-00 311 31-4 32-7 32-5
magnitudes and phases for duplex 6-phase rectifier 0-816 250 0 9-24 1300 141 14-65 15-65 15-75
a No current injection (phase 1, Fig. 3) 0-926 39-5 11-9 0 2-34 3-57 4-75 6-45 5-75
b Antiphase with 150Hz magnetising current 0-947 42-5 140 209 0 1-70 2-66 3-45 3-75
c 90° behind magnetising current 0-969 460 16-8 3-30 2-08 0 0-57 1-38 200
d, e 90° ahead of magnetising current
0-975 46-5 17-5 484 2-60 0-34 0 0-69 1-25
It is assumed that the d.c. load is highly inductive and that the 150Hz magnetising 0-983 47-5 18-2 "5-50 3-25 0-85 019 0 0-75
current is negligible in comparison with the injected current
0-986 480 18-9 5-83 3-65 119 0-57 0-46 0
0-25 58-5 67-5 71 00 70-7 71-6 71-7 72-00 72-5
0-50 20-6 36-5 43-2 44-5 45-6 45-8 46-2 46-3
3.1 Harmonic reduction in a duplex 6-phase 0-75 16-25 710 17-3 18-85 20-2 20:9 25-1 220
rectifier due to triple-frequency current injection 10 500 201 7-15 4-94 2-89 2-28 1 -61 1-25
3.1.1 Theoretical analysis
It is shown in Appendix 7 that, for a given magnitude
of triple-frequency injected current, the maximum harmonic third harmonic of magnitude -60 • 5y/h percent. As shown in
reduction occurs when the phase of the injected current eqn. 1, triple-frequency current injection also causes the
corresponds to the arrangement shown in Figs. 5d and e. It fundamental current to increase by 12-5 y/h percent. This
is also shown in Appendix 7 that, for this phase relation increase in the magnitude of the fundamental current repre-
between the injected current and the secondary current, the sents a transfer of power between the mains and the injection
harmonic analysis of the primary phase current of a duplex source. It is clear from the sign associated with the faylh term
6-phase rectifier with a highly inductive load is given by in eqn. 1 that, in the case of the rectifier, the triple-frequency
current source must act as a power sink capable of absorbing
up to one eighth of the rated d.c. power.
sin 30
h
3.1.2 Extra losses associated with current injection
Id
",is) *»"-&-H*) "" If the primary of the convertor is delta-connected, the
introduction of a third harmonic in the primary-current
waveform will cause a circulating current to flow in the delta
• < ' >
connection. The third harmonic will not, however, be present
in the line-current waveform. If the primary of the transformer
where h — \Id is the amplitude of the secondary-current is star-connected (which would be unconventional), it is neces-
rectangular waveform before injection and y — \/2Ia is the sary to introduce a delta-connected tertiary winding to allow
peak amplitude of the triple-frequency current. The ratio y/h an ampere-turn balance to be maintained in the transformer
gives a measure of the magnitude of the triple-frequency It is possible to arrive at a general estimate of the extra
injection current Ia with respect to the steady load current I2R losses caused by current injection in a transformer with
per group, Id/2. The ratio is assumed to be in the range a delta-connected primary, since the I2R losses in a coil are
proportional to the mean square of the current in the coil.
0<y/h<\ By simple algebra, it can be readily shown that, when current
injection is applied, the r.m.s. value of the current /, in the
It will be appreciated, by inspection of eqn. 1, that any primary winding of a duplex 6-phase configuration can be
harmonic can be reduced to zero by a suitable choice of the written as
injection ratio y\h\ e.g. the fifth harmonic is reduced to zero
when y\h = 16/5 2 = 0-64. The reduction in harmonics for a
variety of injection ratios is shown in Tables 1 and 2. • (2)
The conventional harmonics can thus be reduced or
eliminated by selecting an appropriate value for y/h, but where p = N2/Nu from which it follows that the ratio of
this is achieved, however, at the expense of introducing a the I2R losses in the primary winding, when secondary
1732 PROC. IEE, Vol. 116, No. 10, OCTOBER 1969
current injection is employed, to the corresponding losses
when current injection is removed, given by
2\h
The corresponding loss ratio for the secondary winding is
the same. Thus the overall increase in I2R losses in the trans-
former caused by current injection is 50(ylh)2 percent.
Therefore current injection cannot cause more than a 50%
rise in 12R losses, and a reduction in y/h causes a rapid
diminution of these extra losses.
3.1.3 Experimental work
For the purpose of the initial investigation, a 3-phase
150Hz alternator was adapted to behave as a constant-
current source of triple-frequency current. It was possible to
control both the magnitude and the phase of the injected
current. The phase was held at the optimum value for har-
monic reduction (defined in Appendix 7), and a series of
harmonic analyses of the phase-current waveform, for various
values of the ratio y/h, were obtained experimentally, using
a harmonic analyser. The convert or used thyristor rectifier
elements held in the 'fully on' mode of operation; i.e. they
acted as simple diodes.
The experimental results obtained were entirely consistent
with the theoretical predictions; the reduction of the fifth
harmonic obtained by triple-frequency current injection is
shown in Fig. 6. The variation of the distortion factor asso-
ciated with the line currents of the delta-connected primary
is shown in Fig. 7. Although the distortion factor is improved
by increasing^//?, the delta-connected primary rapidly becomes
affected by circulating currentscset up by the third harmonic.
Figs. 6 and 7 relate to the case of a highly inductive d.c.
load; but the complementary case of a purely resistive d.c.
load has also been investigated, and was found to give very
similar results as would be expected.
3.2 Harmonic reduction in a duplex 6-phase rectifier
using a passive injection source
It was noted in Section 3.1 that, for a rectifier, the
source of triple-frequency current must act as a power sink.
It follows, therefore, that some passive network might be
used in place of the harmonic generator connected across the
interphase transformer. The voltage imposed across such a
passive network is identical to the interphase transformer
voltage shown in Fig. 2, and it remains to determine the
current which would flow through the passive network when
such a voltage is applied to it. By the application of Duhamel's
theorem, y\h may be expressed in terms of the resistance
and time constant of the passive network. The harmonic
content of the primary current may then be calculated using
Fourier analysis, and a series of curves is obtained such as
that shown in Fig. 8, which illustrates the particular case of
•S 2 6 r
0 0-1 0-2 0-3 0-4 0-5 0-6 0-7 0 8 0 9 10
Y/h
Fig. 8
Series RL passive-network injection, fifth harmonic
theoretical
O experimental

the thyristors operating in the fully-on mode. It is clear from

such curves that little advantage is gained by incorporating
inductance or capacitance in series with a resistor to form
the passive network; a pure resistance is very close to the
optimum form of passive network. The power loss in such a
resistor can be expressed as \0-4y/h percent of the d.c. power,
and this would rarely prove acceptable in practice.
3.3 Harmonic reduction in a phase-controlled duplex
6-phase convertor
The preceding Sections have dealt with injection into
rectifier systems when the thyristors operate in the fully on
(or non-phase-controlled) condition. It is, of course, possible
to apply the same techniques to phase-controlled systems,
including invertors. It is necessary, however, to adjust the
phase of the injected currents to correspond to the phase-
0 0-1 0-2 0-3 0-4 0-5 0-6 0-7 0-8 0-9 10
shift of the secondary current. This complication is only
significant in the case of an active injection source; a passive
network would automatically produce the desired conditions.
Fig. 6 The harmonic reductions obtained for a rectifier operating
Fifth harmonic as a percentage of the fundamental without phase-control, using an active current-injection
theoretical source, are also obtained when phase control is introduced,
O measured ft is, however, important to realise that, when the convertor
is made to invert, the active injection source ceases to be a
1000 power sink and becomes a power source; this is apparent
on inspection of eqn. 1. Since this is the case, a passive net-
0-975 work can only be used when a convertor is operating as a
rectifier. Further, the waveform of the current in the passive
; 0 950 network is radically modified when phase control is used;
the results shown in Fig. 8 are only applicable to the convertor
•2 0-925 acting as a non-phase-controlled rectifier.
[_
o
.w 0-900 3.4 Harmonic current injection in bridge convertors
Although, for simplicity, this paper has dealt with one
0-875 particular convertor arrangement (the duplex 6-phase con-
vertor), injection techniques are not limited to this particular
0850 configuration, and it is possible to apply similar techniques
0 0-1 0-2 0-3 04 0-5 0-6 0-7 0-8 09 10
Y/h ' to certain bridge convertors. A specific example which does
not employ interphase transformers is the double 3-phase
Fig. 7
bridge. A typical arrangement is shown in Fig. 9, which
Distortion factor
represents two 3-phase-bridge convertors supplied from a
theoretical
O measured transformer with a single primary winding and two secondary
PROC. IEE, Vol. 116, No. 10, OCTOBER 1969 1733
phase windings. The output-voltage ripples from the bridges
are identical in magnitude, and the bridges may be paralleled
with no circulating current. The voltage between the star
positive line
7 HAMMOND, R. A., and WHITAKER, P . : 'Harmonics and transients
in relation to static convenors' in 'Abnormal loads on power
systems', IEE Conf. Rep. Ser. 8, 1963, pp. 148-155
8 CORY, B. J. : 'H.V.D.C. convertors and systems' (MacDonald, 1965)
9 BLAKE, L. R. : 'The double 3-phase rectifier with inter-phase reactor
excited from a frequency tfipler', Proc. IEE, 1953, 100, Pt. II,
pp. 310-314
10 BIRD, B. M., and RAWCLIFFE, G. H. : British Patent Application
21339/68

7 Appendix
Fourier analysis of primary phase current for
duplex double 3-phase star configuration with
sinusoidal triple-frequency injected current
If it is assumed that the load is infinitely inductive,
and no overlap occurs, the general shape of the primary phase

negative line Id
groupM groupN
Fig. 9
Double 3-phase-bridge convenor
typical injected-current path at the instant when elements 1, 5' and 2, 4'
are conducting CD
The primary winding is omitted

points M and N is similar to that developed across the inter-

ro 5TT, 2TT

phase transformer of a duplex 6-phase common-cathode

convertor. Triple-frequency current-injection can be applied
to this configuration with exactly the same results as for the I \
duplex 6-phase convertor; the double 3-phase bridge requires
no interphase transformer, and the main transformer utilisa-
tion is better than that for a duplex 6-phase convertor.
Fig. 10
Primary-phase-current waveform with sinusoidal triple-frequency
4 Conclusions current injection
It has been demonstrated that, by the use of triple- 0 < e < TT/6 /(6) = 0
frequency current-injection, a very substantial reduction may TT/6 < 6 < 5TT/6
57T/6 < 6 < 71
/(9) = h - y
/(6) = 0
cos 3(6 - rc/6 - 0/3)

be made in the harmonics which are normally present in the

line-current input to a duplex 6-phase convertor. When current will be as shown in Fig. 10. This waveform is an odd
current injection is applied to a duplex 6-phase convertor harmonic function /(0), which can be expressed as
operating as a rectifier, the current-injection 'source' acts as
a power sink, and it is possible to use a passive network, /(0) = 0 0 < 0 < oJ
such as a simple resistor, to cause the required current to
flow. The current-injection 'source' must be capable of
absorbing up to one eighth of the d.c. load power. When the
convertor operates as an invertor, the current-injection source
must be capable of supplying a similar amount of power. /(0) = 0 ^ < 0 < 7T
Although, in the interests of brevity, this paper has dealt o
with a single-convertor arrangement, namely the duplex and may be represented by the Fourier series
6-phase common-cathode configuration, current-injection
techniques are not limited to this single configuration, but f{6) = *£*{] ^sin/W + (l + ^co.0) sin
can be applied to a range of convertor equipment.
1
3V3/* " (373 I™* ~ 673 I Si
5 Acknowledgments
The possibility of applying a triple-frequency power sin 3d . . . - sin j8 cos nd
(n2 - 9) h
source to the interphase transformer of a rectifier system was «2
initially suggested by El. A. Kandil, working under the super- 2 ^ cos j8) sin
vision of Prof. G. H. Rawcliffe, at the University of Bristol, n\ h
n — 9h J
in 1954. Dr. Kandil is now an associate professor at Ain The square of the amplitude of the «th harmonic can be
Shams University, Egypt. written as
The authors gratefully acknowledge their debt to Dr.
Kandil's thesis and to Prof. Rawcliffe for this continued keen
interest in the subject. Thanks are also given to the University
for the provision of excellent experimental facilities. which can be rearranged to give

References \2h2<
1 BUTTERWORTH, A: 'Flow of harmonics in a metropolitan-type supply A2 =
system feeding a large rectifier load', ERA report M/T110, 1950 | > 2 " 9)2 h2 «2 n2 - 9 ^
IT2 n2-9
2 BUTTERWORTH, A: 'The magnitude of harmonics flowing in a which is a minimum when cos j8 = h\y.
metropolitan-type system feeding a mixed rectifier load', ERA
report M/Tll8, 1955 If y\h<\,h\y>\, and the nearest approach which can
3 WHITEHEAD, s., and RADLEY, w. c : 'Generation and flow ot
harmonics in transmission systems', Proc. IEE, 1949, 96, Pt. II, be made to the optimum condition is when cos j8 = 1, i.e.
pp. 29-48 when jS = 0. When j8 = 0, the Fourier series reduces to
4 BROWNSEY, c. M., and CSUROS, L. : 'Harmonic distortion due to
rectifier loads on a.c. supply systems' in 'Abnormal loads on
power systems'. IEE Conf. Rep. Ser. 8, 1963, pp. 141-147
5 'Supplies to convertor equipment—harmonic distortion and per-
missible pulse number of consumer's rectifiers and invertors'.
Electricity Council engineering recommendation G5/2, 1967
6 BUSEMANN, F. : 'The influence of phase number of a convertor on
harmonics', ERA report B/T117, 1954
1734 PROC. IEE, Vol. 116, No. 10, OCTOBER 1969