LAB 2: INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB/ PSIM SIMULATION APPLIED TO HALF-

WAVE RECTIFIER

LARNING OBJECTIVES

After mastering this unit you will:

 Know how to use Matlab Simulink for power electronic simulations.
 Know the operation of a single-phase diode rectifier with resistive and inductive loads and
their performance parameters.
 Know the effects of a free-wheeling diode on the performance of the rectifier.

INTRODUCTION:
The aim of this experiment is to introduce the simulation software program that will be used in
EE-437 laboratory. Matlab software is one of the powerful simulation programs that is used in
electrical engineering education and research. The aim of using Matlab in the EE-460 lab is for
the sake of comparison with the results that will be obtained from the conducted experiments.

REFERENCE: Rashid, Power Electronics, Circuits, Devices, & Applications, Fourth Edition,
Pearson – Prentice Hall, 2014.

READING ASIGNMENT
Read section 3.3 in chapter 3 of the text book.

THEORY
The circuit diagram of a single-phase half-wave diode rectifier is shown in Fig. 1-1. The
performance parameters of the rectifier with a purely resistive load are given by:

Fig. 1-1 Single-phase half-wave rectifier

1. RMS input voltage, Vs.

2. Peak input voltage, Vm  2Vs
3. Supply frequency, fs.
4. RMS input current, Is.
5. Average value of the output (load) voltage, Vo(dc) = Vm/ = 0.318 Vm .
 6. Average value of the output (load) current, Io(dc) = Vo(dc)/R = 0.318 Vm /R.
7. Output DC power, Po(dc) = Vo(dc) Io(dc).
8. RMS value of the output voltage, Vo(rms) = Vm/2 = 0.5 Vm.
9. RMS value of the output current, Io(rms) = Vo(rms)/R = 0.5 Vm/R.
10. Output AC power, Po(ac) = Vo(rms) Io(rms).
2 2
11. RMS value of the ac component of the output voltage 𝑉0(𝑎𝑐) = √𝑉o(rms) − 𝑉o(dc) .
12. Ripple factor of the output voltage, RFv = Vo(ac)/ Vo(dc).
2 2
13. RMS value of the ac component of the output current 𝐼0(𝑎𝑐) = √𝐼o(rms) − 𝐼o(dc) .
14. Ripple factor of the output voltage, RF i = Io(ac)/ Io(dc).
15. Transformer utilization factor, TUF = P o(dc)/VsIs.
2 2
√ 𝐼𝑜 (𝑟𝑚𝑠)−𝐼1 (𝑟𝑚𝑠)
16. Total Harmonic Distortion factor: 𝑇𝐻𝐷 = 𝐼1 𝑟𝑚𝑠

Input power factor is defined as:

VI I
PF  s s1 cos s1  s1 cos s1
Vs I s Is
Where: Is1 the fundamental component of the input current
 s1 the angle between the fundamental components of the input current and the input
voltage.

The instantaneous output voltage is given by:

V V 2V 2V 2V
vo (t )  m  m sin t  m cos 2t  m cos 4t  m cos 6t  
 2 3 15 35
Where  = 2 fs = 2 x 60 = 377 rad/sec.

Note:
In the circuit shown in Fig. 1-1, the input current and the output currents are similar. However,
two current signals are recorded in order to recognize how to setup CASSY sensors as will be
discussed in schedule.

MATLAB SIMULATION
Procedure
1- Use Matlab Simpowersystem toolbox and create a new model. Construct the circuit shown in
Fig. 1-1 by drag and drop the elements from the browsing library. All the used blocks are from
the Simpowersystem under Simscape toolbox as shown in Fig. 1-2. The model schematic
implemented within Matlab is shown in Fig. 1-3.
2- Select the source as AC source, the resistance as RLC branch and set the internal values as given
in Table 1.1
3- From Simulink library, select a scope from “Sink” tab. Double click on the scope block and press
on the setting icon to adjust the number of scope channels and the layout of the graphs within
figure. Select three channels with the layout seen in Fig. 1-4
 Table 1-1 Single-phase half-wave rectifier without freewheeling diode
f Vs R Vo(dc) Io(dc) Vo(rms) Io(rms) THDi(input) PF
100 Ω

60 Hz 45 V 50 Ω
33 Ω

Fig. 1-2: Simpowersystem Library from Matlab R2017B or recent versions

Figure 1-3: Simulation model

 Fig. 1-4 Scope setting for selecting number of channels and their layout
4- To save the data of the channels, select “logging” tab and check the box of “Log data to work
space”. Assume the variable name is VI and select the save format as “structure with time”. This
will help you to use the FFT tool from PowerGUI later. See Fig. 1-5.

Fig. 1-5 Scope saving data to workspace

5- After constructing the model, set the simulation parameters to the proper solver. Do the following
steps to change the configuration parameters:
- In the model file, Press Ctrl E to open the configuration parameter window shown in Fig. 1-
6.
- Select the ode23s solver, which is suitable for power electronics calculations
- Set the simulation to 0.1 ms or lower.
- Set the simulation time (overall period) to the proper time. In this case, the simulation time
is set to 0.1 s.
 Fig. 1-6: Configuration parameters
After running simulation the waveform of the output voltage, output current and input
voltage should appear similar to that of Fig. 1-7 for the resistance value of 100 Ω

Fig. 1-7 Simulation results

Recording waveforms and parameters

In order to record the waveforms, a scope can be used to show the waveforms. From Fig. 1-3, a
scope is connected to figure out the waveforms of v s, is and v o signals. You can add more channels
to record the diode voltage drop (v AK).
To save the figure, press “file” tab and select “copy to Figure”. Then you can save the file, change
the font setting and add horizontal and vertical axes labels.
In order to get the average and RMS values of any waveform, use the MEAN and RMS blocks,
respectively. Similarly, the THD value can be recorded from the THD block. See the measureme nt
of the library browser in Fig. 1-8. On another hand, you can use “Fourier” block to get the
magnitude and angle of a definite harmonic component.

Figure 1-8: Simpowersystem Library for measurements

Note:
 After dragging and dropping the MEAN, RMS and THD blocks, you have to define the
fundamental frequency of the supply voltage. Define the frequency by clicking on the
blocks and write down the frequency.
 The THD block ignores the DC component of the waveform. Therefore, you need to
calculate your own parameters based on Fourier block to get the fundamental value. Then,
use the THD relation in the definition mentioned earlier.

DISCUSSION

You presented with the Matlab modeling and simulation of a single-phase half-wave rectifier.
Although, the half-wave rectifier is not normally used in practical power applications, it just
declare the principle of operation of rectifiers in general and the functional of free-wheeling diodes.

Key point of the laboratory:

1. An inductive load causes a delay of the diode current which extends beyond the zero-
crossing of the input voltage.
2. A free-wheeling diode provides a path for the continuity of the inductive load current
during the negative half-cycle of the input voltage. Thus, it smoothes out the load current
and improves the input power factor.
3. The output voltage contains harmonics. An output filter is normally used to obtain a smooth
DC output voltage. The load inductance L acts as the output filter also.
4. Also, the input current contains harmonics. An input filter is normally used to block
harmonic currents flowing into the supply line.
5. The input power factor is dependent upon the load impedance.

With an inductive load, the conduction of the diode extends beyond 180o . The diode stops
conducting when its current has fallen to zero, but not when the input voltage reverses its polarity.
With a very highly inductive, the load current my not go through zero and the diode current would
be continuous. That is, the diode would conduct continuously.

REPORT:
1. Prepare a report that summarizes your results of Table 1.1 and include the waveforms of:
a. Source current,
b. D1 Anode-Cathode voltage
c. Output voltage
Write your comments on the results of all figures in the report.

2. Run the simulation for the inductive load using the free-wheeling diode as shown in Fig.
1-6 and complete Table 1-2. Use the same source voltage and frequency used in R load.
 Fig. 1-6 Single-phase rectifier with inductive load

Table 1-2 Single-phase half-wave rectifier inductive load test

L R Vo(dc) Io(dc) Vo(rms) Io(rms) THD i(input) PF
50 mH
100 Ω
100 mH

a. Source current,
b. Load current,
c. Freewheeling diode current
d. D1 Anode-Cathode voltage
e. Output voltage
Write your comments on the results of all figures in the report.