City University of Hong Kong

Department of Electrical Engineering

EE 4101 – Industrial Electronics

Tutorial 3

1. Based on the H-bridge inverter, discuss how it is used in a dynamic voltage restorer and
an active power filter.

Solution:
The output of the H-bridge inverter can be considered as an AC source powered by a DC
source. The function of the dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is to compensate the load voltage
under the voltage dip or swell, so that the load voltage is sinusoidal. The principle is based on
connecting the inverter in series between the AC supply and the load. If there is a sudden
change of the supply voltage, the DVR will generate a necessary voltage (inverter as a voltage
source) to compensate the voltage difference between the supply voltage and necessary output
(sinusoidal waveform).

The function of the active power filter is to compensate the current drawn by the load, so that
the current observed by the AC supply is sinusoidal. The principle is based on connecting the
inverter in parallel with the load, so that the active power filter will generate a necessary current
(inverter as a current source) to compensate the current difference between the load current and
necessary input current (sinusoidal waveform).

Dynamic Voltage Restorer.

Active Power Filter.

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2. With the help of a suitable circuit, explain why sinusoidal AC supply can give non-
sinusoidal output current. [This question is also related to question #3 in Tutorial 1 and
question 3 in Tutorial 2.]

Solution:
The scenario can be visualized by considering that a voltage source is connected to a load. The
load current is affected by the applied voltage and the load characteristic. A simple example
is that the load is a resistor and is time varying. Thus, if the supply voltage is sinusoidal and
the load resistance is time-varying, the resultant load current will be non-sinusoidal. Another
example is that the load is a diode-capacitor load, which is highly nonlinear. The input current
is pulsating.

3. Discuss the merits and challenges of using DC power in household appliances.

Solutions:
Nowadays, almost all household appliances are driven power electronics devices. The
mechanism is that the AC grid is firstly converted into DC power, typically at 400V. Then,
the 400Vdc will be used to drive the rest of circuits, such as motor, or is further stepped down
to 24V, 12V, 5V, 3.3V, etc., depending on the applications. Thus, the DC power is used, the
front-end AC/DC converter can be removed. Thus, the efficiency and thus the power density
(W/m3) can be increased.

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from copyrighted material without express permission of redistribution. These slides are archived
here for CityU’s educational activities and CityU students taking EE4101 only. Distribution without
prior permission is not allowed.
However, it is necessary to consider how to manage a high-voltage DC. First, as there is no
zero-crossing regions in the DC waveform, circuit breaker design is an issue, as it is necessary
to handle large di/dt effect which may cause voltage stress.

The second one is the voltage level. If the voltage is too low, say 48V, for 1kW application,
the DC current will be more than 20A. The efficiency will drop.

You can have a look at the reference about the comparison between AC and DC distribution:
https://www.belden.com/blog/data-centers/dc-power-could-be-headed-to-your-data-center

4. Discuss the main components in the basic unit of a smart grid, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

Solution:
Local generation (Co-generation): The co-generation sources that feed electricity, heating,
and cooling to user. These sources are divided into two major groups – thermal energy
sources (e.g,. natural gas or biogas generators or micro combined heat and power) and
renewable generation sources (e.g. wind turbines, solar).

Consumption (Smart loads) : Consumption simply refers to elements that consume

electricity, heat, and cooling which range from single devices to lighting, heating system of
buildings, commercial centers, etc. In the case of controllable loads, the electricity
consumption can be modified in demand of the network.

Energy storage: Energy storage is able to perform multiple functions, such as ensuring power
quality, including frequency and voltage regulation, smoothing the output of renewable
energy sources, providing backup power for the system and playing crucial role in cost
optimization.

Communication: Communication systems architecture, protocols, and tools are essential in

microgrid implementation to ensure stable, reliable, and optimal operation.

Please have a look at the Wikipedia (Quite good description):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microgrid
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from copyrighted material without express permission of redistribution. These slides are archived
here for CityU’s educational activities and CityU students taking EE4101 only. Distribution without
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5. What is “islanding” in smart grids?

Solution:

Simplified diagram to illustrate what “islanding” is.

Islanding is the condition in which a distributed generator continues to power a location even
though electrical grid power is no longer present. Islanding can be dangerous to utility workers,
who may not realize that a circuit is still powered, and it may prevent automatic re-connection
of devices. Additionally, without strict frequency control the balance between load and
generation in the islanded circuit is going to be violated, leading to abnormal frequencies and
voltages. For those reasons, distributed generators must detect islanding and immediately
disconnect from the circuit; this is referred to as anti-islanding.

Please refer to the article on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islanding

Please note and abide by copyright laws. Some items contained in these presentations are taken
from copyrighted material without express permission of redistribution. These slides are archived
here for CityU’s educational activities and CityU students taking EE4101 only. Distribution without
prior permission is not allowed.