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A SIMULATION STUDY OF AN OPTIMAL NUMERICAL

CONTROL OF A THREE-PHASE CYCLOCONVERTER
a b
S. A. MAHMOUD & R. LeDOEUFF
a
Faculty of Engineering and Technology Monoufia University , Shebin El-Kom, Egypt
b
Group de Recherches en Electrotechnique et Electronique de Nancy , E.N.S.E.M, Nancy
Cedex, 5411, France
Published online: 10 May 2007.

To cite this article: S. A. MAHMOUD & R. LeDOEUFF (1984) A SIMULATION STUDY OF AN OPTIMAL NUMERICAL CONTROL OF A
THREE-PHASE CYCLOCONVERTER, Electric Machines & Power Systems, 9:4-5, 325-334, DOI: 10.1080/07313568408955538

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07313568408955538

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 A SIMULATION STUDY OF AN OPTIMAL
NUMERICAL CONTROL OF A THREE-PHASE
CYCLOCONVERTER

S. A. MAHMOUD
Faculty of Engineeringand Technology
Monoufia University
Shebin EI-Kom, Egypt

R. Le DOEUFF
Group de Recherches en Electrotechnique
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et Electronique de Nancy, E.N.S.E.M.

5411·Nancy Cedex, France

ABSTRACT
The paper presents a study of the problem of quantization
which is linked with the numerical control voltage of a three-
phase cycloconverter controlled by a microprocessor. The study
makes a compromise ~etween either using a large number of quant-
izing steps of the desired control voltage. which requires an
increase in microprocessor memory size. or using smell number
of steps. which leads to a high degree of harmonic presence in
load current. In order to carry out such a study. a complete
digital simulation of the whole system (source. cycloconverter.
load and control devices) is used. Two types of numerical
control-voltage are compared subject to the harmonio spectrum
of the load current. Calculation is given for the optimum
number of steps and the type of the numerical control-voltage.
1. INTRODUCTION
The problems associated with using the cycloconverter in
industrial applications are becoming more severe. in particular.
due to the unwanted harmonics reflected to the mains. To elimi-
nate or reduce these harmonics, the output voltage and current
of the cycloconverter should be as close to sinusoid as possible.
therefore, the control voltage is usually either sinusoidal or
triangular /1,2/. Using the microprocessor, the desired control
voltage is approximated to a staircase shape. Such a wave shape
is generated under the control of a microprocessor by continua-
lly reading and outputing the contents of consecutive memory
locations.
The main problem in generating the control voltage is to
decide the appropriate number of quantizing steps. Using a large
number of steps will generate a smooth wave shape. but needs a
large size of memory. On the other hand, if a smell number of
steps is used to reduce the memory size. the content of harmo-
nics in the load current and voltage is increased. Therefore.
an acceptable comptomise between these two e~tremes was invest-
igated. Digital computer simulation is considered the most
suitable means for the present investigation. The fast fourier
transform (FFT) is used to compute the harmonic spectrum of
load currents and voltages in the two different types of stair-
case control voltage.
Electric Machines and Power Systems, 9:325-334, 1984 325
Copyright © 1984 by Hemisphere Publishing Corporation
 326 s. A. MAHMOUD AND R. LE DOEUFF

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM

The system under consideration is a three-phase cyclocon-
verter composed of 18 thyristors divided into six groups, two
of them are connected in anti parallel to the same load phase
(Fig. 1). The load and the source are star connected.
The indexes diE (1,.3)] , j[H.(l,6)] , and k [k€..(l,.3)]
denote the source phases, the thyristors groups and the load
phases, respectively, e.g., the load phase k is connected to
the thyristors groups j = k and j = k + .3. The thyristors are
denoted Thi j .
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group 1 group 4 group 2 group 5 group

k=l k=2 k=3

:C'icure 1, ;';cllel:le diaGrQJ:l of three-phase cyc Loc onvez-te r-

2.1. The pulse generators:

Each thyristor is triggered by a so-called "coincidence
pulse generator", i.e. a pulse is generated on Thij(Thi j is the
thyristor of the group number j connected to the source phase
number i) when the real control voltage denoted RCV~ crosses the
timing voltage curve TVC i j synchronized with the it source
voltage as shovm in Fig. 2. The real control voltage RCV j is
either equal to a theoretical control voltage TCV j (when the
group j is allowed to be fired) or to the inverter limit BO
(when the group is not desired to be fired). The two theoretical
control voltages referred to groups connected to the same load
phase are opposite to one another (TCVk = -TCVk +l).
2.2. The logical control units I
As the cycloconverter is circulating current free, the two
groups of thyristors connected to the same load phase are not
allowed to be fired at the same time. At any time, the groups
to be fired are chosen by three control functions denoted FCIk,
 NUMERICAL CONTROL OF A THREE-PHASE CYCLOCONVERTER 327

vol t
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,, ,
,I ,,
I
•
ri a d d
D
"
l· iGure 2. lie~lerC'.tion of ~ulses

which may be computed in various ways. Furthermore, a change of

group is allowed only when the current in the corresponding
load phase has been zero for a time greater than a aecurity
delay denoted by ~. This is achieved by a security control
unit.
3. MODELLING OF THE SYSTEM
In order to carry out the simulation of such a system, the
following assumptions are made : the thyristors are considered
as ideal switching devices, the load is a passive one including
resistances and inductances, and the overlap is neglected.
The various de'vices involved in the system are modelled as
follows :
3.1. Model of the cycloconverter :
As preViously establishedj2/the cycloconverter may be rep-
resented by a connection matrix[C1. This modelling allows easy
computation of the phases voltages when they are fed by tha
cycloconverter :
[ V II ,= l a Jt (vl s
where [vl t and [V] s are the load and the source voltages, respec-
tively. Furthermore, the source currents are given by :
[i1 a = [a] [ih
where [i] sand [il t are the source and the load phase currents,
respectively •
3.2. Model of the load and source:
The load voltage equation may be written as follows
[V h= [R JtJ! h + [Lhh lilt.
 328 S. A. MAHMOUD AND R. LE DOEUFF

where [R ].( and [L 11. are the resis tance and indue tance of the
load, respectively.
Moreover, source equations may often be written as in the case
of a transformer on the following form
[V)s = [E)s
- (R)s [il s - [L]s ~ (i]s
where [E]s is the source e.m.f.
3.3. Model of the pulse generators
It may be considered that each pulse generator has two
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models depending on the value of the control voltage (RCV) I

These models can be deduced from the value of logical variables,
IPG j , as follows I
i f Iro = 1 RCV j = TCV j
j
if Iro i = 0 RCV j = BO
3.4. Model of the logical control devices I
The logical control devices may be modelled by clock coun-
ters Ck which are initialized when the corresponding phase
current is zero. Thus, each of them has two models I either
running or not running • A logical variable ICLOC k is introduced.
ICLOC k = 1 when clock counter is running and Ck = t - t ok' where
t ok is the extinction time of the current in the k t h load phase.
ICLOC = 0 when the clock counter is not running and Ck = 0
k
4. METHOD OF SIMULATION
As shown in section 3, the system under consideration may
have various models depending on the topology of the cyclocon-
verter, on the state of the pulse generators, and on the states
of the control devices. In order to develop the system simula-
tion, the right model of each device at each instant must be
found.
A method of simulation is used which is based on a general
modelling technique of systems including switching devices
/3 - 5/. To simulate it, the whole system is divided into two
subsystems: a "completed analogical subsystem" (C.A.S.) which
is the whole set of models of the different parts of the system,
and sn Automata whose part is to choose the right models at any
instant. The C.A.S. and the Automata are linked by an interface
which associates the logical inputs of the automata to analogi-
cal variables of the C.A.S.
The equation of the automata and the rules of the inter-
face have been detailed in the Appendix.
The method of simulation summarized above gives rise to a
program which takes into consideration all the discontinuities
imposed by the cycloconverter, load, and the control devices.
The general flowchart of the program is given in Fig. 3.
 NUMERICAL CONTROL OF A THREE-PHASE CYCLOCONVERTER 329

IINITIALIZATION I
Computation or the analogical
Variables at (t + 'lit)
- Pulse generators(TCV,TVC,RVC)
- Security control (cloc)
- Load x(t + 'ilt)
.• Control devices (FCl k)
I
[~alidation of the simulation on
(t,t + ~t)when rirst event is
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occuring at (t + 'ii't), l,'t (&t

I
[compu,."on 0< 'h• • quo'ion. of
the automata giving the new
models rRl j , I CLOCk , [ Cl
I
IComputation of the new step of simula tion I

No ~ Yes I S!'Op I

Figure 3. General flowchart of simulation

5. HARMONI C STUDY
A triangular control voltage is commonly used \vhen the
timing voltage CUrvl3S are linear. Using the microprocessor, this
control voltage is approximated to a staircase shape.
Using the program of simula tion the optimal type of the
control voltage (TCV) can be obtained. The investigation was
made about the optimal number of steps concerning two types of
the staircase function, with zero step (TCV I) or without the
zero step (TCV2), which are represented by Figs. 4 and 5. Fast
Fourier transform algorithm is used to compute the harmonic
sectrldll of load voltage and current when either TCVl or T.cV2 is
used.
For these two types of control function, we have varied
the number of steps. On the other hand, to simplify the program
of the microprocessor, the control voltage or the three phases
is chosen to vary simultaniously. N, the number or steps, must
be a multiple of 12 (due to symmetry). A comparison for N = 12,
24, 36, 48 and 72 of the amplitude or 3 r d, 5 t h, 7 t h and 11 t h
harmonics of the load current are previously made by the authors
/6/, rrom which the optimal number or steps ror the two runct-
ions TCVl end TCV2 was N = 36. In the present paper the study
is extended to cover the load voltage and neutral current with
N = 36 steps.
 330 S. A. MAHMOUD AND R. LE DOEUFF

·':
~
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Figure 4. Control.voltage (staircase shape)

with zero step lTCV1 '
SCALE IN:X • SllllE-e I SCAl.£ IN Y .tIleE~1

/~
• L.
L,
·",': "

Figure 5. Control voltage (staircase shape)

without zero step '~'
.STOP_ II SC.Il.E IN X •sallE-III IN T

6. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
The following figures of the simulation results have been
obtained for output frequency of 2 Hz and input frequency of
50 Hz. The losd parameters are I Rt = 10 ohm and Ll = 0.15 H.
The soure parameters ere : E = 50 volts, Rs = 0.05 ohm and
L = 0.0003 H.
s Figs 6-8 and b represent the simuletion results of the loed
phase currents and neutral current respectively, corresponding
 NUMERICAL CONTROL OF A THREE-PHASE CYCLOCONVERTER 331

to the control voltage, TCV~. Figs. 7-a and b show the corres-
ponding harmonic spectrum, Trom which we note that the content
of harmonic of the load current is not significant for an order
more than fiva (the same result is obtained for TCV1), but for
the neutral current spectrum has a relatively high value of
harmonic about the ()rder of 51.
Fig. 8 shows the neutral current which corresponds to the
control voltage, TCVl and Fig. 9 indicates its harmonic spectrum.
The value of harmoniC in this case is mora and greater than the
resul t obtained with TCV (Fig. 7-b). This result leads to a
conclusion that when TCVi is used, the unsymetrical state of the
system is increased.
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Fig.l~ shows the input and output voltage waveforms (V and

V2 respectively) of the cycloconverter and Fig. 11 gives th~
harmonic spectrum of V2 corresponding to the control voltage
TCV2•
7. CONCLUSION
The foregoing study shows that the digital simulation is
a powerful tool for the design of the power electronic systems.
It has been shown that it is not recommended to use large
number of steps of the staircase shape of the desired control
vol tage (of the thrE!e-phase cycloconverter), because this
requires an inCreaSE! in the memory size of the microprocessor
used. Also the paper gives the optimal type of this staircase
=
shape which corresponds to a number of steps, N 36 without
zero step (TCV2).
8. REFERENCES
1 G.N.REVANKAR, "Digital computation of cycloconverter opera-
tion" IEEE Trans. on I.E.C.I., May 1973.
2 R.LE DOEUFF, "A mathematical model for static converters
allowing digital simulation of associate machines transi-
ents", IEEE TraIlS. on I.E.C.I., Vol. IECI-24, no. 1,
February 1977, pp. 35 - 38.
3 R. LE DOEUFF and C. lUNG, "Digital Simulation of a three-
phase cycloconverter including control and firing devices",
International Journal Modelling and simulation, Vol. 1,
No.2, January 1981, pp. 119 - 123.
4 R. LE DOEUFF and S.A. MAHMOUD, "Simulation numerique d'un
cycloconvertisseur triphase SYSTEME CYCLOPE", Report du
groupe de recherches, Sept. 1982, LEEA, ENSEM, NANCY-FRANCE.
5 C. LUNG, R. LE DOEUFF et J. P. THOMESSE, "Une approche
methodologique generale de la simulation numerique d'ensem-
bles conver tf aseure statiques-machines tournantes-commandes';
loe congres Mondial de ItlMACS, 8-13 Aout 1982, Montreal,
Canda.
6 S.A.MAHMOUD, R. LE DOEUFF, G. ROOY et M. A. HALLER, "Etude
par simulation de l'echantillonnage optimal de la commande
numerique d'un cycloconvertisseur triphase", AI 83 lASTED
Symposium-Lille-France-L1arch 1983.
 Downloaded by ["Queen's University Libraries, Kingston"] at 21:21 02 January 2015

·100··1.
!:l Amp.
N

00/0"' I I , • , . • t

a- Load phase: currents 13571113

Amp. 1 00.1.
a- Load current spectrum

b- Neutral current
o ·1.1~·'1'\'f:\..M= _______
ft
Figure 6 • 13 7 51
b:'" Neutral current spectrum
.51II'e II SCJol..E Ire x . SalIE-lIl SCALE D'C Y . Z'Q3'E.Q 1
Figv.re 7
 Downloaded by ["Queen's University Libraries, Kingston"] at 21:21 02 January 2015

Amp. Volt
"1 ~
\ -,
~ ,':. :~.~
I,. It,
~ "fi"1\i'("~:.::,::,.::,
•
I
" ,
'1 •
H~;H 1\1:,
:;:. ~
,I:· ,i I::: :
0.: '.: :: ~:
'I' ,i\i\i J ::1\ :;':: ~.. I
, .... "1 , .. I , " ~: I. i ec •
~:::: 1"
J ;: ."!.~..I.:
;~';I"... :!:li:::~;~::: ;:::::
,','"
..::1
.1
.~.
:
,':
.
t~1:::
':',
.::::::
iJ •• r:, V j I I
:':0; :::- ,)
.:..1~/,, ..:... :: ,~ n, i
'tJV~'.: v
I Pigure 6. '.u,,..1 ou=n' Figure ~ Input voltage (Vl) and output
voltage (V2) of the cycloc.
100 ./. 100 ./.

0'/0 ~ V A ! ' e " " 6&M,o"Ol

w } 59 51 :5 5 7 9 H
l:l Figure 9. Harmonic spectrum Figure u, Harmonic spectrum of V2
 334 S. A. MAHMOUD AND R. LE DOEUFF

APPENDIX
1- The Au toma ta
The automata gives the models of the various parts of the
system. Its outputs are: TCLOC k [KE(l,)], lro j[jdl,6)]and
the connection matrix[Cl. ICLOC has the value 1 where there is
no current in the load phase k, k thus :
ICLOC k ,. Ilk where Ilk is a logical variable having the value 0
when current in loa% phase k is zero. .
lro j ,. 1 when the j h group is desired to be conducting, thus
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we have :
lro j ,. t j • DID j where ~j is a logical variable having the value
1 when the jth group is allowed to be fired and DIS has the
value 1 when this group is desired to be conducting~ t j is a
state variable of the automata given by :
'l j ,. 't j (DIS j + ALLO j) + DIS j • ALLO j
where ALL0 1 is a logical variable having the value 1 when a
changing ef group is allowed in phase k (ALLO k ,. ALLOk+) i.e.
when the current becomes zero in phase k for a time greater
than the security delay. The element Ci k of the connection
matrix is given by :
Ci k ,. Ti,k + Ti,k+) where Ti j ,. 1 when the corresponding thyris-
tors is conductive.
The 18 Ti j are state variables of the automata given by
Ti j ,. Ti j - II j + PULS i j • POS i j • i j
where I PULS i j ,. 1 when the control vo~tage RCV j crosses the
timing voltage curve TVC i j•
POS i j ,. 1 when the respective values of the losd and source
voltages allow an effective firing of the thyristor Thi j•
The inputs of the sutomata are :
Ilk' POSij, PULS i j, DISi j and ALLOk•
2. The Interface I
The interface provides the inputs of the automata which are
deduced from variables of the completed analogical system
(C.A.S.). They are computed as follows:
Ilk ,. 0 when I k ,. 0 , Ilk" 1 otherwise.
Vi > Vk for j = k
<
when { Vi V
k
for j,. k + )
,. 1 when TVC i j,. RCV j
FCl k > 0 for j,. k
,. 1
<
when { FCl
k
0 for j = k + )
= 1 when Ck > L •
Manuscript received in final form, May 23, 1984
Request reprints from S. A. Mahmoud