Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur

Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,
SHIBPUR

Embedded Systems Laboratory 7th Semester EE

Experiment No.: 2

Digital Controller Based Generation of Single & Three Phase PWM

Pulses

A. Preparatory Notes:
i. Equip yourself with (a) the basic essence of pulse-width-modulation (PWM), (b) the
basic characteristic features sine-PWM and (c) how this sine-PWM strategy (or its
variants) may be used for the control of inverter output voltage and frequency – its
advantages over square wave mode of control etc. Special emphasis may be put on the
parameters like amplitude modulation index, frequency modulation index, dead time etc.
(all pertaining to PWM pulses for inverter control) - and their effects on the inverter
output.

ii. A particular student will be allowed to conduct the experiments only after she/he has
made a detailed survey of the working of the circuits and made investigations on certain
pertinent points. As an example, the following points should be clear:
(a) What is ‘Sine-PWM’? Why and where is it used?
(b) How is the ‘Third Harmonic Injected Sine-PWM’ strategy different from conventional
‘Sine-PWM’ strategy? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this harmonic
injected strategy over conventional Sine-PWM strategy?
(c) What is meant by ‘PWM-resolution’? Why is it important?
(d) Why is it often preferred to go for microcontroller/DSP based Sine-PWM pulse
generation, as compared to analog implementation of the same?
(e) What are the principle features of the digital signal controller dsPIC30F3011? Where
is it primarily used?
(f) Describe the PWM peripherals, available in the controller dsPIC30F3011.
(g) What are the various types of memories, available in dsPIC30F3011?
(h) In how many major ways can the dsPIC30F3011 be programmed? State the
advantages and disadvantages of such methods.

Dr. S. Dalapati, Asst. Prof., Dept. of EE, IIEST Shibpur Page 1 of 8

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur
Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

iii. Suggested Readings:

(a) Power Electronics: Converters, Applications and Design by N. Mohan, T. M.
Undeland and W. P. Robbins.
(b) Elements of Power Electronics by P. T. Krein
(c) Datasheet of dsPIC30F3011:
(d) Datasheet of TL084: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tl082.pdf
(e) Family reference manual for dsPIC30F.

B. Objective:
i. To study and understand the working principle of the PWM ports of the dsPIC30F3011
digital signal controller as used in this experiment.
ii. To study and understand the working principle of the TL084 OPAMP-based circuit, as
used in this experiment.
iii. To observe and understand how a digital controller (dsPIC30F3011) may be used as a
PWM-generator IC for single and three-phase inverter control.
iv. To measure various parameters of the PWM waveforms like (i) dead time, (ii) amplitude
modulation index, (iii) frequency modulation index etc.
v. To observe the ‘scaled-down-versions’ of the inverter phase and line voltages for the
various PWM strategies, as used in this experiment, and to calculate the amplitude
modulation indices for such cases.

C. Set Under Test:

A laboratory built circuit, which employs dsPIC30F3011 acting as a sine-PWM generator IC
and a group of TL084 OPAMPs to replicate the inverter circuit.

D. Apparatus:
(a) Digital Storage Oscilloscope
(b) Digital Multi-meter
(c) Windows based PC (for changing the source code – if required)

Present the apparatus list in the format below:

Sl. Description of Quantity Range and Maker’s Maker’s
No. Apparatus used rating name number

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Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur
Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

E. Circuit Diagram:
Kindly refer to Fig. 1 for the digital controller-section, Fig. 2 for the analogue-section and to
Fig. 3 for the power-supply-section of the set up.

Fig. 1. Digital controller section for the set up

Dr. S. Dalapati, Asst. Prof., Dept. of EE, IIEST Shibpur Page 3 of 8

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur
Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

Fig. 2. Analogue section

Dr. S. Dalapati, Asst. Prof., Dept. of EE, IIEST Shibpur Page 4 of 8

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur
Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

Fig. 3. Power-supply-section

F. Procedure and Results:

DO NOT TURN ON THE SET UP WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR TEACHER.

Plug in the input wires of the power supply section to a 230 V, 50 Hz, 1-ph socket.

RUN-1:- STARTING AND STOPPING PWM GENERATION

(a) After powering ON the set, note the voltage waveforms on all PWM pins (pin nos. 33 –
38) of the microcontroller dsPIC30F3011. Note down your observation in Table-I.
(b) Press push-button for ‘mode-2’ (Fig. 1) once. Repeat the measurements of step (a) of
RUN-1 and note down the observations in Table-I.
(c) Press push-button RST once (Fig. 1). Repeat the measurements of step (a) of RUN-1
and note down the observations in Table-I.

Table-I

Obs. Actions PWM Pin Status (Pulse PRESENT / ABSENT) Conclusion

No. Taken Pin Pin Pin Pin Pin Pin (PWM is
PWM0B PWM1B PWM2B PWM3B PWM4B PWM5B ON/OFF)
1. Power-
Up
Condition
2. Mode-2
button
pressed
3. RST
button
pressed

Dr. S. Dalapati, Asst. Prof., Dept. of EE, IIEST Shibpur Page 5 of 8

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur
Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

RUN-2: STUDY OF SINGLE PHASE SINE-PWM PULSES

(a) With the set-up in powered ON condition, press the ‘mode-1’ push-button, connected to
the master-controller, to ensure that the PWM IC has started.
(b) Using both the channels of the DSO, note the waveforms of PWM0B and PWM1B (w. r.
t. ground). Place one waveform below the other and use the same voltage scale for both
channels. Measure (i) the maximum pulse-width for PWM1, (ii) the time period of pulse
and (iii) the dead time between the two train of pulses. Observations (ii) and (iii) should
be taken for maximum duty cycle of PWM1 and for any other arbitrarily chosen pulse-
width. Record all the above values in Table-II. Take traces of all relevant waveforms.
(c) Measure the characteristics of the inverter output waveforms by measuring (i) phase
voltages at pins PWM1F and PWM3F (all w. r. t. ground). Take traces of the above
waveforms and note their amplitudes and record in Table-II.
(d) Measure the line voltage at pin vab (w. r. t. ground). Note its amplitude in Table-II.

(e) After all observations are over, press the RST button.

(f) Calculate the expected theoretical values of line and phase voltages and compare with
the experimentally observed values.

Table-II
Mode- Pulse Characteristics Inverter O/P Waveform Characteristics
no. Max. Time Dead Time Dead Phase Voltage Amplitude (V) Line
Pulse Period Time Period Time for Voltage
Width for for for Arbitrary. Amplitude
(µ- Max. Max. Arbitrary Pulse (V)
sec) Pulse Pulse Pulse Width (µ- Phase-I Phase- Phase- (between
Width Width Width (µ- sec) II III any two
(µ-sec) (µ- sec) phases)
sec)

RUN-3: STUDY OF THREE PHASE SINE-PWM PULSES

(a) With the set-up in powered ON condition, press the ‘mode-2’ push-button, connected to
the master-controller, to ensure that the PWM IC has started.
(b) Using both the channels of the DSO, note the waveforms of PWM2B and PWM3B (w. r.
t. ground). Place one waveform below the other and use the same voltage scale for both
channels. Measure (i) the maximum pulse-width for PWM3, (ii) the time period of pulse
and (iii) the dead time between the two train of pulses. Observations (ii) and (iii) should
be taken for maximum duty cycle of PWM3 and for any other arbitrarily chosen pulse-
width. Record all the above values in Table-II. Take traces of all relevant waveforms.

Dr. S. Dalapati, Asst. Prof., Dept. of EE, IIEST Shibpur Page 6 of 8

Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur
Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

(c) Measure the characteristics of the inverter output waveforms by measuring (i) phase
voltages at pins PWM1F, PWM3F and PWM5F (all w. r. t. ground). Take traces of the
above waveforms and note their amplitudes and record in Table-II.
(d) Measure the line voltage at pin vbc (w. r. t. ground). Note its amplitude in Table-II.

(e) After all observations are over, press the RST button.

(f) Calculate the expected theoretical values of line and phase voltages and compare with
the experimentally observed values

RUN-4: STUDY OF THREE PHASE THIRD HARMONIC INJECTED SINE-PWM PULSES

(a) With the set-up in powered ON condition, press the ‘mode-3’ push-button, connected to
the master-controller, to ensure that the PWM IC has started.
(b) Using both the channels of the DSO, note the waveforms of PWM2B and PWM3B (w. r.
t. ground). Place one waveform below the other and use the same voltage scale for both
channels. Measure (i) the maximum pulse-width for PWM3, (ii) the time period of pulse
and (iii) the dead time between the two train of pulses. Observations (ii) and (iii) should
be taken for maximum duty cycle of PWM3 and for any other arbitrarily chosen pulse-
width. Record all the above values in Table-II. Take traces of all relevant waveforms.
(c) Measure the characteristics of the inverter output waveforms by measuring (i) phase
voltages at pins PWM1F, PWM3F and PWM5F (all w. r. t. ground). Take traces of the
above waveforms and note their amplitudes and record in Table-II.
(d) Measure the line voltage at pin vbc (w. r. t. ground). Note its amplitude in Table-II.

(e) After all observations are over, press the RST button.

(f) Calculate the expected theoretical values of line and phase voltages and compare with
the experimentally observed values

G. Report:
i. Explain the working of the PWM module of the digital controller, used in this experiment.
ii. A single phase Sine-PWM pulse pattern is to be generated from the digital controller
used in this experiment. The switching frequency is to be set at 2 kHz and the amplitude-
modulation index is to be set at 0.5. Calculate the values to be written to the PTPER
register and the maximum value to be written in the duty-cycle registers.
iii. What do you mean by 'gain of an inverter'? How is such a 'gain' dependent on PWM
pulse pattern? Explain clearly.
iv. Explain how the OPAMP based low power circuit replicates the behaviour of an inverter.
What are the shortcomings of this representation? Explain clearly.
v. At a certain amplitude modulation index, the gain of an inverter is 0.3, when run with
three-phase Sine-PWM strategy. What will be its expected maximum inverter-gain if the
same inverter is run with Third Harmonic injected Sine-PWM strategy at the same
amplitude modulation index? Clearly explain.
Dr. S. Dalapati, Asst. Prof., Dept. of EE, IIEST Shibpur Page 7 of 8
Department of Electrical Engineering, IIEST, Shibpur
Embedded Systems Laboratory Expt. on Generation of 1-ph & 3-ph PWM

Probable Questions which may be asked:

(a) Critically explain the working of the (a) digital-controller, (b) OPAMP circuit, and (c)
power-supply section, used in this experiment.
(b) The master-IC works at which supply voltage-level? What will be the possible
consequence if the voltage in (i) increased and (ii) decreased?
(c) Why is 'dead-time' important for pulse-generation pertaining to inverters? Can the dead-
time be generated by analog circuits? Draw and explain one such circuit. Which method
(analogue / digital) is preferred for 'dead-time' generation?
(d) What is meant by 'soft-start' in PWM controllers?

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