Power Electronics

Unit-4
INVERTER
 Inverter
• Inverter is a circuit that converts dc power into
ac power at desired output voltage and
frequency is called an inverter.
• The wave shape of output ac voltage of inverter
should be sinusoidal. However practical
inverter gives output voltages that are non-
sinusoidal and contain harmonics.
• In high power applications sinusoidal waveform
is required. So inverters are carefully designed
to give sinusoidal output with low distortion.
 Requirements of good inverter
• The semiconductor devices used in the
inverter should have minimum switching and
conduction losses.
• Its gain should be high.
• It should produce minimum electromagnetic
interference.
• Its output voltage waveform sould be
sinusoidal.
• The size of filters required should be small.
 Disadvantages of harmonics present in the
inverter system
• Harmonic current will lead to excessive heating
in the induction motors. This will reduce the
load carrying capacity of the motor.
• If the control and the regulating circuits are not
properly shielded, harmonics from power grid
can affect their operation and results in
malfunctioning.
• Harmonic current cause losses in the ac system
and can even sometime produce resonance in
the system.
 Applications of inverter
• Inverters are used for many practical purposes.
• In ac drives
• In induction heating.
• In uninterruptible power supplies.
• In battery vehicle drives.
• In static VAR generators.
• Active power line filter.
• Ultrasonic wave generator.
Classification of inverter
 Define line commutated and forced
commutated inverters
• Line commutated inverters- The phase
controlled rectifiers operated in inversion
mode with battery or dc source on output side
are called line commutated inverters.
• Forced commutated inverters- Inverters where
external source is required to turn OFF is
called forced commutated inverters.
 What are VSI and CSI
• VSI- A voltage source inverter also known as
voltage fed inverter is one in which the dc
source has small or negligible impedance, in
case of voltage source inverters the input to
the inverter is provided by a ripple free dc
voltage source.
• CSI- In current source inverter the voltage
source is first converted into a current source
and then used to supply power to the inverter.
Working of CSI
CSI works in two modes:
 Current source inverter
• The current source is derived from the voltage source by
connecting a large value inductance in series with the
voltage source.
• In the CSI input current is constant but adjustable.
• The amplitude of output current from CSI is independent
of the load.
• The magnitude and waveform of output voltage is
dependent upon the nature of the load.
• In order that current input to CSI is almost ripple free and
constant using inductor.
Voltage and current waveform of CSI
 Advantages of CSI
• Capable of regeneration back to the a.c. line
because d.c. link polarity can be reversed.
• Large d.c. link filter inductor and regulated
power supply acts as a current limiter, making it
easier to apply protective fuses.
• Ability to ride through power link interruptions.
• It does not generate radio frequency
interference.
 Disadvantages of CSI
• Cogging can occur at speed below 6Hz.
• It can cause high voltage spikes on motor
terminals.
• Usually not possible to use with more than
one motor.
• Voltage clamping devices lower overall
efficiency.
 Applications of CSI
• Speed control of a.c.motor.
• Induction heating.
• Lagging VAR compensation.
• Synchronous motor starting.
 Compare the VSI with CSI
S. no. Parameters VSI CSI

1. Types of input power Voltage source Current source

source

2. Output voltage Does not depend upon the Depends on the

waveform type of load type of load

3. Output current Depends on the type of Does not depend

waveform load on the type of load

4. Direction of power flow Bidirectional Bidirectional

5. Regeneration Possible Possible

Simple series inverter circuit
• Inverters in which commutating components
are permanently connected in series with the
load are called series inverter. The series
circuit so formed must be underdamped.
These inverters operate at high frequencies,
the size of commutating components is
therefore small.
Waveform of series inverter
Series inverter operates in three modes
 Drawbacks of series inverter
• A distortion in the load voltage waveform due
to time delay TOFF.
• Circuit ringing frequency limits the maximum
frequency of output voltage.
• RLC has to be high current rating because it
carries load current, especially as it supplies
load current in the negative half cycle.
• Poor output regulation.
 Limitations of series inverter
• Limitation of output frequency
• High distortion
• High rating of commutating components
• Poor voltage regulation
• High peak current ratings of DC source
Modified series inverter
• When T1 is fired the current i1 begins to rise, the voltage across L1
appears with the polarity as shown in the figure. The capacitor
starts charging with right plate positive. At the end of current
pulse i1 the capacitor get charged to voltage higher than supply
voltage V1 and as t1 becomes zero,T1 is commutated.
• The thyristor T1 is forward biased by capacitor voltage. If T1 is
fired, current pulse i2 flows. At the beginning of this pulse, i2=0,
hence VL =i2. R =0 and capacitor voltage Vc which is higher than Vs
appears across L2.
• As L1 and L2 are equal and closely coupled, the emf induced in L1
is equal to the voltage across L2. Thus capacitor across L1 and T1
is maintained reverse biased. Due to i2 capacitor discharges
through L2, T2 and R and die to l2 it is further charged with
reverse polarity.
• At the end of i2 pulse, T2 is commutated and reverse bias is
maintained across it due to capacitor voltage. Under steady state
condition, prior to the firing of T1, the capacitor voltage is Vc with
left plate positive and prior to the firing of T2, the capacitor
voltage is [Vs +Vc] with right plate positive.
 Application of series inverter
• Ultrasonic generator
• Induction heating
• Sonar transmitter
• Fluorescent lightings
 Working of single-phase parallel inverter
with the help of output waveforms
• The circuit arrangement of single phase parallel inverter is shown
below.The load is connected on the secondary side.The d.c. source
voltage appears across half part of primary winding when load is
connectedon secondary side.
• By alternately switching the two thyristors,dc source is connected in
alternative sense to the two values of the primary transformer,there by
inducting a square wave across the load in the secondary transformer.
• The commutating capacitor comes in parallel the load during the
operation of the inverter. As the capacitor is effectively in parallel with
the load via the transformer, an inductor ‘ L’ is required in series with
the dc source to prevent te instant discharge of capacitor ‘C’ via the
source when SCR switching occurs.
• When T1 is triggered : It turns ON and a dc voltage
source Vs appears across half of the primary winding and
hence the total voltage across the primary of transformer
is 2Vs because Vs feeds through centre point and hence
voltage across capacitor is 2Vs ;with the polarity as
shown in diagram.
• When T2 is triggered: As soon as T2 turns ON, capacitor
voltage Vc=-2Vt appears across T1. When -2Vs appears
across T1, it will be turned OFF. At the same time a
voltage of 2Vs will appear across the primary side of
transformer and commutating capacitor but with a
reverse polarity.
• When T1 is triggered: As soon as T1 turns ON, capacitor
voltage Vc=-2Vs appears across T2. when -2Vs appears T2
and will be turned OFF.
 Single phase Full Bridge Inverter
• The circuit diagram of single phase full bridge inverter
without firing circuit and commutation circuitry is
shown below figure, four SCRs are arranged in bridge,
hence it is termed as full bridge inverter. Single phase
half bridge inverter require 3 wire dc supply. But when
we add two more SCRs and dinode to it, it will convert
to full bridge inverter and one can get rid of 3-wire dc
supply.In this circuit dinode D1-D4 are known as the
feedback dinodes because energy feedback takes
place through this diodes when load is inductive.
• At t= T3 and T4 are turned OFF and T1 and T2
are turned ON again
• As the load is resistive, it does not store any
energy. Therefore, feedback diodees are not
effective here.