ECEg-7411

Advanced Power Electronics and

Microcontrollers for Renewable Energy
Systems
Lecture – 2 - Power Electronics
for Inverter Design

School of Electrical &

Computer Engineering
Institute of Technology
Hawassa University

Tewodros Tesfaye
 What is an Inverter?

 An inverter is an
electrical circuit
capable of turning
DC power into AC
power, while at the
same time
regulating the
voltage, current,
and frequency of
the signal
 Why do I need an inverter for?

 Most solar panels provide 12V DC

power
 Household devices use 220V AC power
 Necessary for a grid tie in system
Typical Application in PV Systems
 Components of Power Electronics
 The components of power electronics
include:
 Switching devices such as IGBT,
MOSFET, Thyristors, etc.
 Electronic components such as
capacitors, resistors, inductors,
regulators, etc.
 Sensors of different kinds such as
thermal sensors, over current sensors,
over voltage sensors, these are small
circuits with in circuits arrangement.
 What kind of inverter do I want?
 Inverters come in all different shapes
and sizes, for all different purposes
 Inverters vary in output from 50 W –
5,000 W
 Several different methods of changing
DC power to AC power is used to
process the signal.
 Some inverters put out electricity of
higher ‘quality’ than others.
 What does that mean? It means the AC
quality of the output signal is different
 Electrical wave forms

Power that comes 12V DC Power

from a PV panel or
battery is generally
12V DC Power

Square Wave
Different types of
inverters give outputs
with different wave
forms
 Electrical wave forms …

Modified Sine Wave;

the waveform
resembles sine wave
but it has some jumps

True Sine Wave; the

waveform is pure sine
wave and it is similar
to utility delivered
sine wave; more
expensive to make
 Different types of inverter outputs
 Square wave inverters are basically
obsolete
 Modified sine wave output will power
almost everything in your house.
However, things like power drills, or
battery chargers may not work, or will
have some problem to operate.
 True sine wave output is exactly the
same as the power provided by a utility
company, and is necessary for a grid
inter-tie system
 Methods of inversion
 Rotary inverters use a DC motor to turn
an AC Power generator, they provide a
true sine wave output, but are
inefficient, and have a low surge capacity
rating.
 Electrical inverters use a combination of
‘chopping’ circuits and transformers to
change DC power into AC.
 They are much more widely used and are
far more efficient and practical. Less
expensive electrical inverters produce a
modified sine wave, while more expensive
models give a true sine wave.
 How do they work?
 There are 2 types of electrical inverters, the
first takes low voltage high current power
from a PV panel or battery and sends it
through a ‘chopping’ circuit which changes it to
low voltage high current AC power at 50Hz.
 The power then goes through a series of large
transformers which outputs 220V AC power at
50Hz frequency.

Chopping Transformer
Circuit
DC Power 50 Hz AC Power
Low Voltage 50 Hz AC Power
Low Voltage High Voltage
High Current High Current Low Current
 How do they work? …
 The second type of electrical inverter is
more complex.
 Two chopping circuits are employed to
make it possible for a much smaller and
lighter transformer to be used.
 The DC power is converted to very high
frequency AC power which is easier to
transform into high voltage low current
power.
 The power is then rectified back into DC
power and sent through a second chopping
circuit to turn it into 50Hz 220V AC.
 How do they work? …
DC Power 25 kHz AC Power
25 kHz AC Power High Voltage
Low Voltage Low Voltage
High Current Low Current
High Current

Chopping Transformer
Circuit

Chopping
Rectifier Circuit

DC Power
High Voltage
50 Hz AC Power
Low Current
High Voltage
Low Current
 How are Inverters rated?

 Continuous output rating:

 The maximum wattage that the inverter
can support long term
 includes all everyday appliances, lights and
anything else that consumes power.
 Surge capacity rating:
 The maximum wattage that can be
supported at any given time.
 Important when starting devices like
refrigerators or water pumps which
require more wattage to start than to run.
 Applications of Inverters
 Inverters are used for many practical
purposes
 Small inverters can plug into your car
cigarette lighter
 Large inverters can be used in a solar
or wind powered home