Thyristor 3 Phase Inverter

Exercise 7
Thyristor Three-Phase Rectifier/Inverter
EXERCISE OBJECTIVE When you have completed this exercise, you will know what a thyristor three-
phase rectifier/limiter (thyristor three-phase bridge) is, and how it operates. You
will be familiar with the waveforms of voltages and currents present in a thyristor
three-phase bridge. You will be able to explain how a thyristor three-phase bridge
can operate as a rectifier or an inverter.
DISCUSSION OUTLINE The Discussion of this exercise covers the following points:
Thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter

Firing signals in a thyristor three-phase bridge
Average voltage and current at the dc side of a thyristor three-phase
bridge as a function of the firing angle

Purely resistive load. Resistive-inductive load.
Operation as a rectifier or an inverter
Applications of thyristor three-phase bridges
DISCUSSION Thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter
Figure 103 shows the diagram of a thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter.

Observe that the circuit topology is the same as that of a power diode three-
phase full-wave rectifier, except that all diodes are replaced with thyristors. Using
thyristors instead of diodes in a three-phase full-wave rectifier allows the
beginning of the conduction interval of each thyristor to be delayed, and thereby,
the values of the average (dc) voltage and current at the rectifier output to be
varied. The operation of the thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter is studied in
detail in this exercise. Notice that the thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter is
usually referred to as a thyristor three-phase bridge, or Graetz bridge.
© Festo Didactic 86363-00 191

Exercise 7 – Thyristor Three-Phase Rectifier/Inverter Discussion
Thyristor three-phase bridge
ܳଵ ܳଶ ܳଷ
L1
Three-phase ac L2
power source Load
L3
ܳସ ܳହ ܳ଺
Firing signals
(to gates of ܳଵ to ܳ଺ )
Thyristor firing
control circuit
Sync. input
Figure 103. Thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter.
Firing signals in a thyristor three-phase bridge
In Exercise 2, you learned that in a three-phase full-wave rectifier made of power

diodes, the diodes naturally enter into conduction sequentially as the ac power
source voltages vary. Whenever a diode stops conducting, another diode
immediately starts conducting (see Figure 104). Each diode conducts current
during an interval of 120°. At any instant, there are always two diodes in
conduction, thereby ensuring uninterrupted current flow at the rectifier output.
The value of the average (dc) voltage ‫ܧ‬ை௔௩௚ at the rectifier output is equal
to ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬௅Ǧ௅ǡ௥௠௦ Ǥ
192 © Festo Didactic 86363-00

ሺሻ
‫ܧ‬ଵିே ‫ܧ‬ଶିே ‫ܧ‬ଷିே
Phase voltages 90 210 330 90 210 330 Phase angle

(‫ܧ‬ଵିே ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଶିே ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଷିே ) 30 150 270 30 150 270 ‫ܧ‬ଵିே (°)
ሺሻ ‫ܧ‬ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ

ଵିଶ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ
Line-to-line
voltages 90 210 330 90 210 330 Phase angle
(‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ) 60 150 270 30 150 270 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
ሺሻ
Order of
‫ܦ‬ଷ ‫ܦ‬ଵ ‫ܦ‬ଶ ‫ܦ‬ଷ ‫ܦ‬ଵ ‫ܦ‬ଶ ‫ܦ‬ଷ Phase angle
conduction of
‫ܦ‬ହ ‫଺ܦ‬ ‫ܦ‬ସ ‫ܦ‬ହ ‫଺ܦ‬ ‫ܦ‬ସ ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
the diodes
ሺሻ
Rectifier output Phase angle

current ‫ܫ‬ை 60 120 180 240 300 0 60 120 180 240 300 0 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
‫ܧ‬ைǡ ௔௩௚ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ௠௔௫

ሺሻ ൌ ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦
‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ‫ܧ‬ଵିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଵ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଶ ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ‫ܧ‬ଵିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଵ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ
Rectifier output
voltage ‫ܧ‬ை
Phase angle
60 120 180 240 300 0 60 120 180 240 300 0 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
Figure 104. Waveforms of voltages and current in a power diode three-phase full-wave
rectifier.

The operation of a power diode three-phase full-wave rectifier can be reproduced

in a thyristor three-phase bridge by firing each thyristor at the same instant as the
corresponding diode in a three-phase full-wave rectifier naturally enters into
conduction. This is achieved by using a firing angle of 0° (i.e., without delaying
the conduction of the thyristors). In that case, the thyristors firing signals are as
shown in Figure 105. This figure also shows the waveforms of the current and
voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge for a purely resistive load.
To generate firing signals that are properly synchronized with the ac power
source voltages, the thyristor firing circuit samples one of the line-to-line voltages
(e.g., line-to-line voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵǦଶ in Figure 105). Since the firing angle is 0°,
x thyristor ܳଵ is fired at phase angle 60° of line-to-line voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (or

phase angle 30° of phase voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵǦே ). This turns thyristor ܳଷ off.
x 120° later, thyristor ܳଶ is fired and thyristor ܳଵ turns off.
x 120° later, thyristor ܳଷ is fired and thyristor ܳଶ turns off.
Also, the complementary thyristors ܳସ , ܳହ , and ܳ଺ are fired 180° later than
thyristors ܳଵ , ܳଶ , and ܳଷ , respectively. Consequently,
x thyristor ܳସ is fired at phase angle 240° of line-to-line voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (or

phase angle 210° of phase voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିே ) and thyristor ܳ଺ turns off.
x 120° later, thyristor ܳହ is fired and thyristor ܳସ turns off.
x 120° later, thyristor ܳ଺ is fired and thyristor ܳହ turns off.
The firing sequence described above repeats over and over.
The pulses in each firing signal have a duration of 120°, which corresponds to
the conduction interval of each diode in a power diode three-phase full-wave
rectifier. Consequently, the thyristors conduct current by pairs, one after the
other, during equal intervals of 60° and in the same order as the diodes in a
power diode three-phase full-wave rectifier, as indicated in Table 5.
Table 5. Conducting thyristors for each 60° interval (firing angle Ƚ set to 0°) when the load is
purely resistive.
Angular interval
Conducting
thyristors
(Phase voltage ࡱ૚ିࡺ ) (Line-to-line voltage ࡱ૚ି૛ )
30° - 90° 60° - 120° ܳଵ and ܳହ
90° - 150° 120° - 180° ܳଵ and ܳ଺
150° - 210° 180° - 240° ܳଶ and ܳ଺
210° - 270° 240° - 300° ܳଶ and ܳସ
270° - 330° 300° - 0° ܳଷ and ܳସ
330° - 30° 0° - 60° ܳଷ and ܳହ

ሺሻ

ሺሻ ‫ܧ‬ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ

ଵିଶ
Line-to-line
90 210 330 90 210 330 Phase angle
voltages
60 150 270 30 150 270 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
(‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ)
Firing angle Ƚ ൌ Ͳι
ܳଵ
ܳଶ
Thyristor firing ܳଷ
signals ܳସ
ܳହ
ܳ଺ Phase angle
60 120 180 240 300 0 60 120 180 240 300 0 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
ሺሻ
Current at the
Phase angle
dc side of the
‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
bridge ‫ܫ‬஻ 60 120 180 240 300 0 60 120 180 240 300 0
‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ ௠௔௫

ሺሻ ൌ ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ ௥௠௦
Voltage at the
dc side of the
bridge ‫ܧ‬஻
Phase angle
60 120 180 240 300 0 60 120 180 240 300 0 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
Figure 105. Waveforms of voltages and current in a thyristor three-phase bridge (firing angle Į
set to 0°) when the load is purely resistive.

Average voltage and current at the dc side of a thyristor three-phase bridge

as a function of the firing angle
A major advantage of the thyristor three-phase bridge over the power diode
three-phase full-wave rectifier is that the average values of the dc current and
voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge, and thus, the amount of power
supplied to the load, can be varied by changing the firing angle of the thyristors.
The values of the dc current and voltage, and thus the power supplied to the
load, are maximum when the firing angle is 0°. When the firing angle is
increased, the firing pulses for each thyristor are delayed, which reduces the
average values of the dc current and voltage at the dc side of the bridge, and
thus, the amount of power supplied to the load.
For example, Figure 107 shows the thyristor firing signals and waveforms of
voltages and current in a thyristor three-phase bridge for a firing angle of 30° and
a purely resistive load. Since each thyristor enters into conduction later with
respect to the beginning (phase angle 0°) of line-to-line voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ , the values
of the dc current and voltage at the dc side of the bridge, and thus the power
supplied to the load, are lower than the maximum values.
Figure 106. Thyristor three-phase bridges are used in power supplies for welding machines
such as metal-arc inert gas (MIG) welders.

ሺሻ

ሺሻ
‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ
Line-to-line
Firing angle Ƚ ൌ ͵Ͳι
ܳଵ
ܳଶ
ܳଷ
Thyristor firing
signals ܳସ
ܳହ
ܳ଺ Phase angle
60 90 150 210 270 330 30 90 150 210 270 330 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
ሺሻ
Current at the dc side Phase angle

of the bridge ‫ܫ‬஻ 60 90 150 210 270 330 30 90 150 210 270 330 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ௠௔௫௜௠௨௠ ௩௔௟௨௘ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ௠௔௫

Voltage at the dc side
of the bridge ‫ܧ‬஻
Phase angle
60 90 150 210 270 330 30 90 150 210 270 330 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
Figure 107. Waveforms of voltages and current in the thyristor three-phase bridge (firing
angle Į set to 30°) when the load is purely resistive.

Current flow at the dc side of the thyristor three-phase bridge remains continuous
as long as the firing angle is lower than 60°. When the firing angle is higher
than 60°, current flow at the dc side of the bridge is discontinuous, i.e., the
current is null (zero) during part of the ac power source cycle. This is because
when the pair of conducting thyristors turns off, the next thyristor due to conduct
is not fired immediately, but only after a certain time. This results in a time
interval when all thyristors are off and there is no current flow in the thyristor
bridge.
Figure 109 shows an example in which the firing angle is 90°. At phase
angle ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ൌ ͳʹͲι, the two thyristors that are conducting current (i.e.,
thyristors ܳଷ and ܳହ ) turn off but the next thyristor due to conduct (thyristor ܳଵ ) is
not fired immediately; it is fired only 30° later (i.e., at phase angle ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ൌ ͳͷͲι).
Consequently, all thyristors are off between phase angles 120° and 150°, and
thus, the current and voltage at the dc side of the bridge are null during this
interval.
The interval during which all thyristors are off increases as the firing angle
approaches 120°. At firing angles of 120° or higher, all thyristors stay off during
the entire cycle of the ac power source. Therefore, the current and voltage at the
dc side of the thyristor bridge are null and, thus, the amount of power supplied to
the load is null.
Figure 108. Thyristor three-phase bridges are used to supply dc power to the excitation
circuit of synchronous generators used in large power plants, such as hydropower electric
plants. The photo shows generators of the hydropower electric plant of the Hoover Dam on
the Colorado River in the United States of America.

ሺሻ

(‫ܧ‬ଵିே ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଶିே ǡ ‫ܧ‬ଷିே ) 30 150 270 150 270 ‫ܧ‬ଵିே (°)
30
ሺሻ
‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ
Line-to-line
Firing angle Ƚ ൌ ͻͲι
ܳଵ
ܳଶ
ܳଷ
Thyristor firing
signals ܳସ
ܳହ
ܳ଺ Phase angle
60 120 150 210 270 330 30 90 150 180 270 330 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
ሺሻ Pair of conducting thyristors (ܳଷ and ܳହ ) turns off

Next thyristor (ܳଵ ) is fired
Current at the dc side Phase angle

of the bridge ‫ܫ‬஻ 60 120 150 240 300 0 30 120 150 240 270 0 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ௠௔௫௜௠௨௠ ௩௔௟௨௘ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ௠௔௫

Voltage at the dc side
of the bridge ‫ܧ‬஻
Phase angle
60 120 150 240 300 0 30 120 150 240 270 0 ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (°)
Figure 109. Waveforms of voltages and current in the thyristor three-phase bridge (firing
angle Ƚ set to 90°) when the load is purely resistive.

The average value (‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ ) of the voltage at the dc side of the bridge can be
calculated from the rms value (‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦ ) of the line-to-line voltage of the ac power
source and firing angle Ƚ using the following equation:
‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ൌ ͳǤ͵ͷ ൈ ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ ௥௠௦ ή Ƚ (8)
where: ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ is the average value of the voltage at the dc side of the
bridge (V).
‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦ is the rms value of the line-to-line voltage of the ac power
source (V).
Ƚ is the firing angle (°).
Equation (8) is valid as long as current flow in the thyristor three-phase bridge is
continuous (i.e., as long as there are no time intervals during which the current
flow is null). This equation is represented by the curve in dashed lines shown in
Figure 110. This curve shows the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the dc side of a
thyristor three-phase bridge versus the firing angle Ƚ, when current flow in the
bridge is continuous.
1.35 ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅௥௠௦
Purely resistive load
Resistive-inductive load
Continuous
current flow
Average voltage at
Firing
the dc side of the 0
angle (°)
bridge ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ (V) 30 60 90 120 150 180
Curve area for resistive-

inductive loads
-1.35 ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦
Figure 110. Average voltage ࡱ࡮ǡࢇ࢜ࢍ at the dc side of a thyristor three-phase bridge as a
function of the firing angle Į.

The curve in dashed lines representing Equation (8) indicates that:
x when the firing angle Ƚ passes from 0° to 90°, the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚
at the dc side of the bridge decreases from the maximum value
(ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦ ) to zero.
x when the firing angle Ƚ passes from 90° to 180°, the average
voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ reverses polarity and increases from zero to the maximum
value (ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦ ). Note that in practice, the maximum allowed firing
angle for the thyristor is 165° or lower to prevent short-circuit currents
that otherwise would impair circuit operation.
a In actual three-phase thyristor bridges, the maximum firing angle allowed is

generally limited to 165° to avoid short-circuit currents in the bridge. The
explanations for this limitation are complex and beyond the scope of this
manual.
Purely resistive load
The green solid curve in Figure 110 shows how the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the
dc side of the bridge varies as a function of the firing angle Ƚ for a purely resistive
load. For firing angles between 0° and 60°, the curve has a cosine shape, i.e., it
is identical to the curve in dashed lines representing Equation (8). For firing
angles higher than 60°, however, the curve diverges from the cosine shape
because current flow in the bridge is no longer continuous.
Resistive-inductive load
The range of firing angles over which current flow in the bridge stays continuous
can be increased by connecting an inductor in series with the resistive load. The
energy stored in the inductor maintains current flow at the dc side of the bridge
for a certain interval, thereby delaying the instant when the conducting thyristors
turn off. The greater the time constant (Ȁ ratio) of the resistive-inductive load,
the higher the firing angle at which current flow interruptions occur.
The red solid curve in Figure 110 shows an example of how the average
voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the dc side of the bridge varies as a function of the firing
angle Ƚ for a resistive-inductive load. This curve has a cosine shape between
firing angle 0° and the maximum firing angle (about 75° in this example) for which
current flow in the bridge remains continuous, then the curve diverges from the
cosine shape. The greater the Ȁ ratio of the load, the longer the interval of
firing angles over which the curve follows the cosine shape. The diverging portion
of the curve passes in the shaded area of Figure 110. The exact shape of the
curve depends on the Ȁ ratio of the load.
Operation as a rectifier or an inverter
When a passive load such as a purely resistive load or a resistive-inductive load

is connected to the dc side of a thyristor three-phase bridge (Figure 111), the
polarity of the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ is always positive. Consequently, the
polarity of the average output current ‫ܫ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ is positive, and the polarity of the
power on the dc side of the bridge is also positive. In this case, the ac power

source supplies power to the load via the thyristor three-phase bridge and
therefore, power flows from the ac power source to the load. Since power is
converted from ac to dc as it flows through the thyristor three-phase bridge, the
bridge acts as a rectifier. Notice that the thyristor three-phase bridge is
represented by a rectangular box containing the symbol for a thyristor.
Power flow (+)
‫ܫ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ (+)

L1
Three-phase
ac power L2 Passive
‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ (+)
source load
L3
Ƚ ሺͲι ͳʹͲιሻ
Figure 111. When a passive load is connected to the dc side of a thyristor three-phase bridge,
power flow is from the ac power source to the load. Since power is converted from ac to dc as
it flows through the bridge, the bridge acts as a rectifier.
When an active load that behaves like a source of current is connected to the
dc side of a thyristor three-phase bridge, current flow in the thyristor bridge is
continuous, no matter the value of the firing angle Ƚ. Consequently, the average
voltage (‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ ) at the dc side of the thyristor three-phase bridge can theoretically
be varied over the full range, i.e., from ൅ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦ to െͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ௥௠௦ by varying
the firing angle Ƚ from 0° to 180°.
x When the firing angle Ƚ varies between 0° and 90° (Figure 112), the
polarity of the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ , average current ‫ܫ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ , and power
on the dc side of the bridge is positive. Power flow is from the ac power
source to the active load and the thyristor three-phase bridge acts as a
rectifier.
Power flow (+)
‫ܫ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ (+)

L1
Active load
operating as a
current source
Three-phase ac L2
power source ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ (+)
L3
Ƚ ሺͲι ͻͲιሻ
Figure 112. When an active load that behaves like a source of current is connected to the dc
side of a thyristor three-phase bridge, and the firing angle varies between 0° and 90°, the
bridge acts as a rectifier.

x When the firing angle Ƚ varies between 90° and 180° (Figure 113), the
polarity of the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ is negative. Since the polarity of
the average current ‫ܫ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ remains positive, the polarity of the power at
the dc side of the bridge is thus negative. This indicates that power flow
is from the dc side of the bridge to the ac power source. Since power is
converted from dc to ac as it passes through the thyristor three-phase
bridge, the bridge acts as an inverter.
a In actual three-phase thyristor bridges, the maximum firing angle allowed is

generally limited to 165° to avoid short-circuit currents in the bridge that could
damage the thyristors. The explanations for this limitation are complex and
beyond the scope of this manual.
Power flow (-)
‫ܫ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ (+)

L1
Active load
operating as a
current source
Three-phase ac L2
power source ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ (-)
L3
Ƚ ሺͻͲι ͳͺͲιሻ
Figure 113. When an active load that behaves like a source of current is connected to the dc
side of a thyristor three-phase bridge, and the firing angle varies between 90° and 180°, the
bridge acts as an inverter.
Applications of thyristor three-phase bridges
Thyristor three-phase bridges are used to supply dc power to the excitation

circuit of synchronous generators used in large power plants, such as
synchronous generators in hydropower electric plants (see Figure 108). In this
application, each thyristor bridge operates as a rectifier to supply dc power to the
excitation circuit of a synchronous generator. The amount of excitation is set to
the exact value required by adjusting the firing angle of the thyristor bridge. This
is achieved via closed-loop control.
Thyristor three-phase bridges are also used in high-voltage, direct-current

(HVDC) power transmission lines. Before transmission over the line, power is
converted from ac to dc by thyristor three-phase bridges set to operate as
rectifiers. At the other end of the HVDC power transmission line, dc power is
converted back to ac power by thyristor three-phase bridges set to operate as
inverters. HVDC power transmission lines permit the interconnection of electric
power grids or networks with different frequency or voltage, so that power can be
exchanged between them.

Figure 114. Thyristor three-phase bridges are used in converter stations at the ends of
high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) power transmission lines.
Figure 115. HVDC converter station in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Two long distance
HVDC transmission lines carry dc power generated in the north of Manitoba to this station.
The station converts dc power back to ac power using thyristor valves for connection to the
electric power grid.

Exercise 7 – Thyristor Three-Phase Rectifier/Inverter Procedure Outline
PROCEDURE OUTLINE The Procedure is divided into the following sections:
Set up and connections

Observation of the thyristor firing signals. Observation of the load voltage
and current waveforms. Average voltage at the dc side of the thyristor
bridge as a function of the firing angle (for a purely resistive load).
Average voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge as a function of the

firing angle (for a resistive-inductive load).
Operation of a thyristor three-phase bridge as a rectifier/inverter
PROCEDURE
High voltages are present in this laboratory exercise. Do not make or modify any
banana jack connections with the power on unless otherwise specified.
Set up and connections
In this part of the exercise, you will set up and connect the equipment.
1. Refer to the Equipment Utilization Chart in Appendix A to obtain the list of

equipment required to perform the exercise.
Install the equipment in the Workstation.
2. Connect the Power Input of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface to a
24 V ac power supply.
Connect the Low Power Input of the Power Thyristors module to the Power
Input of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface. Turn the 24 V ac power
supply on.
3. Connect the USB port of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface to a
USB port of the host computer.
Connect the USB port of the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power Supply to

a USB port of the host computer.
4. Make sure that the ac and dc power switches on the Power Supply are set to
the O (off) position, then connect the Power Supply to a three-phase
ac power outlet.
Make sure that the main power switch of the Four-Quadrant

Dynamometer/Power Supply is set to O (off), then connect its Power Input to
an ac power outlet.
Set the Operating Mode switch of the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power

Supply to Power Supply. This connects the internal power supply of the
module to the Power Supply terminals on the front panel.

Exercise 7 – Thyristor Three-Phase Rectifier/Inverter Procedure
Turn the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power Supply on by setting the main

power switch to I (on).
5. Turn the host computer on, then start the LVDAC-EMS software.
In the LVDAM̻EMS Start-Up window, make sure that the Data Acquisition
and Control Interface and the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power Supply
are detected. Make sure that the Computer-Based Instrumentation and
Thyristor Bridge Control functions for the Data Acquisition and Control
Interface are available. Select the network voltage and frequency that
correspond to the voltage and frequency of your local ac power network, then
click the OK button to close the LVDAM̻EMS Start-Up window.
In this part of the exercise, you will study the operation of a thyristor three-phase
bridge. You will observe the effect that varying the firing angle of the thyristors
has on the average voltage at the dc side of the bridge when the load is purely
resistive and when it is resistive-inductive.
Observation of the thyristor firing signals
6. On the Power Thyristors module, set switches ଵ and ଶ to the I (on) position.
This interconnects thyristors ܳଵ through ܳ଺ of the Power Thyristors module in
a thyristor three-phase bridge.
Set up the circuit shown in Figure 116. In this circuit, the Three-Phase Power
Transformer (Model 8348-4) is used to reduce the voltage at the ac side of
the thyristor three-phase bridge. This reduces the maximum average voltage
at the dc side of the bridge too avoid exceeding the maximum power rating of
the Resistive Load module. E1, E2, E3, E4, and I3 are inputs of the Data
Acquisition and Control Interface (DACI). The load resistor ܴ is implemented
with the Resistive Load module. The resistance value to be used for load
resistor ܴ depends on your local ac power network voltage (see table in the
diagram).
a Input E4 of the DACI is used for synchronization of the firing signals of the
thyristors in the Power Thyristors module. This input must be connected as
shown in Figure 116.
7. Connect the Digital Outputs of the Data Acquisition and Control Interface to
the Firing Control Inputs of the Power Thyristors module using the provided
cable with DB9 connectors.
Also, perform the following connections to observe the control signals applied
to thyristors ܳଵ through ܳ଺ : connect Firing Control Inputs 1 through 6 of the
Power Thyristors module to Analog Inputs 1 through 6, respectively, of the
DACI, using 2 mm leads. Connect the common (white) terminal of the Firing
Control Inputs on the Power Thyristors module to one of the two analog
common (white) terminals of the DACI using a 2 mm lead.

Power Thyristors
module
Three-phase transformer
module (8348-4)
ܳଵ ܳଶ ܳଷ
L1 1 2 L1
AC power
source
15
(8823)
6 7 5
L2 L2
ܴ
9
14
11 12 10
L3 L3
ܳସ ܳହ ܳ଺
Firing control signals from the

digital outputs of the DACI
Local ac power network

ࡾ
Voltage Frequency (ȍ)
(V) (Hz)
120 60 57
220 50 210
240 50 229
220 60 210
Figure 116. Thyristor three-phase bridge with a purely resistive load.
8. In LVDAC-EMS, open the Thyristor Control window, and make the following
settings:
Set the Function parameter to Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge.
Make sure that the Firing Angle Control parameter is set to Knob.
This allows the Firing Angle parameter to be controlled manually.
Set the Firing Angle parameter to 0° by entering 0 in the field next to

this parameter or by using the control knob in the lower left corner of
the window. This sets the firing angle Ƚ to 0.

Make sure that the parameters ଵ through ଺ are all set to Active.
This makes the firing signals of these thyristors depend on the Firing
Angle Control and Firing Angle parameters.
Leave the other parameters set to their default values.
Start the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge function by clicking the

Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter to Started.
9. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source on by setting

the corresponding switch to I (on).
10. Start the Oscilloscope.
In the Data Acquisition and Control Settings window of LVDAC-EMS, set the
Range of voltage inputs E1, E2, and E3 to High.
On the Oscilloscope, display line-to-line voltages ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ and ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ (E1, E2) and
the firing signals of thyristors ܳଵ through ܳ଺ (Analog Inputs 1 through 6 of
the DACI) on channels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, respectively. Set the
Oscilloscope in the continuous refresh mode. Set the time base to display at
least two cycles of the source voltage waveform.
Observe the relationship between the pulses in each thyristor firing signal
and line-to-line voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ . Notice that thyristors ܳଵ through ܳ଺ are fired at
phase angles 60°, 180°, 300°, 240°, 0°, and 120° of voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ ,
respectively. This is because the firing angle Ƚ is set to 0° (i.e., the
conduction of the thyristors is not delayed.)
Record below the firing sequence of the thyristors.
Is the width of the pulses in the firing signals of thyristors ܳଵ through ܳ଺ the
same as the conduction interval (i.e., 120°) of the diodes in a power diode,
three-phase full-wave rectifier?
Yes No
From your observations, are the thyristors fired in the same order and at the
same phase angles as the diodes enter into conduction in a power diode,
three-phase full-wave rectifier?
Yes No
11. By using the Firing Angle control knob in the Thyristor Control window, slowly
vary the firing angle Ƚ between 0° and 90°. Describe what happens.

Observation of the load voltage and current waveforms
12. In the Thyristor Control window, set the Firing Angle parameter back to 0°.
Set the Oscilloscope to display line-to-line voltages ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ and ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ (E1, E2),
the firing signals of thyristors ܳହ , ܳଵ , ܳ଺ , and ܳଶ (Analog Inputs 5, 1, 6, and 2
of the DACI), and the current (I3) and voltage (E3) at the dc side of the
thyristor three-phase bridge.
13. Open the Metering window. Set a meter to measure the rms value of
voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (E1). Set two meters to measure the average (dc) current (I3)
and voltage (E3) at the dc side of the thyristor three-phase bridge. Finally, set
meter PQS3 to measure the active load power ܲோ from inputs E3 and I3.
Disable meter E4.
Select the Continuous Refresh mode by clicking the Continuous Refresh

button.
vary the firing angle between 0° and 60° while observing the signals on the
Oscilloscope and the values indicated by the meters. Notice that the average
current and voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge and, thus, the power
supplied to the load decrease when the firing angle increases, and vice
versa. Explain why.
Oscilloscope. Notice that when the firing angle is set to a value higher
than 60°, current flow in the thyristor bridge becomes discontinuous (i.e., the
current is null during part of the ac power source cycle). Explain why.

Average voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge as a function of the firing
angle (for a purely resistive load)
16. In the Thyristor Control window, temporarily stop the Thyristor Three-Phase
Bridge function by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status
parameter to Stopped.
Note and record below the rms value of voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ indicated by meter E1 in
the Metering window.
‫ܧ‬ଵǦଶ௥௠௦ ൌ V
Using the equation below, calculate the theoretical value of voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚
for each of the firing angles Ƚ listed in Table 6, using the value of voltage
measured above. Record your results in Table 6.
‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ ሺሻ ൌ ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ௥௠௦ ൈ Ƚ
Table 6. Average voltage at the dc side of the bridge (ࡱ࡮ǡࢇ࢜ࢍ ) as a function of the firing angle.
Measured voltage ࡱ࡮ǡ ࢇ࢜ࢍ (V)

Firing Theoretical
angle Ƚ (°) voltageࡱ࡮ǡࢇ࢜ࢍ (V)
Purely resistive load Resistive-inductive load
15
30
45
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
88
90
105
120
135
150
165

17. In the Thyristor Control window, start the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge
function by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the Status parameter
to Started. Set the Firing Angle to each of the values listed in Table 6. For
each setting, note and record the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the dc side of
the bridge (indicated by meter E3) in the “Purely resistive load” column of the
table.
18. From the values recorded in Table 6, plot a curve of the average voltage
‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ measured at the dc side of the thyristor bridge versus the firing angle
for a purely resistive load. On the same graph, plot the theoretical curve of
the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the dc side of the bridge versus the firing
angle.
Does the measured curve retain a cosine shape (i.e., follow the theoretical
curve) for firing angles up to 60°, but diverge markedly for firing angles higher
than 60°? Explain why.
19. In the Thyristor Control window, stop the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge
to Stopped.
On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source off.
Average voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge as a function of the firing
angle (for a resistive-inductive load)
20. Set the resistance of the load resistor ܴ to 57 , if it is not already set to this
value. Then, connect a load inductor ‫ ܮ‬in series with load resistor ܴ, as
Figure 117 shows. The load inductor is implemented with one of the
inductors in the Filtering Inductors/Capacitors module.
a If your local ac power network voltage is either 220 V or 240 V, use the
Resistive Load module with a low (120 V) voltage rating (Model 8311-00 or
8311-A0) to implement the 57 load resistor.

21. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source on. In the
Thyristor Control window, start the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge.
Power Thyristors module
Three-phase transformer module

(8348-4)
ܳଵ ܳଶ ܳଷ
1 2
L1 L1
4 ܴ
ͷ͹π
AC power
source
(8823) 15
6 7 5
L2 L2
9
14
‫ܮ‬
ͷͲ
11 12 10
L3 L3
ܳସ ܳହ ܳ଺

Figure 117. Thyristor three-phase bridge with a resistive-inductive load.
22. Using the buttons of the Firing Angle control knob in the Thyristor Control
window, slowly vary the firing angle between 30° and 90° while observing the
signals on the Oscilloscope. Notice that the current (I3) at the dc side of the
thyristor bridge is still continuous even when the firing angle exceeds 60°.
Explain why.
If your local ac power network voltage is 220 V or 240 V, vary the firing angle between 45°
and 90° to avoid excessive voltage across the resistor in the resistive-inductive load.

In the space provided, record the maximum firing angle for which current flow
in the thyristor bridge is still continuous.
23. Set the Firing Angle to each of the values listed in Table 6. For each setting,
note and record the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the dc side of the thyristor
bridge (indicated by meter E3) in the “Resistive-inductive load” column of this
table.
a If your local ac power network voltage is 220 V or 240 V, start with a firing
angle of 45° and increase this angle by steps using the values listed in
Table 6.
24. On the same graph used in the previous subsection (step 18), plot a curve of
the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ measured at the dc side of the thyristor bridge
versus the firing angle for a resistive-inductive load, using the values
measured in the previous step.
Compare the curve for a resistive-inductive load with the theoretical curve.
Does the curve for a resistive-inductive load retain a cosine shape (i.e.,
follows the theoretical curve) up to the maximum firing angle ensuring
continuous current flow you measured in step 22?
Compare the curve for a resistive-inductive load with the curve for a purely
resistive load. What is the effect of connecting an inductor in series with the
load resistor? Explain.
25. In the Thyristor Control window, stop the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge
to Stopped.
On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source off.

Operation of a thyristor three-phase bridge as a rectifier/inverter
In this part of the exercise, you will study the operation of a thyristor three-phase
bridge acting as a rectifier/inverter. To do this, you will connect an active load to
the dc side of the thyristor bridge and observe what happens to the load current,
voltage, and power when the firing angle is varied. The active load you will use is
a current source implemented with the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power
Supply.
26. In LVDAC-EMS, open the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power Supply

window and make the following settings:
Set the Function parameter to Current Source (-). This setting makes
the internal power source operate as a negative current source.
Make sure that the Current Control parameter is set to Knob. This
allows the Current parameter to be controlled manually.
Set the Current parameter to the value indicated in the table of

Figure 118. This value depends on your local ac power network
voltage.
DO NOT start the Negative Current Source (-) function yet. This will
be done in another step.
27. Disconnect the resistive-inductive load from the thyristor three-phase bridge.
As Figure 118 shows, connect the dc side of the thyristor three-phase bridge
to the negative current source implemented using the Four-Quadrant
Dynamometer/Power Supply, via the 50-mH inductor in the Filtering
Inductors/Capacitors module. The inductor stabilizes the operation of the
circuit.
28. In the Thyristor Control window, set the Firing Angle of the thyristor three-
phase bridge to 90°. Start the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge function.
On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source on.
29. In the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power Supply, start the Negative

Current Source (-) function by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the
Status parameter to Started.

Power Thyristors module
Three-phase transformer
module (8348-4)
ܳଵ ܳଶ ܳଷ
L1 1 2 L1
4
‫ܮ‬
AC power ͷͲ
source
(8823) 15
6 7 5
L2 L2
9
14
Negative
current
11 12 10 source
L3 L3 N
ܳସ ܳହ ܳ଺

Local ac power network

Source
current
Voltage Frequency
(A)
(V) (Hz)
120 60 -2.0
220 50 -1.0
240 50 -1.0
220 60 -1.0
Figure 118. Operation of a thyristor three-phase bridge as a rectifier/inverter.
30. In the Metering window, notice that the average voltage (E3) at the dc side of
the thyristor three-phase bridge is nearly 0 V. Also, notice that the average
current (I3) at the dc side of the thyristor three-phase bridge is close to the
current setting of the negative current source but of opposite polarity (i.e., it
has a positive polarity). Therefore, the active load power (PQS3) is 0 W
approximately. This is because the firing angle is currently set to 90°.

Oscilloscope and the average voltage, current, and power at the dc side of
the thyristor bridge indicated by the meters:
Do not vary the firing angle suddenly as this can cause overcurrents to occur in the
system. You can use the up and down Firing Angle control buttons in the Thyristor Control
window to slowly vary the firing angle.
x Notice that the current flow is continuous no matter the firing angle, and
that the average current at the dc side of the thyristor bridge remains
constant (because its value is imposed by the current source) and has a
positive polarity.
x Also, notice that the average voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge
decreases as the firing angle increases, but that its polarity remains
positive. Therefore, the polarity of the load power is always positive since
the polarity of the average voltage and current at the dc side of the
thyristor three-phase bridge are both positive.
From your observation, what is the direction of power flow when the firing
angle is between 0° and 90° approximately? Does the thyristor bridge
operate as a rectifier or an inverter over this firing angle range? Explain.
32. In the Thyristor Control window, slowly vary the firing angle between 90° and
165° (do not exceed 165°) while observing the signals on the Oscilloscope
and the average voltage, current, and power at the dc side of the thyristor
bridge indicated by the meters.
Do not exceed a firing angle of 165° as this will cause an overcurrent condition to
occur.
x Notice that the current flow is still continuous no matter the firing
angle, and that the average current at the dc side of the thyristor
bridge remains constant and has a positive polarity because its value
is imposed by the current source.
x Also, notice that the polarity of the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the
dc side of the thyristor bridge is negative, and that this voltage
increases as the firing angle increases. Therefore, the polarity of the
load power is always negative since the polarity of the average
current at the dc side of the thyristor bridge can only be positive.

From your observation, what is the direction of power flow when the firing
angle is between 90° and 165°? Does the thyristor bridge operate as a
rectifier or an inverter over this firing angle range? Explain.
33. By using the Firing Angle control knob in the Thyristor Control window, set
the firing angle to each of the values listed in Table 7 and, for each setting,
note and record the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ and power at the dc side of the
thyristor bridge in this table.
a If your ac power network voltage and frequency are equal to 240 V and 50 Hz,
respectively, do not set the firing angle Ƚ to 165° (i.e., stop recording data
at 150°). This is because the negative current source cannot maintain the
current at -1.0 A when the firing angle Ƚ is higher than 150°.
Table 7. Average voltage and power at the dc side of the thyristor bridge as a function of the
firing angle with current source as the load.
Measured voltage ࡱ࡮ǡ ࢇ࢜ࢍ at the Measured power at the

Firing angle Ƚ
dc side of the thyristor bridge dc side of the bridge
(°)
(V) (W)
0
15
30
45
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
88
90
105
120
135
150
165

Exercise 7 – Thyristor Three-Phase Rectifier/Inverter Conclusion
34. In the Four-Quadrant Dynamometer/Power Supply, stop the Negative

Current Source (-) function by clicking the Start/Stop button or by setting the
Status parameter to Stopped.
In the Thyristor Control window, stop the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge

to Stopped.
35. From the values recorded in Table 7, plot a curve of the average
voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ measured at the dc side of the thyristor bridge versus the
firing angle on the same graph used in this exercise.
Compare the curve of voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ versus Ƚ obtained with the negative
current source as a load with the theoretical curve. Does the curve of
voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ versus Ƚ obtained with the negative current source retain a
cosine shape (i.e., follows the theoretical curve)? Explain.
36. From the values recorded in Table 7, plot a curve of the power measured at
the dc side of the thyristor bridge versus the firing angle. Is the polarity of
power positive for firing angles between 0° and 90° approximately? What
does this indicate about the direction of power flow and the operation of the
thyristor three-phase bridge?
Is the polarity of power negative for firing angles between 90° and 165°?
What does this indicate about the direction of power flow and the operation of
the thyristor three-phase bridge?
37. On the Power Supply, turn the three-phase ac power source off. Close
LVDAC-EMS. Disconnect all leads and return them to their storage location.
CONCLUSION In this exercise, you studied the operation of a thyristor three-phase bridge. You
learned that the circuit topology is the same as that of a power diode three-phase
full-wave rectifier, except that all diodes are replaced with thyristors. You learned
that a major advantage of the thyristor three-phase bridge over the power diode

Exercise 7 – Thyristor Three-Phase Rectifier/Inverter Review Questions
three-phase full-wave rectifier is that the average values of the dc current and
voltage at the dc side of the thyristor bridge, and thus, the amount of power
supplied to the load, can be varied by changing the firing angle of the thyristors.
You learned that when the firing angle is higher than 60°, current flow at the
dc side of the bridge becomes discontinuous when the load is purely resistive.
The firing angle for which the current flow becomes discontinuous is higher
than 60° when an inductor is connected with the resistive load. At firing angles of
120° or higher, all thyristors are off during the entire cycle of the ac power
source, and thus, the amount of power supplied to the load is null. You learned
that when a passive load such as a purely resistive load or a resistive-inductive
load is connected to the dc side of a thyristor three-phase bridge, the bridge acts
as a rectifier, and power flow is always from the ac power source to the load.
However, when an active load like a current source is connected to the dc side of
the thyristor bridge, current flow is continuous no matter the firing range.
Consequently, the firing angle can be varied between 0° and 165° (theoretically
up to 180°) so that the thyristor bridge operates as a rectifier (power flow is from
the ac power source to the load) for firing angles between 0° and 90°, and as an
inverter (power flow is from the load to the ac power source) for firing angles
between 90° and 165°.
REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. How can the operation of a power diode three-phase full-wave rectifier be
reproduced in a thyristor three-phase bridge?
2. When a purely resistive load is connected to the dc side of a thyristor three-

phase bridge, what is the maximum firing angle at which current flow at the
dc side of the bridge remains continuous? Why is current flow discontinuous
at higher firing angles?
3. Describe the curve of the average voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ at the dc side of a thyristor
three-phase bridge versus the firing angle Ƚ when current flow through the
bridge is continuous (theoretical curve). Then, compare the actual curves of

voltage ‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ versus the firing angle Ƚ obtained when the load is purely
resistive and when it is resistive-inductive to the theoretical curve.
4. Explain why a thyristor three-phase bridge operates as a rectifier when a

passive load such as a purely resistive load or a resistive load is connected
to the dc side of this bridge.

5. Explain why a thyristor three-phase bridge can operate as a rectifier or an

inverter, depending of the firing angle, when an active load (current source)
is connected to the dc side of this bridge.

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Exercise 7

Thyristor Three-Phase Rectifier/Inverter

 Thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter

DISCUSSION Thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter

Figure 103 shows the diagram of a thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter.

© Festo Didactic 86363-00 191

Thyristor three-phase bridge

Figure 103. Thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter.

Firing signals in a thyristor three-phase bridge

In Exercise 2, you learned that in a three-phase full-wave rectifier made of power

192 © Festo Didactic 86363-00

Phase voltages 90 210 330 90 210 330 Phase angle

ሺሻ ‫ܧ‬ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ

Rectifier output Phase angle

‫ܧ‬ைǡ ௔௩௚ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ௠௔௫

© Festo Didactic 86363-00 193

The operation of a power diode three-phase full-wave rectifier can be reproduced

x thyristor ܳଵ is fired at phase angle 60° of line-to-line voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (or

x 120° later, thyristor ܳଶ is fired and thyristor ܳଵ turns off.

x 120° later, thyristor ܳଷ is fired and thyristor ܳଶ turns off.

x thyristor ܳସ is fired at phase angle 240° of line-to-line voltage ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ (or

x 120° later, thyristor ܳହ is fired and thyristor ܳସ turns off.

x 120° later, thyristor ܳ଺ is fired and thyristor ܳହ turns off.

The firing sequence described above repeats over and over.

30° - 90° 60° - 120° ܳଵ and ܳହ

90° - 150° 120° - 180° ܳଵ and ܳ଺

150° - 210° 180° - 240° ܳଶ and ܳ଺

210° - 270° 240° - 300° ܳଶ and ܳସ

270° - 330° 300° - 0° ܳଷ and ܳସ

330° - 30° 0° - 60° ܳଷ and ܳହ

194 © Festo Didactic 86363-00

Phase voltages 90 210 330 90 210 330 Phase angle

ሺሻ ‫ܧ‬ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ

‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ ௠௔௫

© Festo Didactic 86363-00 195

Average voltage and current at the dc side of a thyristor three-phase bridge

196 © Festo Didactic 86363-00

Phase voltages 90 210 330 90 210 330 Phase angle

Firing angle Ƚ ൌ ͵Ͳι

Current at the dc side Phase angle

‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ௠௔௫௜௠௨௠ ௩௔௟௨௘ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ௠௔௫

© Festo Didactic 86363-00 197

198 © Festo Didactic 86363-00

Phase voltages 90 210 330 90 210 330 Phase angle

Firing angle Ƚ ൌ ͻͲι

ሺሻ Pair of conducting thyristors (ܳଷ and ܳହ ) turns off

Current at the dc side Phase angle

‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ௠௔௫௜௠௨௠ ௩௔௟௨௘ ൌ ͳǤ͸ͷ‫ܧ‬௅ିேǡ௠௔௫

© Festo Didactic 86363-00 199

‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ൌ ͳǤ͵ͷ ൈ ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ ௥௠௦ ή  Ƚ (8)

Purely resistive load

Curve area for resistive-

200 © Festo Didactic 86363-00

The curve in dashed lines representing Equation (8) indicates that:

a In actual three-phase thyristor bridges, the maximum firing angle allowed is

Purely resistive load

Operation as a rectifier or an inverter

When a passive load such as a purely resistive load or a resistive-inductive load

© Festo Didactic 86363-00 201

Thyristor three-phase rectifier/inverter

ሺሻ ‫ܧ‬ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ

ሺሻ ‫ܧ‬ ‫ܧ‬ଶିଷ ‫ܧ‬ଷିଵ

‫ܧ‬஻ǡ ௔௩௚ ൌ ͳǤ͵ͷ ൈ ‫ܧ‬௅ି௅ǡ ௥௠௦ ή Ƚ (8)

Set up and connections

Set the Function parameter to Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge.

Set the Firing Angle parameter to 0° by entering 0 in the field next to

Leave the other parameters set to their default values.

Start the Thyristor Three-Phase Bridge function by clicking the

‫ܧ‬஻ǡ௔௩௚ ሺሻ ൌ ͳǤ͵ͷ‫ܧ‬ଵିଶ௥௠௦ ൈ Ƚ

Set the Current parameter to the value indicated in the table of