2014

International Symposium on Power Electronics,

Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion

A Novel Topology for a Voltage Source Inverter with

Reduced Transistor Count and Utilizing Naturally
Commutated Thyristors with Simple Commutation
S. M. Sajjad Hossain Rafin Thomas A. Lipo Byung-il Kwon
Electronic Systems Engineering Electrical & Computer Engineering Electronic Systems Engineering
Hanyang University University of Wisconsin-Madison Hanyang University
Ansan, South Korea Madison WI, USA Ansan, South Korea
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract— This paper discloses a novel topology for a voltage load [4], [5]. However, the proposed topology utilizes
source inverter with certain advantages over conventional thyristors which are naturally commutated by means of
topologies. In particular, the circuit uses only three high utilizing the switching capabilities of the transistors. Hence, the
performance transistor switches rather than six switches as in the extra cost of commutation circuits can be avoided along with
conventional three leg inverter circuit. Thus, this circuit could the associated complexity by this topology. Moreover,
prove to be attractive in applications requiring high cost conventional pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques can
switching components such as new silicon carbide and gallium be utilized for the transistor switching and thyristors
nitride based devices. In addition to the three switches, two low commutation. Finally, the topology can also be extended and
cost thyristors are used per phase to provide commutation from
used in an indirect AC-AC converter.
positive to negative current. Theoretical analysis and simulation
results are provided to verify its performance and feasibility. This paper discusses the novel topology, its basic operation
and switching technique. System level simulation results are
Keywords—Novel Topology, Inverter, VSI, Transistor, provided to verify its feasibility and performance. Simulation
Thyristor. study is conducted by using MATLAB/SIMULINK to
demonstrate its performance. Experimental setup is designed,
I. INTRODUCTION assembled, and built properly according to the novel topology
Voltage source (VSI) and current source inverters (CSI) are requirements. However, the experiment is in process and the
widely utilized in various applications such as, adjustable- experiment results will be provided soon.
speed drives (ASD) for AC motors, induction heating,
uninterruptable power supplies (UPS), standby power supplies,
electronic frequency changer circuits, distributed generation
units, HVDC systems to name a few [1],[2]. In this paper, a
three phase voltage source inverter (VSI) topology is proposed
which utilizes a combination of thyristors and transistors in a
configuration which has not been yet previously reported (Fig.
1). This VSI has similar features compared to conventional the
six switch VSI (Fig. 2) in terms of its output voltage-current
waveforms. However, a major reduction in the number of
expensive transistor switches is obtained by using inexpensive
thyristors instead. Hence, the circuit could be an economical
alternative to the conventional VSI and CSI in cost sensitive
applications. In particular, this topology could be an alternative
for the conventional VSI or CSI in a high power multi motor
drive application where new and evolving but high cost silicon
carbide or gallium nitride switches are employed. In addition,
this topology could also inspire manufacturers to design and
manufacture low current inverter grade thyristors for lower
power inverter applications.
Generally, thyristor based VSIs require complex and
expensive forced commutation techniques [4]. Load or line
commutation can also be done only with a leading power factor
Fig. 1. Schematic of the proposed novel VSI topology

978-1-4799-4749-2/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE

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 The quantities I , ω , and φ are amplitude of the output
current, output angular frequencies, and initial angle of the
phase output current respectively.

A. Basic operation and commutation technique

In this section a typical switching sequence for the
converter will be discussed. Again, for simplicity only one leg
(phase “a”) of the converter will be covered at first and then the
three phase switching sequence will be described in the
following sections of this chapter.
1) Positive current commutation:
a) For positive ia current, thyristor Stap is turned on first
with Stan off, as shown in Fig. 3(a).
b) Transistor Sa is then switched on and off using an
appropriate PWM technique.
c) Within this period, positive current flows through
Stap, Sa, D2, and Dt2, (Fig. 3(a)).
d) At the end of this positive half cycle when current
Fig. 2. Schematic of conventional six switch VSI topology reaches zero, Stap is turned off by removing the gate signal
from Sa.
II. PROPOSED TOPOLOGY
The schematic of the proposed topology is illustrated in
Fig. 1. As may be observed that, unlike conventional VSI this
topology is equipped with both transistors (Sa, Sb, and Sc) and
thyristors (Stap, Stan, Stbp, Stbn, Stcp, and Stcn). As for the
conventional VSI, diodes are also connected antiparallel with
all the switches for bidirectional current flow. The output
voltage equation of the inverter are given below, where the “S”
elements take on a value of one or zero when the
corresponding switch is turned on or opened respectively.

⎡V a ⎤ ⎡ S tap S tan ⎤ ⎡S S an ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎡V ⎤ ⎢ ap ⎥ ⎡V ⎤ (1)
⎢V b ⎥ = ⎢ S tbp S tbn ⎥ . ⎢ p ⎥ + ⎢ S bp S bn ⎥ . ⎢ p ⎥
V V
⎢⎣V c ⎥⎦ ⎢ S tcp S tcn ⎥ ⎣ n ⎦ ⎢ S cp S cn ⎥ ⎣ n ⎦
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦

It is to be noted that, transistors Sa, Sb, and Sc operate both

on the positive and negative cycle of the current flow.
Therefore, in equation (1) for the positive cycle, transistors Sa,
Sb, and Sc become Sap, Sbp, and Scp and for the negative cycle
they become San, Sbn, and Scn respectively. (a) (b)

Fig. 3. Basic operation and commutation technique of phase “a”

III. COMMUTATION AND PWM CONTROL SCHEME
In this chapters the commutation technique for the 2) Negative current commutation:
thyristors and PWM control for the transistors will be a) After the recovery period of Stap, Stan is turned on
discussed. The DC voltage input of the inverter considered to with Stap remaining off, as shown in Fig. 3(b).
be stiff with negligible impedance. In addition, it is assumed
that the output currents are, b) Again, for this negative half a cycle Sa is turned on
and off using pulse width modulation.
c) And, in this period negative current flows through
i cos (ω t + ϕ )
=I
a ο o ο
(2) D1, Dt1, Sa, and Stan (Fig. 3(b)).
2π
i = I cos (ω t + ϕ − )
b o ο ο 3 d) The basic strategy continues for the rest of the legs
2π
i = I cos (ω t + ϕ +
c o ο ο
) according to their phase order.
3

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B. Switching states of the topology zero to their specific phase notation. In addition, at this
Similar to conventional topology, this novel three phase switching state current flows through thyristor Stcp, Stan, and
three leg inverter has total eight active and zero voltage Stbn; transistor Sa, Sb, and Sc; also diode D1, D3, D6, Dt1, Dt3, and
switching states. Out of the eight, the six active switching Dt6. However, Fig 4(b) illustrates the next switching state and
states are illustrated in Fig. 4(a) to 4(f) where only the current circulating path through the conducted devices.
conducted devices and their current flowing paths are shown. Furthermore, rest of the four active switching states are
In case of any switching state only one thyristor and the described pictorially from Fig. 4(c) to Fig. 4(f).
transistor of a phase conduct at any instance. However, In Fig. 5, switching sequences (firing/triggering pulses) are
complimentary thyristors of any phase cannot be turned on at illustrated for all the thyristors and transistors. Where, bold red
the same time in order to avoid short circuit condition. marked sections specify the delay periods between the
conduction of the complimentary thyristors (Stap and Stan, Stbp
and Stbn, Stcp and Stcn). And these delay periods are introduced
by removing gate triggering pulses from the transistors (Sa, Sb,
and Sc) placed in between the per phase thyristors. Once the
pulses are removed from the gates of the transistors, they act
like an open path at that instance (considering ideal case) and
they resist the current flow through them. Thus, these
transistors turn off the thyristors according to the sequence and
offer them adequate recovery time for the next interval.

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Fig. 5. Swiching sequences of the devices and their conduction periods

Now, considering all the conditions of conduction states

described-shown in Fig. 4(a) to 4(f) and the switching
sequences shown in Fig. 5, it can be written that,
(e) (f)
Fig. 4. Active swiching states and current flowing path Stap.Sa + Stan.Sa = 1 (3)
It can be seen in Fig. 4(a) that, from the top three thyristors
only Stcp is turned on with keeping Stap and Stbp off. Then, the Stbp.Sb + Stbn.Sb = 1 (4)
bottom thyristors are fired on or commutated off according to
their complimentary thyristors’ switching state. In accordance
to that, Stan and Stbn is kept on with Stcn off. Nevertheless,
transistor Sa, Sb, and Sc are switched on until the current reaches Stcp.Sc + Stcn.Sc = 1 (5)

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 Eight switching states of the inverter are given in Table I.
Switching states 1 and 8 produce zero AC output line voltage,
and the remaining states produce non-zero output AC line
voltage. Thus, the resulting AC output line to line voltage
consists of discrete values of voltage -VDC, 0, and VDC. Note that,
for simplicity, the output line voltages are considered without
utilizing PWM techniques rather using simple continuous 1800
conduction. Nonetheless, in the following section of this
chapter line to line voltage equations are given with utilization
of the PWM techniques.

TABLE I. SWICHING STATES OF THE NOVEL TOPOLOGY

Switching Devices Output line voltages
state Stap.Sa Stbp.Sb Stcp.Sc Vab Vbc Vca
1 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 1 0 - VDC VDC
3 0 1 0 -VDC VDC 0
4 0 1 1 - VDC 0 - VDC
5 1 0 0 VDC 0 - VDC
6 1 0 1 VDC - VDC 0
7 1 1 0 0 VDC VDC
8 1 1 1 0 0 0

C. PWM control scheme

As mentioned earlier, the transistors are switched on and
off using appropriate PWM techniques, more to that any PWM
techniques can be applied to this topology. However in this
paper, naturally sampled sine-triangle PWM (ST-PWM)
method was selected to verify the workability. The ST-PWM
method uses a single triangular carrier signal to compare
against three sinusoidal reference waveforms displaced in time
by 120o [3]. This type of modulation is generally termed
double-edge naturally sampled modulation.
In order to simplify the analysis, it is considered that there
is no delay given between the conduction periods of per phase
thyristors. That implies, the PWM switching of the transistors
will also have no delay between the positive and negative
current flow. In addition, transistor’s (Sa) triggering pulses or
the PWM switching sequences are identical for both positive
and negative sequence, it is because per phase thyristors (Stap
and Stan) provide commutation from positive to negative
current. Eventually the combination of these devices per phase
ensures a typical PWM control scheme (from equation 3-5).
Fig. 6(a), 6(f), and 6(k) illustrate the ST-PWM generation
methodology by comparing triangular carrier signal to three
sinusoidal reference waveforms displaced in time by 1200 for
three different phase “a”, “b”, and “c” respectively. However,
the resulting switching pulses by ST-PWM method per phase
transistors are shown accordingly in Fig. 6(c) and 6(e), Fig.
6(h) and 6(j), and in Fig. 6(m) and 6(o). Moreover, thyristor
firing pulses and their conduction periods are given pictorially
in Fig. 6(b) and 6(d), Fig. 6(g) and 6(i), and in Fig. 6(l) and
6(n) in sequence. It is to be noted that, small blocks represent
the firing pulses but the bigger rectangular blocks denote the
conduction period of the thyristors. To conclude, Fig. 6(p)
shows a typical three phase sine triangle PWM method.
Nonetheless, the ST-PWM method described in above sections
which is used to operate the novel inverter is the exact same Fig. 6. Naturally sampled sine-triangle modulation for the proposed
compared to the conventional ST-PWM method shown in Fig. topology; thyristor firing pulses and conduction periods; transistors switching
6(p). pulses

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Hence, the equations for phase voltages using ST-PWM for Fig. 7 shows the waveform of 3 phase output current in
this novel topology without the delay periods can be written as which the switching frequency of the ST-PWM algorithm is
follows, 5400 Hz. In addition, from the figure it can be observed that
the three phase output current found through simulations are
not purely sinusoidal. However, it can be improved by utilizing
=V cos ω t = MV DC cos ω t
V better transistor switching techniques, and control scheme.
o az ο ο
2π 2π
V =V cos( ω t − ) = MV DC cos( ω t − ) (6)
bz o ο 3 ο 3
2π 2π
V =V cos( ω t + ) = MV DC cos( ω t + )
cz o ο 3 ο 3

The fundamental target three-phase line-line output

voltages are,

π
V =V −V =M 3V DC cos( ω t + )
ab az bz ο 6
π (7)
V =V −V
= M 3V DC cos( ω t − )
bc bz cz ο 2
5π
V = V − V = M 3V DC cos( ω t + )
ca cz az ο 6

Where, V = output voltage peak magnitude, M =

modulation index = V /VDC, and the reference waveforms are
defined by considering “z” as a fictitious DC bus center point.
Fig. 8. THD of output current-5400 switching frequency of the novel VSI
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS
The proposed topology has been extensively investigated Fig. 8 depicts the THD response on output current for the
utilizing system level simulation with MATLAB/SIMULINK. 5400 kHz switching frequency. Because of the slight zero
Moreover, simulation has been performed to observer the current intervals needed to allow the thyristor’s recover
output current, line voltage, and total harmonics distortion blocking ability a very slight increase in the current THD was
(THD) of it. The simulation software represents all the obtained compared to the conventional arrangements.
switches and the components as ideal. Simulation parameters
taken for analysis are as follows,
Input DC voltage: 220 V (peak to peak);
Output inductance: 25 mH;
Output resistance: 10 Ω;
Carrier frequency: 5400 Hz;
Modulation index M: 0.8;
Output frequency: 60Hz

Fig. 7. Three phase output current of the proposed VSI

Fig. 9. Three phase output line voltage of the novel VSI topology

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 Finally, Fig. 9 illustrates three phase output line voltage Fig. 11 depicts the driver board and firing board for the
waveforms of the inverter circuit. Although the waveforms are transistors and thyristors along with the DSP control circuit
slightly distorted but it also can be improved by developing or board. Moreover, a controllable DC power supply DS2000S is
utilizing better switching technique, and control scheme. In used for the input DC supply for the inverter. Furthermore, as
addition, it is to be noted that the ST-PWM technique cannot the load for the inverter circuit a 1.5kW, 380V, and 60Hz
utilize the maximum DC bus voltage to produce maximum induction motor will be used. To conclude, the experiment is in
peak fundamental output line voltage to the load, whereas the process and the results will be reported soon.
third harmonic injected ST-PWM or space vector PWM
(SVPWM) gives 15% enhanced fundamental output with better VI. CONCLUSTION
quality [3].
This paper proposes a novel topology that could be an
attractive alternative to the conventional inverter topologies.
V. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP The functionality of conventional three phase inverter could be
To demonstrate the performance and feasibility of the achieved in different power level by utilizing combination of
topology and to verify the simulation results, it is necessary to transistors and naturally commutated thyristors. The focal point
perform an experiment. Thus, hardware implementation is a of this research is developing an attractive yet inexpensive
vital area to work on. More to that, the experimental setup is alternative topology at the high power level system. Cost
designed, assembled and built according to the requirement of advantages can potentially be achieved from this topology over
the novel topology. Fig. 10 shows the inverter circuit conventional arrangements. The performance and feasibility
arrangement. Furthermore, Powerex inverter grade stud-type has been substantiated with system level simulation with
SCR T507064034AQ are used as thyristors, ST utilizing open loop control scheme. Performance wise it
Microelectronics IGBT STGE50NC60VD as transistors, and resembles conventional topologies with some certain
the antiparallel diodes are used in the circuit are Fairchild advantages over them. Thus, it could be an attractive
Semiconductor RHRG5060 type. alternative considering all of the features provided by this
novel inverter topology. However, as stated before, the
hardware implementation is completed and the experiment is in
process to demonstrate the performance and feasibility of the
topology. Nevertheless, in near future the experimental results
will be reported.
Finally, future topics of research will concern improvement
of the switching technique to utilize maximum DC bus supply
voltage, reducing the harmonic content, and minimizing
switching losses. More to that, utilization of close loop control
scheme could improve the performance of the topology in all
aspect. Furthermore, this converter and extended multi-level
topologies based on this converter can be investigated for a
number of future power system applications in both medium
and high power systems, e.g., a standby power system, a
distributed generation unit, a HVDC system to name a few.

Fig. 10. Inverter circuit containing transistors, thyristors, and diodes REFERENCES
[1] N. Mohan, W. P. Robbin and T. Undeland, “Power Electronic:
Converters, Applications, and Design”, 2nd ed. (book), New York:
Wiley, 1995.
[2] B. K. Bose, “Power Electronics and Variable Frequency Drives:
Technology and Applications” (book), IEEE Press, 1997.
[3] D. G. Holmes, T. A. Lipo, “Pulse Width Modulation for Power
Converters: Principles and Practice” (book), IEEE Press Series on
Power Engineering, 2003.
[4] G. K. Dubey, Classification of Thyristor Commutation Methods, IEEE
Trans. On Industry Applications., Vol. IA-19, No. 4, July/Aug 1983, pp.
600-606.
[5] R. Dixit, B. Singh et al., “Adjustable Speed Drives: Review on Different
Inverter Topologies”, International Journal of Reviews in Computing,
2012, Vol. 09, pp. 54-6

Fig. 11. Transistor (IGBT) driver board (top left), Thyristor (SCR) firing
board (top right), and DSP (TMS320F28335) control board

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