Advanced Studies in Power Electronics

DC-AC Conversion
(Inverters)
 Course Contents
 General Requirements of Power Semiconductor Switches
- Static Performance Requirements
- Dynamic Performance Requirements
 DC Power Supplies
- Linear DC Power Supply
- Switch Mode DC Power Supply
 DC- DC Converters
- Buck Converter
- Boost Converter
- Buck- Boost Converter
 DC- AC Converters
- Inverters
- Uninterruptable Power Supply, UPS
 AC- AC Converters
 Inverters
Introduction

 A power inverter is a power electronic device which used to convert DC

voltage into AC voltage.
 The inverter is a static device. It can convert one form of electrical power
into other forms of electrical power. But it cannot generate electrical
power.
 It can be used as a standalone device such as solar power or back power
for home appliances.
 A power inverter used in the power system network to convert bulk DC
power to AC power. i.e. It used at the receiving end of HVDC
transmission. This inverter is known as a grid-tie inverter.
 Principle of operation

Let’s take a circuit diagram of a single-phase full-bridge inverter to

understand the operating principle.
 Principle of operation
 When switch S1 and S2 are ON, S3 and S4
OFF, the direction of current through the
load is positive.
 It gives a positive half cycle of the AC
output.
 Now, switch S3 and S4 is ON, S1 and S2
OFF. The current is flowing in the opposite
direction.
 It gives a negative half cycle of the AC
output.
 The ON and OFF time of switches
determines the output frequency.
 The output of the inverter is a square wave.
 The filters used to generate a sine wave.
 Classifications of Inverters

According to the Output Waveform

•Square wave inverter
•Modified sine wave inverter
•Sine wave inverter

Square Wave Inverter

This is the least used but simplest type of inverter.
The output waveform of this inverter is a square wave.
This is the cheapest type of inverter.
 Classifications of Inverters

Modified Sine wave inverter

 This inverter is also known as quasi sine-wave inverter.

 This inverter generates the signal near to the sine wave.
 Classifications of Inverters

Sine wave inverter

 This is the most efficient and complex type of inverter.
 It generates the pure sine wave which is a similar waveform of the grid
power.
 All AC equipment designed to work on the sine wave signal.
 This inverter made the least losses. But the cost of this inverter is very
high..
 Classifications of Inverters
According to the Type of Load

There are two types of AC power; single-phase and three-phase. Therefore, there
are two types of load. And according to that, there are two types of inverters:
•Single-phase inverter
•Three-phase inverter
Single-phase Inverter
If the load is a single-phase, the inverter used to run the load that is the single-
phase inverter. There are two types;
•Half-bridge inverter
•Full-bridge inverter
Three-phase Inverter
• 180 ͦ Conduction mode
• 120 ͦ Conduction mode
 Classifications of Inverters
According to the input source

The inverters are classified into three types according to the input source as
follows:
(i) Voltage source inverter if the input voltage remains constant
(ii) Current source inverter if the input currents are maintained constant.
(iii) Variable DC linked inverter if the input voltage is controllable.
Single-phase voltage source inverters (VSIs) can be found as half-bridge and full-
bridge topologies. Although the power range they cover is the low one, they are
widely used in power supplies, single-phase UPSs.
Classifications of Inverters
 Applications of Inverters

Some of the applications of an inverter include:

•An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) uses battery and inverter when the main
power is not available
• The power inverters are used in the HVDC transmission.
•They are also used to connect two asynchronous AC systems
• The output of the solar panel is DC power. The solar inverter used to convert DC
power into AC power.
• The inverter produces variable output voltage by using a control unit (close-loop
inverter). For example: induction motor speed control, air-conditioning and
refrigerators.
• It can convert the low-frequency AC power to a higher frequency which used
in induction heating
Single-Phase Inverters
 Single-phase Half-bridge Inverter

Two switches (S1 and S2) connected with

two feedback diodes (D1 and D2) as
shown in the circuit diagram.
The supply voltage divides into two equal
parts. The resistive load is used to
understand the working principle.
 Single-phase Half-bridge Inverter

Mode 1

 Switch S1 is ON and S2 is OFF

during this mode.
 The current flowing path is source
V/2-S1-B-RL-A- source V/2.
 The current flowing through the
load is B to A direction.
 The voltage across the load is
positive V/2.
 In this mode, the positive cycle of
the output generates.
 Single-phase Half-bridge Inverter

Mode II

 Switch S2 is ON and S1 is OFF

during this mode.
 The current flowing path is V/2-A-
RL-B-S2-V/2.
 The current flowing through the
load A to B direction.
 The voltage across the load is
negative V/2.
 In this mode, the negative cycle of
output generates
Single-phase Half-bridge Inverter
With resistive load
Single-phase Half-Bridge Inverter
 Single-phase Full-bridge Inverter

 In a full-bridge inverter, four switches

and four feedback diodes used.
 One DC source applied to the circuit.
 In a full-bridge inverter, two switches
are in conduction at the same time.
 The role of the feedback diodes is
important in R-L load, they provide a
feedback path for the load current to
the source.
 Single-phase Full-bridge Inverter

Mode 1

 Thyristor S1 and S2 are ON and

thyristors S3 and S4 are OFF.
 During this mode, the current
flowing path is source-S1-A-
Load-B-S2-source.
 The current flowing through the
load is from A to B and resulting a
positive half cycle.
 Single-phase Full-bridge Inverter

Mode II

 Thyristors S3 and S4 are ON and

thyristor S1 and S2 are OFF.
 The current flowing path is
source-S3-B-load-A-S4-source.
 The current flowing through the
load is from B to A and resulting
a negative half cycle of output.
Waveforms with resistive load
Single-phase Full-bridge Inverter
 Solved examples

(1) The single-phase half-bridge thyristor inverter shown in Fig. has a

resistive load of R = 3Ω and the DC input voltage Vdc = 60 V. Determine:
(a) The rms value of the output voltage.
(b) The output power.
(c) The average and peak current of each thyristor.
(d) The peak reverse blocking voltage VBR of each thyristor.
 Solved examples

(2) For the single-phase MOSFET bridge inverter circuit shown in Fig., the source
Vdc =125 V, load resistance R =10 Ω and output voltage frequency fo = 50 Hz.
(a) Draw the output voltage and load current waveforms.
(b) Derive the rms value of the output voltage waveform and hence calculate the
output power Po in terms of the output voltage.
(c) Determine the value of the rms output voltage for the fundamental component
(d) Calculate the average and peak currents of each transistor.
Example (3):
A single-phase full bridge inverter has a resistive load of R=2.4Ω and the dc input
voltage 24V. Determine the following for 50% duty cycle:
a) The rms value of fundamental component,
b) The output power,
c) The average and peak current of each switch,