Power Electronics
Winter 2012
Lecture 12
Dr. Walid Atef Omran
Today’s Lecture
DC Choppers
Step Down DC Chopper
Step Down DC Chopper with R-L-E Load
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DC Choppers
The DC chopper is a power electronics converter that converts the fixed
DC voltage and current into variable DC voltage and current.
DC choppers are used in a number of applications, such as:
Speed control of DC motors
Regenerative braking of DC motors
DC voltage regulators
Maximum power point tracking of photovoltaic systems
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Classification of DC Choppers
There are many topologies of DC choppers but the basic choppers are:
Step down DC chopper (buck chopper), where the average output
voltage is less than the input DC voltage. The energy is transferred
from the high voltage side to the low voltage side.
Step up DC chopper (boost chopper), where the average output
voltage is higher than the input DC voltage. The energy is
transferred from the low voltage side to the high voltage side.
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Step Down (Buck) DC Chopper
The switch S is fully controlled electronic switch
such as BJTs, MOSFETs or IGBTs.
The direction of the arrow of the switch
indicates the direction of current flow.
A diode is placed in parallel with the switch to provide a path for the
current in case of an inductive load.
A filter is added at the output side to smooth the output current and
voltage (inductor for smoothing the current and capacitor for
smoothing the voltage).
The frequency of the output can be controlled by controlling the
switching frequency of S. 5
Buck Chopper with R-L-E Load
An R-L-E load can be used to represent the armature of DC motor,
thus, the analysis of this load is of great importance.
The output filter is removed to simplify the analysis.
The switch S is closed for time ton and
then opened for time toff .
The total period of switching is:
𝑇 = 𝑡𝑜𝑛 + 𝑡𝑜𝑓𝑓
The frequency of switching is:
1
𝑓=
𝑇
The duty cycle of switching is:
𝑡𝑜𝑛
𝑑= 6
𝑇
Buck Chopper with R-L-E Load
Principle of operation (continuous mode):
(1) S is turned on from 0 till ton (D is off), and thus, the output voltage is
VS and the output current is increases till Iomax.
(2) S is turned off from ton till T (D is on), and thus, the output voltage is 0
and the current decreases till Iomin.
(1) (2)
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vo(t)
VS
dT T t
Gating signal for ton toff
the electronic switch → S
t
io(t)
Iomax
Iomin
t
iS(t)
Iomax
Iomin
iD(t) t
Iomax
Iomin
Conducting t
device in each region → S D S 8
Buck Chopper with R-L-E Load
Analysis of the circuit (continuous mode):
0≤ t ≤ dT:
𝑑𝑖𝑜
𝑉𝑠 = 𝐿 + 𝑖𝑜 𝑅 + 𝐸
𝑑𝑡
𝑉𝑠 − 𝐸 𝐿
𝑖𝑜 (𝑡) = + 𝐴𝑒 −𝑡 𝜏
(𝜏 = is the time constant)
𝑅 𝑅
To find A: substitute io (t) = Iomin at t = 0
𝑉𝑠 − 𝐸
𝐴 = 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛 −
𝑅
𝑉𝑠 − 𝐸
∴ 𝑖𝑜 𝑡 = 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑒 −𝑡 𝜏 + 1 − 𝑒 −𝑡 𝜏
(1)
𝑅
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Buck Chopper with R-L-E Load
Analysis of the circuit (continuous mode):
dT ≤ t ≤ T:
𝑑𝑖𝑜
0=𝐿 + 𝑖𝑜 𝑅 + 𝐸
𝑑𝑡
−𝐸
𝑖𝑜 (𝑡) = + 𝐴𝑒 −(𝑡−𝑑𝑇) 𝜏
𝑅
To find A: substitute io (t) = Iomax at t = dT
𝐸
𝐴 = 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑥 +
𝑅
𝐸
∴ 𝑖𝑜 𝑡 = 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑒 −(𝑡−𝑑𝑇) 𝜏 − 1 − 𝑒 −(𝑡−𝑑𝑇) 𝜏
(2)
𝑅
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Buck Chopper with R-L-E Load
Analysis of the circuit (continuous mode):
To find Iomin and Iomax:
Substitute in Eq. (1): io (t) = Iomax at t = dT
−𝑑𝑇 𝜏
𝑉𝑠 − 𝐸
∴ 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝑒 + 1 − 𝑒 −𝑑𝑇 𝜏
(3)
𝑅
Substitute in Eq. (2): io (t) = Iomin at t = T
− 1−𝑑 𝑇 𝜏
𝐸
∴ 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑒 − 1 − 𝑒 −(1−𝑑)𝑇 𝜏 (4)
𝑅
Solving (3) and (4)
𝑉𝑠 𝑒 −𝑑𝑇 𝜏 − 1 𝐸 𝑉𝑠 1 − 𝑒 −𝑑𝑇 𝜏 𝐸
𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛 = − & 𝐼𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑥 = −
𝑅 𝑒 −𝑇 𝜏 −1 𝑅 𝑅 1−𝑒 −𝑇 𝜏 𝑅
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Buck Chopper with R-L-E Load
Analysis of the circuit (continuous mode):
The peak to peak ripple output current is:
ΔIo = Iomax – Iomin
The average output voltage is:
𝑑𝑇
1
𝑉𝑜𝑎𝑣 = 𝑉𝑆 𝑑𝑡 = 𝑑 𝑉𝑆
𝑇
0
Thus, the average output voltage can be controlled by changing the
duty cycle, d.
The average output current is:
𝑉𝑜𝑎𝑣 − 𝐸 𝑑 𝑉𝑆 − 𝐸
𝐼𝑜𝑎𝑣 = =
𝑅 𝑅 12
Announcements
The due date for the project is Wednesday, 12 December 2012.
The due date for assignment 3 is Wednesday, 12 December 2012.
Quiz 3 will be held on Wednesday, 12 December 2012.
The quiz will cover three phase rectifiers and Inverters.
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