Chapter 6
DC to AC Conversion
(INVERTER)
• General concept
• Single-phase inverter
• Harmonics
• Modulation
• Three-phase inverter
DC to AC Converter (Inverter)
• DEFINITION: Converts DC to AC power by
switching the DC input voltage (or current) in a
pre-determined sequence so as to generate AC
voltage (or current) output.
• General block diagram
IDC Iac
+ +
VDC Vac
• TYPICAL APPLICATIONS:
– Un-interruptible power supply (UPS), Industrial
(induction motor) drives, Traction, HVDC
Simple square-wave inverter (1)
• To illustrate the concept of AC waveform
generation
SQUARE-WAVE
INVERTER
T1 T3
D1 D3
+ VO -
VDC
IO
T4 T2
D2 D4
EQUIVALENT
CIRCUIT
S1 S3
S4 S2
AC Waveform Generation
S1,S2 ON; S3,S4 OFF for t1 < t < t2
vO
S1 S3 VDC
VDC
t
+ vO t1 t2
S4 S2
S3,S4 ON ; S1,S2 OFF for t2 < t < t3
vO
S1 S3
VDC t2 t3
+ vO t
S4 S2
-VDC
AC Waveforms
INVERTER OUTPUT VOLTAGE
Vdc
-Vdc
FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT
V1
4VDC
3RD HARMONIC
V1
3
5RD HARMONIC
V1
5
Harmonics Filtering
DC SUPPLY INVERTER (LOW PASS) FILTER LOAD
L
+ +
C
vO 1 vO 2
BEFORE FILTERING AFTER FILTERING
vO 1 vO 2
• Output of the inverter is “chopped AC voltage with
zero DC component”. It contain harmonics.
• An LC section low-pass filter is normally fitted at
the inverter output to reduce the high frequency
harmonics.
• In some applications such as UPS, “high purity” sine
wave output is required. Good filtering is a must.
• In some applications such as AC motor drive,
filtering is not required.
Variable Voltage Variable
Frequency Capability
Vdc2 Higher input voltage
Higher frequency
Vdc1 Lower input voltage
Lower frequency
T1 T2 t
• Output voltage frequency can be varied by “period”
of the square-wave pulse.
• Output voltage amplitude can be varied by varying
the “magnitude” of the DC input voltage.
• Very useful: e.g. variable speed induction motor
drive
Output voltage harmonics/
distortion
• Harmonics cause distortion on the output voltage.
• Lower order harmonics (3rd, 5th etc) are very
difficult to filter, due to the filter size and high filter
order. They can cause serious voltage distortion.
• Why need to consider harmonics?
– Sinusoidal waveform quality.
– “Power Quality” issue.
– Harmonics may cause degradation of
equipment. Equipment need to be “de-rated”.
• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) is a measure to
determine the “quality” of a given waveform.
Fourier Series
• Study of harmonics requires understanding of wave
shapes. Fourier Series is a tool to analyse wave
shapes.
Fourier Series
1 2
ao f (v)d (" DC" term)
0
1 2
an f (v) cos n d (" cos" term)
0
1 2
bn f (v) sin n d ("sin" term)
0
Inverse Fourier
1
f (v) ao an cos n bn sin n
2 n 1
where t
Harmonics of square-wave (1)
Vdc
=t
-Vdc
1 2
ao Vdc d Vdc d 0
0
Vdc 2
an cos n d cos n d 0
0
Vdc 2
bn sin n d sin n d
0
Harmonics of square wave (2)
Solving,
V
bn dc cos n 0 cos n
n
2
Vdc
(cos 0 cos n ) (cos 2n cos n )
n
Vdc
(1 cos n ) (1 cos n )
n
2V
dc (1 cos n )
n
When n is even, cos n 1
bn 0
(i.e. even harmonics do not exist)
When n is odd, cos n 1
4Vdc
bn
n
Quasi-square wave (QSW)
Vdc
2
-Vdc
Note that an 0. (due to half - wave symmetry)
1
bn 2 Vdc sin n d
2Vdc
n
cos n
2Vdc
cos n cos n
n
Expanding :
cos n cos n n
cos n cos n sin n sin n cos n cos n
2V
bn dc cos n cos n cos n
n
2Vdc
cos n 1 cos n
n
Harmonics control
If n is even, bn 0,
4Vdc
If n is odd, bn cos n
n
In particular, amplitude of the fundamental is :
4Vdc
b1 cos
Note :
The fundamental , b1 , is controlled by varying α
Harmonics can also be controlled by adjusting ,
Harmonics Elimination :
For example if 30o , then b3 0, or the third
harmonic is eliminated from the waveform. In
general, harmonic n will be eliminated if :
90o
n
Half-bridge inverter (1)
S1 ON
Vdc S2 OFF
+
S1 2
VC1
-
V +
Vdc o
G 0
t
RL
+
VC2 S2
- Vdc
2 S1 OFF
S2 ON
• Also known as the “inverter leg”.
• Basic building block for full bridge, three phase and
higher order inverters.
• G is the “centre point”.
• Both capacitors have the same value. Thus the DC
link is equally “spilt” into two.
• The top and bottom switch has to be
“complementary”, i.e. If the top switch is closed (on),
the bottom must be off, and vice-versa.
Practice problem
The single-phase half-bridge inverter has a resistive load of R = 2.4 Ω
and the dc input voltage is Vs = 48V. Determine (a) the rms output
voltage at the fundamental frequency Vo1, (b) the output power Po, (c)
the average and peak currents of each transistor, (d) the peak reverse
blocking voltage VBR of each transistor, (e) the average supply current
Is, (f) the THD, (g) the DF, and (h) the HF and LOH.
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