Part 4

DC – AC Converters

(b) Single-phase converter with PWM control

 Better Quality AC output

How do we obtain a better quality AC waveform?

NOTE:
- Normally it is the load current NOT the applied voltage, that is important.

- As inductive element impedances increase with frequency, high

frequency voltage harmonics will result in lower load current than low
order harmonics of equal magnitude.

Can we increase the frequency of the harmonics whilst still

producing the required fundamental ?

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 Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

ton • We have previously used pulse width

control to vary a DC output voltage.

T1 OFF
T1 OFF T1 ON
T2 ON
T2 ON T2 OFF

Ts
T1 D1
ton
Vout (t ) = Vdc Vdc A
Ts
T2 D2 Vout
Average voltage within one o
short switching period Ts
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 Average Output Voltage

• A single converter leg produces an average output voltage within a Ts period: ton
Vout = Vdc
Ts
ton
• Define a duty cycle or modulation index m=
Ts
• Hence Vout = mVdc

m must be between 0 and 1.

➢ We can make m vary in time – m varies from one Ts period to the next Ts period (now
called m(t)).

➢ By varying m(t), the average voltage in any time period Ts can controlled.

➢ Call this average voltage in each Ts period as the instantaneous average voltage V out (t )
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 Sinusoidal PWM

• By controlling this instantaneous average to track a sinusoidal reference it is possible to

generate an AC ( at desired fundamental frequency) voltage at the bridge-leg output.

M
m(t ) = 0.5 +  Sin (t )
2
0  M 1

M
V out (t ) = m(t )Vdc = 0.5Vdc + sin (t )Vdc
2

• By controlling M and ω the magnitude and frequency of the fundamental AC output can
be controlled – does have a DC offset.

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 PWM Waveform Generation
Modulating Carrier
Ts waveform
waveform
1
1
f sw =
Modulating Ts Carrier Ts
0 waveform waveform

ton
m=
ton Ts
T1,on

Ts T2,on
Vdc
Vout ton
0

M
• The sinusoidal modulation waveform m(t ) = 0.5 +  Sin (t ) is compared with a triangular
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‘carrier’ at the required switching frequency.
• The upper switch of the bridge-leg is turned ON when the reference exceed the carrier.
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 Single-phase (H-bridge) PWM

• For the single-phase H-Bridge it is possible to combine the control of the two bridge
legs to produce a PWM output.
• The DC offset voltage in each phase leg can be cancelled and thus a pure AC voltage
can be generated at the load vab.

T1 D1 T4 D4
vab
io
Vdc a b
Load
T3 D3 vao vbo T2 D2

O
Side A Side B 7
 Single-phase Sinusoidal PWM

Complimentary modulation for

bridges a, b

M Vdc
ma (t ) = 0.5 +  Sin (t ) Va (t ) = ma (t ) Vdc = (1 + MSin (t ) )
2 2
M Vdc
mb (t ) = 0.5 −  Sin (t ) Vb (t ) = mb (t ) Vdc = (1 − MSin (t ) )
2 2
0  M 1

Vab = Va (t ) − Vb (t ) = M  Sin (t ) Vdc

Output Voltage, averaged over each period (Ts)

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 Single-phase Sinusoidal PWM

• For AC output, the DC offsets are cancelled. So when defining the modulation waveforms,
the DC offsets can also be ignored.
• It is also quite often to define the modulation waveforms within the range from -1 to + 1,
i.e.,
ma (t ) = M  Sin (t ) mb (t ) = − M  Sin (t ) for 0  M 1

• The repetitive triangular waveform also have a range of -1 to+1.

• The AC components of the phase voltages are thus given as (unchanged):
Vdc MVdc Vdc MVdc
Va (t ) = ma (t )  = Sin (t ) Vb (t ) = mb (t )  =− Sin (t )
2 2 2 2
• The load voltage is also unchanged as: Vab = Va (t ) − Vb (t ) = M Vdc  Sin (t )

• The maximum amplitude of the AC voltage is Vdc (when M=1)

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Single-Phase PWM Output 1

Two inverted modulating waveforms and

two carriers (both with opposite phases)

Bridge legs a and b

modulated in anti-phase

The output voltage cancels the DC offset

while doubles the AC voltage component -
2 voltage levels.
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Single-Phase PWM Output 2

Two inverted modulating waveforms

and same carrier

Bridge legs a and b

modulated in anti-phase

The output voltage cancels the DC offset

while doubles the AC voltage component –
3 voltage levels.
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Typical Output Spectrum
Fundamental, magnitude M

Recall that
output harmonics
Two-level
are attenuated by (bipolar)
the load
inductance

Three-level
(unipolar)

Switching
First (+Odd) harmonic can be
frequency fc
cancelled with three-level output
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 Switching Frequency

• Switch frequency (1/Ts) of the pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal is usually chosen as
high as possible to reduce current ripple in the load.

• Max switching frequency is limited by losses and the ability to manage those device losses

• In low power circuits, switching frequency can be as high as ~1 MHz

• High power circuits (say >100kW) may use frequencies of a few kHz or less.

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