Power Electronic Converters

AC-DC Converter (Rectifier)

By Emiyamrew M.(PhD)
Chapter Objective
❖After Completion of this chapter students will

be able to
❖ Analyze the operation of single and three phase
diode rectifiers with R and RL Loads
❖ Understand the operation of single and three
phase controlled rectifiers R and RL Loads
❖ Define performance parameters for rectifier
circuit
❖ Demonstrate DC Power Transmission Application
What is rectifier?
● A rectifier is a device that converts an alternating current (AC) into a
direct current (DC).
● Rectifiers can take a wide variety of physical forms, from vacuum
tube diodes and crystal radio receivers to modern silicon-based
designs
● Rectifier circuits may be single-phase or multi-phase.
● Most low power rectifiers for domestic equipment are single-phase,
but three-phase rectification is very important for industrial
applications and for the transmission of energy as DC (HVDC).
Classification of Rectifiers
Performance Parameters
Performance Parameters
Performance Parameters
Summary Based on Performance
Parameters
Diode Rectifier

Figure: Diode Rectifier with Resistive Load

Single Phase Full Wave Rectifier

Figure: Full Wave Rectifier - Bridge

● The Peak Inverse Voltage(PIV) for diodes is
equal to the supply voltage peak.
● The transformer utilization factor is more
than the center-tap configuration
typically is 0.81
● No. of diodes are four, more voltage drop
than center-tap configuration.
Single Phase Full Wave Rectifier
● The peak inverse voltage of the diode in
center-tap configuration is twice of the
peak of the secondary voltage of
transformer.
● The transformer utilization factor is
lesser than the bridge configuration
typically is 0.672
● Requires center-tap transformer

● No. of diodes are two, therefore its

circuit is not complex and is economical
● Voltage drop across diodes is less

Figure: Full Wave

Rectifier -Center-tap
Example 1: A single-phase full bridge diode
rectifier is supplied from 230 V, 50
Hz source. The load consists of R=
10Ω and a large inductance so as
to render the load current
constant. Determine .
(a)average values output voltage
and output current,
(b)average and rms values of
diode currents,.
(c)rms values of output and input
currents, and supply pf.
Example 2:
A single-phase bridge
rectifier that supplies a dc
motor is shown in Fig.
below. The turns-ratio of
the transformer is unity.
The load is such that the
motor draws a ripple-free
armature current of I .
a

Determine the (a)

harmonic factor of input
current, HF; and (b) input
power factor of the
rectifier, PF
Three Phase Half Bridge
Rectifier

Figure: Three Phase Bridge Rectifier

Figure: Three Phase
Half-Bridge Rectifier
waveforms
Three Phase Full Bridge
Rectifier

Figure: Three Phase Bridge Rectifier

 Example 3:
A three-phase bridge rectifier has purely resistive load of R.
Determine the (a) efficiency ; (b) form factor; (c) ripple
factor; (d) transformer utilization factor; (e) peak inverse (or
reverse) voltage (PIV) of each diode; and (f) peak current
through a diode. The rectifier delivers I = 60A at an output
dc

voltage of 280.7V and frequency of 50Hz.

Summary Based on Performance
Parameters
Controlled Rectifiers
❖ In this case , diodes are replaced by Thyristors(SCRs).
❖ There are some application which requires variable DC voltage. This
requirement can be achieved by Line-Frequency Phase-controlled
Converter.
❖ Each Thyristor is controlled by applying a short gate pulse
❖ The output voltage is controlled by varying the firing angle(delay
angle)
❖ The instant at which a thyristor begins or ceases to conduct
depends on the line-frequency AC voltage waveforms and the
control inputs.
❖ Due to emergence of new advanced controllable switches with high
voltage and current rating , the application of these type of
converters nowadays is limited to three-phase high power
application.
Controlled Rectifiers

Fig: Line frequency controlled converter

Basic Thyristor Circuits

Fig: Basic Thyristor

Single Phase Half Wave
Rectifier with a) R- Load
and b) RL-load
Basic Half-Wave Rectifier:
Average
CASE-1: R- Load
Value
CASE-2 : RL- Load

Where 𝜶 and 𝜷 are Firing Angle and

Extinction Angle, respectively.
Thyristor Gating Circuit
❖Output is controlled by
adjusting the delay angle of
each SCR, resulting in an output
voltage that is adjustable over a
limited range.
❖The delay angle(𝞪) is the
angle interval between the
forward biasing of the SCR and
the gate signal application.
❖If the delay angle is zero, the
rectifiers behave exactly as
uncontrolled rectifiers with
diodes.
1𝝫 - Controlled Full Wave
Rectifier: RL-Load ● In the fully-controlled Bridge
rectifier configuration (Fig-
a), the average DC load
voltage is controlled using
two thyristors per half-
cycle.
● Thyristors S1 and S2 are
fired together as a pair
during the positive half-
cycle, while thyristors S3
and S4 are also fired
together as a pair during the
negative half-cycle. That is
180⁰ after S1 and S2.
● For center-tap(Fig-b)
configuration, one thyristor
 1𝝫 - Controlled Full Wave
Rectifier: R-Load ➔ Therefore, the average and RMS
● For both configuration, the output value of the output current and
voltage waveform is as shown Voltage is calculated as follows.
below
1𝝫 - Controlled Full Wave Rectifier:
RL-Load & Discontinuous Current

Fig: a) Controlled full-wave bridge rectifier With RL-Load, b) Discontinuous current

Conduction Mode
1𝝫 - Controlled Full Wave Rectifier:
RL-Load & Discontinuous Current
1𝝫 - Controlled Full Wave Rectifier:
RL-Load & Discontinuous Current
 1𝝫 - Controlled Full Wave Rectifier:
RL-Load & Continuous Current
❖ During positive half cycle T1 and T2
are forward biased
❖ At ωt=α , T1 and T2 are fired
simultaneously and the load is
connected to the input supply
through T1 and T2
❖ Due to inductive load the T1 and T2
conduct even though the supply is
negative.
❖ During the negative half cycle of
supply voltage T3 and T4 are fired.
❖ This applies reverse blocking voltage
for T1 and T2.
❖ T1 and T2 forced to turn off and the
load current will be transferred from
T1 and T2 to T3 and T4.
Figure: Continuous current Conduction Mode
Three-Phase Half Wave Rectifier
● In order to control the load
voltage, the half-wave
controlled rectifier uses
three common-cathode
thyristor arrangement.
● In this figure, the power
supply and the transformer
are assumed ideal.
● The thyristor will conduct
(ON state), when the
anode-to-cathode voltage is
positive and a firing current
pulse is applied to the gate
terminal after delay angle.
Three-Phase Half Wave Rectifier
● The possible range of
the firing angle is 180⁰.
● In this figure, the
power supply and the
transformer are
assumed ideal.
● The thyristor will
conduct (ON state),
when the anode-to-
cathode voltage is
positive and a firing
current pulse is applied
to the gate terminal
after delay angle.
Three-Phase Half Wave Rectifier
● If the phase voltage is Van = Vmsin(𝜔t), the average output
voltage for continuous load current is

For resistive load and for 𝛼 ≥

𝛑 /6
 Three-Phase Full Controlled Rectifier

● Each Thyristors are fired at interval of 60

degrees
● The frequency of the output voltage will be
6fs
Three Phase Controlled Rectifier
 Van Vbn Vcn

56 16 12 32 34 54
Vcb Vab Vac Vbc Vba Vca
56 16 12 32 34 54
Vcb Vab Vac Vbc Vba Vca

90o 150o 210o 270o 330o

For α=30o , a and b phases are connected
56 16 12 32 34 54
Vcb Vab Vac Vbc Vba Vca

90o 150o 210o 270o 330o

For α=30o , a and c phases are connected
56 16 12 32 34 54
Vcb Vab Vac Vbc Vba Vca

90o 150o 210o 270o 330o

🡺 α=30o , b and c phases are connected after
56 16 12 32 34 54
Vcb Vab Vac Vbc Vba Vca

90o 150o 210o 270o 330o

For α=30o , b and a phases are connected
56 16 12 32 34 54
Vcb Vab Vac Vbc Vba Vca

90o 150o 210o 270o 330o

For α=30o , c and a phases are connected
56 16 12 32 34 54
Vcb Vab Vac Vbc Vba Vca

90o 150o 210o 270o 330o

For α=30o , c and b phases are connected
Three Phase Controlled Rectifier
Reading Assignment
● Thyristor Firing Circuits and Commutation
Methods
● Concepts and Analysis of Single & Three
Phase Dual Converters
● Mechanisms of Power Factor Improvement for
Phase Controlled Converters
● Design of Input and Output FIlters
References
★ Mohammad H. Rashid, “Power Electronics Circuits, Devices,
and Applications”, 3rd Edition
★ Dr. P.S. Bimbhra, “Power Electronics”, Khanna Publishers
★ Mohan, Underland, Robbins: “Power Electronics Converters,
Applications and Design” 3rd edition.
★ Daniel W. Hart “ Power Electronics” McGraw-Hill,2011
★ Other related books