Power Electronics

Lecture # 26

 Contents of Today`s Lecture:

 Single Phase Full Bridge Inverter

 Performance parameters

1) Single Phase Full Bridge Inverter

A single phase full bridge inverter consists of four choppers (Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4). When
transistors Q1and Q2 are turned on simultaneously, input voltage Vs appears across the load.
Similarly, when Q3 and Q4 are turned on simultaneously, the voltage across the load is reversed
and is –Vs. For more power handling, these switches are IGBTs and in UPS, MOSFETs are used
for switching purpose. The circuit diagram of full bridge inverter is as under;
Waveform:

From the above waveform, we can see that the output voltage vab is +Vs from 0 T0/2 and –Vs
from T0/2 to T. This is a square wave which is dangerous for our hardware. From our previous
knowledge, we know that square wave contains odd harmonics which are undesirable for our
system.
Note: We cannot short Q1, Q4 together or Q3, Q2 together at the same time, because it can burn
the circuit. This is one-leg-inverter, i-e we can only turn on one switch from one branch at a
time.

Objectives of inverter:
It is the prime objective of the inverter that the output should be AC and its shape should be
sinusoidal, but as we saw in the above waveform that we get square wave at the output which
contains harmonics and this is harmful for appliances. So we have to eliminate these harmonics.
We can do analysis of harmonics from Fourier series, because fundamental component of
harmonics cannot be determined directly, we have to convert it into sine wave.

Fourier Series:

A periodic function can be represented by an infinite sum of sine and/or cosine functions that are
“harmonically” related. The frequency of any “term” is an integral multiple (harmonic) of the
fundamental frequency of the periodic function.

Fourier Series of the instantaneous output voltage:

f(t) = a0 + ∑ ( ) ( )

a0 = 1/2L ∫ ( ) ---- (1)

an = 1/L ∫ ( ) ( ) ------(2)

bn = 1/L ∫ ( ) ( ) ----------- (3)

As,
square wave = fundamental frequency component + integral multiples of fundamental frequency
component
i-e;

Vo(t) = Vo1(ωt) + Vo2(2ωt) + Vo3(3ωt) + ….

The more harmonics we add, the more it becomes closer to square wave.

Tp = 2π , Tp = 2L  L = π

Putting L= π in equations (1), (2), (3);

a0 = 1/2π ∫ ( ) =0

an = 1/π ∫ ( ) ( )

 an = 1/π [∫ ∫ =0
 an= 0

bn = 1/π ∫ ( ) ( ) ∫ ( ) ( )
For n=1;
b1 = 1/π ∫ ( ) ∫ ( )

 b1 = (-Vs)(-2) + Vs(2)
 b1 = 4Vs/π

bn = 4Vs/nπ

f(t) = ∑ ( )

bn =0 for n = even,

So, above equation becomes;

f(t) = ∑ ( )

Expanding the above equation;

f(t) = Vo(t) = (4Vs/π) sin ωt + (4Vs/3π) sin 3ωt + (4Vs/5π) sin 5ωt + ….

Fundamental component of rms output voltage:

Vo1peak = (4Vs/π) sin 900 (for peak we put ωt = 900 , sin 90 =1)

Vo1 (ωt) = Vo1peak/√

Vo1 (ωt) = 4Vs/ √

 Vo1 (ωt) = 0.9 Vs

Performance Parameters:

1) Harmonic Factor:
HFn = Von/Vo1

2) Total Harmonic Distortion:

THD = √∑

 THD = √

3) Distortion Factor

DF = √∑ ( )

 DF = Von/Vo1 ( )

4) Lowest Order Harmonic:

The frequency of lowest order harmonic is closest to fundamental and its amplitude is 3%
of the fundamental.

Average DC value of the output voltage:

Vo,dc = 1/2π ∫

Vo,dc = 1/2π [ ∫ ∫ ]

 Vo,dc =0

The average dc value of periodic square wave is 0, that’s why we always calculate output
voltage with respect to rms value.
 Vrms = √ ∫ ∫

 Vrms = √ ( )

 Vrms = √

 Vrms = Vs

Example 6.2: