Switch-Mode DC-AC

Converters

EE 442/642

8-1
Some Applications: AC Motor Drives & PV Inverters

8-2
Switch-Mode DC-AC Inverter

Four quadrants of operation. 8-3

 Half-Bridge Inverter:

1. Capacitors provide the mid-point.

2. The transistors TA+ and TA- are switched
using pulse-width-modulation (PWM).

8-4
 Synthesis of a Sinusoidal Output by PWM

Amplitude and frequency modulation ratios:

Vcontrol f
ma  , mf  s ,
Vtri f1
For small values of mf ( e.g., ≤ 21), the two
signals must be synchronized to avoid
sub-harmonics.

Peak value of fundamental voltage:

ˆ 1
(VAo )1  maVd , for ma  1
2
The harmonics in the inverter output
appear as sidebands around mf, 2mf,
3mf, …,kmf,…
Only odd harmonics are present in
the output voltage waveform →mf
should be an odd integer value.

8-5
 Harmonics in the DC-AC Inverter Output Voltage

1. The fundamental voltage is proportional to the amplitude modulation index.

2. Some harmonics can be larger than the fundamental component.
8-6
 Fundamental Voltage as a Function of ma

1. Note the linear and the over-modulation regions; with square-

wave operation in the limit.
1 ˆ 2
Vd  (VAo )1  Vd , for ma  1
2 
8-7
 Harmonics in the Over-Modulation Region

The side bands start to spread out to a point where all the integer harmonics
appear in the frequency spectrum (including the low-order harmonics which
are hard to filter).

8-8
 Square-Wave Mode of Operation

ˆ 2
Fundamental and harmonic voltages: (VAo )1  Vd ,

ˆ 2
(VAo ) h  Vd , h  3,5,7...
h
8-9
 Single-Phase Full-Bridge DC-AC Inverter

1. No need for capacitor mid-point.

2. The output voltage now switches between +Vd and -Vd.

8-10
 PWM to Synthesize Sinusoidal Output: Bipolar Switching

Peak value of fundamental voltage: Vˆo1  maVd , for ma  1

ˆ 4
Vd  Vo1  Vd , for ma  1
 8-11
 Analysis with Ideal Filters

vo (t )  2Vo sin(1t ),
io (t )  2 I o sin(1t   )
Vd id* (t )  vo (t )io (t ),
 id* (t )  ...  I d  2 I d 2 cos(21t   )
where
VI VI
I d  o o cos( ), I d 2  o o
VD 2Vd
8-12
 PWM Unipolar Voltage Switching

Legs A and B are controlled separately:

Vˆo1  maVd , for ma  1

ˆ 4
Vd  Vo1  Vd , for ma  1

The harmonics in the inverter output
appear as sidebands around 2mf,
4mf, 6mf, …

Note the harmonics at and around

mf, 3mf, 5mf, … are absent → lower
harmonic content.

Note also only odd harmonics are

present.
8-13
 DC-Side Current with PWM Unipolar Switching

The ripple content is significantly less than when using

bipolar switching.

8-14
Sinusoidal Synthesis by Voltage Shift (Modified Square Wave)

ˆ 4
(Vo ) h  Vd sin(h ), h  1,3,5,7...
h 8-15
 Fundamental and Ripple in Inverter Output

Vo1Eo V01Eo cos( )  Eo2

Active and Reactive Power: P  sin( ), Q 
1L 1L
8-16
 Square-Wave versus PWM Operation

PWM results in much smaller ripple current.

8-17
Push-Pull Inverter (requires transformer with center tap)

Vˆo1  maVd / n, for ma  1

Vd ˆ 4 Vd
 Vo1  , for ma  1
n  n

1. vo switches between Vd/n and –Vd/n where n is the transformer turn

ratio.
2. Advantage: no more than one switch conducts at any time → less
voltage drop. Also the control drives have the same ground.
3. Difficulty: strong magnetic coupling between the two half windings is
required to reduce the energy associated with the leakage inductance.
8-18
 Three-Phase Inverter

1. Three inverter legs;

2. No mid-capacitor point is required.

8-19
 Three-Phase PWM Waveforms
Legs A, B and C are controlled separately:

3
VˆLL1  maVd  0.612maVd , for ma  1
2 2
3 ˆ 6
Vd  VLL1  Vd , for ma  1
2 2 

The frequency modulation index, mf, should be

an odd number that is a multiple of 3 to cancel
out the most dominant harmonics

See harmonic content of line voltage during

linear modulation in the next slide.

8-20
Three-Phase Inverter Harmonics

8-21
Three-Phase Inverter Output

8-22
 DC-Side Current in a Three-Phase Inverter

The current consists of a dc component and the

switching-frequency related harmonics.

8-23
 Three-Phase Inverter: Fundamental Frequency

Vd id* (t )  v An (t )i A (t )  vBn (t )iB (t )  vCn (t )iC (t ),

3Vo I o
 i (t )  ...  I d 
*
d cos( ), (DC quantity only)
Vd

8-24
Three-Phase Inverter: Square-Wave Mode

8-25
Square-Wave Operation

8-26
 Square-Wave and PWM Operation

PWM results in much smaller ripple current

8-27
PWM Operation: Short-Circuit States

8-28
 Blanking Time: Non-Ideal switches

Instantaneous switching from ON

to OFF and vice versa.

In practice, the turn-on and turn-off

times are finite (non-zero). Blanking
Time is chosen to avoid cross-
conduction through the leg.

Impact on output voltage:

8-29
Effect of Blanking Time on Voltage
(during current zero crossing)

8-30
 Programmed Harmonic Elimination

The notch angles are based on the desired output. 8-31

 Current Control: Tolerance-Band Current Control

Variable switching frequency which depends on the load inductance,

motor back emf, and DC voltage. 8-32
Fixed-Frequency Operation

8-33
Transition from Inverter to Rectifier Mode

8-34