ISSN (Print) : 0974-6846

ISSN (Online) : 0974-5645

Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 11(46), DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2018/v11i46/139716, December 2018

Harmonic Analysis of Multi-pulse Converters

under Varying Conduction Angles
Faheem S. Channar1*, Amir M. Soomro2, A. Hakeem Memon2,
Farhana Umer3, Ali Asghar Memon2 and Anwar A. Sahito2
IICT, Mehran UET, Jamshoro;
1

faheemchannar94@gmail.com
2
Mehran UET, Jamshoro;
amir.soomro@faculty.muet.edu.pk, hakeem.memon@faculty.muet.edu.pk,
ali.asghar@faculty.muet.edu.pk, anwar.sahitoi@faculty.muet.edu.pk
3
Islamia University, Bahawalpur;
farhana.umer@iub.edu.pk

Abstract
Today, it is fact that Power Quality assures the fitness of electrical power that is being consumed by the devices interact-
ing to it. This paper presents the modeling, simulation and harmonic analysis of multi pulse converters. Hence analysis
has been done to observe the voltage and current harmonics of 6 and 12 Pulse controlled and uncontrolled converters.
MATLAB (Simulink) is used for Simulation and analysis. Obtained results are compared to one another to get an authentic
conclusion. Analysis is carried out with the help of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and THD results are obtained at different
pulses with brief overview of waveforms generated in conversion process. Results of simulations pertaining to Harmonics
for each condition is explored

Keywords: Converters, Power Quality, FFT, MATLAB, THD

1. Introduction quency, contamination of harmonics and Power factor

In modern days, solid-state converters are used enor-
mously in vast applications, such as DC drives, Variable
Frequency Drives, lighting of industrial, commercial
and residential areas, vehicles and most important of
all the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmis-
sion system. Trend of technology is advancing towards
electronics. Hence rectification is need of time, however
non-linearity of these semiconductor devices aberrant
the quality of power by injecting harmonics. Converters
rectify AC into DC and advantages of DC over AC has
changed scope of researchers and scientists. HVDC
system is used when bulk power is transferred over a
long distance1,2. Multi pulse converters are connected
in series and parallel configuration to get high power
ratings. Even though, with enormous benefits it is
restricted to many issues such as ratings, switching fre-
problem. Quality, reliability, sustainability and continu-
ity of power is assurance of fitness of every equipment.
Hence important task of utility system is to provide
proper sinusoidal waveform of fixed voltage and cur-
rent to consumer, with constant frequency and least
harmonics. According to standard of IEEE 519-1992,
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) should be less than
5%3. A complex power system consists of lots of non-
linear devices which are source of Harmonics. Looking
at above problem it is essential to eradicate Harmonics
or minimize them up to standard prescribed by IEEE.
Therefore, reduction of Harmonics by using Multi Pulse
technique is taken into consideration in this paper. In
literature, many papers are found on mitigation or min-
imization of THD in typical power systems. The work
presented in4 highlights the issue of power quality their

*Author for correspondence

 Harmonic Analysis of Multi-pulse Converters under Varying Conduction Angles
sources and their effects on the system along with the
standards limited to power qulaity. In5, work is done
for modeling and simulation of 6 and 12 pulse con-
verter by using Orcad under balanced and unbalnced
conditions and finaly ploted graphs to show compari-
son. Mital Patel in6 have introduced 12-pulse converter
with differential delta connection arrangement in order
to enhance power quality. Ripple content and size of 12
pulse converter is reduced by 18 % as compared to con-
ventional 12 pulse converter.
2. System Description
Figure 1 shows 6 pulse rectifier bridge supplied by three
phase source at input and resistive load at output of
bridge. By applying three phase supply, one phase for
each. The first pulse conducts the positive side, say red
phase through Rectifier R1, the second pulse conducts
the negative side, say blue phase through Rectifier R6,
the third pulse permits the positive side, say yellow phase
through Rectifier R3, the forth pulse conducts the nega-
tive side, say red phase through Rectifier R2, the fifth
pulse conducts the positive side, say blue phase through
Rectifier R5 and the 6th pulse conducts the negative side,
say yellow phase through Rectifier R4. This shows the
pulses all coming together in sink. In this operation the
commutation process is also introduced automatically.
Therefore, this explains the concept of how the 6-pulse
rectifier converts A.C into D.C.
Figure 1.  6 Pulse controlled rectifier.
2 Vol 11 (46) | December 2018 | www.indjst.org
These Rectifiers i.e. R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 can be sim-
ple Diodes or thyristors . The bridge shown here is consists
of thyristors. When gate pulse is 0 it is acting like a diode
bridge without control, only making difference of switch-
ing devices inner parameters. So same model is operated
at different delay angles in order to get different results.
Moreover, 12 pulse converter is made from same two 6
pulse converters by connecting them through three phase
converter transformer (Star/star/delta), at input side of
Bridge and in series at output side as shown in Figure 2.
Similarly, this 12-pulse converter will act as uncontrolled
rectifier at 0 delay angle and if any delay angle is set it will
act as controlled rectifiers
The block named Pulse Generator generates pulse
trains for thyristors. It can control bridges at different
delay angles. In steady state mode, each pulse is made of
six square pulses with 60-degree shift but at equal dis-
tance between them. Initial PY send pulses to six-pulse
bridge connected to Y (wye) which is secondary wind-
ing of transformer, then PD sends second set of pulses
to another 6-pulse bridge connected to Delta secondary
of transformer. PD pulses can be made to lead or lag PY
pulses by angle of 30 degree, which depends upon con-
figuration of converter transformer.
3. Simulation Results
Simulation analysis is performed to observe harmonically
disturbed waveform and THD of both 6 and 12 pulse con-
Indian Journal of Science and Technology
 Faheem S. Channar, Amir M. Soomro, A. Hakeem Memon, Farhana Umer, Ali Asghar Memon and Anwar A. Sahito

Figure 2.  12 Pulse controlled rectifier.

verters at different firing angles. Figure 3 shows waveforms Table 1. THD comparison of 6 and 12 pulse rectifier at
of the input current for 6 pulse rectifier with 00 degree different delay angles
firing angle. Single cycle waveforms is also shown and Delay angle Percentage Current THD (%)
Figure 4 shows current harmonic spectrum. These results 6 pulse rectifier 12 pulse rectifier
represents uncontrolled operation of the system. Similar
0 30.69% 8.56%
results will be obtained by using diode bridges instead of
30 30.81% 8.57%
thyristor bridges. Only minor variations will occur due to
45 31.43% 10.25%
different resistance of the semiconductor switch. Similarly,
Figures 5 and 6 shows results of 6 pulse rectifier at 300 while 60 35.07% 13.67%
Figures 7 and 8 shows results of 6 pulse rectifier at 900 90 59.02% 21.85%

rectifier THD of 8.56, 8.57, and 21.85 were observed for 0,

Simulation results of 6 pulse rectifier at
0o degree.
Figures 9 and 10 shows results for 12 pulse rectifier ay 00.
Results for 300 and 900 are respectively shown in Figures
11, 12, 13 and 14.
4. Result Discussion
Harmonic results and associated harmonic spectrum for
6 and 12 pulse rectifiers with delay angles of 0, 30 and
90 degrees were given in previous section. THD of 30.69,
30.81, 59.02 were observed for 6 pulse rectifier with delay
angles of 0, 30, and 90 degree respectively. For 12 pulse
30, and 90 degree respectively. Table 1 shows comparison
of THD levels of 6 and 12 pulse rectifiers with different
delay angles. Figure 15 graphically shows comparison of
the current THD for 6 and 12 pulse rectifiers with dif-
ferent firing angles. These results show that increasing
number of pulses decrease THD. On the other hand,
increasing delay angle results in increased THD.
5. Conclusion
In this paper, harmonics of multi pulse converters are stud-
ied. Specifically, 6- pulse and 12-pulse rectifiers at different
delay angles are simulated for harmonic analysis. FFT

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 Harmonic Analysis of Multi-pulse Converters under Varying Conduction Angles

Figure 3.  (a) Three phase input current waveform, (b) 3 cycles of Input current waveform.

Figure 4.  Current THD spectrum of 6 pulse rectifier.

Figure 5.  (a) Three phase input current waveform, (b) 3 cycles of Input current waveform.

4 Vol 11 (46) | December 2018 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology
 Faheem S. Channar, Amir M. Soomro, A. Hakeem Memon, Farhana Umer, Ali Asghar Memon and Anwar A. Sahito

Figure 6.  Current THD spectrum of 6 pulse rectifier.

Figure 7.  (a) Three phase input current waveform, (b) 3 cycles of Input current waveform.

Figure 8.  Current THD spectrum of 6 pulse rectifier

Vol 11 (46) | December 2018 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology 5
 Harmonic Analysis of Multi-pulse Converters under Varying Conduction Angles

Figure 9.  (a) Three phase input current waveform, (b) 3 cycles of Input current waveform.

Figure 10.  Current THD spectrum of 12 pulse rectifier.

Figure 11.  (a) Three phase input current waveform, (b) 3 cycles of Input current waveform.

6 Vol 11 (46) | December 2018 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology
 Faheem S. Channar, Amir M. Soomro, A. Hakeem Memon, Farhana Umer, Ali Asghar Memon and Anwar A. Sahito

Figure 12.  THD spectrum of 12 pulse rectifier.

Figure 13.  (a) Three phase input current waveform, (b) 3 cycles of Input current waveform.

Figure 14.  Current THD spectrum of 12 pulse rectifier.

Vol 11 (46) | December 2018 | www.indjst.org Indian Journal of Science and Technology 7
 Harmonic Analysis of Multi-pulse Converters under Varying Conduction Angles

of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro for providing

necessary research facilities.

7. References
 1. Kamalapur GD, Sheelavant VR, Hyderabad S, Pujar A.
HVDC transmission in India. IEEE Potentials. 2014;
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  2. Meah K, Ula S. Comparative evaluation of HVDC and
HVAC transmission systems. IEEE General Meeting on
Power Engineering Society; 2007. p. 1–5. https://doi.
org/10.1109/PES.2007.385993
  3. 519-1992 IEEE recommended practices and requirement
Figure 15.  Current THD comparison of 6 and 12 pulse for harmonic control in electric power system. Institute of
rectifiers. Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.; 1993.
 4. Chattopadhyay S, Mitra M, Sengupta S. Electric Power
Quality. Power Systems, Dordrecht: Springer Science+
tool in MATLAB Simulink is used for THD analysis. It is Business Media B; 2011.
found that 12 pulse rectifier generates less harmonics as   5. Hernadi A, Taufik, Anwari M. Modeling and simulation of
compared to the 6-pulse converter whether controlled or 6-pulse and 12-pulse rectifiers under balanced and unbal-
anced conditions with impacts to input current harmonics.
uncontrolled. Furthermore, by increasing the delay angle
Proceedings of the 2008 Second Asia International Conference
in order to control the rectifier, harmonics increases.
on Modelling and Simulation (AMS); 2008. p. 1034–8.
 6. Patel MM. Twelve pulse converter with differential delta
6. Acknowledgement connected transformer arrangement with reduced KVA
capacities for line side harmonic reduction. International
Authors are thankful to Institute of Information and Journal of Engineering Development and Research. 2014
Communication Technologies (IICT), Mehran University Jun; 2(2):2457–63.

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