Quiz

1. What is the advantage of using a three-phase controlled six-pulse rectifier over a three-
pulse controlled three-pulse rectifier?

Figure shows three-phase controlled six pulse rectifier

Figure shows three-phase controlled three pulse rectifier

Figures above show the two circuits diagram for each type of rectifier. Based on the figure
above, it can be observed that three-phase controlled 6 pulse rectifier has no neutral return
from its DC side to the AC side, however the three-phase controlled 3 pulse rectifier has a
neutral return from the DC side to the AC side. The neutral return on 3-phase controlled 3
pulse rectifier will cause greater harmonic distortions (both on even and odd harmonics)
compared to 3 phase controlled 6 pulse rectifier. The harmonics produced by the 3-pulse
rectifier will cause greater heat and power loss on the transformers in the transmission
system. Other than that, the 6-pulse rectifier also produces lower ripple output voltage and
lesser harmonics distortion. This is because it uses more thyristor per phase and those many
power switches will have greater filtering ability compared to 3-phase controlled 3 pulse
rectifier.

2. How many power switches turn-on simultaneously for conducting current from the source
to the load in a three-phase controlled six-pulse rectifier?

Based on the result above (experiment 3), 3 thyristors will turn-on simultaneously in order to
conduct current from the source to the load. As an example, thyristor 1 will conduct current
in positive value while thyristor 2 and thyristor 6 conduct current in negative value. The
conduction range is 120° per phase.

3. State the range of conduction angle of each power switch in a three-phase controlled six-
pulse rectifier.

One cycle of waveform consists of 360°, in which the waveform is sinusoidal with same
amplitude for both positive and negative per half cycle. Since the rectifier is consists of 6
thyristors, 1 thyristor will conduct 120° of conduction angle. However , the thyristors will
work in pair to conduct the potential difference, hence one thyristor will conduct 60° per
cycle.
 Figure shows the output voltage waveform for each phase

4. Can the rectifier in Figure 3.1 generate the same output voltage and current waveforms as
in Experimental 1 if the control signals’ width decreases without compromising the firing
angle?

From the experiment, the width of the control signal is 180°, the students conducted another
simulation using PSIM to obtain new results if the width of the control signal is reduced to
150°. Below are the findings:

Width=180°

Figure shows the waveform for α=0

Figure shows the waveform for α=10

Figure shows the waveform for α=30

Figure shows the waveform for α=90

Width = 150°

Figure shows the waveform for α=0

Figure shows the waveform for α=10

 Figure shows the waveform for α=30

Figure shows the waveform for α=90°

As can be seen from the results above, when the width of control signal is reduced to 150°,
the waveform for output voltage and current at angle 30° and 90° are the same as compared
to if the width is 180°. This means that the firing angle had to be changed in order to obtain a
similar output parameter with experiment 3.1.

5. State two effects of line inductance in the three-phase controlled six-pulse rectifier’s
operation.

i. Causes overlap on the commutation period

ii. Reduces output voltage.