21PE631 Modulation Techniques for Power

Electronic Systems
Lecture - 5
Single-phase full-bridge VSC
 Single-phase full-bridge VSC
• Its power circuit is shown in Figure 1. It consists of two identical legs
like the half-bridge single-phase converter.
• Specifically, there are four switching elements (S1, S2, S3, S4), four
antiparallel diodes (D1, D2, D3, D4) and a DC bus voltage
source Vdc that can be a single capacitor.
• The other leg provides the return path for the current this time and the
DC bus mid-point does not need to be available to connect the load.
• The output voltage v0 appears across the two points A and B as shown
in Figure 1.
 Single-phase full-bridge VSC
• There are two control methods for this topology. The first one treats
the switches (S1, S4) and (S2, S3) as a pair.
• This means that they are turned on and off at the same time and for the
same duration. For square-wave operation the switches S1 and S4 are
on for half of the period.
• For the other half, the pair of S2, S3 is turned on. Like the single-phase
half-bridge VSC, the direction of the output current i0 determines the
conduction state of each semiconductor.
 Single-phase full-bridge VSC
• When the two switches S1 and S4 are turned on, the voltage at the output is
equal to the DC bus voltage Vdc.
• Similarly, when the switches S2 and S3 are turned on the output voltage is
equal to - Vdc. Such circuit operation is illustrated in Figure 2.
• In the first case, when the direction of the output current io is positive as
shown in Figure 1, the current flows through switches S1 and S4 and the
power is transferred from the DC side to the AC one (t4 < t < t5).
• When the current becomes negative, although the switches S1 and S4 are
turned on, the diodes D1 and D4 conduct the current and return power back to
the DC bus from the AC side (t3 < t < t4).
 Single-phase full-bridge VSC
• For the other half of the period, when the switches S2 and S3 are turned on
and the current is positive, the diodes D2 and D3 conduct (t1 < t < t2).
• In this instance, power is transferred also back to the DC side from the AC
side. Finally, when the current is negative, the switches S2 and S3 carry the
current and assist the converter to transfer power from the DC bus to the
AC side (t2 < t < t3). In summary, there are four distinct modes of operation
(two inverter modes and two rectifier modes).
• Simply said, at all times two switches are turned on and the legs are
controlled in a synchronized way.
Key waveforms of the single-phase full-bridge VSC circuit
operation. (a) output voltage V0 = VAB; (b) output current i0
d) harmonic spectrum of the output voltage V0 = VAB; (e)
harmonic spectrum of the output current i0; and (f)
harmonic spectrum of the input DC bus current id
 Waveforms
• The output voltage v0 = vAB is shown in Figure 2(a).
• The output current i0 is also plotted in Figure 2(b).
• Similarly, like the case of the half-bridge topology, the square-wave
generated across the AC side includes all odd harmonics and being a
single-phase system, the third harmonic is also present (Figure 2(d)).
• These harmonics when reflected back to the DC side source include all
even harmonics (Figure 2(f).
Quadrants of operation of the single-phase
full-bridge VSC
Modes of operation of the single-phase full-
bridge VSC
 Single phase full bridge VSC

• The phase relationship between the AC output voltage and AC output current
does not have to be fixed and the converter can provide real and reactive
power at all leading and lagging power factors.

• However, the converter itself cannot control the output voltage if the DC bus
voltage Vdc remains constant.

• There is a need to adjust the level of the DC bus voltage if one wants to
control the rms value of the output voltage v0.