EC3032 POWER ELECTRONICS

LESSON 4: UNCONTROLLED THREE PHASE RECTIFIERS

DR RUWAN CHANDRASENA
SLIDES CREDIT TO DR SUJEEWA HETTIWATTA
COMPARISON OF AVERAGE (DC) VOLTAGE OUTPUT
FROM SINGLE PHASE RECTIFIERS

SINGLE PHASE – HALF WAVE SINGLE PHASE – FULL WAVE

• Input: 𝑣𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 • Input: 𝑣𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑉𝑚 2𝑉𝑚
• Output (DC): 𝑉𝐴𝑉𝐺 = 𝑉𝐷𝐶 = 𝜋
• Output (DC): 𝑉𝐴𝑉𝐺 = 𝑉𝐷𝐶 = 𝜋

• Output ripple (pp) with filter • Output ripple (pp) with filter capacitor:
𝑉𝑚 𝑉𝑚
capacitor: 𝑉𝑟 𝑝𝑝 = 𝑉𝑟 𝑝𝑝 =
𝑅𝐶𝑓 2𝑅𝐶𝑓

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REQUIREMENT FOR 3-PHASE RECTIFIERS

• Output power from the single-phase rectifiers are limited (up to about 15 kW)
• Higher power outputs (and less voltage ripple) can be obtained by using 3-
phase rectifiers.

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m - PHASE HALF WAVE RECTIFIER

• Consider the circuit shown with m-

inputs. The m-inputs can be from m-
phase power supply.
• At any given time, the output will be
equal to the highest voltage from any
input.
• At that time, only the diode in that
phase will conduct; all other diodes
will be reverse biased.

• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
m - PHASE • Now consider only four phases, with v1 to v4, having four
HALF WAVE arbitrary waveforms. The output will be as shown in figure.
RECTIFIER …

• As seen, at any given time, the output voltage will be equal to the highest input voltage from any phase.
• We can extend the same concept to 3-phase half wave rectifiers.
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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
THREE-PHASE VOLTAGES

• Three phase voltages can be expressed as vA, vB and vC

• The three phases can also be colour-coded in Red, Yellow and Blue.
• Let us represent:
• 𝑣𝐴 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡
• 𝑣𝐵 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 120𝑜
• 𝑣𝐶 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 240𝑜 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 120𝑜
• The three voltages (vA, vB and vC) are called phase voltages. 6
THREE-PHASE
VOLTAGES …
• If we plot vA, vB and vC as functions
of time, we get the plot shown.

• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

THREE PHASE HALF
WAVE RECTIFIER
• The circuit diagram of a three-
phase half wave rectifier is as
shown.
• Compare it with a circuit diagram
for a single-phase HWR.

• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

THREE PHASE HALF WAVE
RECTIFIER – OUTPUT
WAVEFORM
• The output waveform consists of
three pulses within one complete
power cycle.

• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

AVERAGE (DC) OUTPUT VOLTAGE FROM A THREE-
PHASE HALF WAVE RECTIFIER
• The output can be calculated using the output waveform.

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
OUTPUT VOLTAGE RIPPLE (PP)
FROM A THREE-PHASE HALF WAVE
RECTIFIER WITH FILTER CAPACITOR

• It can be shown that:

𝑉𝑠
• 𝑉𝑟(𝑝𝑝) = 3𝑅𝐶𝑓

• In deriving the above formula it is

𝑇
assumed that 𝑅𝐶 ≫ , where T is
3
the period of one power cycle.

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
THREE PHASE HALF WAVE
RECTIFIER WITH HIGHLY
INDUCTIVE LOAD
• With a highly inductive load, the
load current can be assumed
constant in steady state operation.
Therefore, the load can be
represented by a current source.

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
WAVEFORMS FROM THREE PHASE HALF WAVE
RECTIFIER WITH HIGHLY INDUCTIVE LOAD

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
THREE PHASE FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
THREE PHASE FULL WAVE RECTIFIER

Average voltage Vo can also be found as

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
ANOTHER LOOK AT
THE THREE-PHASE
FULL WAVE RECTIFIER
• Each phase is connected as
shown in figure:

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE
THREE-PHASE FULL
WAVE RECTIFIER
WAVEFORMS
• The output waveform is made up
of parts from most positive and
most negative of the phase
voltages.
• For example, during 30o   90o
the output waveform is made up
of 𝑣𝐴𝐵 since phase A has the
highest voltage and phase B has
the lowest voltage.

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

COULD YOU IDENTIFY WHICH
TWO DIODES CONDUCT
DURING EACH PULSE OUTPUT?
Conduction angle Diodes conducting
30o   90o
90o   150o
150o   210o
210o   270o
270o   330o
330o   390o

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

TWO DIODES CONDUCT
DURING EACH PULSE OUTPUT

Conduction angle Diodes conducting

30o   90o D1 and D4
90o   150o D1 and D6
150o   210o D3 and D6
210o   270o D3 and D2
270o   330o D5 and D2
330o   390o D5 and D4

• Note that each diode conducts for 120O or for a time

𝑇
period of
3

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

THE OUTPUT VOLTAGE

• As can be seen the output consists of

pulses. There are six pulses within one
period (one power cycle).
• The output consists of line-to-line
voltages:
• 𝑣𝐴𝐵 = 𝑣𝐴 − 𝑣𝐵
• 𝑣𝐵𝐶 = 𝑣𝐵 − 𝑣𝐶
• 𝑣𝐶𝐴 = 𝑣𝐶 − 𝑣𝐴
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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

THE LINE-TO-LINE VOLTAGES

• 𝑣𝐴𝐵 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 120𝑜

• 𝑣𝐴𝐵 = 3𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 30𝑜
• 𝑣𝐵𝐶 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 120𝑜 − 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 120𝑜
• 𝑣𝐵𝐶 = 3𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 90𝑜
• 𝑣𝐶𝐴 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 120𝑜 − 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡
• 𝑣𝐶𝐴 = 3𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 150𝑜

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

THE LINE-TO-LINE
VOLTAGES IN A
PHASOR DIAGRAM
• 𝑣𝐴𝐵 = 3𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 30𝑜

• 𝑣𝐵𝐶 = 3𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 90𝑜

• 𝑣𝐶𝐴 = 3𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 150𝑜

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
CALCULATING THE
AVERAGE (DC) OUTPUT
VOLTAGE
1 𝑇
• 𝑉𝑜,𝐴𝑉𝐺 = 𝑇 ‫׬‬0 𝑣𝑜 𝑡 𝑑𝑡

• Since 𝑣𝑜 has the same shape repeated

six times during period T,
6 𝑇Τ
• 𝑉𝑜,𝐴𝑉𝐺 = 𝑇 ‫𝑇׬‬Τ 4 𝑣𝑜 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
12

𝑇 𝑇
• 𝑣𝑜 𝑡 = 𝑣𝐴𝐵 𝑡 from 𝑡 = 12
to 𝑡 = 4

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

CALCULATING THE
AVERAGE (DC) OUTPUT
VOLTAGE …
6 𝑇Τ4
• 𝑉𝑜,𝐴𝑉𝐺 = ‫׬‬
𝑇 𝑇Τ12
3𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 30𝑜 𝑑𝑡

• Integrating and simplifying gives us:

3 3
• 𝑉𝑜,𝐴𝑉𝐺 = 𝜋 𝑚
𝑉

• Which is double the value obtained

under three-phase half wave
rectification.

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• Image credit: https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/power/three-phase-rectification.html, last accessed on 27 July 2020

THREE PHASE FULL
WAVE RECTIFIER WITH
HIGHLY INDUCTIVE
LOAD
• With a highly inductive load,
the load current can be
assumed constant in steady
state operation. Therefore, the
load can be represented by a
current source.

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
WAVEFORMS FROM THREE
PHASE FULL WAVE
RECTIFIER WITH HIGHLY
INDUCTIVE LOAD

• Note the diode labelling (D1

up to D6) in this circuit,
compared to the circuit with the
colored waveforms.

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• Image credit: Batarseh, I., Harb, A., “Power Electronics: Circuit Analysis and Design”, 2nd Edition, Springer (2018)
NEXT LESSON

• Thyristors and thyristor-controlled circuits

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