CHAPTER 3

Z-SOURCE INVERTER
3.1 INTRODUCTION
A new type of converter in power conversion, Z-source converter (ZSC) was introduced
in 2002, which has unique features that can overcome the limitations of VSI and CSI [10-13].
This chapter1 introduces Z-Source Inverter or impedancesource (or impedance-fed) power
converter and its control method for implementing dc-to-ac, ac-to-dc, ac-to-ac, and dc-to-dc
power conversion. The AC voltage from the Z-source inverter (ZSI) can be controlled,
theoretically to any value between zero and infinity. To differentiate it from any conventional
VSI and CSI, the power circuit was named as Z-source converter. Figure 3.1 shows the general
configuration of a Z-source converter.

Figure 3.1: The general configuration of a Z-source converter

Figure 3.2 shows a simplified equivalent circuit for voltage source based ZSC. In the
simplified circuit, the VSI inverter bridge is viewed as an equivalent current source or drain in
parallel with an active switch S2.
 Figure 3.2: Equivalent circuit of voltage source based Z-Source Converter
Unlike a conventional VSI, the shoot-through state is not harmful and actually has been
utilized in ZSI. The analysis in [10-13] shows how the shoot-through state over the non-shoot-
through state controls the buck-boost factor of the system. Through the boost factor in
combination with the conventional modulation index M of VSI, the DCAC buck-boost factor
can be obtained as indicated .
It is important to note that the process of energy transfer between DC and AC overlaps
the process of energy transfer from DC source to the Z-network. The overlap process seems
very demanding on Switch “S1”. Therefore, for both motoring and generating operation, S1 is
subject to substantial current stresses. In particular, for a high starting current application, the
total current will impose a tremendous stress on S1 (the starting current plus the current needed
to store energy in the Znetwork). The ripple current through C is higher than that through the dc
bus capacitor used in a conventional VSI. In terms of voltage, the boosted dc voltage is the
voltage across the capacitor in ZSI. Additionally, for starting and generating operation, S1 need
to handle bi-directional current and, thus, a diode with an antiparallel transistor should be used.
The selection of inductors and capacitors for Znetwork is also of great importance. Firstly the
reactive components selection should be guaranteed that no resonance would occur. In addition,
the inductance and capacitance should be large enough to make the inductor current and
capacitor voltage ripple as small as possible. With the shoot-through states evenly distributed
among the pulse width modulation (PWM) cycles, the equivalent switching frequency seen by
the Z-network will be several times of that used in VSI part, implying that minimization of
reactive components is possible .
3.2 COMPARISON BETWEEN VSI, CSI AND ZSI

Impedance source Inverter

Current Source Inverter Voltage Source Inverter
or Z-Source Inverter
1. As inductor is used in the As capacitor is used in the dc As capacitor and inductor is
dc link, the source link, it acts as a low used in the dc link, it acts as a
impedance is high. It acts as impedance voltage source. constant high impedance
a constant, current source. voltage source.
2. A CSI is capable of A VSI is more dangerous In ZSI mis-firing of the
withstanding short circuit situation as the parallel switches sometimes are also
across any two of its output capacitor feeds more acceptable.
terminals. Hence momentary powering to the fault.
short circuit on load and
misfiring of switches are
acceptable.
3. Used in only buck or boost Used in only a buck or boost Used in both buck &boost
operation of inverter. operation of inverter. operation of inverter.
4. The main circuits cannot The main circuit cannot be Here the main circuits are
be interchangeable. interchangeable here also. Interchangeable
5. It is affected by the EMI It is less affected by the EMI
It is affected by the EMI noise
noise. noise.
6. It has a considerable It has a considerable amount Harmonics Distortion in low
amount of harmonic of harmonic distortion
distortion
7. Power loss should be high Power loss is high Power loss should be low
because of filter
8. Lower efficiency because Efficiency should be low Higher efficiency because of
of high power loss because of power loss high less power loss
3.3 Block Diagram of the System
ZSI can be used for dc-to-ac, ac-to-dc, dc-to-dc or ac-to-ac power conversion. It
employs a special impedance network to combine the converter main circuit to the dc
power supply. ZSI structure is already shown in Fig.3.3. The two port network consists of
split-inductors L1 andL2 and capacitors C1 and C2 connected in X-shape. Unlike
traditional inverter sit provides special buck-boost feature to inverter by utilizing the
shoot-through zero states by gating on both upper and lower switches of a phase leg.
Therefore the ZSI can boost voltage and produce a required output voltage that is greater
than the available dc bus voltage. In addition to this, the reliability of the inverter is
greatly improved because the shoot through due to miss gating can now no longer destroy
the circuit. Thus it gives a low-cost, reliable, and high efficiency single stage structure for
buck and boost power conversion.

Fig 3.3 Block Diagram of Z-Source Inverter

The special feature of the ZSI is that its output ac voltage can be any value
between zero and infinity. That is, the ZSI is a buck–boost inverter that has a wide
obtainable voltage area. The traditional VSIs and CSIs do not provide such
characteristics. Unlike the traditional or conventional three-phase VSI that has eight
switching states the ZSI bridge has nine permissible switching states (vectors).
 The six active vectors when the dc voltage is connected across the load.
  Two zero vectors when the load terminals are shorted through either the upper or lower
three devices, respectively.
 One more zero state (or vector) when the load terminals are shorted through both the
upper and lower devices of any one of the phase leg (i.e., both devices are gated on), any
two phase legs, or all three phase legs.
This shoot-through zero state (or vector) is not present in the traditional VSI,
otherwise shoot-through would occur. This extra zero state (vector) is called the shoot
through zero state (or vector). This shoot-through zero state can be produced in seven
different ways:
 shoot-through via any one phase leg
 combinations of any two phase legs
 all three phase legs
3.4 Description of Block Diagram
Battery Supply
An electric battery is a device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells with
external connections provided to power electrical devices such as flashlights, smartphones,
and electric cars.When a battery is supplying electric power, its positive terminal is
the cathode and its negative terminal is the anode. Battery supply can be a 9V, 12V etc.
DC to DC Converter
A DC-to-DCconverter is an electronic circuit or electromechanical device that converts a
source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. It is a type of electric power
converter. Power levels range from very low (small batteries) to very high (high-voltage power
transmission).
Transformers used for voltage conversion at mains frequencies of 50–60 Hz must be
large and heavy for powers exceeding a few watts. This makes them expensive, and they are
subject to energy losses in their windings and due to eddy currents in their cores. DC-to-DC
techniques that use transformers or inductors work at much higher frequencies, requiring only
much smaller, lighter, and cheaper wound components. Consequently these techniques are used
even where a mains transformer could be used; for example, for domestic electronic appliances it
is preferable to rectify mains voltage to DC, use switch-mode techniques to convert it to high-
frequency AC at the desired voltage, then, usually, rectify to DC. The entire complex circuit is
cheaper and more efficient than a simple mains transformer circuit of the same output.

DC to AC Converter
A power inverter, or inverter, is an electronic device or circuitry that changes direct
current (DC) to alternating current (AC).The input voltage, output voltage and frequency, and
overall power handling depend on the design of the specific device or circuitry. The inverter does
not produce any power; the power is provided by the DC source. A power inverter can be
entirely electronic or may be a combination of mechanical effects (such as a rotary apparatus)
and electronic circuitry. Static inverters do not use moving parts in the conversion process.
In one simple inverter circuit, DC power is connected to a transformer through the center tap of
the primary winding. A switch is rapidly switched back and forth to allow current to flow back to
the DC source following two alternate paths through one end of the primary winding and then
the other. The alternation of the direction of current in the primary winding of the transformer
produces alternating current (AC) in the secondary circuit.
Driver Unit
A driver is an electrical circuit or other electronic component used to control another
circuit or component, such as a high-power transistor, liquid crystal display (LCD), and
numerous others.They are usually used to regulate current flowing through a circuit or to control
other factors such as other components, some devices in the circuit. The term is often used, for
example, for a specialized integrated circuit that controls high-power switches in switched-
mode power converters. An amplifier can also be considered a driver for loudspeakers, or
a voltage regulator that keeps an attached component operating within a broad range of
input voltages.
Impedance Network
Impedance networks can have multiple ports connecting external circuits, but generally
have two ports, and can thus be equivalent to a two-port network. In terms of Thevenin’s
equivalent impedance theorem, the input impedance of a two-port network is the equivalent
impedance of the two-port network with an open input port and an output port connecting a load;
while the output impedance (also named as source impedance or internal impedance) is the
equivalent impedance of the two-port network with a short-circuited input port and an open
output port.
Impedance (Z-) Source networks provide an efficient means of power conversion
between source and load in a wide range of electric power conversion applications (dc–dc, dc–
ac, ac–dc, ac– ac)
PIC Microcontroller
PIC (usually pronounced as "pick") is a family of microcontrollers made by Microchip
Technology, Early models of PIC had read-only memory (ROM) or field-programmable
EPROM for program storage, some with provision for erasing memory. All current models
use flash memory for program storage, and newer models allow the PIC to reprogram itself.
Program memory and data memory are separated. Data memory is 8-bit, 16-bit, and, in latest
models, 32-bit wide. Program instructions vary in bit-count by family of PIC, and may be 12, 14,
16, or 24 bits long. The instruction set also varies by model, with more powerful chips adding
instructions for digital signal processing functions.