Voltage Control of Inverters

Need for Voltage Control

To fulfill the requirement of AC loads
AC loads require constant input voltage at different level
V/f ratio of the inverter should be kept constant
Applications
- Speed control of Motors (variable torque)
- Speed control of winding machines, fans
- AC magnet controls

Methods of voltage control

External control of ac output voltage
- AC voltage control
- Series Inverter control
External control of dc input voltage
Internal Control of inverter
- PWM Techniques

AC Voltage Control

Series Inverter Control

When =0, V0= V01+V02

When = 180 & V0=0 ,
V01=V02
So by firing angle control of the two
inverters the output voltage can be
controlled

External Control of DC Input Voltage

DISADVANTAGES OF TRADITIONAL METHODS

Complexity increases
High cost
Occupies more space
Not flexible in control
Not compatible with user
Not commercial
Requires more floor area

Solution : Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technique

Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

Modulating the width of the pulse by keeping height as
constant.
The different time periods or pulses will be given to power
electronics devices.
Advantages:
External Components are not needed. So less cost
Lower order harmonics can be eliminated
Easy Filter design

CLASSIFICATION OF PWM
Pulse Width
Modulation

Single Pulse
Width
Modulation

Multiple
Pulse Width
Modulation

Sinusoidal
Pulse Width
Modulation

Carrier and Reference Signals

Gate Pulse

Gate Pulse

Compare the Reference Signal with the Carrier

Frequency of the Reference Signal determines
the frequency of the Output Voltage
Modulation Index = M = Ar/Ac
ECE 442 Power Electronics

10

Single Pulse Width Modulation

Single pulse per half cycle is generated
It consists of a pulse located symmetrical about /2 and
another pulse located symmetrical about 3/2.
The shape of the output voltage is Quasi-Square wave.

RMS value of the Output Voltage

2
Vo
2

1
2

2
V
d
(

t
s

Vo Vs

0 180
0 Vo Vs
ECE 442 Power Electronics

13

Fourier Series for the Output Voltage

4Vs
n
vo (t )
sin
sin nt
2
n 1,3,5,... n

ECE 442 Power Electronics

14

MULTIPLE-PULSE WIDTH MODULATION

It is an extension to single pulse width modulatio

More pulses will exist in an half cycle.
The width of every single pulse is same.

Triangular wave

Comparator

Square wave

Trigger pulse
generator

Trigger
pulses to
scr

ECE 442 Power Electronics

16

Contd..

[Width of half cycle = T/2

T= 1/f ]

Advantages
Lower order harmonics are eliminated.
The magnitude of higher harmonics would go up.
This has more applications than single-pulse width
modulation in olden days

Sinusoidal-Pulse-Width-Modulation
In multiple-pulse modulation, all pulses are the
same width
Vary the pulse width according to the
amplitude of a sine wave evaluated at the
center of the same pulse

Sinusoidal-Pulse-Width-Modulation
- Peak of the carrier
wave coinciding with
the zero of the sine
wave
Number of Pulses
generated = fc/2f

Sinusoidal-Pulse-Width-Modulation
- Zero of the carrier
wave coinciding with
the zero of the sine
wave
Number of Pulses
generated = fc/2f 1

Modulation index =
Vr/Vc

Disadvantages of PWM
Lesser utilization of DC supply voltage.
Higher harmonics
Lower modulation index
Less flexibility
Difficult in manipulation
Unique solution to above all problems is
SPACE VECTOR PULSE WIDTH MODULATION technique.

SPACE VECTOR PULSE WIDTH MODULATION

Output voltages of three-phase inverter

where, upper transistors: S1, S3, S5

lower transistors: S4, S6, S2
switching variable vector: a, b, c

 S1 - S6 are the six power transistors that shape the output voltage
When an upper switch is turned on (i.e., a, b or c is 1), the
corresponding lower switch is turned off (i.e., a', b' or c' is 0)
Eight possible combinations of on and off patterns for the three
upper transistors (S1, S3, S5)

 Line to line voltage vector [Vab Vbc Vca]t

Vab
1 1 0

V
0
1

1
bc
dc

Vca
1 0 1

a

t
b
,
where
switching
variable
vector
[a
b
c]

c

Line to neutral (phase) voltage vector [Van Vbn Vcn]t

Van
2 1 1
1

1
2

1
dc
bn

3
Vcn
1 1 2

a

b
c

Output voltage of three phase inverter V0 to V7

 The eight combinations, phase voltages and output line to line voltages

Principle of Space Vector PWM

Treats the sinusoidal voltage as a constant amplitude vector rotating
at constant frequency
This PWM technique approximates the reference voltage Vref by a
combination of the eight switching patterns (V0 to V7)
The vectors (V1 to V6) divide the plane into six sectors (each sector:
60 degrees)
Vref is generated by two adjacent non-zero vectors and two zero
vectors

Basic switching vectors and Sectors

6 active vectors (V1,V2, V3, V4, V5, V6)

Axes of a hexagonal
DC link voltage is supplied to
the load
Each sector (1 to 6):
60degrees

2 zero vectors (V0, V7)

At origin
No voltage is supplied to
the load
Fig. Basic switching vectors and sectors.

Comparison of Sine PWM and Space Vector PWM

Space Vector PWM generates less harmonic distortion
in the output voltage or currents in comparison with sine PWM
Space Vector PWM provides more efficient use of supply voltage
in comparison with sine PWM
Voltage Utilization: Space Vector PWM = 2/3 times of Sine PWM

Harmonic Control
Harmonic Reduction by PWM
Technique
Harmonic Reduction by Transformer
connection
Harmonic Reduction by Stepped
wave inverters

Harmonic Reduction by PWM Technique

If 3 rd and 5th harmonics has to be eliminated

Harmonic Reduction by Transformer connection

Contd

Derivation

Phasor Diagram

Harmonic Reduction by Stepped wave

inverter