Switch-Mode DC-AC

Converters
EE 442/642

8-1

Some Applications: AC Motor Drives & PV Inverters

8-2

Switch-Mode DC-AC Inverter

Four quadrants of operation.

8-3

Half-Bridge Inverter:

1. Capacitors provide the mid-point.

2. The transistors TA+ and TA- are switched
using pulse-width-modulation (PWM).

8-4

Synthesis of a Sinusoidal Output by PWM

Amplitude and frequency modulation ratios:

ma

Vcontrol
f
, mf s ,
Vtri
f1

For small values of mf ( e.g., 21), the two

signals must be synchronized to avoid
sub-harmonics.
Peak value of fundamental voltage:

(VAo )1 maVd ,
2

for

ma 1

The harmonics in the inverter output

appear as sidebands around mf, 2mf,
3mf, ,kmf,
Only odd harmonics are present in
the output voltage waveform mf
should be an odd integer value.
8-5

Harmonics in the DC-AC Inverter Output Voltage

1. The fundamental voltage is proportional to the amplitude modulation index.

2. Some harmonics can be larger than the fundamental component.
8-6

Fundamental Voltage as a Function of ma

1. Note the linear and the over-modulation regions; with squarewave operation in the limit.

1
2

Vd (VAo )1 Vd ,
2

for

ma 1
8-7

Harmonics in the Over-Modulation Region

The side bands start to spread out to a point where all the integer harmonics
appear in the frequency spectrum (including the low-order harmonics which
are hard to filter).
8-8

Square-Wave Mode of Operation

Fundamental and harmonic voltages:

(VAo )1 Vd ,

(VAo ) h Vd , h 3,5,7...
h
8-9

Single-Phase Full-Bridge DC-AC Inverter

1. No need for capacitor mid-point.

2. The output voltage now switches between +Vd and -Vd.

8-10

PWM to Synthesize Sinusoidal Output: Bipolar Switching

Peak value of fundamental voltage:

Vo1 maVd ,

for

Vd Vo1 Vd ,

ma 1
for

ma 1

8-11

Analysis with Ideal Filters

vo (t ) 2Vo sin(1t ),
io (t ) 2 I o sin(1t )
Vd id* (t ) vo (t )io (t ),
id* (t ) ... I d 2 I d 2 cos(21t )
where
VI
VI
I d o o cos( ), I d 2 o o
VD
2Vd
8-12

PWM Unipolar Voltage Switching

Legs A and B are controlled separately:

Vo1 maVd ,

for

Vd Vo1 Vd ,

ma 1
for

ma 1

The harmonics in the inverter output

appear as sidebands around 2mf,
4mf, 6mf,
Note the harmonics at and around
mf, 3mf, 5mf, are absent lower
harmonic content.

Note also only odd harmonics are

present.
8-13

DC-Side Current with PWM Unipolar Switching

The ripple content is significantly less than when using

bipolar switching.

8-14

Sinusoidal Synthesis by Voltage Shift (Modified Square Wave)

(Vo ) h Vd sin(h ), h 1,3,5,7...

h

8-15

Fundamental and Ripple in Inverter Output

Vo1Eo
V01Eo cos( ) Eo2
sin( ), Q
Active and Reactive Power: P
1L
1L

8-16

Square-Wave versus PWM Operation

PWM results in much smaller ripple current.

8-17

Push-Pull Inverter (requires transformer with center tap)

Vo1 maVd / n,
Vd
4 Vd
Vo1
,
n
n

for
for

ma 1
ma 1

1. vo switches between Vd/n and Vd/n where n is the transformer turn

ratio.
2. Advantage: no more than one switch conducts at any time less
voltage drop. Also the control drives have the same ground.

3. Difficulty: strong magnetic coupling between the two half windings is

required to reduce the energy associated with the leakage inductance.
8-18

Three-Phase Inverter

1. Three inverter legs;

2. No mid-capacitor point is required.
8-19

Three-Phase PWM Waveforms

Legs A, B and C are controlled separately:

VLL1

3
maVd 0.612maVd ,
2 2

3
6

Vd VLL1
Vd ,

2 2

for

for

ma 1

ma 1

The frequency modulation index, mf, should be

an odd number that is a multiple of 3 to cancel
out the most dominant harmonics

See harmonic content of line voltage during

linear modulation in the next slide.

8-20

Three-Phase Inverter Harmonics

8-21

Three-Phase Inverter Output

8-22

DC-Side Current in a Three-Phase Inverter

The current consists of a dc component and the

switching-frequency related harmonics.

8-23

Three-Phase Inverter: Fundamental Frequency

Vd id* (t ) v An (t )i A (t ) vBn (t )iB (t ) vCn (t )iC (t ),

3Vo I o
i (t ) ... I d
cos( ),
Vd
*
d

(DC quantity only)

8-24

Three-Phase Inverter: Square-Wave Mode

8-25

Square-Wave Operation

8-26

Square-Wave and PWM Operation

PWM results in much smaller ripple current

8-27

PWM Operation: Short-Circuit States

8-28

Blanking Time: Non-Ideal switches

Instantaneous switching from ON

to OFF and vice versa.

In practice, the turn-on and turn-off

times are finite (non-zero). Blanking
Time is chosen to avoid crossconduction through the leg.
Impact on output voltage:
8-29

Effect of Blanking Time on Voltage

(during current zero crossing)

8-30

Programmed Harmonic Elimination

The notch angles are based on the desired output.

8-31

Current Control: Tolerance-Band Current Control

Variable switching frequency which depends on the load inductance,

motor back emf, and DC voltage.

8-32

Fixed-Frequency Operation

8-33

Transition from Inverter to Rectifier Mode

8-34