IEEE ISIE 2005, June 20-23, 2005, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Resonant AC to AC Converter
Vineeta Agarwal & Sachin Nema
M.N.N.I.T. Electrical Engineering Department Allahabad, INDIA

Abstract - This paper proposes a novel, power electronics system, a series resonant AC to AC converter, capable of converting a single phase AC supply of frequency fi, into a balanced three-phase supply of frequency foc that may be both higher as well as lower to the input frequency. Use of microcontrollers to control the trigger pulses has made it more versatile. It finds its application in single phase traction system where DC traction motors may be replaced by three phase induction motors operated from 50 Hz. A methodology is obtained to generate the three phase output from single phase input for micro-computer implementation. Peripheral input-output and microcomputer interfacing hardware has been developed using programmable devices. The trigger circuit has been tested qualitatively by observing various waveforms on CRO. The operation of proposed system has been found satisfactory.

High Frequency 1- Phase fi Series Hz Input Resonant Converter

1- Phase of for Hz Output 1- Phase to 3- Phase CycloConverter

3 - Phase of for/ Nc Hz Output

Figure 1. Schematic detail of the proposed converter

I.

INTRODUCTION

Development in the field of cyclo-converter circuit is a subject of investigation. A wide variety of cycloconverter circuits are possible depending upon the output frequency and voltage [1-4]. Simplest is the line commutated single phase to single phase and single phase to three phase cyclo-converter. One of the main disadvantages with cyclo-converter circuits is that the maximum output frequency is limited to one third of the input frequency. This leads to low speed operation of induction machine. In this paper an attempt has been made to design a new series resonant AC to AC converter, which can provide an output frequency that is not limited to one third of the input frequency but rather, it may be both higher as well as lower to that of input frequency. The actual performance of this converter is obtained by simulating it on a software package PSPICE. Hardware design is obtained using a micro-controller based system. Trigger requirements are obtained for single-phase centre tapped transformer configuration. Experiment results are presented for an induction motor load. II. PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION Figure 1 shows the schematic details of the proposed converter. Basically, there are two converters connected in cascade: i) A high frequency series resonant converter and ii) Single-phase to three phase cyclo converter.

A high frequency series resonant converter makes use of a series RLC oscillatory load circuit so that load commutation may be employed [6]. The output of this converter will have a frequency, for = fi Nr where Nr is an integer and fi is the source frequency. This output feeds a single phase to three phase cyclo-converter which in turn gives the required variable frequency (foc = for / Nc) three-phase output. Fig. 2 shows the detailed circuit of the high frequency series resonant converter. It consists of two converters a positive converter PC and a negative converter NC connected in anti parallel. SCRs 1 and 2 form the positive converter and SCRs 3 and 4 form the negative converter. Output is obtained through proper conduction of SCRs in the two input cycles. For example, to generate an output frequency double to the input frequency a firing sequence of 14, 23, 14 , and so on, is adopted whereas for an output frequency three time to that of input frequency the firing sequence becomes 141, 323, 141, , and so on.
1
X

PC

P1

Tr

m
2

LC
Z

Single Phase fi Hz Input

LOAD

R
3

LC
n
P2
Y

NC

Figure 2. Series Resonant Converter

0-7803-8738-4/05/$20.00 2005 IEEE

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There is a definite firing sequence for a given value of Nr to generate the high frequency output for. Figure 3 shows the idealized waveform with a firing sequence of 14, 23, 14, , for an output frequency double to the input frequency and for a resistive load. Since the input voltage at point a is not zero, the SCR 1 will not turn-off by line commutation. It can be commutated in a finite time if some inductance and capacitance is added in the circuit. A series RLC circuit thus has been used as a load to commutate the SCR. The value of capacitance and inductance is designed such that overall circuit becomes critically-damped. If SCR 1 is not turned off when SCR 4 of the negative group is triggered, it may lead to short circuit and output voltage reduces to zero. The current through SCRs during this period is about five to six times the rated current which may burn the SCRs. This current is kept within the rated value by inserting a suitable inductance Lc between positive and negative converters as shown in Fig 2. The load current flows from m to z and z to n in positive and negative half of output cycles respectively. This establishes unidirectional mmf in the core. Fig. 4 shows a single phase to three- phase cycloconverter. It consists of three units for phases A, B, and C respectively, connected to a common single phase source. Each unit is identical to the converter shown in Fig. 2 except that resonant components L and C are not here. A variable frequency AC can be generated by alternately switching the positive and negative converter of one of the unit. The other two units are to be triggered in such a manner that a predefined phase sequence as well as a phase difference of 2/3 is maintained between outputs A, B, and C. For example, for Nc = 3, after two complete pulses of VAO, positive converter of phase B unit starts generating the positive half of VBO and negative converter, previously generating negative cycle of VBO, is switched off. The input voltage, VZO, at this instant of transition being zero, a natural commutation takes place from the negative converter to the positive converter. The phase difference between other phase voltages is also made 2/3 radians by similar operation of other phase units. Fig. 5 shows single phase input and a balanced three phase output obtained from single phase to three phase CC for a typical output frequency, foc = for / 3.
Vi
a

UNIT A
Single phase input at for

VAO VBO VCO

UNIT B

UNIT C

Figure 4. Single Phase to Three- Phase Cyclo-converter

VZO

it

Single phase Input

VAO

it VBO it VCO it Three phase Output

Figure 5. Input and Output Waveforms for output frequency, foc = for / 3

III. PSPICE SIMULATION In order to select the appropriate value of capacitance and inductance in resonant converter circuit, the overall circuit of Fig. 1 is simulated on the software PSPICE. The converter has been modeled in three structures. The first structure is based on modeling of resonant converter. Since secondary winding of centre-tapped transformer is always connected through one or other SCR, it has been assumed to consist of two independent voltage source capable of providing sinusoidal output at frequency fi. The four SCRs have been modeled using sub-circuits for SCRs available in the package. For RLC series resonance turn-off method of the SCR, the RLC load circuit of Fig. 2 has to be under-damped. The resonant output frequency of the under-damped circuit is given by

it VZO 1 4 2 3 1 4 2 3 1 4 2 3 1 4 2 3 1 4 2 3 1 4 2 3 it

Figure 3. Idealized Waveform of Resonant Converter for for = fi 2

o =

1 R2 2 LC 4L

(1)

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To avoid complexity, the values of R and L have been taken constant, depending on the load condition, where as the value of C is varied to obtain the required underdamped condition. Computer runs are made taking R = 1 , L = 15 mH and C = 75F, for Nr =3. Since secondary of the transformer, and Lc has also some inductance, the actual value of C has been found to be 65 F, which is less than the mathematically calculated value of 75F. It has been noticed that as the value of multiplying frequency factor Nr increases, the value of C decreases. For Nr = 4, these values are found as L = 15 mH and C = 42 F respectively whereas for Nr = 2 these values are respectively, L = 15 mH and C = 135 F. Fig. 6 shows the simulated input and output voltages waveforms of resonant converter for Nr = 3, and Nr = 4. Simulation of a single phase to three- phase cycloconverter has already been done in [5]. The author has investigated the various waveforms for this converter with both resistive as well as inductive load. The two converters are finally cascaded in structure three with induction motor model to obtain the overall performance.

IV. HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION The work has been done on a micro-controller based system having separate cards. The micro-controller system is connected to the input through an input interfacing circuit and the SCR gates are driven by it through output interfacing circuit. The input interfacing circuit consists of a step down transformer (220 V/6 V), connected to the main source and a zero crossing detector (ZCD). In the proposed scheme the processor first generates the trigger pulses for the SCRs used in resonant converter. The crossover points of input voltage Vi are sensed by the processor at every low to high and high to low transition of ZCD output. The output of ZCD interrupts the processor through IC 8259. At the rising edge of ZCD a timer TO of 8253 in INTC card, is loaded in square mode to generate a square wave of desired output frequency. At every transition of TO, one more timer is programmed in mode zero and loaded with the time at which its SCR is to be fired. This time is calculated as the time corresponding to a firing angle and stored in memory. Four timers, T1, T2, T3 and T4 of Timer card are thus used to carry out gate signals for four SCRs. Port B keeps the track of timer TO. Output of four timers is fed to power driver and isolating circuit. In driver circuit, each output of the timer is modulated with a 10 kHz square wave generated by IC 555. This facilitates the use of small sized ferrite core isolating transformer. The modulated output is amplified by a transistor Tr. The isolated output thus obtained, drives the gate of individual SCRs. Fig. 8 shows the program structure for generating the required gate signals to generate a high frequency output This output of resonant converter VZO is used as input for single-phase to three phase cyclo-converter. A detailed description and program structure for generating the gate signals for generating a balanced three phase supply is given in [4]. The two structures are cascaded to generate a balanced three phase supply with single phase input.

Nr = 3

ZCD Output

INTC Card
8253

Set N

Input interfacing circuit

fi

Firing sequence Selector

Synchronization logic
Real time decoder

8255 8259

TIMER Card 8253

POWER DRIVER AND ISOLATING CIRCUIT

Nr = 4 Figure 6. Simulated Waveforms

Figure 7. Trigger Control Scheme

SCR Gates

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START Ti = 20 ms Set N; Ni = N; N3 = Ti / 2N Check ZCD output If HIGH THEN Load T with N3 in square mode 1 F2 : Check T output 1 If HIGH THEN Load T4 ELSE Load T1 N1 = N1 -1 IF N1 = 0 THEN N2= N; Go to F1 ELSE Go to F2 F1 : Check T output 1 IF HIGH THEN Load T2 ELSE Load T3 IF N2 = 0 THEN N1= N; Go to F2 ELSE Go to F1 N2 = N2 -1 END
Fig. 8 Program Structure to generate gate signals for resonant converter

Figure 9 Trigger Signals for positive converter V(SCR1) upper trace:10 V/cm; V(SCR2) lower trace:10 V/cm; horizontal scale (HS): 10.5 ms/cm)

Figure 10 Input Voltage (upper trace: 50 V/cm) & Output of resonant converter (Lower trace: 50 V/cm; horizontal scale (HS): 10.5 ms/cm)

V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS Trigger circuit has been tested qualitatively by observing the waveforms at salient points of the control circuit on CRO. Trigger signals for SCRs of positive converter of resonant converter are shown in Fig. 9 for Nr = 3. Trigger angle of each SCR is taken as zero degree with respect to the output of zero crossing detector. Fig. 10 shows the trace of input voltage and the output of resonant converter. The converter is tested with a three phase induction motor run on 50 Hz. The induction motor is rated at 1.5 kW, 415 V and its stator windings are connected in star. Fig. 11 shows the waveforms for phase voltage VAO and VBO. The predicted performance of converter fed induction motor has been found satisfactory. VI. CONCLUSIONS A new series resonant AC to AC converter has been proposed which generates three phase output from single phase input. The output frequency of the converter may be both high as well as low to the input frequency. A methodology is obtained for generating trigger signal to obtain a three phase output from a single phase input for micro-controller implementation. Peripheral input-output and micro-computer interfacing hardware has been developed using programmable devices. Interfacing is designed so as to reduce burden on CPU. The different peripheral circuits involve readily available ICs and other components. The trigger circuit has been tested qualitatively by observing the various waveforms on CRO. The operation of proposed system has been found satisfactory.

Figure 11. Waveforms for phase voltage VAO (Upper trace :50 V/cm) and VBO (Lower trace : 50 V/cm) horizontal scale (HS): 10.5 ms/cm)

REFERENCES
[1] G. N. Acharya, U. N. Rao and S. S. Shekhawat, A Single Phase to Three Phase Static Converter , in Proc. IEE Power Electron Power Semiconductor Application., 1977 [2] K. Kant, Analysis and Design of Cyclo-converter fed Induction motor drive, Ph.D. Thesis Electrical. Engineering Department IIT Delhi, India 1982 [3] H.H. Chen, Microprocessor Control of a Three Phase Cycloconverter , IEEE Trans. on Ind. Electronics and Control Instrumentation, vol. IECI-24, No.3, Aug. 1985. [4] Vineeta and Krishna Kant, Microprocessor Based Single Phase to Three Phase Cycloconverter , IEEE Trans. on Ind. Electronics, vol. IE-39, No.4, Aug. 1990. [5] Vineeta Agarwal, Anant K Agarwal and Krishna Kant, A study of Single Phase to Three Phase Cycloconverter Using PSPICE , IEEE Trans. on Ind. Electronics, vol. 39. No.2, April. 1992. [6] Vineeta Agrawal, Microprocessor Based Cyclo-Inverter, International Symposium on Power Electronics Circuits, June 25-26, 1994, HONG KONG.

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