Power Electronics Design

Power Electronic Converters

RECTIFIERS
Module descriptions
Module code: EEU 08104
Number of credits: 9
Module Instructor Credentials
Kisinga Daniel Angelo
BSc EE (UDSM-TZ), MSc Power Systems and High Voltage Engineering (UDSM-TZ) & MSc Advanced Electrical machines, power
electronics and drives (university of Sheffield-UK)
Assistant Lecturer
Department of Electrical Engineering
Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT-TZ)
Rectifiers
➢ A Rectifier is any device which offers a low resistance to the flow of current in one direction
but a higher resistance in the other direction. In so doing, it converts A.C Voltage (bi-
directional) into D.C voltage (unidirectional). Therefore, rectifiers are known as A.C to D.C
Converters
➢ In the latter context, it is justified that rectification is performed by a power electronic device.
These devices can be controlled or uncontrolled, therefore rectifiers are classified into
controlled rectifiers and uncontrolled rectifiers
➢ The type of rectifiers mentioned above can further be categorized into the number of phases
that are input to the converter, which generally are classified into single phase and three phase
rectifiers.
➢ Moreover, classification of the rectifiers can be based on the output waveforms and thus
resulting into half wave and full wave rectifiers
Uncontrolled Rectifiers
➢ The uncontrolled rectifiers are made up by the uncontrolled devices, diodes. Therefore, they are also
known as diode rectifiers.
➢ Our discussion will be constrained based on the classification stated in the previous slide, and
considering the effects of the types of loads in the power electronic converters

Single Phase half wave diode rectifier with R-Load

➢ Consider Fig. 1 whose analysis is as follows
➢Circuit equation: S = VD + VR

➢For i (t )  0, VD = 0 i.e. the assumption

is: When conducting the anode-cathode voltage
is zero
➢Thus, the circuit equation becomes S = VR
And S VM Fig 1: Uncontrolled Half wave rectifier with R-Load
i (t ) = = sin t
R R
 Single Phase half wave diode rectifier with R-Load

➢ During the next half cycle, when S  0, the diode is reverse biased, the current i (t ) = 0 and VR = 0
giving S = VD
Wave forms
➢ Fig. 2 Provide the wave forms of the single phase half wave diode rectifier
with R-Load, It can be seen that , although the output voltage and currents
are DC (unidirectional), they are discontinuous and therefore contains
harmonics. Basically, a rectifier is supposed to give out DC output voltage
with a minimum amount of harmonics
➢ The maximum current, VM , average current is as calculated below
IM =
R
T
2
1 T
I av =
T I
0
M sin t dt T = 2 , = 
2
IM
= Fig 2: Waveforms of Uncontrolled
 Half wave rectifier with R-Load
Single Phase half wave diode rectifier with R-Load

➢Similarly, VM
Vav =

➢RMS Current,
1
 T2 2
1  T
I rms =   ( I M sin t ) dt  , T = 2 , = 
2

T 0 2
 
IM
Giving I rms = and
2
VM
Vrms =
2
 Single Phase half wave-diode rectifier with RL-Load
➢ In daily applications most of the loads are inductive, therefore considering RL-Load is more
practical. Consider Fig. 3.
➢ The following equation can be derived from Fig. 3 equation: S = VL + VR + VD
➢ During conduction, VD = 0, thus + _
di
S = VL + VR  2VS sin t = L + Ri is VD +
+ L
dt Vs 0
_
where VM = 2VS R
_
➢ With initial conditions: i (t ) t =0 = 0 Fig 3: Single Phase Half wave diode rectifier with
RL-Load
➢ The solution of the current is ➢ Where Z = (R 2 +  2 L2 )2
1

V  − t
R
L
i(t ) = M sin(t −  ) + (sin  )e   = tan -1 ,  = 2f
L
Z   R
 Single Phase half wave-diode rectifier with RL-Load
Waveforms ➢The current waveform is plotted based on the current
equation;
VM  − t
R
iS (t ) =  sin(t −  ) + sin e L 
 
Z  
R = i (t )  R
➢The waveform for R is similar to iS (t )

➢Until t1: The current builds up and hence VL = VS − VR

is positive and di is positive.
dt
Beyond t1, VL becomes negative because di is
negative. VR is greater than Vs. dt
 Single Phase Full wave-diode rectifier with RL-Load

➢ Now, let us consider single phase full wave rectifier with inductive load [Kindly, revise full wave
with R load]
➢ Consider Fig. 4, in which battery E is added to have a more generalized condition
➢ Let S = VM sin t = 2VS sin t , the load current is found
from di0
L + Ri0 + E = 2VS sin t
dt
➢ For which the solution is 2VS R
− t E
i0 = sin(t −  ) + A1e L −
Z R
L
Where Z = R 2 + (L) 2  = tan −1
R
➢ Let the current at t =  be I1 then the constant is
calculated as  R   
 E 2VS   L   
A1 =  I 1 + − sin  e
 R Z 
 
Single Phase Full wave-diode rectifier with RL-Load
R  
2VS  E 2VS  L   −t  E
➢ Where i0 becomes i0 = sin(t −  ) +  I 1 + − sin  e −
Z  R Z  R
Waveforms

➢ The load current fluctuates between Imin and Imax

➢ The analysis is simplified by assuming a very large

inductance such that there is negligible ripples in the
load current

➢ Depending on the value of the inductance Imin could

be equal to zero or greater than zero, resulting into a
discontinuous mode or a non discontinuous mode,
respectively
 Three Phase Bridge Rectifiers

➢It is a full-wave rectifier

➢Each diode conducts for 1200
➢The conduction sequence is 12 23 34 45 56 61
Waveforms

➢The line-to-line voltage is

3Vm sin td (t )
Where
Vm peak phase voltage
 Three Phase Bridge Rectifiers
➢ The average output voltage
2 ➢ RMS output voltage
1
Vdc =  3Vm sin td (t ) t =  1
2
( )
T 1
2
T 1 Vrms = 3Vm sin t d (t )

2 2
3
1 3


1
= 3Vm sin td (t ) =  m tdt
3V 2
sin 2

 
3 3
3 3
= 1.6554Vm
= 1.654Vm 1/ 2
2
➢ The load is purely resistive ➢ RMS diode current  2 3 
Id rms =  I sin tdt 
2 2

 2
m

Vm  3 
Im = 3
R = 0.5518I m , I m = peak secondary line current
➢ And the rms value of the transformer secondary current is given by

2 1/ 2
 4 3 
Ia =   I 2
sin 2
tdt 
 2  
m

 3 
= 0.7804 I m
Where I m = peak secondary line current