Power Electronics and Electric

Drives
Chapter-2 AC-DC Converters
Electrical Power Engineering Chair
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

12/12/2020 1
AC-DC Converters (Rectifier): Introduction
➢ Rectification is the process of conversion of alternating input voltage to direct out put voltage.

➢ As stated before , a rectifier convert ac power to dc. In diode based rectifiers, the output voltage
cannot be controlled.

➢ Most diode rectifiers have fixed frequency input AC voltages, fixed DC output voltage.

➢ Controlled rectifiers or Phase-control rectifiers have control on switching devices and usually
consist of thyristors where the thyristors act as a switch and have two states: ON state and OFF
state (i.e. achieved by providing suitable gate trigger pulse).

➢ In the case of diode rectifiers, load current flows when diodes conduct and in the case of phase
rectifiers, the load current flows when the thyristors conduct.
12/12/2020 2
Classification of Rectifiers (AC-DC)

Fig. 2.1 shows an attempt to classify the rectifiers based on their operational control
12/12/2020 3
Basic Rectifier Circuitry

12/12/2020 4
Single-Phase Half-Wave Rectifier(Uncontrolled)

Fig.2.2 A single-phase half-wave rectifier with resistive load

12/12/2020 5
 Waveforms

12/12/2020 6
Contn’d…
By observing the voltage waveform of diode D in Fig. 2.2,
➢ it is clear that the peak inverse voltage (PIV) of diode D is equal to Vm during the negative half-cycle
of the transformer secondary voltage.

➢ Hence the Peak Repetitive Reverse Voltage (VRRM) rating of diode D must be chosen to be higher
than Vm to avoid reverse breakdown.

➢ In the positive half-cycle of the transformer secondary voltage, diode D has a forward current which is
equal to the load current and, therefore, the Peak Repetitive Forward Current (IFRM) rating of
diode D must be chosen to be higher than the peak load current Vm/R, in practice.

➢ In addition, the transformer has to carry a dc current that may result in a dc saturation problem of the
transformer core.

12/12/2020 7
Basic Rectifier parameters
Rectifier parameters are useful in comparing the performance of different rectifier structures. Although
there are many parameters, the parameters discussed in this section are mostly basic.

➢ Form Factor (FF): of a rectifier is the ratio of the root-mean-square value to the mean value of
voltages.

➢ Rectification Ratio (RR): It a Rectification efficiency of the rectifier.

➢ Ripple Factor (RF): Ripple Factor is a measure of the ripple content. It denotes smoothness of voltage
waveform in the output of the rectifier or the quality of rectification.

➢ Transformer Utilization Factor (TUF): Transformers provide isolation between the input of the
rectifier and grid. TUF is the ratio of the DC output power to the transformer volt-ampere (VA) rating
required by the secondary winding.

12/12/2020 8
Performance Parameters (continued)

12/12/2020 9
Input Voltage and Current

12/12/2020 10
Performance Parameters (continued)

✓ Crest factor: is a parameter of waveforms, such as alternating current or sound to, showing the
ratio of peak values to effective values.

12/12/2020 11
Example 2.1

12/12/2020 12
Solutions: Determine the Average Voltage, 𝑉𝑑𝑐

12/12/2020 13
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 14
Determine the rms Voltage, 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠

12/12/2020 15
Determine 𝑃𝑑𝑐 , 𝑃𝑎𝑐 , and η

12/12/2020 16
Determine FF and RF

12/12/2020 17
Determine the TUF

12/12/2020 18
Determine the PIV
▪ PIV is the maximum (peak) voltage that appears across the diode
when reverse biased. Hence, PIV = 𝑉𝑚 .

12/12/2020 19
Contn’d…

Determine CF Determine PF

12/12/2020 20
Summary – Half-Wave Rectifier
▪ 𝑅𝐹 = 121% 𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ
▪ 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 40.5 𝐿𝑜𝑤
▪ 𝑇𝑈𝐹 = 0.286 𝐿𝑜𝑤
- 1/𝑇𝑈𝐹 = 3.496
-transformer must be 3.496 times larger than when using a pure ac
voltage source

12/12/2020 21
Half-Wave Rectifier with R-L Load

12/12/2020 22
Waveforms of Current and Voltage

12/12/2020 23
Average Output Voltage

12/12/2020 24
Waveforms with 𝐷𝑚 installed

12/12/2020 25
Application as a Battery Charger

12/12/2020 26
Waveforms for the Battery Charger

12/12/2020 27
Single-Phase Full-Wave Rectifier

12/12/2020 28
Waveforms for the Full-Wave Rectifier

12/12/2020 29
Single-Phase Full-Wave Rectifier

12/12/2020 30
Full-Wave Bridge Rectifier

12/12/2020 31
Waveforms for the Full-Wave Bridge

12/12/2020 32
Full-Wave Bridge with Waveforms

12/12/2020 33
Single-phase half-wave controlled rectifier (resistive
load)

• Note that: α = Firing angle (delay angle)

12/12/2020 34
Contn’d…
• The average value of output voltage:

• Therefore, Changing the firing angle from 0 to π, the output voltage varies from 𝑉𝑚Τ𝜋 to 0.
• The rms value of output voltage:

• In this rectifier, the output voltage and current have only one polarity and thus the rectifier is called
semi converter.

12/12/2020 35
Contn’d…

• This type of rectifier is not usually used in industrial applications due

• The frequency of output ripple voltage equals the source frequency.

• The transformer carries a dc current which is not desirable.

12/12/2020 36
Example
• If a single-phase half-wave controlled rectifier has a purely resistive load R and the delay angle
α=π/2, determine a) the converter efficiency, b) ripple factor, and c) the PIV of the thyristor.

12/12/2020 37
Contn’d…

• Example-2: Home work: For the previous example, draw a) the output voltage,
b) the load current, and c) the voltage a cross the thyristor.

12/12/2020 38
Single-phase full converter (highly inductive load)

12/12/2020 39
Contn’d…
• The average value of output voltage:

• Therefore, Changing the firing angle from 0 to π/2, the output voltage
varies from 2𝑉𝑚 /𝜋 𝑡𝑜 0. The rms value of output voltage:

12/12/2020 40
Three Phase Controlled Rectifiers

• Three-phase rectifiers provide higher average output voltage compared to

• The frequency of output voltage ripples in a three-phase rectifier is higher

• Three-phase rectifiers are extensively used in high-power industrial

12/12/2020 41
3-Phase Half Wave Converter

12/12/2020 42
Vector Diagram of 3 Phase Supply Voltages

12/12/2020 43
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 44
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 45
Contn’d…
• Each thyristor conducts for 2𝜋/3 (120°)

12/12/2020 46
Contn’d…

• To Derive an Expression for the Average Output Voltage of a 3-Phase

12/12/2020 47
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 48
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 49
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 50
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 51
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 52
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 53
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 54
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 55
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 56
Three Phase Full Converter

12/12/2020 57
Contn’d…b) waveforms

12/12/2020 58
Contn’d…

12/12/2020 59
Exercise
• The three-phase full, Y-connected 208 V, 60 Hz controlled rectifier has a
resistive load R=10 ohms. The average output voltage needs to be 50% of
the maximum average voltage.
Calculate:
a) the delay angle, α
b) the average and output currents
c) the average rms and rms thyristor currents

12/12/2020 60