APC Silcon Delta Conversion

APC Silcon 1 General

Delta Conversion Technology. The APC Silcon range of three phase UPS’s make
use of the latest developments in Power Electronics to
Abstract. This article provides circuitry found in the form the patented Delta Conversion On-line UPS
APC Silcon Delta Conversion UPS technology, design.
together with technical support for some of the
advantages to be found in the design. It is based on
seminars presented to Engineering Consultants
around the world.

Delta Conversion is used to describe the patented

APC Silcon technology for an on-line UPS, which
converts only the power difference between the UPS
input and output. to produce an output with a clean
and sinusoidal waveform shape.

Its circuitry provides a novel approach to on-line UPS

design, and this paper is intended to give engineers an
insight to the circuit approach. Functional block
Contents diagrams, power electronic circuits and control loops
1 General......................................................................1
2 Standard Block Diagram............................................2
are provided to aid performance understanding.
Main Components...............................................................2
Main Inverter:................................................................2
Delta inverter:.................................................................2
Delta transformer............................................................2
Filters on input and output..............................................2
DC Capacitor..................................................................2 The APC Silcon patented Delta Conversion UPS
Static Switches...............................................................2 offers:
Main Static Switch.........................................................2
 True on-line UPS topology.
3 Delta Conversion Functional Description..................3
Normal Operation...........................................................3  Provides a fully regulated output voltage.
UPS control loops...........................................................3  Provides a pure sinusoidal output voltage.
4 Power Flow Examples...............................................4  Maximum protection against mains spikes,
Normal Operation...........................................................4 surges, sags and power outages.
Mains Low Operation.....................................................4  Has ~ unity input power factor.
Mains High Operation....................................................4  <5% input current harmonic distortion.
Battery Recharge Operation...........................................4  Highly compatible with generators.
5 SMPS Load Harmonic Currents.................................5  High efficiency of operation.
6 200% Overload Capability.........................................5
7. Input Power Factor & Harmonics..............................5
 Full output power rating (kW = kVA).
8 Mains Voltage Spikes................................................6  Caters for high load crest factors (up to 8:1).
9 Generator Friendly.....................................................6  200% overload capability in normal operation.
10 Crowbar Circuit.........................................................7  Parallelable up to 9 modules for scalability or
11 Performance waveforms............................................7 redundancy.
12.1 Schematic-Power.......................................................9
12.2. Schematic-Control Loops.........................................10
13 Principles of Pulse Width modulation (PWM).........11 Further reading is available in the white papers and
14 Principles of Four Quadrant Control........................12
product support documentation.

Print Date: 24-Feb-21 Page 1 of 15 Copyright  American Power Conversion

 APC Silcon Delta Conversion

2 Standard Block Diagram

Static Bypass
Bypass
Static Switch Output
Mains Input
Contactor
Main
Static Switch
DC
Capacitor
Filter Filter

Output Load
Backfeed
Contactor Delta Filter
Delta Main Inverter
Transformer Inverter Battery

Main Components therefore provides battery protection from excessive

ripple.
Main Inverter:
This is an IGBT 4-Quadrant Pulse-Width Modulated
Inverter. . It is a fixed voltage source that regulates
the load voltage.
The main functions are:
 Controls output voltage
 Charges batteries
 Supplies load during battery operation

Delta inverter:
This is an IGBT 4-Quadrant Pulse-Width Modulated
Inverter. It is a variable current source that controls
the input power by regulating the battery voltage.
The main functions are:
 Controls input current amplitude and sinusoidal
wave shape.
 Controls battery charging.
 Makes up for any differences between input and
output voltage.
 Regulates input power factor.

Delta transformer
This is an isolating transformer used between the
input and output of the UPS, through which all UPS
input current flows. The current shape, phase, and
magnitude is controlled by the delta inverter.

Filters on input and output.

Filters are used to suppress the harmonic content of
the voltage and currents in the unit, caused by the
load and the switching of the inverter.

DC Capacitor.
A bank of electrolytic capacitors connected across the
battery bank provides energy storage for the high
frequency ripple currents on the DC link, and

Print Date: 24-Feb-21 Page 2 of 15 Copyright  American Power Conversion

 APC Silcon Delta Conversion

Static Switches
 The static switches consist of anti-parallel Main Static Switch
connected thyristors. 1. Each thyristor is controlled separately. Once
 There are two static switches, one for mains, and conducting, the thyristor behaves like a diode
one for bypass. until current drops to zero.
 Bypass static switch is to ensure uninterrupted 2. Separate thyristor control is only possible due to
transfer to mains supply in case of overload or the unity input power factor.
inverter failure. 3. This ensures that the UPS will not feed back into
 Main static switch ensures that the UPS will not a mains short circuit.
feed back into mains, during battery operation
upon mains failure. Main Static Switch 1

V 2
I Consider a mains short
circuit in period 1
Period 2 Thyristor 2 will be off,
and cannot carry current
into the short circuit.
Period 1
Thyristor 1 is conducting
the current into the UPS,
but the thyristor cannot
conduct current in the
opposite direction - it
works as a diode.

Print Date: 24-Feb-21 Page 3 of 15 Copyright  American Power Conversion

 APC Silcon Delta Conversion

3 Delta Conversion Functional Description.

Normal Operation.
The UPS main inverter holds the output voltage at a precise 415Vrms sinewave.
The Delta inverter controls
the input current at unity power By-pass Static Switch
Figure 3.1
factor, and sinusoidal in wave
shape.
The “Power Balance Point” Power Balance Point
is a node of 3 wires, and Main Static
follows Kirchoff’s current law, Switch
“currents at a node sum to
zero”. The 3 wires are:
 Input power from the Delta
Transformer.
 Output power to the load. Delta Trans-former
Delta Inverter Main Inverter Load
 A connection to the main
inverter which will import
Battery
or export power to the node
to maintain a power balance at the node.
Example.
 The load demands 100kW of power out of the “power balance point”.
 The delta inverter allows 101kW of sinusoidal power into the “Power Balance Point”.
 The main inverter, in order to hold the output voltage at a constant 415Vrms must draw the excess 1kW
power back to the battery for recharge of the battery. The main inverter here is behaving like a rectifier /
battery charger.

UPS Main Control Loops.

The main inverter control loop is monitoring the UPS AC output voltage, to hold it at a constant 415V
sinusoidal waveform.
The delta inverter control loop is monitoring the battery float voltage, and effectively controls the “power
balance point”. In the above example, the main inverter is recharging the battery at 1kW, and the battery charge
voltage eventually comes up to correct float voltage, at which time the power allowed into the “power balance
point” by the delta inverter must be reduced to keep the system in equilibrium.

Figure 3.2
By-pass Static Switch

Power Balance Point

Main Static
Switch

Backfeed
Contactor

Delta Transformer
Load

Feed back loop for battery Feed back loop for output
charging and input voltage regulation.
current regulation. V bat. sense V out sense Controls the pulse width
Controls the pulse width modulation for the Delta-
modulation for the Delta- inverter.
inverter.

Print Date: 24-Feb-21 Page 4 of 15 Copyright  American Power Conversion

4 Power Flow Examples. Voltage 100% 0% 100% 100%

Normal Operation Current100% 100% 100%

Figure 4.1 shows operation with nominal
mains voltage. The mains voltage is a Power 100% 100% 100%

perfect sinewave of the correct RMS value,

and the UPS is required to do very little. (0%) (0%)

Note that the percentages are given as

explanatory examples, for example 115%
volts multiplied by 85% current does not Delta Trans-former
Delta Inverter Main Inverter
Power Balance Point
equal 100% power mathematically!

Figure 4.1

Voltage 85% 15% 100% 100%

Mains Low Operation
Figure 4.2 shows operation with mains at Current 115% 115% 100%
15% low voltage. The input current is 115%
to compensate for the 100% power required. Power 100% 115% 100%

The additional 15% current at the “power

balance point” is converted to DC by the 15% 15%
main inverter, back to ac by the delta
inverter, and this power is used to boost the
input voltage, via the delta transformer.
Delta Trans-former
Delta Inverter Main Inverter
Power Balance Point
Double conversion of the difference between
the input and output.
Figure 4.2

Voltage 115% 15% 100% 100%

Mains High Operation
Figure 4.3 shows operation with mains at Current 85% 85% 100%
15% high voltage. The input current is 85%
to compensate for the 100% power required. Power 100% 85% 100%

The shortage of 15% current at the “power

balance point” draws power from the delta 15% 15%
transformer, converted to DC by the delta
inverter, converted back to ac by the main
inverter, and this power is used to balance
the power at the “power balance point”. Delta Trans-former
Delta Inverter Main Inverter
Power Balance Point

Double conversion of the difference between

the input and output. Figure 4.3

Voltage 100% 0% 100% 100%

Battery Recharge Operation
Figure 4.4 shows operation with mains at Current 110% 110% 100%
nominal voltage, and battery recharge. The
delta inverter senses that the battery DC Power 110% 110% 100%
voltage is below the nominal float voltage.
An additional 10% current is allowed 10%
(0%)
through the delta inverter transformer to the
“power balance point”, which is converted
by the main inverter to DC for the battery
recharge. Delta Trans-former
10%

Delta Inverter Main Inverter

Power Balance Point

Figure 4.4
5 SMPS Load Harmonic Currents.
Load harmonics commonly found in conventional Switched Mode Power Supplies (SMPS) are absorbed by the
UPS in the same method as
Input Current Wave Main Inverter Current Load Current Wave
described above (section 3).
Wave

At the “power balance point”, the

load demands a current that is
typical of SMPS as shown in
figure 5. Input power from the
Main Inverter Load current
delta inverter is sinusoidal. Delta Inverter absorbs load
allows only rich in
Therefore, the main inverter must harmonics harmonics
handle the difference between the sine wave
current, 1pf
two waveforms, and the
harmonic energy is stored in the
large electrolytic capacitor bank
connected in parallel with the
battery. This principle is similar
Delta Delta Inverter
to the “Active Harmonic Filters” Transformer
Main Inverter
currently coming on to the Figure 5 Power Balance
market. Point

6 200% Overload Capability.

The Overload rating for the Silcon UPS is 200% in normal operation for 60 seconds. The high overload is
achieved by drawing power from
two paths as shown in figure 6. Figure 6
Figur <133% From Mains
The UPS input current is limited
to 133% (designed as the e
maximum power required for the
UPS to operate at low input
6
voltage of –15%, full battery Fil
recharge power, plus UPS losses).
The balance of the power for the er
200% load demand is taken from Delta Transformer
the battery. Delta Inverter
Main Inverter Power Balance
Point
The overload rating in battery Balance from Battery
operation is 150% for 30 seconds.

7. Input Power Factor & Harmonics

All input power must pass through the Delta Transformer, whose current is entirely controlled by the Delta
Inverter. The Delta Inverter is a
four quadrant PWM current Delta Transformer
controlled inverter that creates a Delta Inverter
mains input current demand that
is sinusoidal and in phase with
the mains voltage. The input AC
power is therefore unity power Sync
factor, and contains <5% current Signal
harmonic distortion. Main Inverter Power Balance
IAC sense PWM Control
The Delta Inverter control circuit Point
creates the PWM switching Delta VDC sense
pattern as a result of: Sinewave Inverter
VDC Ref.
Ref. Control
1 The comparison Battery
Circuit Figure 7
between the DC sense voltage
from the battery and a DC
reference signal. This determines the bulk power that will be allowed through the delta transformer.
2 The comparison between the actual input current (IAC sense) and a sinewave reference synchronised to
the mains AC supply voltage, ensuring that the AC input current is sinusoidal and in phase with the mains.
 8 Mains Voltage Spikes. Mains Voltage Spikes are suppressed as follows:
The APC Silcon Delta Conversion UPS is a true The UPS output voltage is held constant by the voltage
on-line UPS which constantly regulates the output controlled main inverter, which creates a low impedance
voltage no matter how much the mains voltage output.
varies. No fluctuations or interruptions whatsoever The delta inverter, being current controlled, behaves as a
will be let through to the critical load. Besides the high impedance between the UPS input and output terminals.
battery back up function, the APC Silcon DP300E Large L-C filters at the UPS input and output, as well as the
will behave as an effective filter. delta conversion design itself, as shown in figure 8.2.
The oscilloscope waveforms (Figure 8.1) show
how a voltage spike impressed onto the mains input Differential mode filter EMC < 150kHz Figure 8.2
voltage waveform are effectively suppressed during
test. Delta transformer
Output
Channel 1 Input voltage Figure 8.1 RFI choke
with integral
Choke function
Choke
L1 L1

Input RFI RFI

AC1 AC2 (x) Output
(x)

N N

RFI RFI
(y) (y)

GND GND
Fifth order filter for high frequency disturbances
Ideal current generator, all above ~50 Hz -
ripple current from 8 - 16 kHz switching PWM
runs down through AC1 & AC2, because of the
high resistance in the chokes. The same
principle applies for the other two phases, L2
& L3

Channel 2 Output voltage The DP300E emission and immunity meets the European
standard EN 50091-2.

9 Generator Friendly
The test below shows a fully loaded 480kW UPS with
The Silcon UPS is “generator friendly”. The key 480kW resistive load being powered from a generator
reasons are: rated at 500kW, with a 10 second soft start ramp. The
generator frequency drops from 50 to ~49.7 Hz during the
 Very low input harmonic currents, <5% at soft start ramp, and resettles at 50 Hz once the load has
rated load. settled.
 Unity input power factor (>0.98 at rated load)
 Adjustable frequency window of
synchronisation,  ½%,  1%, 2%,  4%, 
CH1
6%, and  8%.
 Adjustable slew rate of ¼, ½, 1, 3, or 4 Hz/sec.
 Adjustable soft start of 0, 10, 20, or 40 seconds
The UPS can therefore be easily “tuned” to
eliminate generator / UPS interface problems.

CH2
Fuller details of the Silcon UPS performance with
generators is covered in the White Paper entitled
“Silcon DP300E and Diesel generator,
7NS0003GB.

CH 1: UPS Input current (0-100%) during soft start

CH 2: Frequency variations on diesel generator during soft start.
 10 Crowbar Circuit.
The crowbar circuit is designed as a last resort to protect the load from DC under fault conditions – when an
IGBT for example fails to short circuit. The crowbar thyristor is fired, the UPS load is transferred to static
bypass, and the DC link is shorted removing the battery via its fuse or MCCB protection. DC energy is thus
externally removed from the UPS.

Crowbar

3 Phase AC to 3 Phase AC
Delta to UPS
Transformer Output

Delta Inverter Main Inverter

11 Performance waveforms
Oscilloscope waveforms from the Silcon factory test bay.

Waveform 1 Mains Failure Waveform 2 Transfer to bypass

Operation at full load at the instant of mains failure Performance at the instant of transfer from normal
is shown, the UPS transfers from normal mode to mode to static bypass mode.
battery mode. Bypass Waveform 2
Normal
Normal Battery Waveform 1

Input Voltage
Input Voltage

Input Current Input Current

Output Voltage
Output Voltage

Output Current
Output Current

Mains Inverter
failure at failure at
100% load 100% load
Waveform 3 Load step 0 to 100% Waveform 5 Short circuit output
Performance with a step load from zero to full load Fuse clearing on the UPS output terminals during fuse
is shown. clearing operation on battery. 150% current limit can
be seen.
Waveform 3
Performance
Waveform 5

Input
voltage Output
voltage
Output
voltage

Output
current
Input
current

Output terminals -
Output short circuit - fuse
current clearing in battery
operation

Waveform 6 Input terminals short circuit.

Load Step
The effect of shorting the input terminals is to present a
100% mains failure to the UPS with zero input impedance.

0% Waveform 6

Input voltage

Output
voltage

Input current
Waveform 4 Load step 100% to 0%
Performance with a step load from full load to zero
load is shown. Output
current
Input terminals -
short circuit
Waveform 4 Normal operation to
battery operation
Input
voltage

Waveform 7 SMPS Load

Output Performance with high crest factor load (crest factor of
voltage
3:1). Note that the input power is unity power factor
with no noticeable harmonics present.
Input
current Waveform 7

Output Input voltage

current
Input current

Load Step Output voltage

Output current

100%
0%
12.1 Schematic-Power
3 Phase Backfeed
AC UPS Contactor Bypass Static Switch
Input

Main Static Switch

External
Fuse
Switch
Input
Delta
RFI
Transformer
Filter

3 Phase AC
DC Output
UPS
Capacitors Contactor
Output
Crowbar
Output
L RFI
Filter

MCCB
+384V

-384V
MCCB

L
Low pass
output
Input Delta Inverter Main Inverter Filter Output
Neutral Neutral
 Bypass Static Switch
12.2. Schematic-Control Loops

Delta Transformer

L L
Mains Input Back feed Contactor Output Contactor UPS Output
Mains Static Switch
N N
Electrolytic Capacitors
Battery
Delta Inverter Main Inverter

+384V

Output Filter

N
AC Input Current Sense
-384V
N

PWM Vbat sense PWM

Sync Signal

Vout sense
Simplified Schematic
Showing One Phase of the Power
Output voltage ref.
Sync. Electronic Circuit and Control
Battery voltage ref.
Crystal control
Loops
Input current ref. Inverter Sync Signal
APC Silcon Delta Conversion
13 Principles of Pulse Width modulation (PWM)
The transistors (IGBT’s) used in the inverter act as switches, applying the battery voltage to the output terminals
in a pattern used to fabricate a sine wave. Figure 13.1 shows this effect using a resistive load. To create a sine
wave output, the low pass filter must be added as shown in figure 13.2. IGBT switching pattern alters the pulse
width to increase the filtered output amplitude.

Figure 13.1
Half-bridge 4 Quadrant-inverter Vout Voltage Waveform for one cycle
500

400

300

Q1
I out
200

100

Q2 0

-100

Vout -200

-300

-400

Resistive load -500

The PWM inverter feeding a resistive load switches IGBT Q1 to create the positive half cycle, and IGBT
Q2 to create the negative half cycle. The two diodes have no part to play in this operation. The arrows
show the current path for each half cycle, and the waveform shows the output voltage Vout. The red sine
wave is only shown for reference.

Figure 13.2
Vbatt+
500
Vout Voltage Waveform for one cycle
Vbatt+
400
Q1
I out 300

200

Q2 100

PWM 0

Vbatt-
-100

V out
-200

-300

Low Pass Filter output -400

Vbatt-
-500

The PWM inverter low pass filter output adds inductance which modifies the output voltage
waveform. Switch IGBT Q1 still creates the positive half cycle, and IGBT Q2 still creates the negative
half cycle. The two diodes now provide paths for the fly-back (free-wheel) currents from the filter
inductor, allowing the PWM pattern to fly-back until caught by the opposite diode and battery, the
amplitude of the PWM waveform here is Vbatt+ to Vbatt-. The low pass filter removes the switching
PWM pattern to provide a pure sine wave at the output Vout.
14 Principles of Four Quadrant Control.
A four quadrant inverter operates with an output voltage and output current as either positive or negative, in any
of the possible 4 options, giving 4 quadrants of operation as shown in figure 14.1. The four quadrant inverter is
bi-directional, and able to operate as a charger / rectifier (conversion from AC to DC) or inverter (conversion
from DC to AC).

In practise, all UPS inverters can operate in all 4 quadrants; however, the APC Silcon delta conversion UPS is
specifically designed for full control in all four quadrants.

Half-bridge Four Quadrant inverter Figure 14.1

Q1 D1 Four Quadrant Pulse-Width Modulated Inverter

I+out
Iout 2. 1.
Charger Inverter
Q2 D2
3. 4. V+out
Inverter Charger
Vout

Basic configuration:
 4 Quadrant PWM Inverter is capable of distributing energy in either forward or reverse direction. The
inverter can therefore also operate as a rectifier / charger.
 In the UPS, the fly-back diodes D1 & D2 are used to pass energy to the batteries.

Forward mode/Inverter mode

 Energy conversion is from DC to AC.
 The inverter is building the sinusoidal output voltage by PWM IGBT switching, and operates in Quadrants
1 (positive half cycle) and 3 (negative half cycle).
 The switching of the inverter is controlled by a control loop. The control loop senses the output voltage,
and compares it to a reference; any error will make changes to the PWM switching signals, to make fast
corrections.

Reverse mode/rectifier mode

 Energy conversion is from AC to DC.
 The inverter is still building the sinusoidal output voltage, the inverter operates in Quadrants 2 and 4
 The switching of the inverter is controlled by the same control loop, as in forward / inverter mode.
 The current is now flowing in the fly-back diodes to the batteries

Figures 14.2 to 14.5 show the standard operation with a switching pattern to build up an output sine wave
voltage. When the IGBT’s Q1 and Q2 are conducting, the PWM pattern shows the battery voltage applied to
the output. When IGBT’s are off, the filter inductance creates a back emf, or fly-back current that finds a path
back to the battery via the fly-back diodes D1 and D2.

If the IGBT switching period is reduced so that Q1 and Q2 conduct for shorter periods, then the flyback energy
can increase.
 Figure 14.2 500
D1 Quadrant 1 400

Q1 300

I out 200

100

Q2 D2 0
PWM -100

-200

V out -300

-400

Q1 supplies the positive half cycle -500

Figure 14.3 500

D1 Quadrant 2 400

Q1 300

I out 200

100

Q2 D2 0
PWM -100

-200

V out -300

-400

D2 provides a free-wheel path for the choke energy during the +ve half cycle
-500

Figure 14.4 500

D1 Quadrant 3 400

Q1 300

I out 200

100

Q2 D2 0
PWM -100

-200

V out -300

-400
Q2 supplies the negative half cycle from the negative half battery
-500

Figure 14.5 500

D1 Quadrant 4 400

Q1 300

I out 200

100

Q2 D2 0
PWM -100

-200

V out -300

-400
D1 provides a free-wheel path for the choke energy during the negative half cycle
-500