School of Engineering

Year 1 MEE in: Energy, Production and Plant

Engineering

ETE 1262: Basics of Electronics and Electrical Engineering

Lecturer : Mushikiwabeza Alexie and Uwamahoro Raphael

12/22/2024 1
 Power electronics

Content:

AC to DC Converter
DC to AC Converter ( Inverter)
AC to AC Converter
DC to DC converter
AC- to- DC converters

• AC-DC converters are electronic circuits that convert alternating

current (AC) into direct current (DC).
• These converters are widely used in electronic devices that require DC
power, such as computers, televisions, and smartphones.
• The motivation for using AC-DC converters arises because AC power
is the standard power delivered by utility companies, whereas many
electronic devices require DC power.
• The process of conversion of AC current to dc current is known as rectification.
Rectification
The rectifier converts the AC supply into the DC supply at the load end
connection.
• There are different types of rectifiers, such as half-wave, full-wave, and bridge
rectifiers.
• Rectifiers can be classified as single phase rectifier and three phase rectifier.
Classification of AC to DC converters

Figure 1: Types of AC to DC converters

 In a single-phase half-wave rectifier, either the negative or positive half of the AC
voltage flows, while the other half of the AC voltage is blocked. Hence the output
receives only one half of the AC wave.

 A single diode is required for a single-phase half-wave rectification and three diodes
are required for a three –phase supply .
Figure 2:A single-phase half-wave rectification
Working Principle
 When a frequency of 60 Hz as input AC voltage, a step-down transformer decreases
this into minimal voltage.
 Then a minimum voltage is generated at the transformer’s secondary winding (Vs )
 The minimal voltage is fed as the input voltage to the diode.
 The resistor at the load section utilizes the DC current which is produced by the diode.
 Figure 4:Three Phase Half-wave Rectifier Circuit

• Three-phase half wave uncontrolled rectifier requires three diodes, each

connected to a phase.
• In most applications a three-phase rectifier is supplied directly from the
mains utility power grid or from a three-phase transformer if different DC
output level is required by the connected load.
 Figure 5 :Full-wave Three-phase Rectification

 Each phase is connected between a pair of diodes as shown.

 One diode of the conducting pair powers the positive (+) side of load, while the
other diode powers the negative (-) side of load.
 DC to AC converters
 Converts DC to AC power by switching the DC input voltage (or current) in a pre-determined
sequence so as to generate AC voltage (or current) output.
 DC to AC power conversion is the result of power switching devices, which are commonly fully
controllable semiconductor power switches.

Figure 6 :DC to AC converters

 Simple Grid-Connected System

DC
AC

Figure 7: Example 1 _A DC to AC converter syetm

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 4 Water container (0.5 liter of water)
1. Thermometer
5.Metal Plate to hold Module
2. Multimeter
6.Gas torch butane burner (Heating source)
3. Decade resistance box
7.Thermoelectric Power generator Module
Figure 8: Example2- Thermo- electric power generators
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 Thermo- electric power generators

Thermo- electric power generators convert the thermal

energy into the electrical energy directly using a principle
known as "the Seebeck Effect" by applying a temperature
difference between the two sides of a thermoelectric
module. The DC power generated can be changed into AC

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Types of inverters
• Two types of inverters: Voltage source inverters and current source
inverters .
• A voltage-fed inverter(VFI) or : Voltage source inverter (VSI) is one
which the dc source has small or negligeable impedance.In order
words , a voltage source inverter has stiff voltage source at its input
terminals.
• A current –fed inverter (CFI) or current source inverter(CSI) is fed
with adjustable current from a dc source of high impedance. i.e from a
stiff dc current source.Thus, the output current waves are not
affetected by the load.
Types of inverters (cont’d)
• In VSIs using thyristors, some types of forced commutation is usually required .
In case VSIs are made up of power transistors ,power MOSFETS or IGBTs,self-
commutation with base or gate drive signals is employed for their controlled turn-
on and turn-off.
Current source inverters (CSI or CFI) are used to produce an AC output
current from a DC current supply. This type of inverter is practical for three-phase
applications in which high-quality voltage waveforms are required.

The voltage source inverter is a somewhat older design and less expensive to
implement. In the VSI, the switches are turned on and off at regular intervals to
deliver rectangular pulses of voltage to each phase.
 Single-phase Current Source Inverter

Figure 9(a):Single-phase Current Source Inverter

Figure 9(b):Thyristors T1 and T3 are on and T2 and T4 are off
Operation of Current Source Inverter
Although there are four thyristors in the configuration pair of T 1-T3 and T2-T4 conduct
alternatively (Figure 8a) . Initially when thyristors T 1 and T3 are on then the current Is flows
through the load bypassing through thyristors T1 and T3 (Figure 8b). When T1 and T3 conduct
then the current flows through the load and the load current is positive and equal to the applied
Operation of Current Source Inverter

Figure 9(c):Thyristors T2 and T4 are on and T1 and T3 are off

While when T2 and T4 are on then the direction of flow of load current is opposite to the
former case and so the load current will be negative but equivalent to the applied input
 Applications of Current Source Inverter

It is used for speed control of ac motors.

Induction heating

Uninterruptible Power Supply(UPS) units

Switching devices

Synchronous motor starting

 Current Source Inverter supplying an Induction motor
 A thyristor current source inverter is shown below.
 The diodes D1-D6 and capacitor C1-C6 provide commutation of thyristor T1-T6, which
are fired with a phase difference of 60º in the sequence of their number.
 It also shows the nature of the output current waveform. The inverter acts as a current
source due to large inductance LD in DC link. The fundamental component of motor
phase current is shown in the figure below.

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Figure 10:Current Source Inverter supplying an Induction motor
Figure 11(a): Half bridge inverter Figure 11(b): Full bridge inverter

The power circuit of a single phase full bridge inverter

comprises of four thyristors T1 to T4, four diodes D1 to D1 and
a two wire DC input power source Vs. Each diode is connected
in antiparallel to the thyristors . D1 is connected in anti-parallel
to T1 and so on .
Comparison between Half & Full Bridge Inverters
 AC to AC Converter (Cycloconverters)

They are also called frequency changer

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Figure 12: AC to AC Converter
The cycloconverter converts AC to AC whilst changing only the
frequency. Hence it is also known as a frequency changer .

The specific applications of cycloconverters

include:
• Cement mill drives
• Rolling mills
• Ship propulsion drivers
• Water pumps
• Washing machines
• Mine winders
 Principle of Cycloconverter Operation

December 22, 2024 EPE3161 26

 Cycloconverter can be single phase to single phase, single phase to three- phase
and three-phase to three phase converters.
Suppose for getting one-fourth of input voltage at the output, for the
first two cycles of Vs the positive converter operates supplying
current to the load and it rectifies the input voltage. In the next two
cycles, the negative converter operates supplying current in the
reverse direction. When one of the converters operates the other one
is disabled so that there is no current circulating between rectifiers.
In the below figure Vs represents input supply voltage and Vo is the
required output voltage which is one-fourth of the supply voltage.

Figure 13: Single-Phase to Single-Phase Cycloconverter

 Advantages of cycloconverters
 Cycloconverters can provide variable frequency output, allowing for precise
control of the speed of AC motors and other devices.
 They enable direct AC-AC conversion without the need for an intermediate DC
link, reducing complexity.

Disadvantages of Cycloconverter

 Cycloconverters can introduce harmonics into the power system, potentially causing
power quality issues and requiring additional filtering.
 Efficiency may decrease at lower output frequencies due to increased switching losses
 In three-phase cycloconverters, the circuit complexity and the need for multiple
components can result in larger and heavier systems.
DC to DC converter

A DC-to-DC converter is an electric circuit or electromechanical device

that converts a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to
another. It is a type of electric power converter . Power levels range from
very low (small batteries) to very high (high-voltage power
transmission).
 Figure 14: Block Diagram of Typical AC Input, Regulated DC Output System

Power Electronics
 Applications of DC to DC

High voltage gain converters are employed in multiple sophisticated applications,

including radar systems, DC distribution systems, data centers, in medical devices
(example : power supply of an x-ray system) .
In the case of renewable energy applications as high voltage gain DC/DC converters
facilitate boosting of the voltage that makes it suitable for integration with the distribution
system.