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BALKAN JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 2019

Power Control of Single Phase Active Rectifier

A. KARAFIL and H. OZBAY

controlled. Many control methods are used in current and

Abstract—The most important feature of active rectifier power control [11], [12] such as model predictive [12],
circuits is the ability to adjust the power factor and DC bus hysteresis [13], proportional integral (PI) [14], proportional
voltage, when compared to diode rectifiers. However, odd resonant (PR) [15], repetitive [16], sliding mode [17], fuzzy
current harmonics occur in the grid since hard switching state
occurs in the active rectifier circuit. A filter should be used on the
neural [18]. PI and PR, which are among the linear control
grid side to reduce the current harmonics. Although there are techniques, are the most widely used controllers. Although
many types of filters, one of the most suitable filter types is LCL other control techniques show a good dynamic response, they
filter when considering the factors such as cost and size. In this create a time delay in the system [19].
study, LCL filter design calculation is performed and PSIM In order to ensure synchronization with the grid in active
simulation results of active-reactive power controlled LCL filter rectifier circuits, phase locked loop (PLL) is required. The
proportional resonant (PR) current controlled single phase active
rectifier circuit is given. The system is designed according to the
PLL algorithm provides control of the grid frequency. Many
active power of 600 W. Then, by adding reactive power to the PLL algorithms are used in active rectifier circuits. T/4 delay
system, it is proved that the power control is carried out PLL is one of the easy algorithms for obtaining the phase
successfully. angle in single phase applications [20].
In this study, an analysis of the active-reactive power
controlled LCL filter PR current controlled single phase active
Index Terms— LCL filter, Power control, PR current
rectifier circuit was conducted and the simulation results were
controller, Single phase active rectifier.
given. T/4 delay PLL was used as PLL algorithm. System was
firstly tested without reactive power control and then reactive
I. INTRODUCTION power was added and active and reactive power controlled
simulation results were obtained.
T HE SINGLE phase rectifier circuits are used in many
industrial applications requiring DC bus voltage such as
electrical railway transportation [1], [2], uninterruptible power
This paper is organized as follows: Section II presents the
PLL structured used by calculating the LCL filter parameters.
In section III, power control and PR current control technique
supply [3], electrical vehicle charger [4], micro turbine
used in the system are introduced. Section IV gives the
generator units [5] and renewable energy applications as wind
energy [6]. While the control of power factor and dc bus simulation results. In the conclusion part, the simulation
voltage is an important advantage in active rectifiers, the results are interpreted.
increase of switching losses and current harmonics occurring
due to hard switching are the disadvantages of this system. A II. DESIGN OF SINGLE P HASE ACTIVE RECTIFIER BASED LCL
filter should be used on grid side in order to decrease the high FILTER
order current harmonics. In the advance power electronics A. Determination of the LCL Filter Values
technology it is desirable to have small and light circuit sizes.
The connection diagram of the designed LCL filter single
One of the circuit elements that increases the size of the circuit
phase active rectifier circuit is shown in Fig.1.
is the filter. For this purpose, the filter used in the system
should be effective, light and with small size. The LCL filter is
Idc Io
one of the most suitable filter types considering the reduction S1 S3
of harmonics, cost and size [7-10].
LCL Filter
In the case of single phase active rectifier circuits, it is Ig L2 L1
necessary to perform current and power control so that the DC Cf
Vdc
Vg Cdc Ro
voltage can be adjusted and the power factor can be Rsd


AKİF KARAFİL, is with Department of Electric and Energy Bilecik Seyh
Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey, (e-mail: akif.karafil@bilecik.edu.tr). S2 S4

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7844-9014
Fig.1. Single phase active rectifier based LCL filter
HARUN OZBAY, is with Department of Electrical Engineering Bandirma
Onyedi Eylül University, Balıkesir, Turkey, (e-mail:
hozbay@bandirma.edu.tr). Before determining LCL filter parameters, it is necessary to
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1068-244X determine the parameters of the single phase active rectifier
Manuscript received December 26, 2018; accepted July 6, 2019.
circuit. Table 1 presents the parameter values to be used in the
DOI: 10.17694/bajece.503207 system.

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BALKAN JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 2019

TABLE I A series resistor is connected to the capacitor in order to

PARAMETER VALUES REQUIRED FOR RECTIFIER CIRCUIT
reduce the oscillations and prevent the filter from unstable
Parameters of Rectifier state. This resistor is called as “damping resistor” and is
calculated by the following equation.
Parameter Value
Grid Voltage (Vg) 220 V 1
Rsd  (9)
Output Power of Rectifier (Pn) 600 W 3.res .C f
DC Bus Voltage (VDC) 400 V
B. PLL Structure
Grid Frequency (f) 50 Hz
The control of the grid frequency is performed by the PLL
Switching Frequency (fsw) 10 kHz algorithm. In this study, T/4 delay PLL algorithm is used. T/4
delay PLL algorithm needs α-β and d-q reference frames. In
The inductor (L1) value on the converter side is calculated order to obtain the orthogonal imaginary signal (β
by the following equations. component), α component must be shifted as π/2. Between
them α component is in the real and the β component is in the
Pn 2 imaginary axis. Equation (10) was used to transform the α-β
I L  max  a. (1) into d-q axis frame with Park Transform in the T/4 delay PLL
Vg
circuit [20]. Fig.2 shows the α-β transform and T/4 delay PLL
VDC structure.
L1  (2)
16. f sw .I L max
Vd   cos t sin t  V 
V      (10)
Where “a” is the current ripple ratio. Impedance and  q    sin t cos t  V 
capacitor values of the circuit are calculated as follows:

αβ Vd ωt
Vg2 Vg=Vα Vβ Vα PI
Zb  (3)
Pn Ig=Iα Iβ Vβ dq Vq ωn

1
Cb 
T/4 Delay
(4)
2 f .Zb
α-β Transform T/4 Delay PLL
Fig.2. The block diagram of α-β Transform and T/4 delay PLL structure
When determining the value of the filter capacitor, 5 % of
the ideal Cb value is taken. However, a factor (k) greater than III. POWER CONTROL AND PR CURRENT CONTROL
5 % can be preferred. TECHNIQUE
The control block diagram of the system is shown in Fig.3.
C f  k .Cb (5)

Ig Idc Io
There is a relationship between the grid and the inductors
on the converter side when determining the inductor value (L2 ) Vg
LCL ACTIVE
Cdc Vdc Load
on the grid side. This relationship is indicated by “r” FILTER RECTIFIER

coefficient and in the range of 0< r ≤1. Therefore, the L2 value

is calculated by the following equation [21], [22].
PR
αβ
L2  r.L1 (6) Transform Ig

Reference
PQ
By the equations, it was calculated that L1=3.24 mH, Theory
PI Current
Calculation
Cf=7.892 µF and L2=0.972 mH. Once the LCL filter T/4 Delay ωt
αβ
parameters are determined, the resonance frequency can be dq PLL

calculated as follows: DSP TMS320F28335

Fig.3. The control block diagram of the single phase active rectifier

1 L1  L2
f res  (7) Active-reactive power (PQ theory) calculation was
2 L1.L2 .C f conducted by the following equations.

Moreover, the resonance frequency (fres) should be within 1

P (V .I  V .I  ) (11)
the ranges shown in Equation (8) [22]. 2

10 f  f res  0.5 f sw (8)

1
2

Q   V .I   V .I  (12)

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BALKAN JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 2019

The obtained power error values are passed through the PI Grid voltage is detected by PLL algorithm and zero
controller and added to the ωt formula obtained by PLL transition points are caught and the angular velocity values
algorithm and therefore the reference current is calculated. synchronized with the grid for each period are produced. The
The reference current formula is found using the following grid voltage and the angular velocity values produced as
equations: [12], [23]. synchronized are shown in Fig.5.

 Qref 
  tan 1   (13)
 Pref 
 
Pref
Ig  (14)
Vq .cos 
iref  2.I g .sin(t   ) (15)

The obtained reference current is subtracted from the Ig (Iα) Fig.5. The production of angular speed values by PLL
current value to obtain the error current. The error current is
passed through the PR current controller to generate the When the active power of the system is P=400 W and the
switching signals. reactive power is Q=0 VAr, the current and the voltage wave
PR controller is one of the control methods used in single or forms of the circuit was shown in Fig.6.
three phase systems connected to the grid. PI and PR are
controllers that are similar to each other and have many
common points. The PR controller is generally preferred to
obtain a zero steady-state error in the control of grid-
connected systems. There are some problems in the
implementation of the PR controller. In ideal PR controller,
unlimited gain harmonics components increase. The formula
for the non-ideal PR controller used to reduce the harmonic start
components is given in Equation (16).
Fig.6. The initial current and voltage of the grid at 400 W active power
2Kic s
Gnipr (s)  K p  (16)
s 2  2c s  n2 The current and voltage waveforms of the grid when the
active power was increased from 400 W to 600 were given in
Fig.7.
Where, ωn is the angular frequency of the grid and the Kp
and Ki values are proportional and integral gain values, Period of Transition
respectively. ωc is the cut-off frequency. Non-ideal PR
controller has lower gain and band range [24-26].

IV. SIMULATION RESULTS

The simulation screen image of a single phase active rectifier
circuit was given in Fig.4. In the circuit the parameters were
determined as follows: R o=266 Ω, damping resistor Rsd=5 Ω
and DC capacitor value Cdc=470 µF.
Fig.7. The period of transition from 400 W to 600 W

When P=400-600 W and Q=0 VAr, DC voltage change on

the load was shown in Fig.8.

Fig.8. DC bus voltage changing

Fig.4. The simulation of the single phase active rectifier circuit

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BALKAN JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 2019

When P=600 W and Q=0 VAr, the power factor value was reactive power control of a single phase active rectifier circuit
found as 0.99 and shown in Fig.9. with LCL filter was performed.

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BIOGRAPHIES

AKİF
KARAFİL was born in Bursa,
Turkey, in 1983. He received the B.S.
degree in Electrical Education from
Marmara University, İstanbul, Turkey, in
2007, the M.S. degree in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering from Karadeniz
Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey, in
2011 and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical
and Electronics Engineering from Karabük University,
Karabük, Turkey, in 2018.
He is currently working at Bilecik Seyh Edebali University
Vocational High School. His research interests include pulse
density modulation control, resonant converter, soft switching,
MPPT, single phase grid connected inverter and PV system
applications.

HARUN ÖZBAY was born in Bursa,

Turkey, in 1984. He received the B.S.
degree in Electrical Education from Gazi
University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2008, the
M.S. degree in Electrical Education from
Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2011
and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical and
Electronics Engineering from Karabük
University, Karabük, Turkey, in 2017.
He is currently working at Bandirma Onyedi Eylül
University Engineering Faculty. His research interests include
power electronics, electric machines, MPPT, grid connected
inverter and PV system applications, electric vehicle and
battery charger.

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