FEE 607: Lecture 8: Three phase controlled rectifiers

Three phase half wave controlled rectifier

Three phase controlled rectifiers are used extensively in high power variable speed drives. A 3-phase half
wave converter combines three single phase half wave controlled rectifiers in one single circuit feeding a
common load as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1: Three phase half wave controlled rectifier

A 3-phase input supply is applied through a star connected transformer. The common neutral point of the
supply is connected to one end of the load while the other end of the load connected to the common
cathode point. A thyristor conducts when fired, provided its anode voltage is positive with respect to the
cathode. The three gate pulses for the thyristors are displaced 120 0 relative to each other. Trigger angle α
π
for T1 is measured from the cross over point at ωt= , as shown in Fig. 2.
6

Fig. 2: Voltage waveforms

π
For instance, if T1 is triggered at ωt= + α , the phase voltage Van appears across the load. When T2 is
6
5π
triggered at ωt= + α , it starts conducting while T 1 becomes reverse biased and turns-off. Vbn appears
6
3π
across the load until T3 is triggered at ωt= + α . T2 becomes reversed biased hence turns off. The
2
phase voltage Vcn appears across the load when T3 is conducting. When T1 is triggered again at the
beginning of the next input cycle, T3 turns off and the cycle repeats itself.

There are two modes of operation, for a resistive load, depending on the firing angle.

1
 i) For α ≤ 300 , the output voltage will not fall to zero before the next thyristor is triggered. This is
shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3: Voltage waveforms

The average output voltage is:
5π
+α
6 5π
3 3Vm +α
V dc =
2π
∫ V m sin ωt dωt=
2π
[−cos ωt ] π6+α
π 6
+α
6

V dc =
3V m
2π [ ( ) ( )]
π
cos + α −cos
6
5π
6
+α

Using

cos ( π6 +α )−cos ( 56π +α )= √3 cos α

3 √3 V m
V dc = cos α
2π
The rms output voltage is:

√ √
5π 5π
+α +α
6 2 6
3 3Vm 1
∫ [ V m sin ωt ] dωt= ∫
2
V rms = (1−cos 2 ωt )dωt
2π π
2π π
2
+α +α
6 6

√ [( [ ( ) ( )] ]
2

)( )
3V m 5π π 1 5π π
V rms = + α − +α − sin 2 +α −sin 2 +α
4π 6 6 2 6 6

√ [ [ ( ) ( )]]
2
3V m 4 π 1 5π π
V rms = − sin 2 +α −sin 2 + α
4π 6 2 6 6
Using

sin 2 ( 56π +α )−sin 2( π6 + α )=−√ 3 cos 2 α

2
 0
V rms =√ 3 V m
√ 1 √3
+
6 8π
cos 2 α

ii) If α >30 , conduction will be discontinuous and output voltage will fall to zero before the next
thyristor is fired. The voltage waveforms are shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 4: Voltage waveforms

The average output voltage is
π
3 3V
V dc =
2π
∫ V m sin ωt dωt= 2 πm [−cos ωt ]ππ +α
π 6
+α
6

V dc =
3V m
2π
π
[ ( )
cos + α −cos π
6 ]
V dc =
3V m
2π ( π
1+ cos + α
6 ( ))
The rms output voltage is

√ √
π 2 π
3 3V 1
∫ ∫
2
V rms =
2π
[ V m sin ωt ] dωt= 2 πm 2
( 1−cos 2 ωt ) dωt
π π
+α +α
6 6

√ [( ) ( ))]
2

(
3V m π 1 2π
V rms = π − +α − sin ( 2 π )−sin +2 α
4π 6 2 6

√ [ ( ( ))]
2
3V m 5 π 1 2π
V rms = −α + sin +2α
4π 6 2 6

Example
V rms =√ 3 V m
√ 5
−
α
+
1
24 4 π 8 π
π
sin + 2 α
3 ( )
A three-phase half-wave controlled rectifier is operated from a three-phase Y-connected 208-V L_L, 60Hz
supply and the load resistance is R = 10 Ω. If the delay angle α =15 ° , calculate:
i) Average and rms output voltages
ii) Average and rms thyristor currents

3
 iii) Output power
Solution
3−ph , half wave controlled rectifier, VLL=208V, R=10Ω, α =150
208 √2
V m∅= =169.83 V
√3
5π
+α
3 √ 3 V mϕ
6
3
V o , av =
2π
∫ V mϕ sin ωt dωt =
2π
cos α
π
+α
6

3 √ 3 x 169.83
V o , av = cos 15=135.66 V
2π
I o ,av =13.566 A

√
5π

(√ 16 + 8√3π cos 2 α )
α+
6
3
V o , rms =
2π
∫ ( V mϕ sin ωt ) 2 dωt= √3 V mϕ
π
α+
6

V o , rms =√ 3 x 169.83 (√ 16 + 8√ 3π cos (2 x 15))=140 V

I o ,rms =14 A
2
Pout =I o , rms R=1960 W
Thyristor current, take T1 for example,
I o ,av 13.566
I T 1 ,av = = =4.522 A
3 3
I o ,rms 14
I T 1 ,rms = = =8.08 A
√3 √ 3

Repeat the example for a resistive load R = 15 Ω and a delay angle α = 60°
Solution

( ( ))
π
3 3 V mϕ π
V o , av =
2π
∫ V mϕ sin ωt dωt= 2π
1+ cos + α
6
π
+α
6

¿
3 x 169.83
2π
π π
1+cos +
6 3 (
=81.08 V ( ))
V o , av 81.08
I o ,av = = =5.405 A
R 15

√ √( ))
π

V o , rms =
3
2π
∫ V 2mφ sin2 ωt dωt =√3 V mφ
π
+α
5
−
α
+
1
24 4 π 8 π
π
sin +2 α
3 (
6

4
 ¿ √ 3 ( 169.83 )
√ 5 1
− +
1
24 12 8 π
π 2π
sin +
3 3
V o , rms
(
=104 V )
I o ,rms = =6.93 A
R
I o ,av 5.405
I T 1 ,av = = =1.8 A
3 3
I o ,rms 6.93
I T 1 ,rms = = =4 A
√3 √3
2 2
Pout =I o , rms R=6.93 x 15=720.37 W
Waveforms for a three phase half wave controlled rectifier with R L load (assuming a highly
inductive load) for different trigger angles are shown:

Fig. 5 (a): Voltage waveforms for α = 30°

Fig. 5 (b): Voltage waveforms for α = 60°

5
 Fig. 5 (c): Voltage waveforms for α = 90°

Three-phase full-wave controlled rectifier

A three phase full wave rectifier consists of six thyristors, turned on at appropriate times by applying
suitable gate signals. This converter is extensively used in industrial power applications up to about
120kW output power level. A three phase full wave controlled rectifier is shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 6: Three phase full wave controlled rectifier

Two thyristors conduct at any given time, when gate signals are applied, provided they are forward
biased. For the top group, the thyristor with its anode at the highest positive potential will conduct,
while for the bottom group, the thyristor with its cathode at the highest negative potential will conduct.
The load is thus connected at any given time between the highest positive phase voltage and the highest
negative phase voltage. The waveforms are shown in Fig. 7.

6
 Fig. 7: Waveforms
The conduction table is
Table 1: Conduction table
S. No. Conduction interval Conducting devices
1 π π T6, T1
+α to +α
6 2
2 π 5π T1, T2
+α to +α
2 6
3 5π 7π T2, T3
+α to +α
6 6
4 7π 9π T3, T4
+α to +α
6 6
5 9π 11π T4, T5
+α to +α
6 6
6 11π T5, T6
+α to
6
13 π
+α
6
7 13 π T6, T1
+α to
6
15 π
+α
6

The average output voltage is

π
+α
2

V dc =
6
2π
∫ √ 3V m sin (ωt + π6 ) dωt
π
+α
6

[ ( )]
π
3 √3 V m π 2
+α
V dc = −cos ωt + π
π 6 6
+α

V dc =
3 √3 V m
π [ (
π π π
cos +α+ −cos +α+
6 6 2 ) (
π
6 )]
V dc =
3 √3 V m
π [ 3
cos ( +α )−cos (
π 2π
3 ] π cos α
+α) =
3 √ 3V m

The rms output voltage is

√ √ ( ) dωt
π π π
+α +α 1−cos 2 ωt+
[ ]
2 2 2 2

∫ √ 3V m sin (ωt + π6 )
6 18 V 6
V rms =
2π
dωt=
2π
m
∫ 2
π π
+α +α
6 6

7
 √ [ )]
2 π
9V m
(
+α
1 π 2
V rms = ωt − sin 2 ωt +
2π 2 6 π
6
+α

V rms =V m
√ 9
2π ([ π2 +α )−( π6 + α )− 12 [ sin2 ( π2 +α + π6 )−sin 2( π6 +α + π6 )]]
V rms =V m
√ [
9 π 1
− sin
2π 3 2
4π
3
+2 α −sin
[ (
2π
3
+2 α ) ( )]]

Example
V rms =V m
√ 3 9 √3
+
2 4π
cos 2 α

A three-phase full-wave controlled rectifier is operated from a three-phase Y-connected 220V L_L, 60Hz
supply and the load is highly inductive with a resistance R = 5Ω in series with a battery E = 20 V and the
delay angle α = 75°. Calculate:
i. The average output voltage
ii. The average and rms thyristor currents
iii. The output power
Solution
3-ph, full wave controlled rectifier, VLL=220V, highly inductive, R=5Ω, E=20V, α =750
220
V ¿ =220 V ,V φ= ,V mφ= √ 2 V φ =179.63 V
√3
π
+α
2

V av =
6
2π
∫ √ 3 V mφ sin ( ωt+ π6 ) dωt= 3 √π 3 V mφ cos α
π
+α
6

3 √3
V av = ( 179.63 ) cos 75=76.9V
π
V o , av −E 76.9−20
I o ,av = = =11.38 A
R 5
I o ,av =I o , rms =11.38 A
I o ,av 11.38
I T 1 ,av = = =3.8 A
3 3
I 11.38
I T 1 ,rms = o ,rms = =6.57 A
√3 √3
2
Pout =P o ,av =I o , rms R+ I o ,av E
2
Pout =11.38 x 5+11.38 x 20=875.12W

8
9