282

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS. VOL. IA-17, NO. 3, MAY/JUNE 1981

Optimum Input and Output Filters for

Single-Phase Rectifier Power Supply

SHASHI B. DEWAN, SENIOR MEMBER, IEEE

Abstract-The "optimum" output filter inductance Lf and the

input filter capacitor Ci for a single-phase uncontrolled bridge
rectifier employed for low power de-to-dc converters or inverters is
established. The filter Ci is optimized to obtain maximum input
power factor, minimum filter inductance, and minimum output dc
voltage regulation. A design example is provided and theoretical
results have been verified on an experimental model.

INTRODUCTION
FOR a power rating up to two kW, the dc input voltage for
most dc-to-dc converters and inverters is often provided
by means of a single-phase diode bridge rectifier. The output
of the rectifier generally consists of a single section Lf-Cf
filter which provides ripple-free dc voltage and attenuates the
harmonics. Assuming the filter capacitance Cf is large in Fig. 1,
this paper shows that for a given power output, the inductor
Lf size is a compromise between the output dc voltage V
variation with load and the input power factor.
A detailed analysis is presented here which provides the
relationship between the input power factor and the output
dc voltage V when the per unit value of the filter inductor
Lf is varied. The theoretical results also show that the best
input power factor is achieved if the current io is discontinuous under all load conditions and the input filter capacitor
Ci is employed. This paper also establishes the optimum
operating point for the single-phase bridge rectifier from the
view point of maximum input power factor, minimum filter
inductance and minimum output voltage V regulation from
no-load to full-load. Finally a procedure for the selection of
filter (Lf, Ci) components is illustrated by a design example
and the theoretical results have been verified experimentally.

Lf

Fig. 1.

Single-phase diode bridge rectifier with "optimum" filter.

4) The load is modeled as a variable resistance since the

effect of high frequency ripple is negligible as per
assumption 1).
Modes of Operation: Based upon the instant at which the
io goes to zero, the rectifier system in Fig. I has three
possible modes of operation.
Discontinuous Mode I (Fig. 2): The bridge rectifier operates
in the discontinuous mode I if the output current io is discontinuous and goes to zero before wt = sr.
Discontinuous Mode II (Fig. 3): The bridge rectifier
operates in the discontinuous mode II if the output current
io is discontinuous and goes to zero at or < at < 7r + a.
Continuous Mode (Fig. 4): The bridge rectifier operates
in the continuous mode if the output current io never falls
to zero.
current

Analysis of the Rectifier in Discontinuous Mode I

The voltage and current waveforms for discontinuous mode
SIMPLIFYING ASSUMPTIONS
I operation of the rectifier are shown in Fig. 2. The analysis
The analysis of the single phase diode bridge rectifier sys- of this
mode is presented in the following [1 ] -[41:
tem in Fig. I is based upon the following assumptions.
(1)
V=s2E sin wt
1) The output filter capacitance Cf is assumed to be
sufficiently large so that the output voltage V is a
Vbase =Vf2E'
ripple-free constant dc voltage.
2) The ac source is considered ideal.
(2)
Zbase W4f
3) The losses in inductor Lf and the bridge rectifier
are neglected.
'base -2E/()Lf)

Paper IPCSD 80-1, approved by the Static Power Converter Committee of the Industry Applications Society for presentation at the 1980
Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, OH, September 28-October 3. Manuscript released for publication November 11,

1980.

The author is with the Department of Electrical Engineering, the

University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 1A4.

m = V/(V2E).

(3)

The angle ca at which diodes D1 and D2 conduction begins

(v5 = V) is given by
ca = sin- 1 m.

0093-0094/81/0500-0282$00.75 i 1981 IEEE

(4)

283

DEWAN: FILTERS FOR A SINGLE-PHASE RECTIFIER

To obtain the conduction angle 7y notice that the two crosshatched areas in Fig. 2 have the same volt-seconds, i.e.,

VI2E sin wtd(cot) - V(r -2a)

V(,B--r+a)- f

V2E sin cotd(ct)

(5)

where
= y

+ a.

(6)

From (3), (5), and (6) the following equation results, from
which y is calculated.
Fig. 2.

Time variation of currents and voltages in circuit of Fig. I with

discontinuous mode I.

V2-E
V
V

1.

It

:%"

=0.
y) - m.y

(7)

The variations of io during conduction angle y is obtained

from

vr2E sin wt - V = Lf * dio/dt,

-)%-

'I

cos a - cos (a +

< Tr
&t

(8)

in which io = 0 at wt =a. Then

1-

IN

a0

:wt~ ~ ~~ir

io = [vr2E (cos a -cos t) -V(tt- a)] /(cLf),

a<cot<Ir.
V2E

(9)

From (2), (3), and (9) the normalized output current becomes

v
0

0
i

2TI

Tr,

I0

iOn - io/Ibase = cos a -cos cot -m(Cot - a),

wt

a<.t6Tr.

OlTf

-t

Fig. 3.

_,

W~fk
W-

TT-

27

The normalized average output current from (10) is

wt

Time variation of currents and voltages in circuit of Fig. 1

with discontinuous mode II.

V2E

I0n_-7r

i+,

io n d((Jt)

-=- [y cos a + sin a - sin (a + y) -m2/2,

VS
V

?r

1,

'.

and the normalized root-mean-square (rms) output current is

given by

;2Tr

I,

Iorn = [ 7r
L

--If

TT

1.

2 Tr-

wt

2 rT

Io

---4

Fig. 4. Time variation of currents and voltages in circuit of Fig. 1 with

continuous current mode.

a
r+t

1/2

Ion2 d(wt) 1

a < t < r.

(12)

The input power factor (without CQ) is calculated from the following expression in which the normalized rms input current
Iarn is the same as the normalized rms output current Iorn

(PF)

1
rr

(1 1)

a < wt < iT

:11

(10)

V * Ion/(E * Iarn)
=V * Ionl(E
-

*Iorn)

'/VimIO n/Io rn

(1 3)

28 4

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-1 7. NO. 3,

Analysis of the Rectifier in Discontinulious Mode 11

Thie voltage and currenit waveforms for discontinuous mode
1I are displayed in Fig. 3. Diodes D1 and D2 start to conduct
at angle a given by (4). For that part of the output current
io in Fig. 3 from at to 7r, (8)-(l 1) also hold so that the normalized output current at wt = 7r from (10) results in

Io 1=cos a + 1 n7(7r- a).

(14)

At wt = 7r diodes D1 and D2 are commutated, and diodes D3

and D4 go into conduction. The differential equation for the
output current io from wt = 7r to cot = 3 is then given by

V12Esin wt'= V+Lf -dio'/dt'

0.cut'<ea

i0n' = (I-COSSt' m-

t ) +Ion-

2
V
gE ==-= 0.637.

inm

N/2-E

(22-)

?r

Equation (22) shows that in a continuous mode of operation

the value of normalized capacitor voltage in remains conistant and equal to 2/r. From [4], the Fourier series of the
rectified voltage vo is

vo

O4

=V2E

2/

n= 2

,4 ,6 ,

4
-

7r(n - l)(n + 1)

cos n ct

(23)
from which the output current results in
DO

io Io+

(16)

(24)

Qncos nwt

n =2,4,6

For operation in the discontinuous mode II, the current where

ion' falls to zero at an instant wt' = wt1' where 0 < wt1' <
a and is obtained by solving the equation
Io = (2v2E/r -V)/r,

mctl + cos Cotl

= 1 +

(17)

IO,rn

Therefore, the conduction angle y is given by

z

cot,

r +

(18)

a.

ion d(wt) +

iO n d(ct')J

Cn

Iorn

nr
-)2(

7r(n -1)(n + I)nwLf

(19)

and

(25)

if Lf has a resistance equal to r. However, r is negligible so that

the average output current Io is determined by the load.
From Fig. 1 and (2) and (23) the amplitude of each output
current harmonic is

In mode II, the normalized, average, and rms output

currents, respectively, are given by

ion = -

1981

and since the value of the OLItput voltage V is thle s.ime aU

VO, (3) and (2 1 ) yield

(15)

in which wt = cot -r.

From (3), (15), and the initial condition specified by (14),
the normalized output current from ir to 3 in Fig. 3 yields

MAY/JtUNE

7r(n - 1)(n l)n

(26)

as e
'~~~~~b

which yields the output rms ripple current to be

=

K-

(ion)2 d(ct)

wtj

(ion0)2 d(t')_

Io ri = [
1 1/2

(20)

:=

00

I;

(Cn /N[2-) 2

E n = 2 ,4 ,6 ,

in which ion and io,' are providedby (10) and (16). Finally,
the input power factor (without C1) in this mode is the same as
in mode I and given by (13).

Analysis of the Rectifier in Continuous Mode

Fig. 4 shows the current and voltage waveforms of the circuit in Fig. 1 in a continuous mode of operation. The average
value of the rectifier output voltage V0 is
2
V0 =-r/E

IO n r]

_n = 2,4,6,..

(21)

rms

current is

(PF) = VIO/EIO
(F)= V/E[

(28)

ri2)112

and the input power factor (without

mode of operation is

or

(27)

Therefore, the output

IOrQ=(I 2+

1/2

CQ)

VIO/E(1O 2 + Io ri2 )1/2

I(IOrj/I0)]

in

continuous

(29)

(30)

285

DEWAN: FILTERS FOR A SINGLE-PHASE RECTIFIER

Neglecting all the current harmonics above sixth, the output

rms ripple current from (26) and (27) is

Iori

II02r

+ I04r + I06r 1

/
2

4
ya

2,4,6

1/2

while for the continuous mode, (32). (36), and (22) give

(PF) = 0.9/[l + (0.097/Pn)2] 1/2.

(38)
For all modes, the normalized capacitor voltage from (36) is
m

7r(n 1)(n I)n,,1-2

=nIn

(39)

The Optimum Operating Point

* Ibase
0.1525 Ibase(31)
Fig. 5 shows the variation of the input power factor (without CQ) and the normalized capacitor voltage against normalPutting (3), (22), and (31) into (30) gives the following ized power for constant output power. The Appendix explains
expression for the input power factor (without CQ) in the the method used in plotting these curves. In discontinuous
mode I the input power factor increases as the normalized
continuous mode
capacitor voltage m decreases. Equations (33) and (34) show
(PF) = 0.9/[1 + (0.1525/Ion)2] 1/2
(32) that the filter inductance requirement for constant output
power also increases. However, the power factor curve becomes
flat around m = 0.79 (PF = 0.763) and then decreases
=
in which Ion IO/Ibase is the normalized average output
down to a value of 0.731, when the current becomes concurrent.
tinuous. In the continuous mode the normalized capacitor
DETERMINATION OF THE OPTIMUM OPERATING POINT voltage remains constant, and increasing filter inductance
FOR THE RECTIFIER
reduces the ripple current and therefore the power factor
increases.
In the limit, when filter inductance is infinite,
The object of this section is to determine the optimum
the
factor
power
approaches 0.9.
operating point for the bridge rectifier (Fig. 1) from the point
The
reduction
in power factor after m = 0.79 is due to the
of view of maximum input power factor, minimum filter
in
the
current
wave shape in discontinuous mode II.
changes
inductance, and minimum output voltage regulation.
6
shows
the
variation
of form factor with normalized
Fig.
For the purpose of relating input power factor and output
= 0.79, the rate of decrease of
m.
Below
m
capacitor
voltage
voltage regulation to filter inductance Lf for various modes of
the
form
factor
reduces
and
therefore the power factor reoperation, a new parameter "normalized power Pn" is defined
duces.
as follows:
Fig. 5 shows that if the rectifier output current is disconPn = PO/Pbase
(33) tinuous, the output voltage regulation is low (regulation =
(2E -V)/V = (1 -m)/m) and the filter inductance requirewhere
ment is also low. However, the maximum attainable power
factor, with no Ci at the front end of Fig. 1, is only 0.763.
PO = output power
If the rectifier output current io is continuous, then the power
factor is high (around 0.9); however, the output voltage V
Pbase = base power = Vbase ' Ibase
regulation and the filter inductance requirements are very
=

2E2/WLf.

(34)

high.

The optimum operating point in the discontinuous current

Therefore, if the output power Po is constant, then the param- region is at m = 0.79 at which the input power factor is

eter Pn is a measure of filter inductance Lf. The parameter m

is henceforth used to represent the output dc voltage regulation. The higher the value of m, the better the output

voltage regulation.
Equation (13) gives the expression for the input power
factor for discontinuous modes I and II

(PF) =V2mIon/Iorn = N2m/form factor.

(35)

Also, for all modes from (33), (34), and (3), it results in

Pn = Po/pbase = VIO/ Vbase ' Ibase = mIon

(36)

maximum. The output voltage regulation is 27 percent. For

the same output power and power factor if the operating point
is chosen in the continuous current region, then a filter inductance three times larger is required (Lf2ILf = PI,2/P n1 =
(1.55 X 10-1 )/(5.2 X 10- 2) 3) and the normalized capacitor
voltage is only 2/nr, which yields the voltage V regulation to be
57 percent.
Therefore, from the viewpoint of the power factor, filter
inductance requirement, and the output voltage regulation,
the overall optimum operating point at rated output power is
in the discontinuous current region at which the power factor
is maximum.

SELECTION OF FILTER INDUCTANCE

where Ion is the normalized average output current. Therefore,
For the optimum operating point (m = 0.79), the value of
for discontinuous modes I and II, (35) and (36) yield
normalized power Pn from Fig. 5 is given by

(PF) -NT2Pn1Iorn

(37)

Pn=5.2X 10-2.

(40)

~ ~ ~'~ ~ 0.731

28 6

(>P
0.8

\m

O.7

/II

Discontinuous
_
ModeD I

2x_g21T-,
1-5
_~~~7~

Discontinuous Mode II
1
,

-3

10

00

ia n

0.75
0.74
0.73
.1
0.72

0-i

4.0

a404

3.0
2 .5
Mode I

0
U1

~~~~~~~~~~0.71
Discontinuous
Mode II

2.0

Gn--

'Form factor

0t

1.5

'_

0 0.725
0.67 0.71 0.75

0
0
0
0.79 0.83 0.87 0.91

E H,, sin flcot

nwt +

i-LL~ioncos nct dwtI_

a

0+7+

Hn =-I
7r

ian

.68

where the
Kn

0.65
0.64

Ol,

iO n sin nwt dcot

n odd

n odd

(43)
(44)

ion is given by (10). Therefore

where

0.66

(42)

n= I

ian cos nwt dwt

7r (

0.70 9

.67.
0.67

cos

n=1

(PF)

a.

181

00

I G,

102

Fig. 5. Variation of input power factor (PF) and normalized capacitor

voltage (m) versus normalized power (Pn) in various modes of rectifier operation for system in Fig. 1.

01

VOL. IA-17, NO. 3, MAY/JMlNE

INPUT POWER FACTOR IMPROVEMENT

4;P )
For any power supply, an inpuit power factor ot aft least
0.8
is desir-able. However, for the optimum operating poinlt
00.
9
\0.7 63 /
chosen in the preceeding section. the input powei- tfactoi is
only 0.763 and therefore needs further inmprovemenit. Power
/
0t++
_
_ _____< _ .8
factor improvement by means of a front end capacitoI Ci
9,"
P F /0 ^ 5
* ~~~~~~~~7
(Fig.
1) is discussed in this section. The value of Ci is selected
\{/
\
Q,~~0725
such that the fundamental input power factor at rated load is
unity. The normalized rectifier input current ia,, for disconiV
2/wT=0.637>,
tinuous mode I (Fig. 1) is represented by the following Fourier
0_5______Continuous _ 0.6
series:
Mode
III

-4

2E6LLE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS.

(45)

Kn sin (ncot + On)

n odd

voltage vs

/-aE sin

ot is the reference and

(Gl2 + Hn2)1/2

=
=

source

tan-

(46)

(Gn/Hn).

(47)

For the optimum operating point (in 0.79), the values of

are summarized in Table I. The value of Ci to
improve the fundamental power factor to unity is derived
from Fig. 7, in which IC,, Iai,r and Iijr are the rms values of
the fundamental components of capacitor Ci, rectifier input,
and total input currents, respectively. Therefore,
E
X/-2E 0.121sin30.970
cLf
X
Xci
=

Kn and 0,,

0.95

Fig. 6. Variation of input power factor (PF) and form factor versus
normalized capacitor voltage (m) in discontinuous modes I and
II.
Theoretically predicted. ooo: Experimentally observed.

Therefore, the filter inductance is given by

Pn =PO/Pbase = wLfPol2E2

or

or

(41) ) Ci = 0.121

Lf = (2E2/coPo )Pn H

The apparent input

where

30.970/lLf.

(48)

factor after installation of

power

capac-

itor Ci is
source

frequency in radians per second;

PF*

PO rated output power;

sin

2(115)2 -(5.2X 10-2)

f

current (m
=

1.2

kW.

Ion
Iirn

3 mH.

I,,n

Io n/Iirn

2m

are

the normalized, average output

0.79), and rms input current, respectively.

for m

Ii3r +Ii5rI

[jilr

vf2-

(49)

= 0.066,

377 X 1200
=

IIo n(FIirn)

in which lOn and

rms ac voltage.

Example
Let E 115 V, o = 377 rad/s (60 Hz), andPo
Therefore the optimum filter inductance

0.79

1[Iir2 +Ia3r +Ia5r]1

(50)

287

DEWAN: FILTERS FOR A SINGLE-PHASE RECTIFIER

TABLE I

FOURIER COEFFICIENTS OF THE INPUT CURRENT WAVEFORM

FOR THE OPTIMUM OPERATING POINT OF THE RECTIFIER
(m = 0.79)
Harmonic Number

Kn

On
(deg)

1
3
5
7

0.121
0.060

-30.97
81.41

0.012
0.009
0.005
0.003
0.002
0.001

9
11
13
15

-41.66
-13.29
5.77
44.04
63.88
88.74

Ici
Iil

-f

E/XC
=LE

7
\.

. .4

(b)

Re

v' -

_a_r

<-

.+4

0.121 F2E
r-

.2
2

or

PF* =

[(0.21

COS 30.97) + 0.062 + 0.0 122] 1/2

12-X 0.79 X 0.066/0.0852 = 0.865.

(51)

SELECTION OF FILTER CAPACITANCE Cf

The detailed analysis regarding the selection of filter
capacitance Cf is given in [4]. This analysis is basically based
on the calculation of the rms ripple voltage across Cf in mode I
(the optimum operating point lies in this mode), neglecting the
high frequency ripple due to the dc-to-dc converter or inverter connected to Cf and considering only the 120-Hz
ripple from the rectifier output. The value of Cf for 5 percent
harmonics on the capacitor voltage at the optimum operating
point (m = 0.79) from [4] is given by
Cf = lOPfp/m2W2Lf.

(52)

Example
For the optimum operating point P,n = 5.2 X 10-2, m =
0.79, -= 377 rad/s (60 Hz) and Lf = 3 mH. Therefore,

Cf= 10 X (5.2 X 10-2)/(0.79)2 (377)2 (3 X 10-3)

= 1954 X 10-6 F
=

1954 PF.

441

}-YI

0.0852

(c) 0 H
=

Fig. 7. Phasor diagram of currents for improvement of fundamental

input power factor by front end capacitor Ci.

Iirn

cos 30.97

sin 30.97

30.97

VE 0.121
f

Fig. 8. Circuit used in obtaining experimental results.

(a)

Im

wL

Re

till 1-44

I10

Fig. 9. Oscillograms of rectifier output voltage v0 and output current

io in different modes of operaion of system shown in Fig. 8. Upper
trace 50 V/div, 2 ms/div. Lower trace 10 A/div, 2 ms/div. (a) Discontinuous mode I. (b) Discontinuous mode II. (c) Continuous mode.

EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION
Fig. 8 shows the circuit used in obtaining the experimental
values of the form factor specified in Fig. 6. Also, the experi-

mental waveforms of the rectifier output voltage v0 and output current io in different modes of operation are shown in
Fig. 9.

CONCLUSION
Theoretical results presented in this paper have been
verified experimentally and the agreement is close [4]. This
paper has shown that the input power factor does not monotonically increase with increasing filter inductance. Consequently, the optimum rectifier operating point has been
shown to lie in the discontinuous mode. Significant power
factor improvement can be achieved by installing a front end
capacitance. A design procedure has been described and
illustrated by a numerical example.
APPENDIX
The curves in Fig. 5 apply to the operation of the rectifier
of Fig. I in discontinuous modes I, II, and the continuous

288

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. I.A\-17, NO. 3, MIAY/JUNE 1981

mode. The value of establishes the criterion for distinction

of these three modes. In the continuous mode, ni is constant
and equal to 2/rr. To find the value of ni bordering discontin+ y
uous modes I and II, (4) and (7) are solved such that
nr. In this case it results in
in

valuLe

-y=

133.50

a-46.50

mi0.725.

[3]

in

a
is

noticed

in

(P,2

O"

REFERENCES
IJ

[21

To plot m and (PF) versus P, for mode I, the value of ni is

changed such that 1 > m > .725 (for in
1, = 900 and
y
00). For each value of mn, is calculated from (4), y from
(7), Ion from ( 1), IOrn from (12), Pn from (36), and (PF)
from (37). In mode II, m is changed such that 0.725 > m >
2/2r. For each value of m, is obtained from (4), Io from
(14), ct1 ' from (17), -y from (18), I0n from (19), 0Iorn from
(20), Pn from (36), and (PF) from (37). For the continuous
mode, remains constant and equal to 2/7r. The value of (PF)
is calculated from (33) in which Pn is varied from the last

such

power factor

mode 11 witlh
2/ (P, 1-.35 X I 4- )
value beyond whliich nlo substantial increase ill

obtained for

up to

[41

S. B. Dewan and A. Straughen, Power Semiconductor

Circuits. New York: Wiley. 1975, pp. 426-444.
B. D. Bedford and R. Hoft, Principles (j Inverter
Circuits. New York: Wiley. 1964. pp. 128-141.
S. Lindena, "PWM series inverter with inductor-transtormer in low
in Cotnf. Ret. IEEE Powver Conditioning
power applications.
Spec(ialists, 1971.
P. Shively, Analysis and design of an output clamped inserter,"
M.A.Sc. thesis, Unisersity of Toronto, Toronto, ON. Canada,
Department of Electrical Engineering, 1978

2n

Shashi B. Dewan (S'65-M 67-SM 68), for a photograph and biography,

please see page 40 of the January/February issue of this TRANSACTIONS.