POWER CONVERTER AND

ITS TOPOLOGIES

I.INTRODUCTION TO POWER
ELECTRONICS
A.What is Power Electronics?

Power electronics is the technology associated with efficient conversion

and control of electric power by using power semiconductor devices.
Power electronics encompasses the use of electronic components, the
application of circuit theory and design techniques, and the
development of analytical tools toward efficient electronic conversion,
control, and conditioning of electric power. Definition given by IEEE
Power Electronics Society.

Electric Power

Supply(Electric
Utility or Electric
Energy Sources

Power Electronics
Converters or system

Electrical Energy
Utilization
System( Consumers
Load

Fig 1. A General System for Power Electronics Conversion

B.Goals of Power Electronics

Efficient conversion, conditioning, or processing and control of

electric power using solid-state semiconductor devices in order to
supply high quality power to the load causing minimum pollution of
environment and the utility supply circuit.
To develop different types of efficient Power electronics controllers
ranging from few watts to several Megawatts keeping in view the
recent trend in Energy conservation and Energy exploration.
Develop Integrated Power Electronics Modules (IPEM) based power
electronics processes using an integrated systems approach,improve
the quality, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of power electronics
systems; and reduce both the time and effort associated with design
cycles for systems application.

Fig 2. Block Diagram of a Power Electronics Processor

Converter has power switching semiconductor devices and energy

storing elements like inductors and capacitors.
Resistive elements are avoided in converters because they cause
power loss and reduce efficiency.
Controller switches on/off the switching devices present in the
converter.

Fig 3. Example of a Power Processor

A power processor may have more than one stage of power

conversion.
Fig 2 shows an example of a power processor containing 2
Converters (AC-DC and a DC-AC) which converts a fixed voltage
and fixed frequency AC Source to Variable voltage and variable
frequency AC employed in a AC Motor

Solid
State
Physics

Circuit
Theory

Simulation
and
Computing
Signal
Processing

Power
Systems

Power
Electronics

Analog
Electronics

Electrical
Machines
Systems
and
Control
Theory

ElectroMagnetics

Microcontrollers

Fig 4. Multi Disciplinary Nature of Power Electronics

II.POWER CONVERTERS

A Power Electronic Converter processes the available form to

another having a same/different frequency and/or voltage
magnitude.
There can be five basic types of converters depending upon
the function performed:
1. AC-DC Converters
2. DC-AC Converters
3. Fixed DC- Variable DC Converters
4. Fixed AC- Variable AC (Fixed Frequency) Converters
5. Fixed AC- Variable AC (Variable Frequency) Converters

Fig 5. Different types of Power Converter Topologies and Their Symbols

III.AC-DC
CONVERTERS/RECTIFIERS

Converter rectifier circuits are used to convert AC power into DC

Power.
The Converter circuits employing only diodes are called
Uncontrolled Rectifiers . The output voltage does not vary for a
given load and given AC supply. Therefore, it is called an
Uncontrolled Converter.
The converter circuit which employs both Diodes and thyristors
(SCRs) is called a semi or half controlled converters. The
controlled output voltage and current are unidirectional and
power flows in one direction i.e from source to load.
The converter circuit employing only SCRs is called Fully
controlled converters. The direction of the current remains the
same but the output DC voltage can be reversed, to allow the
power from load to the supply.

AC-DC Conveters/Rectifiers

Single phase
Type

Uncontrolled
Converters
Half wave (1pulse)
Full Wave (2Pulse)

Three Phase
Type
Controlled
Converters

Half wave (1Pulse)

Full Wave (2Pulse)

Full wave
Midpoint
Converter
Full wave
Midpoint
Converter

Fig 6. Classification of AC-DC Converters/Rectifiers

In the study of AC-DC Converters, SCRs and

diodes are assumed to be ideal switches.
During Turn-ON there is no voltage drop across
SCR or Diode.
No reverse current exists during reverse blocking
mode
Transition time is negligible i.e Zero .
Holding current is zero

A.Single-phase Half wave phase controlled

rectifier with RL Load

Consider a Single phase half controlled

rectifier with RL Load as shown in fig.7(a) and
the corresponding current and voltage
waveforms are shown in fig.7(b).
The thyristor T is fired at wt = and the
extinction angle is .

During postive half cycle of supply voltage

Thyristor is forward biased at wt = , the
thyristor is turned on by gating signal. The
load voltage becomes equal to source
Fig 7(a).Single phase half wave
rectifier with RL Load
Voltage VS.
Load Inductance forces load current i o to rise gradually.After
sometime io reaches the maximum value and then decreases as
shown in fig. 7(b).
At wt=, VO is zero but io is not zero due to load Inductance and
SCR will not turn off untill io reduces below holding value. At wt=,
io reduces to zero and SCR is turned Off.

After wt= and till

wt=2 VO=0 and io=0.
= (-) is the
conduction angle.
Average DC output
voltage,

RMS Output Voltage,

Fig 7(b).Volatge and current waveforms for

Single phase half wave rectifier with RL Load