THREE PHASE PWM INVERTER USING PIC16F84A MICROCONTROLLER

A. Nizomuddean Jawan
Faculty of Electrical Engineering
Universiti Teknologi Mara, 40450 UITM Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
nizomuddean90@gmail.com


Abstract: This paper represents three phase inverter using
PIC16F84A microcontroller to produce pulse width
modulation (PWM) signal for three phase inverter. The
advantage of this inverter is used low cost of PIC
microcontroller to produce PWM signal. This paper also shows
the method how PWM signal is generated by PIC16F84A
microcontroller. Subsequently hardware configuration of
PIC16f84A microcontroller, gate driver and three phase
inverter circuit is discussed. The flowchart of PWM signal
generated and simulation using MPLAB IDE and Proteus
professional simulation software also discussed. Finally, the
experimental results of simulation and hardware are shown in
this paper.
Keywords: PWM, MOSFET driver, three phase inverter,
I. INTRODUCTION
An induction motor is a constant-speed motor when it is
connected to the power supply with constant-voltage and
constant-frequency [1]. The operation of three phase
induction motor is near to three phase synchronous. It is
well suited for appliance that required constant-speed
operation [1]. Large three phase induction motor that
operates in tens or hundreds horsepower is used in industry
such as compressor, paper mills and so on [2].
Three phase AC source is needed to operate three phase
induction motor. This source can be generated using three
phase inverter. Theoretically, inverter is conversion
equipment that used to convert direct current (DC) source to
alternating current (AC) source [3]. Inverter is divided into
two types, it is single phase inverter and three phase
inverter. Three phase sine wave is consist of three single
sine wave that can be achieve by taking DC voltage source
and switching the source across load using switching
electronic component such as power MOSFET and IGBT.
One of the methods to generate three phase sine wave is
pulse width modulation (PWM) technique.
Pulse width modulation (PWM) technique is a powerful
technique for controlling analog circuit using
microcontroller digital output [4]. Pulse width modulation
(PWM) is a modulation technique that controls the width of
pulse base on modulator signal information [4]. Pulse width
modulation (PWM) is employed in variety application,
ranging from measurement and communication to power
control and conversion [4]. Pulse width modulation (PWM)
is digital encoding technique to encode the modulated signal
of pure sine wave.
Three phase PWM inverter is an inverter consist of six
switching gate that have been controlled by PWM signal
from microcontroller. The period to switch on and off the
cycle is depends on percentage in duty cycle [5]. In
generation of single PWM sine wave, it is about 50%
percentage of duty cycle is used to complete one complete
sine wave. Three phase sine wave is a combination three of
single phase sine wave and shifting 120
o
conduction
between phases.

II. METHODOLOGY

A. Project overview


Figure 1: Block Diagram of Three phase Inverter

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of three phase inverter
including PIC16F84A microcontroller, inverter IC, IGBT
driver, DC power supply and three phase induction motor.
Microcontroller is a main processor to control the
operation whole system in this project. Microcontroller
generate pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to control
the sequence of switching turning on and off. MOSFET
driver is a power amplifier that accepts low power input from
microcontroller and produce the appropriate high current
gate drive for power MOSFET [6]. The driver is used when
pulse width modulation (PWM) controller cannot provide the
output current required driving the gate capacitance of the
power MOSFET. The switching gate receives the PWM
signal from the driver and operates based on PWM signal.
Three phase inverter convert DC power supply to AC power
supply to operate three phase induction motor.

B. Simulation

Simulation of 3-phase PWM inverter using PIC16F84A
was done by using ISIS7 Proteus Professional simulation

software as shows in Figure 2. Proteus Professional
simulation software is developed by Labcenter Electronics
for microprocessor simulation, schematic design and printed
circuit board (PCB) design. In this project, PIC16F84A
microcontroller, inverter IC, MOSFET driver and power
MOSFET was used. PWM is generated by microcontroller
based on the downloaded coding to microcontroller. This
PWM controlled power MOSFET gate to perform 3-phase
AC output.


Figure 2: Simulation circuit of 3-phase inverter

C. Hardware implementation
a) Microcontroller circuit

To vary AC voltage from inverter, pulse width
modulation (PWM) is required to control the duration of
switches to turn on and off. Pulse width modulation (PWM)
is required to control the upper and lower switch of the 3-
phase inverter. The upper three switches are controlled by
pulse width modulation (PWM) from microcontroller and
three lower switches are controlled by inverted PWM signal
corresponding to upper switch. A dead time are given
between switching turning on and off to avoid from shorting
DC bus. It has been done by using MOSFET driver
(IR2101). PIC16F84A microcontroller is used to generate
sinusoidal PWM as shown in Figure 3. Three phase pulse
width modulations (PWM) signal is generated by assembly
programming code and the output is set to pin port RB0,
RB1 and RB2 of the PIC16F84A microcontroller. Then,
inverter IC (HD74LS04) is act as not gate will invert pulse
width modulation (PWM) signals from microcontroller for
lower switching part of inverter.


Figure 3: PIC16F84A microcontroller circuit
b) Flowchart

The process to generate pulse width modulation (PWM)
signal is the main part in this project. It is because the ways
to generate PWM signal is one of the main controller to
trigger the switch in operation of 3-phase inverter. The step
to generate pulse width modulation (PWM) signal is shows
in Figure 4.

Figure 4: The step of generating PWM signal

First step to generate PWM signal with reset all the
process in the microcontroller. After that, initialization
process has been set. The output pin port of microcontroller,
TIMER0, interrupt routine, PWM value and interrupt timer
have been set. PIC16F84A microcontroller RB0, RB1 and
RB2 pin port is set as output port in this process. Besides
that, interrupt routine in microcontroller is reset and initialize
value of PWM is called to update the value for each phases.
After initialization process, the process going to main
process that consists of interrupts routine process and
updating PWM table. Interrupt routine process occur when
the timer is exceeding interrupt timer. The programming is
stay in looping process if interrupt routine process not
occurred. PWM table is called at every cycle occurred to
update new value and time for each phase. If interrupt
routine process occurs; new time for each phase is updated.
Phase shifting is rounded depending which state it is. After
all the time and value for each phase is update, SineWave
process store all updated data to high TableStart. The data in
high TableStart is compared with high TableEnd value.

TableEnd value is used to make sure that the data inside
TableStart not exceed than the value PWM store. When the
data in TableStart below than TableEnd value, port pin RB0,
RB1 and RB2 of PIC16F84A microcontroller will generate
output signal. When the TableStart value is exceed high
TableEnd, the process is back to interrupt process. After all
this process done, the programming is going back to main
process. This process will be continuing until no supply to
the inverter.

c) MOSFET driver

IR2101 are high voltage and high speed power MOSFET
and IGBT driver with independent high and low side
referenced output channel [6]. The output driver feature a
high pulse current buffer stage designed for minimum driver
cross-conduction. The floating channel can be used to drive
N-channel power MOSFET or IGBT in high side
configuration which operates up to 600V [6].


Figure 5: input and output signal PWM configuration for
MOSFET driver circuit

MOSFET driver circuit is interface between control and
inverter part as shown in Figure 5. MOSFET driver get
PWM input signal from the control circuit and output of
driver will trigger the gate of MOSFET at 3-phase inverter
side.


Figure 6: Functional block diagram of IR2101 driver


Figure 7: input/output timing diagram

As shown in Figure 6, IR2101 is capable to control one
input at a time and generate high-side and low-side output
pulse. Logic inputs are compatible with down to 3.3V logic
[6]. The power MOSFET gate drive requirement are utilized
as a high switch and the drain is connected to the high
voltage rail. This driver low-side drive directly from NOR
gate output, but high-side are drive a signal must be level
shifted after pulse generator. Pulse filter is used after level
shifted before being applied to high side output driver. In
Figure 7, it is describe the input and output of PWM signal in
IR2101 driver.

d) Power inverter circuit


Figure 8: Three phase inverter circuit

Three phase inverter circuit is the main power conversion
stage of the system. Figure 8 shows the three phase inverter
circuit using power MOSFET as a switching element. It is
consists of six power MOSFET (IRFP250) are connected as
shows in Figure 8. An internal freewheeling diode in each
power MOSFET leg may be separate discrete device in case
of power MOSFET which providing path of dissipated
current while power MOSFET are in non-conducting state.
Powers MOSFET are controlled by PWM signal through the
driver circuit. At one time, only two powers MOSFET are
switched ON. The conducting sequences of power MOSFET
are 1&5, 2&6, 3&4 and it is repeated. When any pair of
power MOSFET is conducted, the currents start flows
through the corresponding load phase winding. PWM
waveform is generated by microcontroller as shown in
Figure 3.


III. RESULTS

Simulation and hardware development test had been
done and finally it shows the results. The comparison results
between simulation test and hardware test development are
shown.

A. Simulation and hardware test

This is the simulation and hardware results from the
PIC16F84A microcontroller consist of three pulse width
modulation (PWM) output waveform. This PWM signal is
shifted 120
o
conduction for each phase.


Figure 9: Input PWM pulse on simulation test


Figure 10: Input PWM pulse on hardware test


Figure 11: PWM pulse on simulation test


Figure 12: PWM pulse on hardware


Figure 13: PWM output for phase A and B on simulation test


Figure 14: PWM output for phase A and B on hardware test


Figure 11: Output three phase AC waveform on
simulation test

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This project is to design and development of three phase
pulse width modulation (PWM) inverter based on PIC
microcontroller to operate three phase induction motor. The
system is simulated and compared with hardware
experiments result.
The simulation and hardware results are similar. The
slight different between simulation and hardware results are
due to losses in the switching device and error in measuring
instrument.

V. CONCLUSION

PIC16F84A microcontroller based on pulse width
modulation (PWM) controlled three phase inverter has been
designed and implemented successfully. It is used to run
three phase induction motor.
.
VI. REFERENCES

[1] J. R. Bednarczyk, "Induction motor Theory," ed.
PDH center: PDHcenter.com, 2012.
[2] P. C. Sen, Principles of Electric Machines and
Power Electronics Second Edition, pp.254-269,
1997.
[3] M. S. B. Masiron, "Three Phase DC AC Inverter,"
Final year project, Faculty of Electrical
Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka,
2007.
[4] M. Barr. (2007). Introduction of Pulse Width
Modulation (PWM). Available
www.barrgroup.com/Embedded-Systems/How-
To/PWM-Pulse-Width-Modulation
[5] Prof. Ali Keyhani, lecture notes, Pulse-Width
Modulation (PWM) Techniques
[6] Data Sheet No. PD60043 Rev.O
IR2101(S)/IR2102(S)&PBF, High and Low side
driver,
www.irf.com