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AC Voltage Control
Introduction
In the last year's experiment, we have investigated various methods used to obtain a
variable DC voltage from either fixed AC or DC voltages. AC-to-DC converters (rectifiers)
employ what is known as phase control, while DC-to-DC converters are known as switchmode converters or choppers.
The same two principles are applicable to AC voltages. A variable voltage AC can be
obtained from either fixed AC or DC voltages. AC-to-AC converters are known as AC voltage
controllers. DC-to-AC converters are known as inverters. It should be noted that there are
other techniques to obtain controllable AC voltages from fixed AC voltages such as cycloconverters but they are beyond the scope of this experiment.
Theoretical Background:
The power circuit of the AC voltage controller is shown in Fig.(1). The device employed in this
circuit is the triac.
Triac
Vs
Firing circuit
RL
Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
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mind, triac circuits can be analyzed with the simplicity of thyristors circuits. Figure 2 and
3 show the different characteristics of thryristor, triac, and diac.
(a) Thyristor
(b) Triac
(c) Diac
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Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
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(a) Thyristor
(b) Triac
(c) Diac
Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Soft-starters.
A simple triac control circuit for lamp dimmers is shown in Fig.(4) where a diac is
employed in the same circuit. A diac can be simply considered as a gateless triac designed
to break down at low voltages. When the capacitor "C" voltage reaches the diac break
down voltage, it will be discharged into the gate of the triac turning it ON. Adjustment of
the series variable resistance R determines the charge rate of the capacitor and hence the
phase angle delay.
Triac
Rf
Vs
3
Rv
100%
4
RL
Diac
C1
GND
Procedure:
1. Connect the circuit shown in Fig.(4) using the available modules.
2. Turn the supply on.
3. Use the oscilloscope to view voltage waveforms at each point in the circuit.
4. Draw these waveforms.
5. Vary the firing angle, and then measure the load voltage, current, and power.
6. Plot the measured values with the firing angle.
Exercises:
1. Ignoring transients, load resistance, and triac gate current (consider its branch as
an open circuit), Draw the waveforms of the output voltage , current and the voltage at
the capacitor C for the circuit shown in figure 3 when the triac is triggered at 90 and 270.
2. Derive a formula for the RMS value of the output voltage and current in terms of the firing
angle "".
3. Deduce the relationship between Rf, Rv, C, and .
(4/9)
Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
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Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 2: Inverters
Inverters are static devices used to convert fixed DC voltages to AC voltages which
are controllable in both magnitude and frequency. Remember that AC voltage controllers
described above produce variable magnitude AC voltages while there is no control over
frequency (output frequency is the same as the input). Inverters have been thoroughly
studied in the last year, so fewer details will be given here.
Objectives:
1. To study the difference in the harmonic content of the inverter output voltage for
different PWM techniques.
2. To study the effect of the inverter switching frequency on the harmonic spectrum of
the inverter output voltage.
3. To study the effect of the output voltage harmonic content on induction motors
torque response.
Theoretical Background:
Effect of PWM Technique:
Many PWM techniques for three-phase inverters have been reported in literature. The
simplest way to convert DC voltages to AC voltages is to use the square wave or six-step
mode of operation. In this mode, the inverter switches are controlled such that the output
voltages are square and phase-shifted by 120. The harmonic content of this technique is
sever and is intolerable in most applications.
The harmonic content of the inverter output voltage may be reduced by employing PWM
techniques such as:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Remember from last year that the distortion factor and low order harmonics are
significantly reduced with sinusoidal and space vector PWM.
Effect of Switching Frequency:
PWM is generated by comparing a carrier signal (usually a triangular wave) with
frequency c to a reference signal with frequency r. The magnitude of the output voltage is
controlled by varying the ratio of the amplitude of the reference signal to the amplitude of
the carrier signal. The output frequency is equal to frequency of the reference signal. The
carrier signal frequency determines the transistor switching frequency. The Fourier
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Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
analysis of the inverter output voltage can be shown to be of the following form:
(1)
The frequency of the output voltage harmonics is related to the carrier frequency with
reference signal frequency-related sidebands. The frequency of those harmonics can be
shown to be:
Harmonic spectrum = Mc Nr
(2)
Where M and N are integers such that M+N= odd integer. For example, the output
voltage will contain harmonics at c, c +2,c 4..... and at 2c ,2c 3,.....
depending on other factors such as the modulation index.
The amplitude of the harmonics, in general, diminishes with higher values of M and N.
With higher carrier frequency, the inverter line current will be well-filtered by the
leakage inductance of the motor driven by the inverter and will practically approach a sine
wave. On the other hand, however, high carrier frequency (=switching frequency)
increases the inverter switching losses. The selection of the switching frequency is thus a
trade-off between harmonic losses in the machine and switching losses in the inverter.
Effect of Harmonic Content on Motor Torque Response:
From the dynamic model of AC machines, the stator flux vector can be calculated
from:
= (us- is Rs) dt
(3)
Where us, is , and Rs are the machine stator voltage vector, current vector, and resistance
respectively. If the stator resistance is neglected, equation (3) becomes:
= us dt
(4)
(5)
From equation (5), if both the stator flux and current are sinusoids, the torque will be
constant with time. If some harmonics are introduced into the waveforms of flux, current,
or both, the output torque will be time varying (pulsating). Torque pulsations affect the
low speed operation of the machine with non-smooth shaft movement (cogging) and the
high speed operation with higher machine vibration and acoustic noise.
Procedure:
First check the connection of the converter module as shown in Fig.(5).
Basic setting of the PWM control unit for this experiment:
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Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Cairo University
Power electronics Lab.
Faculty of Engineering
4th year
Elect. Power & machines Dept.
AC voltage control (PE1)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bimal K. Bose, Modern Power Electronics and AC drives. Prentice Hall PTR, 2002.
Cyril W. Lander, Power Electronics. McGraw-Hill, 1993.
M. H. Rashid, Power Electronics: Circuits, devices, and applications. Prentice Hall,1993
Philips Semiconductors technical publications, Thyristors and Triacs - Ten Golden
Rules for Success in Your Application. Document number 9397 750 00812,1996.
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