104 (IJCNS) International Journal of Computer and Network Security,

Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2010

Analysis of Three Phase Four Wire Inverter for UPS

Fed Unbalanced Star Connected Load
R.Senthil Kumar1, Dr. Jovitha Jerome2 and S.NithyaBhama3

1
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
Bannari Amman Institute of Technology Anna University, Tamil Nadu India
ramsenthil2@gmail.com
2
Department of Control and Instrumentation Engineering,
PSG College of Technology, Anna University, Tamil Nadu India
jjovitha@yahoo.com
3
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering,
Bannari Amman Institute of Technology Anna University, Tamil Nadu India
nithyabhamaeee@gmail.com

a connection to the neutral terminal should be provided by

Abstract: A Three phase inverter with a neutral connection i.e., adding an extra wire to the inverter.
three phase four wire inverter is proposed. The uninterruptible
The load neutral terminal can be connected to the inverter
power supply (UPS) system is fed by three phase four wire
inverter and the load neutral point voltage is low to meet the using two topologies:
requirement of the system. The four leg inverters effectively • Three phase four-wire, in which the neutral point is
provide the neutral connection in three phase four wire system. connected directly to the midpoint of the supply by
They are used in many applications to handle the neutral current means of a capacitor divider.
caused by the unbalanced and non-linear load. The unbalanced • Three phase four-leg, employing an additional inverter leg
load becomes non-linear, where the neutral of the loads are
that permits to modify the neutral point voltage.
accessible. The four leg inverter produces the three output
voltages independently with one additional leg. The first topology is certainly simplest one, but the three-
The main feature of a three phase inverter, with an additional phase inverter turns into three independent single-phase
neutral leg, is its ability to deal with load unbalance in a system. inverters. As consequence, zero-sequence harmonics are
The goal of the three phase four leg inverter is to maintain the generated; moreover, especially when the load is unbalanced
desired sinusoidal output voltage waveform for all loading or non-linear, a high voltage ripple over supply capacitors is
conditions and transients. The neutral connection is present to produced by neutral currents. A further limitation is
handle the ground current due to unbalanced loads. The
represented by the maximum voltage value that the
feasibility of the proposed modulation technique is verified by
MATLAB/SIMULINK. amplitude of each phase fundamental harmonic can reach.
The second topology requires additional power switches
Keywords: Four wire inverter, Rectifier, THD, UPS. and a more complex control strategy, but it offers different
advantages, such as an increased maximum output voltage
1. Introduction value, a reduction of neutral currents and the possibility of
neutral point voltage control [5-7].
The primary function of an UPS is to maintain a constant
The block diagram for the four wire inverter for online
voltage and constant frequency supply for critical loads,
UPS as shown in Figure 1.
irrespective of variations in the input source or load
condition [2]. The way of providing a neutral connection for
three phase four wire systems using a four leg inverter
topology by tying the neutral point to the mid point of the
fourth neutral leg. The three phase four inverter has more
control flexibility, because two additional power switches
3
doubles the number of inverter output states from 8(=2 ) to
4
16(=2 ).This allows to improve the output waveform
quality.
In the medium or low power UPS; an output transformer
is used to mitigate the neutral to earth voltage. In the high Figure 1.Block diagram for four wire inverter
power UPS; it is to eliminate the output transformer so that
The main components of the UPS are rectifier, battery, four
load is fed by the inverter directly, so the neutral of earth
wire inverter, four wire inverter and load. When the main
voltage is emerged. The currents flowing on each phase are
supply is present, the rectifier provides power to an inverter
generally not balanced so, that a transformer is not required,
as well as battery. The battery is charged. The inverter is on
 (IJCNS) International Journal of Computer and Network Security, 105
Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2010

and feeds power to the load through UPS switch. The UPS
switch is always on and connects load to inverter output.
When the UPS fails, then load is connected directly to the
mains directly through main switch. When the supply is not
available, then battery bank supplies power to an inverter.
Thus an inverter is always on and it takes power from
rectifier or battery.
The three phase four wire inverter is suitable for use in
high power UPS for its advantage of feeding unbalanced
load and the higher dc voltage utilization [3]. As the load is Figure 5.Simplified diagram for four wire inverter
The switch in the inverter legs R,Y,B,N denoted as
fed by three phase three wire inverter is shown in Figure 2.
Sk(SR,SY,SB,SN) corresponds to each vector Vk,for S=1 upper
In this paper, the load neutral point voltage for the three
switch in the inverter wire is conducting and for S=0,the
phase four leg inverter is proposed and it is shown in Figure
lower switch is conducting. The vector V (1011) represents
3.
switching state is shown in Figure 5.[8].
The equivalent circuits for states (1011) and (1010) are
represented in Figure 6(a) and Figure 6 (b) respectively.

Figure 2.Three phase three wire inverter

Figure 6(a).For switching state SRSYSBSN 1011

VRN =VBN=0 and VYN=-2Vd

Figure 3.Three phase four wire inverter Figure 6(b).For switching state SRSY SBSN 1010
VRN =VBN=2Vd and VYN=0

2. Three Phase Four Wire Inverter
The three phase four wire inverter obtained by replacing the
three wire switching network with a four wire switching
network is shown in Figure 4.
The comparison of a three phase 3 wire and 4 wire voltage
source inverter as shown in table 1.
Table 1: Comparison of three phase 3 wire and 4 wire
inverter

THREE PHASE THREE PHASE

S.NO PARAMETER THREE WIRE FOUR
LOAD WIRE LOAD

1. Number of 6 8
required power
Figure 4.Four wire Switching Network switches
Three Three
The simplified diagram of four leg inverter circuit feeding
four wire load is shown in Figure 5.The neutral inductor Ln 2. Equivalent independent dependent
can reduce switching frequency ripple. topology single phase half single phase full
bridge. bridge.

3. Number of the 6(no zero vectors) 16(14 active + 2

output vectors zero vectors)
106 (IJCNS) International Journal of Computer and Network Security,
Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2010

9 1001 2/3 Vd 0 -2/3 Vd

4. Maximum 0.5Vd 0.577Vd
achievable peak 10 1010 1/3Vd 2/3 Vd
-1/ 3 Vd
value of line to
neutral voltage. 11 1011 1/3Vd -1/3Vd
-1/ 3 Vd

12 1100 1/3Vd 2/3 Vd

There are 16 switching states which are listed in table 2; it 1/ 3 Vd
can be taken from the graphical representation of switching
13 1101 1/3Vd -1/3Vd
vectors in Figure 7. 1/ 3 Vd
There are 14 non-zero voltage vectors and two zero
vectors(1111), (0000).The three phase variables Kr,Ky and 14 1110 0 0 Vd
Kb can be transferred as orthogonal coordinates kα,kβ,kγ
using eq (1). Any three phase sinusoidal set of quantities 15 1111 0 0 0
can be transformed to an orthogonal reference.
For given switching states of the inverter, the voltage
vector components can be calculated as,
 kα 
  cos θ cos (θ − 2π 3) cos (θ − 4π 3)  kr 
 kβ  = 2 3  sin θ sin (θ − 2π 3) sin (θ − 4π 3)  k y  (1)
    
k  1 2 12 12   kb 
 
γ

Where θ is the angle of orthogonal set α-β-0 with respect

to arbitrary reference. If α-β-0 axes are stationary and the α-
axis is aligned with the- axis, then θ=0 at all times. Thus, we
get
 kα   1 −1 2 − 1 2 kr 
   0 3 2   k y 
(2)
 kβ  = 2 3 3 2 −

k 
 γ  1 2 1 2 1 2   k b 
The above matrix can be rewritten as Figure 7.Switching vectors for three phase four wire inverter
Vα = 1 3 .V d (2 S R − S Y − S B ) (3)
3. Circuit Description of Four Wire voltage
V β = 1 3 .V d (S Y − S B ) (4)
Source Inverter
V γ = − 1 3 .V d (3 S N − (S R + SY + SB )) (5)
The three phase four wire voltage source inverter, commonly
used for three phase voltage generation is shown in Figure 8.
Table 2: Switching combination and output voltages for It consists of eight switches Srp-Sxn and filter of inductor LR-
3 phase 4-wire inverter LX and capacitors CR-CB.The LC filter filters out the
switching harmonics. The voltage source inverter able to
NO. SR,SY,SB,SN Vα Vβ Vγ
generate balanced and high quality AC output voltage,
shown in Figure 8.
0 0000 0 0 0

1 0001 0 0 -Vd

2 0010 -1/3Vd 1/3Vd

-1/ 3 Vd

3 0011 -1/3Vd -2/3 Vd

-1/ 3 Vd

4 0100 -1/3Vd -1/3Vd

1/ 3 Vd

5 0101 -1/3Vd -2/3 Vd

1/ 3 Vd

6 0110 -2/3 Vd 0 2/3 Vd Figure 8.Three phase output voltages

In the three phase output voltage waveform shown in Figure
7 0111 -2/3 Vd 0 -1/3Vd
8, one line cycle is divided into six regions. In region 0˚–60˚,
8 1000 2/3 Vd 0 1/3Vd 120˚–180˚ and 240˚–300˚, the voltage waveforms in Figure
 (IJCNS) International Journal of Computer and Network Security, 107
Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2010

8 have similar pattern, i.e., one-phase voltage is always

lower than the other two [2].
The modulation method for four wire inverter are
1) The switch Sin (i = r, y, b) for the phase with the lowest
voltage is always turned ON and the corresponding Sip
for this phase is always turned OFF.
2) The switches Sin and Sip for the other two phases are
driven complementarily.
3) The switches Sxn and Sxp for the neutral phase are driven
complementarily. (a)
The main circuit diagram in Figure 3 is equivalent to
Figure 9(a) in 0˚–60˚region, which can be further organized
into Figure 9(b). The same equivalent circuit is also
applicable to 120˚–180˚ and 240˚–300˚ regions. The
switching of the inverter is shown in table 3.

(b)

Figure 10.Equivalent circuit for four wired VSI for 60˚–120˚

For further analysis, following assumptions are made.
(a)
1) LR = LY = LB = LX = L.
2) CR = CY = CB = C.
3) Switching frequency is much higher than fundamental
frequency.

Table 3: Switching logics for proposed controller

SWITCHES

(b) S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 N1 N2
DEGREES

Figure 9.Equivalent circuit for four wired VSI for 0˚–60˚

0˚-
ON OFF OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF
In region 60˚–120˚, 180˚–240˚and 300˚–360˚, the voltage 60˚
waveforms in Figure 8 have another pattern, i.e., one phase
voltage is always higher than the other two [2]. 60˚-
The modulation method for four wire inverter are ON ON OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF ON
120˚
1) The switch Sip (i = r, y, b) for the phase with the
highest voltage is always turned ON and the
corresponding Sin for this phase is always turned OFF. 120˚-
OFF ON ON OFF OFF OFF ON OFF
180˚
2) The switches Sip and Sin for the other two phases are
driven complementarily.
3) The switches Sxn and Sxp for the neutral phase are 180˚-
OFF OFF ON ON OFF OFF OFF ON
driven complementarily. 240˚
With this Figure 3 is equivalent to Figure 10 (a) in 60˚–
120˚ region, which can be further organized into Figure 240˚-
10(b).The same equivalent circuit is also applicable to 180˚– OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF ON OFF
300˚
240˚and 300˚–360˚ regions. The switching of the inverter is
shown in table 3.
300˚-
OFF OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF ON
360˚
108 (IJCNS) International Journal of Computer and Network Security,
Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2010

4. Simulation Results
The Figure 11 shows the three phase AC rectifier and its
output.

Figure 14.Input voltage for three phase AC source

The Figure 14 is the three phase input source voltage for the
UPS.
Figure 11.Simulation circuit for rectifier.

Figure 12.Simulation result for rectifier

The above rectified output voltage in Figure 12 obtained

across the capacitor.
The Figure 13 is the three phase four wire inverter for Figure 15.Simulation result for four wire inverter
online UPS is proposed.
The Figure 15 is the simulation result for four wire inverter
for three phase each output is phase shifted by 120˚.

The Figure 16 shows the DC source input voltage for four

wire inverter.

Figure 13.Simulation circuit for three phase four wire

inverter

From the simulation analysis of Figure 13

(i) The wire N provides a lower impedance loop for
unbalanced current and triplen harmonics, so the
imbalance of output is dramatically reduced.
Figure 16.Simulation circuit for DC source four wire
(ii) The neutral inductance Ln can reduce the current that
inverter
flows through the Switching components of wire N.
Three line voltages VRY, VYB and VBR are step waves, with
step height Vdc/2 and Vdc. The three line voltages are
mutually phase shifted by 120˚ as shown in Figure 17.
 (IJCNS) International Journal of Computer and Network Security, 109
Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2010

Figure 19.THD level for three phase four wire inverter

5. Conclusion
The three phase four wire UPS has been proposed in this
paper. The fourth wire makes the inverter have the ability of
Figure 17.Simulation result for three phase four wire handling unbalancing loads. The inductor in fourth wire
inverter reduces the current through the switching components. The
Table 4: Simulation result parameters
inverter control has the advantages of both lower switching
to fundamental frequency ratio and outstanding ability to
carry unbalanced loads.
Parameter Values
References
Voltage for each phase 100V
[1] Fanghua Zhang, and Yangguang Yan “Selective
Frequency 50HZ Harmonic Elimination PWM Control Scheme on a
Three-Phase Four-Leg Voltage Source Inverter” IEEE
DC input voltage 200V Trans. Power Electronics, vol. 24, no. 7, July 2009.
[2] Lihua Li and Keyue Ma Smedley, “A New Analog
Inductance(L) 1mH Controller for Three-Phase Four-Wire Voltage
Generation Inverters” IEEE Trans. Power Electronics,
Capacitance(C) 1000µF
vol. 24, no. 7, July 2009.
Neutral inductance(Ln) 1mH [3] Liu Zeng, Liu Jinjun and Li Jin “Modeling, Analysis
and Mitigation of Load Neutral Point Voltage for
Rated resistive load 100Ω Three-phase Four-leg Inverter” IPEMC2009.

The neutral voltage waveform for four wire inverter as
shown in Figure 18.
Figure 18.Simulation result for neutral voltage
The Figure 19 shows the THD level for three Phase four
wire system. The harmonic distortion is reduced and its
THD level is 3.92%.
[4] Salvador Ceballos, Josep Pou, Jordi Zaragoza, José L.
Martín, Eider Robles, Igor Gabiola, and Pedro Ibanez,
“Efficient Modulation Technique for a Four-Leg Fault-
Tolerant Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverter” IEEE Trans.
Industrial Electronics, vol. 55, no. 3, March 2008.
[5] Armando Bellini and Stefano Bifaretti “Modulation
Techniques for Three-Phase Four-Leg Inverters”
Proceedings of the 6th WSEAS International
Conference on Power Systems, Lisbon, Portugal,
September 22-24, 2006.
[6] Bellini and S. Bifaretti “A Simple Control Technique
for three phase four leg inverters”. SPEEDAM 2006.
[7] Richard Zhang, V. Himamshu Prasad, Dushan
Boroyevich and Fred C.Le “Three-Dimensional space
Vector Modulation for Four –Leg Voltage-Source
Converters” IEEE Trans.Power Electronics, vol.17,
no.3, May 2002.
[8] Salem M. Ali Marian and P. Kazmierkowski “PWM
Voltage and Current Control of Four-Leg VSI” 1998
IEEE.
110 (IJCNS) International Journal of Computer and Network Security,
Vol. 2, No. 4, April 2010

Authors Profile
SenthilKumar.R was born in
Tamilnadu, India, on November 2, 1966.
He received the B.E degree in Electrical
and Electronics Engineering from
Madurai Kamaraj University, in 1989.
He received his M.E (Power systems)
from Annamalai University, in 1991. He
has 15 yrs of teaching experience.
Currently he is working as Asst.
Professor in EEE department, Bannari
Amman Institute of Technology Sathyamanglam. Currently he is
doing research in the field of power
converters for UPS Applications.

Dr.Jovitha Jerome was born in

Tamilnadu, India, on June 2, 1957. She
received the B.E. degree in Electrical
and Electronics Engineering and M.E.
degree in Power Systems from College
of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai. She
did her DEng in Power Systems.
Presently she is working as Professor
and Head in Instrumentation and Control Engineering Department
of PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore.

NithyaBhama.S was born on September

4, 1987. She received her B.E Degree in
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
from Erode Sengunthar Engineering
College, Thudupathi, Anna University.
Currently she is pursuing M.E in Power
Electronics and Drives at Bannari Amman
Institute of Technology, affiliated to Anna
University.