International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering

Current Harmonic Analysis of Multi Pulse

Diode Rectifiers with Phase Shifting
Transformers
J. Venkat Nag Someswar Rao, Mahendra Ghat, S. Kumaravel
Dept. of Electrical Engg.NIT Calicut, Dept. of Electrical Egg. NIT Warangal,
Dept. of Electrical Engg.NIT Calicut

jvenkat.eng@gmail.com,mahendra.ghat@gmail.com, kumaravel_s@nitc.ac.in
Abstract:
The objective of this paper is to analyze the
current harmonics in source for different
configurations of multi pulse diode rectifiers.
Multi pulse rectifier is generally composed of a
phase-shifting transformer with multiple
secondary windings; feed’s a set of identical six-
pulse rectifiers. The rectifiers can be configured as
12, 18 or 24-pulses. In this paper Total Harmonic
Distortion (THD) of currents in source for
different rectifier configurations are discussed
with their MATLAB simulations.
Keywords -Phase shifting Transformers, Phase
angle, Multi Pulse Diode Rectifiers.
I. INTRODUCTION
In order to mitigate harmonic requirements
set by IEEE Standard 519-1992, major high-power
drive manufacturers around the world are drastically
using multi pulse diode rectifiers in their drives as
front-end converters. The rectifiers are powered by a
phase shifting transformer with a number of
secondary windings. Each secondary winding feeds a
six-pulse diode rectifier. The dc output of the six-
pulse rectifiers is connected to a voltage source
inverter.
arrangement transformers can be classified as Y/Z
and /Z(Y-star, -delta and Z-zigzag). Both
configurations can be equally used in multi pulse
rectifiers. Fig. 1(a) & 1(b) shows the connection
diagrams of Y/Z and /Z configuration. The primary
is wounded with winding N1 turns per phase and
secondary is wounded with two windings, N2 and N3
turns per phase. In this paper Y/Z configuration is
described as shown in Fig.1 (a).According to Y/Z
configuration secondary voltages will lead primary
voltages as shown in phasor diagram Fig.1(c),
represented by subscript-1 (Y/Z-1). While reversing
the connections of secondary winding N2 as shown
in Fig.1 (d), secondary voltage will lag the primary
voltage as shown in phasor diagram Fig.1 (e),
represented by subscript-2(Y/Z-2). Table1 shows the
turns ratio for various phase angle ( ) between
primary & secondary and with application.

A. Phase Shifting Transformer: Phase Shifting

Transformer (PST) is essential device in Multi pulse
diode rectifiers, which provides electrical isolation to
rectifier from utility supply and phase displacement
Fig. 1(a) Y/Z connection diagram for
between primary and secondary Voltage for
harmonic cancellation. According to winding lead

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 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering

Table 1

-
Application

Y/Z Y/Z-
-1 2
0 0 1.0 1.0 12-, 18-, and
Fig. 1(b) /Z connection diagram for lead 24-pulse
rectifiers
15 -15 0.366 0.707 24-pulse
rectifiers
20 -20 0.227 0.653 18-pulse
rectifiers
30 -30 0 0.557 12- and 24-
pulse
rectifiers

B. Multi Pulse Diode Rectifiers: Multi pulse diode

Fig. 1(c) Phasor diagram of Y/Z connection diagram
for lead
Fig. 1(d) Y/Z connection diagram for lag
Fig. 1(e) Phasor diagram of Y/Z connection
diagram for lag
rectifier is advantageous in reducing line current
harmonic distortion using a phase shifting
transformer, by which some lower order harmonic
currents generated by six-pulse rectifiers are
neutralized. In general, higher number of rectifier
pulses lowers the line current harmonics. Rectifiers
with more than 30 pulses are rarely used due to
increase in transformer cost and limited performance.
Multi pulse rectifiers have more features like; it
won’t require LC filters or power factor
compensators by which LC resonances can be
eliminated. It is used to block common mode
voltages generated by the rectifier and inverter in
medium voltage drive, which would otherwise appear
at motor terminals, due to which winding insulation
failure. The multi pulse diode rectifiers are classified
in two types:
a) Series-type multi pulse rectifiers: All six-pulse
rectifiers DC output is connected in series. In
medium-voltage drives, series-type rectifier can be
used as a front end rectifier for inverter, which
requires a single DC supply, such as three-level
neutral point clamped inverter and multilevel flying-
capacitor inverter.
b) Separate-type multi pulse rectifiers: Each six-
pulse rectifier feds a separate DC load. This type of

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 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering

rectifier is suitable for multilevel cascaded H-bridge

inverter, which requires a multiple units of isolated The primary line current
DC Supply.

II. HARMONIC ELIMINATION (CURRENT)

As shown in Fig. 2 for a 12-pulse rectifier, ……4

Phase angle ( ) between primary and secondary for Y
and connections are 0° and 30° respectively. The
voltage ratio is = = 2.
Where 5th, 7th, 17th, and 19th harmonic
currents in and are 180° out of phase, therefore
canceled. It is proved that for multi pulse rectifiers
with phase shifting transformers whose consecutive
in-phase secondary voltages are differ with a phase
angle , only (mn 1) th harmonics present on
primary side. Where
m = 6 for 6-pulse, 12 for 12-pulse, 18 for
18-pulse and so on, and
n= 1, 2, 3……..

III SIMULATION ANALYSIS

Fig. 2. 12-pulse diode rectifier
In this section MATLAB simulation for six pulse
Secondary line current can be expressed as rectifiers and 12 Pulse rectifiers with Phase shifting
transformer are shown.
……… (1.a)
……… (1.b)

Where n = 1, 5,7,11

Where iA is primary current, while seeing the

secondary currents from primary the phase angle of
all harmonic components will be same because of
Y/Y connection.

Secondary current on primary is

…. (2) Fig. 3 MATLAB model for 12 pulse diode rectifier

On transforming
Simulink model for 12 pulse diode rectifier is shown
in Fig. 3. For simulation following parameters are
taken as input:

Supply Voltage:
….. (3.a)

Resistive Load: R=450 watt at nominal

Voltage 1000V
) … (3.b)

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 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering

Waveform of line current drawn by six-pulse diode Table 2

rectifier is shown in Fig. 4. Line current waveform Harmonics related to fundamental frequency for 6-
contains two separate pulses per half-cycle of supply pulse rectifier
frequency, which makes the DC current 50 Hz(fundamental) 100%
discontinuous. Harmonic spectrum of line current is
shown in Fig. 4. Line current does not contain any 250Hz (5th harmonic) 21.54%
even-order harmonics since; current waveform is
half-wave symmetry. The dominant harmonics, such 350Hz (7th harmonic) 7.82%
as 5th and 7th order have a higher magnitude than
550Hz (11th harmonic) 5.52%
others. Line current THD is a function of
fundamental current, THD = 23.50%, 5th and 7th 650Hz (13th harmonic) 2.73%
harmonic component related to fundamental are
21.54% and 7.82 % respectively [table-2]. 850Hz (17th harmonic) 1.79%

950Hz (19th harmonic) 0.93%

Fig.4 Line Current wave forms for six pulse Diode Fig.6 Current Waveforms of 12 pulse Diode rectifier
Rectifiers

Fig.7 Line Harmonic contents of 12-pulse Diode

rectifier

Fig.2 shows a typical configuration of 12-pulse series

Fig.5 Line Harmonic contents of six pulse Diode type rectifier. Fig. 6 shows various simulated current
rectifier waveforms of the rectifier operating under rated

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 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering

conditions. Here Ia and Ia~ are secondary currents and Seminar on PWM Medium Voltage Drives, pp.
IA is primary current referred to Phase Shifting 4/1–4/19, 2000.
Transformer. Fig. 7 shows harmonic components 5. Jody Verboome,”Phase Shifting Transformers:
Principles and Applications”.
of . THD of line current is 3.92%. Major harmonic
6. A. Sapin, P. Allenbach, J.-J. Simond, Modeling
components are 11th and 13th order, referred to of Phase Shifting Transformers Application to
fundamental are 3.42% and 1.65% respectively DC and multi Level VSI Inverter, ICEM 2000.
[table-3]. 7. B. Wu and F. DeWinter, Voltage Stress on
Induction Motor in Medium Voltage (2300 V to
Table 3 6900 V) PWM GTO CSI Drives, IEEE
Harmonics related to fundamental frequency for 12- Transactions on Power Electronics, Vol. 12,No.
pulse rectifier 2, pp. 213–220, 1997.
8. J. Das, and R. H. Osman, Grounding of AC and
50 Hz(fundamental) 100% DC low-voltage and Medium Voltage Drive
Systems, IEEE Transactions on Industry
550Hz (11th harmonic) 3.42% Applications, Vol. 34, No. 1 pp.205–216, 1998.
9. P. W. Hammond, A New Approach to Enhance
650Hz (13th harmonic) 1.65% Power Quality for Medium Voltage AC Drives,
IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications,
1150Hz(17th harmonic) 0.71% Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 202–208, 19

1250Hz(17th harmonic) 0.48%

IV CONCLUSION

Different configurations of multi pulse diode rectifier

circuits are presented. Phase shifting Transformers
with multiple secondary windings and current
harmonic elimination on primary current due to phase
shifting has been studied in detail. Simulated wave
form for different configuration of multi pulse
rectifiers are shown.THD profile for 6 pulses and 12
pulse rectifiers are analyzed, from their comparison it
is concluded that with increase in number of pulses in
rectifier will decrease harmonics on line current.

References

1. IEEE Standard 519-1992, Recommended

Practices and Requirements for Harmonic
Control in Electrical Power Systems, The
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
1993.
2. Bin Wu, High Power Converters and AC Drives,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
3. Piotr MYSIAK, Piotr JANKOWSKI: A multi-
pulse diode recti.ier with a coupled three-phase
reactor-The Design Method and Results of the
Simulation and Laboratory Tests .Electrical
Power quality and utilization journals. Vol XI
No1 2005.
4. E. A. Lewis, Power Converter Building Blocks
for Multi-megawatt PWM VSI Drives, IEE

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