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Single-phase full converter, 10 A, α = 30°

Short answer

A single-phase full converter with highly inductive load maintains constant 10 A current. At firing angle 30 degrees, average output voltage is (2Vm/pi)cos30 = 179.33 V. Input current is a square wave of amplitude 10 A lagging the supply by 30 degrees.

Figure below shows a single-phase full converter circuit. Explain its operation with highly inductive load so that the load current is constant and equal to 10 A. Draw the waveforms of input voltage Vs, output voltage vo and input AC current Is for firing angle of 30°. Calculate the average value of the output voltage. [Figure: single-phase full converter — four thyristors T1, T3 (top) and T4, T2 (bottom) in a bridge fed from Vs = 230 V, 50 Hz with input current is; output Vo across the load with load current Io]

A single-phase full converter is a fully controlled bridge of four thyristors. With a highly inductive load, the load current is continuous and constant (IoI_o), and the output voltage can be positive or negative (two-quadrant converter).

              P (+)
        +-------+-------+
        |               |
       T1              T3
        |               |
 a o----+               +----o b
        |               |
       T4              T2
        |               |
        +-------+-------+
              N (-)
 ac supply vs = 230 V, 50 Hz between a and b (is into a)
 Highly inductive load (Io = 10 A) between P and N

Operation

  1. α\alpha to π+α\pi + \alpha: in the positive half cycle, T1T_1 and T2T_2 are fired at ωt=α\omega t = \alpha. The load current flows T1→T_1 \to load →T2\to T_2, so vo=vsv_o = v_s and is=+Ioi_s = +I_o. After ωt=π\omega t = \pi, vsv_s is negative, but T1,T2T_1, T_2 keep conducting because the inductance maintains the current, so vov_o becomes negative.
  2. At π+α\pi + \alpha: T3T_3 and T4T_4 are fired. The supply voltage reverse biases T1,T2T_1, T_2, which turn OFF (line commutation). Now vo=−vsv_o = -v_s and is=−Ioi_s = -I_o.
  3. The cycle repeats. The average output voltage is
Vo=1π∫απ+αVmsin⁡ωt d(ωt)=2Vmπcos⁡αV_o = \frac{1}{\pi}\int_{\alpha}^{\pi+\alpha} V_m \sin\omega t \, d(\omega t) = \frac{2V_m}{\pi}\cos\alpha

For α<90∘\alpha < 90^\circ the converter rectifies; for α>90∘\alpha > 90^\circ (with a suitable d.c. source in the load) it inverts.

Waveforms for α=30∘\alpha = 30^\circ

 vs    .-.         .-.
      /   \       /   \
 ----/-----\-----/-----\---> wt
             '-'         '-'
 vo    _          _
      | '.       | '.
 -----+---'._.---+---'._.--> wt
      a    pi    pi+a  (negative
     30         210     part)
 is   +Io_________
      |           |
 -----+           |      +---> wt
                  |______|
                  -Io
      T1,T2 ON    T3,T4 ON

The input current isi_s is a square wave of amplitude Io=10I_o = 10 A, lagging the supply voltage by α\alpha.

Average output voltage at α=30∘\alpha = 30^\circ

Vm=2×230=325.27 VVo=2Vmπcos⁡α=2×325.27πcos⁡30∘=207.07×0.866=179.33 V\begin{aligned} V_m &= \sqrt{2} \times 230 = 325.27\ \text{V} \\ V_o &= \frac{2V_m}{\pi}\cos\alpha = \frac{2 \times 325.27}{\pi}\cos 30^\circ = 207.07 \times 0.866 = 179.33\ \text{V} \end{aligned}

Other values: with Io=10I_o = 10 A, the load power is 179.33×10=1793.3179.33 \times 10 = 1793.3 W, and the rms input current is Is=Io=10I_s = I_o = 10 A.

Answer: Vo=179.33V_o = 179.33 V.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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