INVERTERS

Inverters are circuits that converts dc input voltage to a

symmetric ac output voltage by which both magnitude and
frequency can be controlled.

Block diagram of and INVERTER

AC Out
DC In Switches Transformer Rectifier Filter DC Out
DC to AC

Output is sampled to
adjust switching for
voltage regulation

TYPES OF INVERTERS
• Voltage Source Inverter (VSI):
Generate “square wave” output voltage.
• Current Source Inverter (CSI):
Generate “dc output current”.

Operation of simple square-

wave inverter

• Parallel diode is used when the current in the switch is

negative
• Diode will reverse-biased when current is positive in the
switch

when S1-S2 turn ON & S3-S4 OFF for t1 < t < t2

when S1-S2 turn off& S3-S4 On for t2 < t < t3

Performance parameters
 Vdc  Vdc   t  T
R   I min -  e 0  t 
  R 2
I o (t )    T
t 
 Vdc  Vdc    2  T

   I min  e t T
 R  R 2
 T 
Vdc  1  e 2 
I min   I max 
R  1  e T 2 
 
Pdc  Vdc I s

Half-bridge inverter
S1 ON
Vdc S2 OFF
+
S1 2
VC1
-
V +
Vdc o
G 0
t
RL
+
VC2 S2
- Vdc

2 S1 OFF
S2 ON

• Also known as the “inverter leg”.

• Basic building block for full bridge, three phase and higher
order inverters.

• G is the “centre point”.

 • Both capacitors have the same value. Thus the DC link is
equally “spilt” into two.

• The top and bottom switch has to be “complementary”, i.e. If

the top switch is closed (on), the bottom must be off, and vice-
versa.

Single-phase full-bridge
• Full bridge (single phase) is built from two half-bridge leg.

• The switching in the second leg is “delayed by 180 degrees”

from the first leg.
VRG
• Vdc
2
LEG R LEG R'  2 t
+
Vdc Vdc
S1 S3 
2 VR 'G 2
+ - Vdc
 Vo - 2
Vdc R R'
G  2 t
-
+ Vdc

2
Vdc S4 S2 Vo
2
Vdc
-
 2 t
Vo  V RG  VR 'G
G is " virtual groumd"

 Vdc

THREE PHASE INVERTER

• Each leg (R, Y, B) is delayed by 120 degrees.
• A three-phase inverter with star connected load is shown
below
+Vdc
+
Vdc/2 S1 S3 S5


G R Y B
iR iY iB
+
S4 S6 S2
Vdc/2


ia ib
ZR ZY ZB

Three phase inverter waveforms

Inverter Phase
Voltage VDC/2
(or pole switching
waveform)
VRG -VDC/2

1200
VDC/2
VYG

-VDC/2
2400
VDC/2
VBG

-VDC/2
VDC
lIne-to -ine
Voltage
VRY
-VDC

2VDC/3
Six-step
Waveform VDC/3
VRN

-VDC/3
-2VDC/3

Interval 1 2 3 4 5 6
Positive device(s) on 3 3,5 5 1,5 1 1,3
Negative device(s) on 2,4 4 4,6 6 2,6 2