Selection of Power Converters and

Components
Dr. Suvarun Dalapati
Assistant Professor,
Department of Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur

Presentation Layout:
Introduction
General guidelines regarding selection of PE

Converter for a given application

Rectifiers Selection of Topology and Components
DC/DC Converters and SMPS Selection of
Topology and Components
Inverters Selection of Topology and Components
General Considerations
Case Study
Conclusions

Introduction

Scope of PE Converters in Todays

World:
Today, Power Electronics Converters have diverse

application-areas and modes

From small toys to large multi-megawatt conversion
processes, power electronic converters are being
applied
Converters vary in topologies and control-strategies
Even for a given converter, its design can be
approached differently, for different applications
A properly designed converter focuses on optimizing
the most-desirable features, as stated by the userspecifications, while compromising on other aspects
Usually, efficiency factor is never compromised with

Criticality of Proper Selection in PE

Converters and Components:
Choice of PE Converters implies selection of a PE

Converter-topology and control strategy for a given

application (as per users specifications)
A proper choice of topology and control-strategy may
yield optimum results for the given application at a
minimum complexity and cost
An improper choice may not only increase cost, but
also worsen reliability and efficiency
Once the topology and control-strategy are selected,
the system must be fabricated with the correctly
chosen components
An improper component selection may imply that the
converter does not work as per specs, or even worse,
may not work at all !

Objective of this Presentation:

This presentation tries to guide the listener to make

the proper choice of PE converter and components

The critical issues, which decides upon such a choice
are discussed briefly
Case studies are presented, illustrating the choice of
(i) rectifiers, (ii) dc/dc converters and (iii) inverters
Some general considerations, regarding any power
electronic system design, are also discussed briefly
After attending this presentation, the listener should
be able to decide upon the PE Converter topology,
broad control strategy and the type of major
components (outline) to be used in a converter for a
given application

Selection of PE Converters
- Some General Guidelines

Information required (to be obtained

from users specification / datasheet):
Input and output range and type
Input electrical constraints (e.g. power factor) and

output constraints (type of load; stability etc.)

Size and weight and space constraints
Environmental aspects (decides packaging /
controller type etc.)
Level of criticality of the application (i.e. how
reliable it should be; what if it fails? etc.)
Protections required and the logic
Additional features required, if any (e.g. datalogging, self-diagnostic abilities etc.)

Input and Output Range and Type:

Sl. No.

Parameter

Information / Data

1.

Input supply type

(a)DC / sinusoidal or non-sinusoidal AC.

(b) Range of variation

2.

Output required

(a) DC / Sinusoidal or non-sinusoidal AC

(b) If AC, then frequency range
(c) Percentage regulation required

(d) Isolation required between input and

output?

Input and Output Constraints:

Sl. No. Parameter

Information / Data

1.

Input Current

(a) THD, (b) Power Factor

2.

Output Load

(a) Type: Linear / Non-Linear / Motor /

Arcing type etc.
(b) Range: Intermittent / Near full-load etc.
(c) Stability of magnitude of current and /
or voltage, stability of frequency

3.

Start-up condition Soft-start, V/f start etc.

4.

Stop condition

Step, gradual, ramp down etc.

Size, Weight and Space Constraints:

Sl. No. Parameter

Information / Data

1.

(a) Study the mechanical drawing of the

converter box

Size

(b) Note the dimensions

2.

Weight

This can be obtained from specification;

Usually lighter weight implies smaller size

3.

Fitment

Note the position, where this converter will

be installed / fitted / commissioned; this
helps to decide the packaging / enclosure
type etc.

4.

Terminations

Note the points of cable entry and exit, if

specified in the drawing; this helps in
component placement decisions

Environmental Aspects:
Sl. No. Parameter

Information / Data

1.

Temperature

Note the range

2.

Humidity

As above

3.

Salinity

This decides upon the materials to be

used; some materials do not last in saline
environment; judicious selection is reqd.

4.

Presence of Air
Flow

This helps to decide upon designing the

cooling scheme (natural / forced air,
forced water etc.)

5.

Presence of
EM/ES surges

Presence of such surges affects the

reliability of electronic circuits; proper
precaution are then required

Level of Criticality:
Sl. No. Parameter

Information / Data

1.

Application Type

OT, Crane etc. (judge the level of

criticality)

2.

Analysis

(a) Possible causes of failures (to be

minimized)
(b) Reliability issues of electrical /
electronic components used

(c) Two or three levels of redundancy (if

price is not an issue!)
(d) Highest grade of components (MIL)

Protections Required:
Sl. No. Parameter

Information / Data

1.

Protection reqd.

Judge the protections required as per

application

2.

Protection for OV
/ UV, OC, Phase
Outage,
Regulation
Failure etc.

Can be applied to Input and / or output;

speed of response

3.

Interlocks
required

Judge by the application

4.

Priority and
Speed

Decide upon the priority and speed of fault

tripping

5.

Display /
Indication

Decide upon the display / indication

required

Additional Features Required:

Sl. No. Parameter

Information / Data

1.

Fault Indication

Display through alpha-numeric / graphical

LCD / simple LED display / alarm etc.

2.

Normal
operational state

Displaying input and output parameters

3.

Data Logging

Recording of electrical data and / or faults

at finite time intervals; accessible via a PC
for analysis

4.

User Interface

Can be touch panels, keyboards etc.

5.

Connectivity

Can be communicated through Ethernet

or wireless data network

Rectifiers
- Selection of Topology and Components

Basic Rectifier Topologies:

Level of
Control

Single Phase / Two

Pulse

Three Phase / Six Pulse

Six Phase / 12 Pulse

Uncontrolled

1PUC

3PUC

Semicontrolled

1PSC

3PSC

Fullcontrolled

6PFC

1PFC

3PFC

Rectifier Topologies: Performance

Comparison
Name of the Parameter 1PUC

1PSC

1PFC

3PUC

3PSC

3PFC 6PFC

DC value of O/P voltage

Peak-to-Peak Ripple

Vdc/Vac

THD of input current

DPF of input current

Filter Requirement

Power Handling
Capability

Bidirectional Power Flow

NO

NO

YES

NO

NO

YES

YES

Size / Weight (for same

power output)

Note:
1. Ranked as per higher value; thus, 1 implies least value, while 7 implies highest value
2. Continuous conduction of inductor current has been assumed
3. Many parameters are dependent on firing angle value; major trends have been assumed

General Points Regarding Selection

of Rectifiers:
For low to medium power applications, controlled single phase

rectifiers can be used if the output voltage/current can contain

appreciable amount of ripple
Single phase uncontrolled rectifiers are usually used as front end
converters for SMPS applications or, for low power uncontrolled
rectification processes
If three phase supply is available 3-phase rectifiers are the
automatic choice
Usually, because of isolation requirement or the need for much
lower / higher dc voltage, transformer is used; its weight adds to
the system weight
Filters also add to the weight of the system
12 pulse rectifiers are only used for very high power applications
(usually above 30 kW)

Chief Components for Rectifiers:

Semiconductor Devices Diodes and/or SCRs
Input Transformer If required
Filtering Components Inductor and Capacitors
Snubbers for Solid-State-Devices
Auxiliary components Switches, relays, heat

sinks etc.

Selection of Solid-State-Devices for

Rectifiers:
Depending on the topology chosen, a number of diodes

and/or SCRs (rectifier grade) may be chosen

For selection of such devices, (i) PIV and (ii) Forward
current rating (average and RMS) are the most crucial
factors
The power loss (worst-case) for the devices in the given
application must be calculated and heat sinks be designed
with sufficient safety margins
Stud type SCRs / Diodes can handle large power but are
body-connected (anode/cathode); thus, heat sinks form
part of the current-flow-path
Two-in-one packages are also available without this
feature
In case of arcing type load (e.g. welding), surge current
rating of the device must be noted

Selection of Solid-State-Devices for

Rectifiers:

Two-in-One Package
SCR module

Stud type diodes

Stud type SCR

Stud type diode, mounted

on heat sink

Entire 3-ph Semi-Converter

in one module

Selection of Transformers for

Rectifiers:
Based upon the maximum output power, delivered by

the rectifier, the transformer kVA rating should NOT be

decided
Transformer kVA rating should be decided by knowing
the maximum current at rectifier output at the
maximum phase angle;
Input current contains huge quantity of harmonics;
hence must be over-rated than required
Good cooling arrangement is a must for reliable
operation over a long period
For very high power application (particularly low
voltage, high current type), water cooled copper
conductor-based transformers may have to be
employed

Selection of Transformers for

Rectifiers:

Selection of Filtering Components for

Rectifiers:
Primarily L-C low pass filters are used in rectifiers
Judicious choice must be made while deciding

upon the L-C values

Higher L-C values will lead to a lower cut-off
frequency, but slower response; lower L-C values
may not smoothen the DC output sufficiently
Filters, particularly inductors, add to the size and
weight of the system
Causes unwanted voltage and power loss
Cooling filter inductor is an additional issue

Selection of Filtering Components for

Rectifiers: Inductors
Higher ripple voltage implies

Paths of circulating ac and dc currents in a rectifier

higher Iac
Inductor current rating must
be decided as a combined
RMS of Iac and Idc
For the same cut-off
frequency, if L is small and C
is large, then Iac is large,
leading to more loss in the
inductor
If L is very large, and C is
small, then size and weight
rises
Upto about 800 Hz, steelplate based cores are to be
used, while beyond 1.5 kHz,
ferrites are better
Preferably one inductor on
+ve and one on ve bus,
wound on the same core

Selection of Filtering Components for

Rectifiers: Capacitors
Usually to meet large filtering C-value requirements,

electrolytic capacitors are used; they have large ESR

and ESL
Large nos. of lower-value electrolytic capacitors in
parallel is preferred (to a single large-value capacitor)
Each capacitor may be supported by an AC polyester
capacitor in parallel (close proximity)
Connection between parallel capacitors must be done
carefully so that stray inductances of wires are
minimized use bus-bar structure, if possible
Always connect a discharging-resistor across the
capacitor bank to allow de-energizing of the capacitors

Selection of Filtering Components for

Rectifiers: Overall Scheme

Selection of Snubbers for Rectifiers:

Usually, R-C series snubbers are

An SCR with R-C Snubber

used
Usually, polyester / polypropylene
capacitors are used
Resistors are MFR (most
preferred), if not then CFR
(intermediate) and if not then wirewound (least preferred)
Carefully select the method of
fitting these snubbers close to the
corresponding thyristors / diodes
Reduce wire-length to a minimum

Selection of Auxiliary Components

for Rectifiers:
Auxiliary components include switches, relays, contactors,

start-up circuitry etc.

Usually, rectifiers draw high current at start-up; in addition,
high inrush current may be drawn by the transformer; this
necessitates the use of a soft-start circuit
Usually, the dc bus capacitors are charged through a resistor,
which is then cut off by a contactor
Fuses can be used to protect the rectifier; this should be
chosen as per I2t rating of the SCR (fuse should have a lower
I2t rating to melt first)
In addition, usually MCBs (and not ordinary switches) are
used as primary side switches, which give an additional
degree of protection; these should be based on maximum
input RMS current ratings

Possible Protection Scheme for a

Rectifier:

Selection of Heat Sinks for Rectifiers:

Heat sink size should be carefully calculated for the maximum

load and worst case temperature, occurring simultaneously

For air cooled systems (forced or natural), copper heat-sinks
are usually chosen
Heat sinks should have a lot of fins (to have a large surface
area within a small size), but should be mechanically robust
Black anodized versions are preferred (greater emissivity)
Surface of heat sinks should be smooth and even (to have
good contact); if needed heat sink paste be used
Should be sufficiently thick to bore a threaded hole for fitting
stud type SCRs
For reducing size and weight, one may opt for water-cooled
copper heat sinks (increases cost for piping, water treatment
plant etc.)

Selection of Gate Drivers for

Rectifiers:
Judiciously designed gate drivers, capable of turning

on the device at worst-case scenario, should be

used
Often, manufacturers of solid state devices, also
manufacture and market optimized gate drivers for
the specific device model no.
There are manufacturers, who specialize in
designing SCR-firing circuits
Place gate drivers at suitable positions to avoid long
wire lengths and flashover due to accidental contact

DC/DC Converters
- Selection of Topology and Components

DC/DC Converters:
Perhaps the most widely used category of PE Converters
Large no. of hard and soft / semi-soft switching topologies are

available
Selecting a particular topology for a given application may not
be easy
Some standard topologies will be discussed and the merits /
demerits of only these topologies will be discussed
Most applications are of the Buck type
Boost type converters are usually more difficult to design
Isolation is almost always required
Efficiency is, as usual, a big issue
DC/DC converters have a wide range of power handling
capability from a few mW to hundreds of kW

DC/DC Converters: Topologies

Type

Non-Isolated (Hard
Switched)

Isolated (Hard Switched)

Buck

Buck

Forward

Boost
Flyback

Boost

BuckBoost

Buck-Boost
Push-Pull

Full-Bridge

DC/DC Converters: Topologies

Isolated series resonant full-bridge topology (FB-SRC)

DC/DC Converter Topologies:

Performance Comparison
Name of the
Parameter

Buck

Boost

BuckBoost

Forward

Flyback

PushPull

FullBridge

FB-SRC

Efficiency

Filtering / Energy
Storage
Requirement

Size / Weight

Transformation
Ratio

Easy

Very
Easy

Very
Easy

Very
Easy

Very
Easy

Easy

Slightly
Complex

Slightly
Complex

Power Handling
Capability

Cost

Drive Requirement

Note:
1. Ranked as per higher value; thus, 1 implies least value, while 8 implies highest value
2. Continuous conduction of inductor current has been assumed
3. Many parameters are dependent on schemes used; major trends have been assumed

General Points Regarding Selection

of DC/DC Converters:
If isolation is not required, one should try to stick with the three

basic topologies (Buck, Boost and Buck-Boost)

If isolation is required, then for lowest power buck operation, one
may use flyback; for medium power forward, higher power
push-pull, highest power full-bridge
For any given application, resonant topologies are always
smaller and lighter; hence preferred if operated near full load
(best efficiency)
If the SMPS encounters wide range of load variation, then hardswitched forward, push-pull or full-bridge are preferred
In case the load is of fluctuating type (i.e. jumps from near full
load to no-load), do NOT use Flyback or Boost converter
Never use resonant converter if the load is mostly near no-load
or less than 10% of full load
Almost all isolated SMPS topologies are used mostly in Buck
applications

Chief Components for DC/DC

Converters:
Semiconductor Devices MOSFETs / IGBTs
Switch-mode Transformer If required
Filtering Components Inductor and Capacitors
Snubbers for Solid-State-Devices
Auxiliary components Switches, relays, heat

sinks etc.

Selection of Solid-State-Devices for

DC/DC Converters:
Depending on the topology chosen, a number of

MOSFETs / IGBTs and/or diodes (fast / ultra-fast) may be

chosen
For selection of diodes, (i) PIV (ii) Forward current rating
(average and RMS) and (iii) Reverse Recovery Time are
the most crucial factors
For selection of MOSFETs (lower current but higher
speed) / IGBTs (higher current but lower switching speed),
the following parameters are crucial: (i) Collector / Drain
Current, (ii) Vce or Vds, (iii) Surge current rating and
duration, (iv) Gate-charge characteristics (for driver
design) and (v) Rise and Fall times of voltages and
currents
Some packages have collector / drain shorted to the
metallic tab; this tab is used to fit with the heat sink; thus
heat sink become a part of the current path

Selection of Solid-State-Devices for

DC/DC Converters:
Other packages have bodies isolated; these contain

multiple devices in a pack and are costlier

For low voltage, high / medium current applications,
on-state losses are crucial; hence look out for Rds or
on state Vce values for devices
While calculating device losses, consider both
switching and conduction losses (this enables correct
selection of heat sink)
MOSFETs work satisfactorily with a uni-polar pulse
(e.g. 15V / 0), but IGBTs usually work best with +15V /
-5V pulses
Usually, for compact SMPS, with power output in the
range of 25 W to 200 W, MOSFETs are the automatic
choice

Selection of Solid-State-Devices for

DC/DC Converters:

Two-in-One Package IGBT

module (1200 V, 200 A)

MOSFET Package
(single); D shorted to
TAB
Single MOSFET
isolated from body

MOSFET Package
(single); D shorted to TAB

Two-in-One Package IGBT

module (1200 V, 900 A)

Selection of Transformers for DC/DC

Converters:
In SMPS applications, transformers are used for

isolation and voltage step-up / down

Almost always made of soft-ferrites
Based upon no. of turns needed and the crosssectional area of the conductor, choose the window
area
Based upon the window area and the cross-sectional
area of the core, select U-U / U-I / E-I / E-E type ferrite
cores
Note the value of the allowable flux density in the
core; keep sufficient margin
Use a bobbin of sufficient mechanical strength, made
up of a non-magnetic material

Selection of Transformers for DC/DC

Converters:
Usually, resin-coated copper wires are used for windings
For larger current ratings, multiple thin wires are wound in

parallel (rather than using one thick wire)

Paper / cotton tape-based isolation is used between layers
Sometimes, multi-core wires (Litz-wires) are used
intention is to maximize coupling between windings
Careful marking of start and finish of windings must be
made to avoid confusion during connections
It is better to measure the leakage inductance of any
transformer, before using it in the actual circuit
Often covered with a metal plate / sheet which is
grounded to provide magnetic shielding to the adjoining
electronic hardware

Selection of Filtering Components for

DC/DC Converters:
Filtering components crucial for correct operation of any

DC/DC converter
Usually passive L-C filters are employed
They add to the weight of the system
Large switching frequency reduce filtering requirement and
the values of L and C reduction of size and weight
For large current inductors, magnetic shielding is to be
applied
Ideally, use of electrolytic capacitor is to be avoided
When large C is required, some electrolytic and polyester
capacitors are stacked in parallel
It is to be ensured that all magnetic components
(transformer and inductor) are having their cores isolated
from the windings

Sectional View of a Transformer:

Insulating layer should

be present between
successive conductor
layers
Thicker insulation
between windings
Air gap usually
achieved by using mil
paper or carefully
measured insulator
blocks
Tight mechanical
binding between the
two core-pieces

Case Study: Stray Inductances in a

Push-Pull Converter
Leakage inductances

Leakage inductances (shown in RED)

in a push-pull converter

cause voltage spikes

during switching
Semi-conductor devices
are exposed to
dangerously high voltages
Such spikes are partially
transmitted through filters
and appear at the output
Sometimes, these spikes
may be strong enough to
damage the drivers and/or
control circuit
Can cause spurious
tripping / abnormal
behavior from control
circuits

Eliminating Stray Inductances in a

DC/DC Converter
Minimize leakage inductance of all magnetic components
Use careful layout
Cables must be running close by to minimize loop-area of circulating

currents may use sandwiched bus-bars

Use large no. of ac capacitors in parallel with electrolytic capacitors
Use Kelvin Point grounding principle
Use a properly designed PCB
Place magnetic components and electronic cards away from each
other or magnetically shielded from each other
Use twisted wires wherever possible; else use shielded cables for
data / signal transmission this can eliminate spurious behavior of
control circuits to a great extent
Use properly designed snubbers for solid-state switches (to eliminate
/ minimize switching spikes)

Snubbers for Solid State Devices in

DC/DC Converters:
Snubbers essential for hard-switched converter in

most cases
Popularly R-C-D type (turn-off) snubbers are used
Optimized snubber selection is essential
Minimizing stray inductance by proper layout design
will also minimize the need for snubber in many
cases
Usually turn-on type snubbers are rarely used
In resonant converters, separate snubbers are rare;
often, the device output capacitance itself is sufficient
to serve the purpose

Auxiliary Components for Solid State

Devices in DC/DC Converters:
For DC/DC converters, only fast-acting fuse may be used
Fuse protection alone is not sufficient; current sensing based

tripping must be electronic in nature

Voltage based tripping may also be electronic (preferred)
In addition, relay-contactors may be used for starting or
interlock-failure based issues
Properly chosen aluminum anodized heat sinks are preferred;
in some cases copper heat sinks may also be used
Usually, the cooling scheme is forced-air; hence, place small
fans at suitable location within the package, if space is
available
In case of very compact designs, selection of heat-sink and
cooling method must be optimized

Some Common Protections for

DC/DC Converters:
Over-current (input and / or output)
Over-voltage (input and / or output)
Regulation failure (output)
Fan failure / over-temperature interlock (other similar

interlocks may also be provided with)

Earth-fault failure
Reference brown-out failure
Shoot through or any device failure
Current-unbalance failure (for parallel current paths
and/or windings etc.)

DC/DC Converters: Improved PushPull Converter Power Circuit

Reverse polarity relay at

input
Snubbers for MOSFETs
and diodes
DC bus capacitors close to
transformer
Transformer close to
MOSFETs
AC capacitor in || with
electrolytic capacitor at
output
Discharge resistor used

Inverters
- Selection of Topology and Components

Inverters:
Most important category of PE Converters
Although different types of inverters are known of,

almost all of them are all derived from the basic bridgetopology
Resonant inverters (SRC, PRC etc.) are also derived
from the bridge topology
Some exceptions are there (e.g. Class-E)
Among such inverters, PWM inverters are most common
This presentation will restrict itself to the bridgetopology-based voltage-source inverters of the hardswitching type

Some Common Inverter Topologies:

Single Phase Full Bridge Inverter

Three Phase Multi-Level Inverter

Three Phase Full Bridge Inverter

Inverters: Some Standard

Waveforms

Single Phase Full Bridge VSI (2-Level)

Waveforms

Single Phase Full Bridge VSI (3-Level)

Waveforms

General Points Regarding Selection

of Inverters:
Generally full-bridge type PWM inverter (2-Level) is suitable for

most applications
3 or higher level inverters are used for higher power / higher
input dc voltage etc.
Generally, such inverters are all buck type; i.e. output RMS
value < input DC value; hence to boost up output voltage either
DC bus voltage is to be boosted (by a DC/DC Converter) or AC
output is to be boosted (via transformer)
Sine PWM / Space Vector PWM / SHE PWM are commonly
used for generating the output AC
Filters are employed where sinusoidal current and/or voltage is
required
Usually, fsw is lower (3 8 kHz), but current may be high (50
100 A is quite common); hence mostly, inverters are made up of
IGBTs (and not MOSFETs)
For sine-wave inverters, a THD of around 3% is expected for Vo

Chief Components for Inverters:

Semiconductor Devices IGBTs
Switch-mode / Power Frequency Transformer If

required
Filtering Components Inductor and Capacitors
Snubbers for Solid-State-Devices
Auxiliary components Switches, relays, heat
sinks etc.

Selection of Solid-State-Devices for

Inverters:
IGBTs are chosen based upon (i) amplitude of

output current, (ii) peak value of input DC bus

voltage, (iii) allowable value of hard-switching
speed
In case of welding type load, surge current limit
and duration are also noted
Devices are accompanied by properly designed
heat sinks (based on device conduction and
switching losses)
Gate drive requirements are also carefully noted
Some common IGBT packages have been
discussed previously

Selection of Switch-Mode / Power

Frequency Transformer for Inverters:
Transformers are employed for primarily two

purposes: (a) isolation and (b) output voltage

boosting
Switch-mode transformer is usually employed at

the DC bus stage (via a DC/DC converter); its

design is based upon the SMPS topology chosen
(usually Push-Pull or Full-Bridge)
Power Frequency Transformer is usually placed

at the output of the bridge-inverter; it directly

boosts up the available ac output to higher levels

Switch-Mode vs. Power Frequency

Transformer for Inverters:
Sl. No. Switch-Mode Transformer

Power Frequency Transformer

1.

Lighter; hence system is

compact

Heavier makes the system bulky;

but more robust

2.

EMI / EMC problem; proper

shielding is often mandatory

EMI / EMC problem can be

minimized by placing low-pass
filters at the transformer input

3.

Core made of soft-ferrite;

hence fragile; proper
placement and packing is a
must

Much more strong mechanically;

4.

Efficiency is very high

Relatively lower due to slightly

higher core losses

5.

Designing is relatively
difficult for higher power
level (above 10 kW)

Designing is much simpler for

higher powers; works reliably

Selection of Filtering Components for

Inverters:
Various topologies of L-C low-pass filters are used
Usually all filters are designed with respect to 50-Hz
Hence, size cannot be reduced below a particular limit

(without increasing frequency)

Frequency is not pushed beyond 15 kHz (normally)
Filters are normally designed for optimum performance at
full-load
Performance generally worsens as no-load condition is
approached
Usually ferrite cores are used (since attempts are made to
keep the L-value small a few hundred micro-henries)
Good isolation strength between winding and core is a
must

Selection of Filtering Components for

Inverters:
Inductor is designed keeping the worst case circulating

current in mind avoid core-saturation

Capacitors for filters are normally AC capacitors, having
low values of ESR and ESL
Multiple capacitors may be stacked up in parallel to get a
higher net value of capacitance
Cut off frequency is usually chosen mid-way between the
output frequency and the switching frequency
L is chosen to produce a voltage drop of around 4 5%
(max.) from no-load to full-load
C value is calculated by knowing the L value
Ensure that the cut-off frequency does not match with any
intermediate switching harmonic may amplify the same
by resonance

Filtering Components for Inverters:

Issues

Single Phase Full-Bridge Inverter

Three Phase Bridge Inverter

Snubbers and Auxiliary Components

for Inverters:
Snubbers for inverters can be selected by employing

techniques, which are similar to the case of DC/DC

converters
Heat sinks can be chosen on similar lines
Relay-contactors may be used for soft-start and
reverse-polarity-protection
Hard-switched PWM inverter generates lot of heat
and EMI; proper cooling and shielding is essential
A common practice is to place the heat sink, so that it
forms a wall of the cabinet; fins are cooled by external
air; fans cool from inside
Cable entry and exit must be proper to avoid earthfault / accidents cables of reliable standards be
used connect by lugging to ensure proper contact

Inverter Design: Some General

Points
Large radiation expected; keep the low-power electronic

controller well-shielded from the power-section

preferably in a separate box
For feedback of analog / digital signals, always use
shielded cables to avoid the entry of spurious noise
Keep the controller ground floating w.r.t. all other grounds
and physical earth
Usually start the inverter by either V/f mode (for motor
drives) or const. f variable V mode (for static loads);
NEVER start directly, unless explicitly specified
Starting to steady state should take about 2- 5 seconds
(at least); increase if necessary and permitted by the user
Provide discharge resistors for all internal capacitors, so
that they discharge within 1 minute (preferable); this avoids
shock to personnel working with the set

Protections for Inverters:

Almost all faults, as discussed for DC/DC converters,

also apply here

In addition, usually phase outage protection is
provided
Protection for severe output current / voltage
unbalance may also be given
Protection against large circulating current (in filters)
are also desirable
Spurious trip due to regenerative power feedback
from AC motors (which shoots up the DC bus voltage)
may be avoided by judiciously selecting the protection
logic
These protection-features are shown in the next slide

An Inverter with a few protective

schemes (Block Diagram):
Stray inductance -

nullified by sandwich
bus-bars or ac
capacitors
Input reverse polarity
protection by relaycontactor (do not use
diode)
Place ac capacitors
close to devices
Feedback signals for
protection to controller
Instantaneous /
averaged time-delay
protection may be
applied

PE Converter and Components

Some General Considerations

Some General Considerations:

Careful selection of control strategy
Minimization of stray inductance and capacitance

Use proper layout

Avoid contact drop use bus bars for currents above
150 A
Keep controller and power circuits in separate
chambers magnetic and electrical isolation
Careful packaging should be compact while offering
adequate cooling
Higher the switching frequency, smaller the size but
more critical the selection of components and design

Some General Considerations:

The body of the cabinet of the converter is usually

always earthed
Often, all constraints are not met optimally
In such cases, more critical constraints are stressed
upon
Take special care in magnetic-design; it is the area
where most people fail
Test each required protection individually at various
load levels before finally approving the design
Being a good designer takes time and experience
learn from your faults

Case Study

Specification for an On-Line UPS:

Input: 415 V, 10 %, 50 Hz 3 %, 3-phase
Output: 415 V, 0.5 %, 50 Hz 0.1 %, 3-phase,

10 kVA at a power factor of 0.6 to 0.8 (lag)

Weight: Not a huge constraint
Reliability: Highest
Back Up Source: A battery-bank of 144 V
Input power factor: Unity with a good sinusoidal
profile-current
Output type: 3-phase 3 wire

Selection of PE Converter Topology:

Precision output control implies the use of digital controller

it is also useful for display, data-logging etc.

Input power factor is unity with good current profile use a
PWM rectifier based front-end
Input = Output = 415 V Boosting of DC bus or output
required Weight is not an issue, but reliability is high;
hence use transformer at the input this also provides
isolation
Battery should be charged or discharged through this DC
bus bi-directional DC/DC converter required
Harmonic attenuating low-pass filters are placed at the
output terminals of the inverter
Current level is rather high (for discrete MOSFETs); hence
use IGBTs and keep the frequency down to around 15 kHz
20 kHz

Online UPS Topology:

Conclusion

Conclusion:
This presentation provides the listener some hints

on converter topology and component selection

Judicious selection can make the design easy as
well as reliable
A selection is merely an optimization of several
constraints, as found out from the customers
specification
In case, all constraints are not equally optimized,
stress must be put on those, which occupy the
higher priority

Reference:
1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

A. Pressman, Switching Power Supply Design, 2nd

Edition, McGraw-Hill
N. Mohan, T. M. Undeland and W. P. Robbins,
Power Electronics: Converters, Applications, and
Design, 2nd Edition, John Wiley and Sons
M. H. Rashid, Power Electronics Handbook,
Academic Press
R. W. Erickson and D. W. Maksimovic,
Fundamentals of Power Electronics, 2nd Edition,
Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004
V. Ramanarayanan, Course Material on Switch
Mode Power Conversion,