G

THE NINTH INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE-EAST POWER SYSTEMS CONFERENCE, MEPCON2003 Minoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt, December 16-18,2003

A NEW RELATION BETWEEN FIRING ANGLE OF THREE-PHASE SCR CONVERTER AND BEST REINJECTION CURRENT ANGLE
Ali M. Eltamaly, PhD
Electrical Engineering Department Faculty of Engineering, Elminia University, Elminia, Egypt
Abstract: In this paper a new relation between firing angle () of three-phase SCR converter and optimum angle of reinjection current has been achieved for lowest THD of line currents. The THD of line currents depends not only on the rms value of the reinjection current but also on the angle of this current. Angle of reinjection current plays a very important rule with the value of THD of the line current of the three-phase SCR converter. The best angle for reinjection current has been derived for different firing angle (). A controllable single switch boost converter connected in shunt is employed to circulate the new reinjection current shape. A method to implement the proposed approach under varying the firing angle () is shown. Analysis, design, and simulation results are presented. I. Introduction In most power electronic applications SCR rectifier/ inverter are commonly used. These controlled converters are attractive due to their inherent ruggedness, simplicity and cheap price, market availability even for very high rating applications and it is become now mature technology. However, these converters exhibit nonlinear characteristics and consequently generate harmonic currents into the electrical utility system. The nonlinear operation of SCR rectifier / inverter causes highly distorted utility line current. The distorted line currents flowing through the system causes distorted voltages at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) where many other sensitive loads are connected. Thus the increase in harmonic contents in the utility line currents result in increased volt-ampere ratings of the equipment connected to the system such as generators, motor loads, transformers, transmission lines, etc. For the reasons of these harmful effects of harmonics many standards has evolved to specify utility power quality to acceptable levels [1,2]. The controlled SCR converter can be used as a rectifier or inverter in Adjustable Speed Drive (ASD) [3] as well as wind energy applications [4,5]. Line current of SCR converter and its FFT components are shown in Fig.1. This famous current shape contains components at 5, 7, 11, 11t etc. and presents high harmonics (THD 35%) and contributes to many ill effects to the electric utility. For good quality sinusoidal current interface of 3phase utility voltages various approaches have been described in the literature. Earl1y work has been done to reduce the THD in the line currents by increasing number of pulses [6,7,8,9] such as a 12-pulse converters [6], 18pulse converter [7] and 24-pulse system [8].

793

But, this technique suffer from the following disadvantages Large in size and heavy in weight and all of these components has to be in the top of the WTG tower. High in cost. Needs special transformer, complex, expensive and it will not be ready available from manufacturer [9].

network impedances, also it is expensive and bulky especially in low order harmonics. There are many active methods to reduce harmonic currents by using PWM converters. But, all these techniques suffer from the following disadvantages: Complex control circuit is required to control the system. High price switches (IGBTs). High switching losses. There is another method to reduce harmonics generated in utility line currents of SCR converters by injecting third harmonic current If as shown in Fig.2. A line frequency isolation transformer is used to provide neutral terminal and third harmonic current If circulated between the DC and AC side by a DC-DC converter as shown in Fig.2 [10]. This scheme suffer from the following disadvantages: It requires / isolation transformer. Two IGBTs on the DC side are in the series path of the power flow. The DC-link voltage is higher than nominal and warrants re-design of the wind/PV fuel cell inverter stage. Suffer from increased loses.
Two Step down DCDC converters Vd o SCR Inverter Isolation Transformer UG

Fig.1 Utility line current and its FFT of SCR converter without any harmonic reduction means.

The waveform of the utility line current still has harmonic contents especially in 12- pulse converters(THD =13%). Where in 12- pulse system results in the cancellation of 5th and 7th harmonics in the utility line currents and kVA ratings of isolation transformer in 12 pulse transformer is 1.04 pu [9]. Passive filters can filter harmonics at the terminal of the system and also are useful improving the power factor. However, these approaches can eliminates only specific harmonic as well as it is not successfully for varying harmonics applications specially in wind energy applications where the frequency depends on the wind speed. In addition, the passive filter can cause resonance with other

If

Fig. 2 Harmonic reduction in LCI inverter by twostep down DC-DC converters.

Another reinjection of third harmonic current If technique for utility interface of WTG using LCI inverter has been presented in [11]. A tuned LC branch connected in star is employed to provide the neutral. This scheme suffers from the following disadvantages:

794

 The LC branches are bulky and draw reactive power of fundamental frequency. The LC branch can resonate with other element in the electric utility. The current in the reinjection branch is very sensitive to the deviation of L and C values. This technique does not take into account the harmonic level in the DC-link current.

The third harmonic components of the voltages Vdn , V fn and Von have been used to inject third harmonic back to utility line current to reduce the harmonic contents in utility line currents. So a careful analysis for these voltages is required to get the optimum value of reinjection current and its angle . It is convenient to employ Fourier series in the analysis of the distorted waveforms. In general, a non-sinusoidal waveform f(x) can be expressed as follows :
f ( x) = a 0 +
a0 = 1 2L
2L

II -Proposed Technique Fig.3 shows the topology of the proposed approach to reduce harmonics generated by line commutated SCR inverter used in (ASD). This approach consists of zigzag transformer that presents high impedance for fundamental frequency component and very low impedance for the injection current. A single-phase transformer is connected between the DC-link mid-point o and the zigzag transformer neutral n. The secondary of single-phase transformer is connected to a rectifier boost converter stage feeding the DC link. By operating the single switch the injected current shape If can be regulated. Previous results say; the best rms value of 3rd harmonic current is equal to the average value of DC link current [10,11,12]. But it is not the only condition required. However; the angle of reinjection current plays a very important rule in the THD of line current. So, the main purpose of this paper is to determine the relation between the angle of reinjection current, and the firing angle . For this reason well use RL series branch as shown in Fig.3 instead of using boost converter to drive this relation easily and then we can reflect the results back to work with boost converter. In this analysis the rms value of reinjection current is maintained equal to the average value of load current in the following analysis. For firing angle =20 degrees (as an example), Fig.4 shows the utility line current with respect to the voltage of phase a, voltage between point d and n Vdn, the voltage between point f and n Vfn and the voltage between o and n Von with respect to phase a voltage.

an
n =1

nx nx cos + bn sin L L
1 L
2L 0

f ( x) dx , a n =

f ( x) cos

n x dx L

bn =

1 L

2L 0

f ( x) sin

n x dx L

Will apply the above equations to the waveforms of V dn , V fn only to get the third harmonic component. In this case we will use
2L = 2 and x = t and n=1. Then, For Vdn3 3
3
5 + 6

a1 =

Vm sin t * cos 3t dt
+

(1)

3 3 Vm [2 sin (2 ) sin (4 )] 8
5 + 6

b1 =

Vm sin t * sin 3t dt
+

(2)

3 3 Vm [cos(4 ) 2 cos(2 )] 8

In the same way it is easy to fined V fn3 and The third harmonic component of these voltages are the same third harmonic component as Vdn3 . From (1) and (2) we can obtain , Von3 and its angle , as in (3) and (4).
Von3
rms

Von3 .

1 2

2 * a1 + b12 =

3 V LL 8

1 + 8 sin 2

(3) (4)

And

2 sin (2 ) sin (4 ) a = tan 1 = tan 1 cos(4 ) 2 cos(2 ) b

795

Fig.3 The proposed approach.

150

100

50

0
200 100

50

100

150

opt

Fig.4 Utility line current, V dn , V fn and Von with respect to Va voltage.

0 -100 -200

The angle of line current fundamental component, equal to the firing angle (with respect to fundamental frequency) and 3 (with respect to 3rd harmonic frequency). (5) So; = (In fundamental frequency) rd = 3 (In 3 harmonic frequency) (6) Angle of reinjection current; is: = (7) Where, is the angle of reinjection impedance. The best angle of reinjection current with respect to the fundamental component of line current is 180. So, The optimum angle of reinjection current is shown in (8). But from (7) the optimum angle of reinjection impedance opt is shown in (9).
opt = 180 3

opt
0 50 100 alpha 150

Fig.5 Th variation of Von,3rd , , opt , opt with .

III- Design Example For V LL = 380 V , and firing angle =30 degrees, the following values can be obtained from Fig.5. 150 o , opt = 180 3 * 30 = 90
opt = opt = 150 90 = 60 o , Von3
rms

= 78.28V

From PSIM simulation, I o So I f So

rms

average

= 22.87 A

= 22.87 A
opt = 3.423 60 = 1.71 + i 2.964

Zr =

Von3 rms If
rms

So, , opt and opt

opt = 180 + 3

(8) (9) can be drawn with

So R r = 1.71, and Lr =

2.964 = 3.145 mH 2 * *150

respect to as shown in Fig.5.

If we apply the above values of Rr , Lr into the PSIM simulation program will get the results shown in Fig.6.

796

It is clear from Fig.6 that the THD of the utility line current is very low (THD =4%). In case we use the same rms value of reinjection current but we will change the angle of reinjection impedance Z r to be 30 degrees instead of 60 degrees. So,
Z r = 3.423 30 o = 2.964 + i1.71141

So, R r = 2.964, Lr =

1.71141 = 1.816 mH 2 * *150

It is clear from the results shown in Fig.7 that the THD increased. In case we use the same rms value of reinjection current but the angle of reinjection impedance Z r has been changed to be 0 degrees instead of 60 degrees. So, Z r = 3.423 0 o , then, R r = 3.423, Lr = 0 mH . It is clear from the results shown in Fig.8 that the THD increased. It is clear from Fig.6, 7, and, 8 that the THD of utility line current is highly affected by the angle of reinjection current. A relation between THD and impedance angle at = 30 o is drown as shown in Fig.9.

Fig.7 Utility line current and its FFT components at impedance angle = 30 o

Fig.6 Utility line current and its at optimum impedance angle = opt = 60 o

Fig.8 Utility line current and its FFT components at impedance angle = 0 o

797

25

20

15 THD

10

10

20

30

40 50 60 Impedance angle

70

80

90

Fig.9 The relation between THD and impedance angle at = 30 o

IV. Conclusions In this paper a new relation between the firing angle, and the angle of reinjection current has been driven for the minimum THD in the utility line current of three phase thyristor converter. A boost converter has been connected in the reinjection path to control the reinjection current under varying firing angle and to returen the power in the reinjection path back to DC link voltage. Simulation and experimental results prove that the new relation plays a significant rule in the reduction of THD. V. References
[1] ANSI/IEEE Standard 519 1992 IEEE Guide for harmonic control and reactive compensation of static power converters [2] Limitations of emission of harmonic current in low-voltage power supply systems for equipment with rated current greater than 16A, IEC 61000-3-4, 1998. [3] Robart A. Hanna Harmonics And Technical Barriers In Adjustable Speed Drives IEEE 1989 [4] R. Naik, N. Mohan, M. Rogers and A. Bulawka A novel grid interface, optimized for utility-scale applications of photovoltaic,

wind-electric, and fuel-cell systems, IEE 1995 [5] R. M. Hilloowalla and A. M. Sharaf A utility interactive wind energy conversion scheme with an asynchronous DC link using a supplementary control loop, EC, IEEE Trans. on Vol.: 9 3, Sept. 1994, Page(s): 558 563. [6] Bang Sup Lee; Enjeti, P.N.; Pitel, I.J. An optimized active interphase transformer for auto-connected 12-pulse rectifiers results in clean input power Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, 1997. APEC '97 Conference Proceedings 1997., Twelfth Annual Volume: 2 , Page(s): 666 -671 vol.2, IEEE. [7] Sewan choi, P. N. Enjeti, Hong-hee lee and Ira j. Pital A new active interface reactor 12pulse rectifiers provides clean power utility interface , IEEE trans. On IA, vol. 32, No. 6, 1996. [8] J. Arrillaga; M. Villablanca 24-pulse HVDC conversion Generation, Transmission and Distribution [see also IEE ProceedingsGeneration, Transmission and Distribution], IEE Proceedings C Volume: 138 1 , Page(s): 57 64. [9] B. S. Lee New clean power reactor systems for utility interface of static converters, Ph.D. Thesis Texas A&M University, Augest 1998. [10] R. Naik, N. Mohan, M.Rogers and A. Bulawka A novel grid interface for photovoltaic, wind-electric, and fuel cell systems with a controllable power factor of operation, IEEE Transaction on Power Delivary Vol. 10,, No.4, Oct.1995. [11] N. Mohan A novel Approach to minimize line current harmonics in interfacing renewable energy sources with 3-phase utility systems, Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, 1992.APEC '92. Conference Proceedings 1992. Seventh Annual , Page(s): 852 858. [12] Ali M. El-Tamaly, P. N. Enjeti and H. H. ElTamaly An Improved Approach to Reduce Harmonics in the Utility Interface of Wind, Photovoltaic and Fuel Cell Power Systems 15 th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 6-10 February 2002.

798