AC Controllers
AC Voltage Controller (ACVC)
AC voltage controllers are thyristor based devices which convert fixed alternating voltage directly to variable
alternating voltage without a change in the frequency.
Some of the main applications of ac voltage controllers are
1. for domestic and industrial heating,
2. transformer tap changing, lighting control,
3. speed control of single-phase and three-phase ac drives and
4. starting of induction motors.
Since the ac voltage controllers are phase-controlled devices, thyristors and triacs are line commutated and as
such no complex commutation circuitry is required in these controllers.
The main disadvantage of ac voltage controllers is the introduction of objectionable harmonics in the supply
current and load voltage waveforms, particularly at reduced output voltage levels.
AC Voltage Controller (ACVC)
ACVC
Fixed AC Variable AC
Fixed voltage Variable voltage
Fixed frequency Fixed frequency
Output Frequency = Input Frequency
AC Voltage Controller (ACVC)
The principle of phase control in an AC voltage controller is a method used to regulate the output
voltage by controlling the phase angle at which the AC voltage is applied to the load. This technique is
commonly used in power electronics to control the power delivered to resistive or inductive loads such as
heaters, lamps, and motors.
Integral Cycle Control (also known as on-off control or burst firing) is another method used in AC
voltage controllers to regulate power delivered to a load, but it works very differently from phase control.
Instead of chopping each half-cycle like in phase control, integral cycle control delivers full cycles of the
AC voltage to the load and blocks others. The power is controlled by adjusting the number of complete
cycles that are allowed to pass to the load within a given time window.
1 − 𝜙 Half Wave AC controller
• One thyristor and one diode
• 0 𝑡𝑜 𝜋 → T1 is forward biased, firing is required for conduction
• 0 𝑡𝑜 𝛼 → 𝑇1 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛′ 𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 → 𝐷1 𝑖𝑠 𝑅𝐵 → 𝑣0 = 0
• 𝛼 𝑡𝑜 𝜋 → 𝑇1 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 → 𝐷1 𝑂𝐹𝐹 → 𝑣0 = 𝑣𝑖
• 𝜋 𝑡𝑜 2𝜋 → D1 is forward biased, T1 OFF, 𝑣0 = 𝑣𝑖
𝑉𝑚 𝑉𝑚
𝑣0,𝑎𝑣𝑔 = [cos 𝛼 − 1] < 0 𝑖0,𝑎𝑣𝑔 = [cos 𝛼 − 1] < 0
2𝜋 2𝜋𝑅
1 1
𝑣0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 [ { 2𝜋 − 𝛼 + sin 2𝛼}]
4𝜋 2
𝑣0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 can be changed by changing 𝛼
1 − 𝜙 Full Wave AC controller
• Two thyristors
• 0 𝑡𝑜 𝜋 → T1 is forward biased, firing is required for conduction
• 0 𝑡𝑜 𝛼 → 𝑇1 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛′ 𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 → 𝑇2 𝑖𝑠 𝑅𝐵 → 𝑣0 = 0
• 𝛼 𝑡𝑜 𝜋 → 𝑇1 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 → 𝐷1 𝑂𝐹𝐹 → 𝑣0 = 𝑣𝑖
• 𝜋 𝑡𝑜 2𝜋 → T2 is forward biased, firing is required for conduction
• 𝜋 𝑡𝑜 𝜋 + 𝛼 → 𝑇2 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛′ 𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡 → 𝑇2 𝑖𝑠 𝑂𝐹𝐹 → 𝑣0 = 0
• 𝜋 + 𝛼 𝑡𝑜 2𝜋 → 𝑇2 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑠 → 𝑇1 𝑂𝐹𝐹 → 𝑣0 = 𝑣𝑖
𝑣0,𝑎𝑣𝑔 = 0 𝑖0,𝑎𝑣𝑔 = 0
1 1 1
𝑣0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 [ { 𝜋 − 𝛼 + sin 2𝛼}]2
2𝜋 2
𝑣0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 can be changed by changing 𝛼
1 − 𝜙 Full Wave AC controller with RL Load
1 − 𝜙 Full Wave AC controller with RL Load
Integral cycle control
𝑛
𝑣𝑜,𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑣𝑠
𝑚+𝑛
𝑣𝑜,𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑣𝑠 𝑘
For the 1 − 𝜙 AC controller shown in Fig.
(a) Find the 𝑟𝑚𝑠 values of output voltage and current if the firing angle is 30𝑜
(b) Find the output power and input power factor
(a) 1 1 1
𝑣0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 𝑉𝑚 [ { 𝜋 − 𝛼 + sin 2𝛼}]2
2𝜋 2 1
1 𝜋 1 2𝜋 2
= 230 2 [ { 𝜋 − + sin }]
2𝜋 6 2 6
= 226.5 𝑉
𝑣0,𝑟𝑚𝑠
𝑖0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 = = 22.65 𝐴
𝑅
(b) output power 2
𝑖0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑅 = 22.652 ∗ 10 = 5.13 𝑘𝑊
input power 𝑣𝑖𝑛 ∗ 𝑖𝑖𝑛 = 𝑣𝑖 ∗ 𝑖0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 230 ∗ 22.65 = 5.209 𝑘𝑊
power factor 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑣0,𝑟𝑚𝑠 226.5
= = = = 0.98
𝑃𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑖 230
Cycloconverter
Cycloconverter
Fixed AC Variable AC
Fixed voltage Variable voltage
Fixed frequency variable frequency
Output Frequency > Input Frequency Step-up cycloconverter
Output Frequency < Input Frequency Step-down cycloconverter
Uses cycloconverter:
Static VAR Compensation (SVC) is a power electronics-based system
1. Speed control of ac motor. used in power systems to regulate voltage, improve power factor, and
2. Induction heating. stabilize the grid by providing reactive power compensation dynamically.
3. Static VAR compensation.
Cycloconverter
• This converter consists of back-to-back connection of
two full-wave rectifier circuits.’
• The input voltage, V𝑠 is an ac voltage at a frequency,
𝑓𝑖
• For easy understanding assume that all the thyristors
are fired at a=0° firing angle, i.e. thyristors act like
diodes.
• Note that the firing angles are named as 𝛼𝑝 for the
positive converter and 𝛼𝑛 for the negative converter.
Cycloconverter
Two devices conduct at the same time
• P1, P2 (+ve half of i/p signal)
• P3, P4 (-ve half of i/p signal) + +
• N1, N2(-ve half of i/p signal) 𝑉𝑠
- -
• N3, N4 (+ve half of i/p signal)
Cycloconverter • P1, P2
• P3, P4
Two devices conduct at the same time
• N1, N2
• N3, N4
Pair of Device Output voltage
conduction
P1 and P2 𝑉0 = 𝑉𝑠 + +
𝑉𝑠
- -
Cycloconverter • P1, P2
• P3, P4
Two devices conduct at the same time
• N1, N2
• N3, N4
Pair of Device Output voltage
conduction
P1 and P2 𝑉0 = 𝑉𝑠 + +
𝑉𝑠
P3 and P4 𝑉0 = −𝑉𝑠 - -
Cycloconverter • P1, P2
• P3, P4
Two devices conduct at the same time
• N1, N2
• N3, N4
Pair of Device Output voltage
conduction
P1 and P2 𝑉0 = 𝑉𝑠 + +
𝑉𝑠
P3 and P4 𝑉0 = −𝑉𝑠 - -
N1 and N2 𝑉0 = −𝑉𝑠
Cycloconverter • P1, P2
• P3, P4
Two devices conduct at the same time
• N1, N2
• N3, N4
Pair of Device Output voltage
conduction
P1 and P2 𝑉0 = 𝑉𝑠 + +
𝑉𝑠
P3 and P4 𝑉0 = −𝑉𝑠 - -
N1 and N2 𝑉0 = −𝑉𝑠
N3 and N4 𝑉0 = 𝑉𝑠
Suppose we want output
frequency to be 1/3 rd of
input frequency
Suppose we want output
frequency to be 1/4 th of
input frequency