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AU J.T. 8(4): 191-195 (Apr.

2005)

Implementation of a Single-phase Unipolar Inverter Using DSP TMS320F241


Narong Aphiratsakun, Sanjiva Rao Bhaganagarapu and Kittiphan Techakittiroj
Faculty of Engineering, Assumption University Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract
This paper presents the design and implementation of a single-phase inverter that produces a symmetric ac output voltage of desired magnitude and frequency. A diode bridge rectifier is used to rectify the ac line voltage. Unipolar PWM technique is employed to control the output voltage magnitude and frequency. The digital signal processor (DSP) of Texas Instruments TMS320F241 is used for the implementation of the inverter Keywords: Single-phase inverters, digital signal processor (DSP), unipolarswitching scheme, output voltage control of single-phase inverters, Matlab simulation.

1. Introduction
Single-phase inverters are widely used in industrial applications such as induction heating, standby power supplies and uninterruptible supplies. A block diagram representation of a single-phase inverter is given in Fig.1-1. The inverter consists of four switching devices (represented as ideal switches) connected in the form of a bridge. The control scheme is implemented using TMS320F241 DSP controller (Techakittiroj et al. 2003)

voltage waveform of variable frequency and amplitude, a sinusoidal reference signal (Vref) is compared with the triangular waveform (Vtri). The amplitude modulation index (ma), which controls the rms value of the output voltage, is defined as
^

ma =

Vref
^

(1.1)

V tri
^ ^

GS1

GS3

Vdc

Load

V
GS4 Vo = VA - VB GS2

Fig. 1-1. Single-phase inverter In the unipolar switching scheme (Ned et al. 1995), the output voltage changes between positive and zero, or between zero and negative voltage levels. To produce a sinusoidal output

The V ref and V tri in equation (1.1) refer to the peak amplitudes of the signals. Leg A and B of the full-bridge inverter are controlled separately by comparing Vtri with Vref and Vtri with -Vref. The resulting waveforms are used to control the switches as follows: In leg A: (1.2a) Vref > Vtri : GS1 on and Vref <Vtri : GS4on and In leg B: (1.2b) -Vref > Vtri : GS3 on and -Vref< Vtri : GS2 on The PWM signals obtained are shown in Figs. 1-2a and 1-2b. Note that GS4 and GS2 will be automatically created as the inversion of GS1 and GS3, respectively.

PWM generated from Vref and Vcarrier 1.5 1 Magnitude 0.5 0 -0.5 -1 -1.5 0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012 0.014 0.016 0.018 Time Second 0.02

The dead band (Tdead) calculated Aphiratsakun (2004) and TI (2000): Tdead = Period x Dead Band Prescaler xCPU clock

by

(1.4)

1.5 1 Magnitude 0.5 0 -0.5 -1 -1.5 0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012 0.014 0.016 0.018 Time Second 0.02

PWM_PERIOD

Count up

Count down

(a)
PWM generated from -Vref and Vcarrier 1.5 1 Magnitude 0.5 0 -0.5 -1 -1.5

PWM1a

Dead Band

PWM1b
0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012 0.014 0.016 0.018 Time Second 0.02

1.5 1 Magnitude 0.5 0 -0.5 -1 -1.5 0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012 0.014 0.016 0.018 Time Second 0.02

Fig. 1-3. Symmetric PWM waveform generation

2. Circuit Description
The schematic diagram of the inverter circuit implemented is given in Fig. 2-1. It has two parts, the control circuit and the power circuit. The shaded part is the control circuit containing the DSP controller TMS320F241 that generates the PWM signals and also provides soft start function. Set point for the modulation index and frequency are set by a computer through serial interface. The low pass filter was designed in such way that the output voltage waveform of the inverter is sinusoidal. To start with, the single-phase inverter with the unipolar switching scheme is simulated using simulink in Matlab and its performance is studied. Later on, the singlephase inverter was implemented using DSP TMS320F241 and its performance was studied. A comparison is made of the results obtained through simulation and experimental work under the same operating conditions.

(b) Fig. 1-2 PWM signals (a) For leg A (b) For leg B The comparison of the reference sinusoidal signal with the triangular waveform is done in the PWM generator of the DSP to generate the control signals for the switching devices along with the inverted signals with the required dead band. A 16-bit counter register is used to measure the frequency of the triangular wave. A centered symmetric PWM signal is used which has maximum count up of 216 and count down 216. The PWM signals and the control signals generated are given in Fig. 1-3. Count up, count down, switching time and dead band are calculated as shown by Aphiratsakun (2004) and TI (2000): Count up = Count down = PWMA_PERIOD Tsw = 2xPWMA_PERIODxCPU clk = 2xPWMA_PERIODx50 ns (1.3)

192

NO Relay contact

Single-phase Diode bridge

single-phase inverter

LC filter

Load

220 V 50 Hz Supply

R Softstart

C 450V

+
Variable ac voltage variable frequency

Modulation set point Sine wave calculation PWM generation Dead time selection Frequency Set Point TMS320F241F DSP Controller Serial Switching Frequency Softstart time

Unit Interface

Relay Coil: 6V DC

Fig. 2-1: Overall schematic diagram of single-phase inverter


PWM output (V)

The tested conditions for the simulation and experimental work are: Prated VLN Cdc L C ma Vref Vtri Tdead : 1.5 kW : 220 V : 1000 F : 2 mH : 1.5 F : 0.8 : 50 Hz : 7.5 kHz : 5.6 s

Simulation waveforms 400 200 0 -200 -400 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04 0.045 0.05

Filtered output (V)

200 0 -200 0.02 0.4 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04 0.045 0.05

Output current(A)

0.2 0 -0.2 -0.4 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 Time second 0.04 0.045 0.05

3. Simulation Study
The schematic for the simulation of unipolar single-phase inverter is given in Fig. 3-1. The waveforms of PWM output, filtered output voltage and filtered output current, obtained through simulation are shown in Fig. 3-2.

Fig. 3-2. PWM waveforms of unipolar inverter (simulation)

4. Experimental
The schematic diagrams for the power circuit and control circuit are shown in Figs.4-1 and 4-2, respectively. TMS320F241 DSP controller (Techakittiroj et al. 2003) with PWM and output ports is used for the implementation. The four PWM signals have been fed to the optocoupler (6N137) for the isolation of gate drivers. Four discrete MOSFETs (IRFP450) are used as switching devices. IR2110, IC gate driver is used to drive the MOSFETs in the upper and lower legs of the inverter. In the power circuit of Fig. 4-1 the single-phase diode bridge rectifier (6A6 GW) with a 1000F DC link capacitor (Cdc) is connected to the single-phase ac power supply, 220V, 50 Hz to provide

Vdc_scope IL
A + + B v + + pulses B v

PWM Inverter
A

2 mH
+

i -

To Workspace3

220

L 1.5 uF

iL
+ v

Diode Bridge

R C

Vdc

Cfilter

V_pulse

Load

Vfilter To Workspace

Vfilter

Vout
PWM

Vab time To Workspace1 Clock To Workspace2

PWM 0.8 Modulation index

Fig. 3-1. MATLAB simulation of single-phase inverter 193

R soft-start
220 ohm/ 20 W 6A4 GW 6A4 GW

IRFP450 G1 Cdc Csnubber R 1000 uF/350V


6A4 GW 6A4 GW

IRFP450 G3 S3

VL-N 220V
50 Hz

S1
Filter + Load

Vdc

0.1 uF

IRFP450 G4 S4 G2 S2

IRFP450

Fig. 4-1. Power circuit


6N137 Optocouplers +5 V +15 V Gate driver +15 V +5 V PWM gate pulses G1 G4 GS1 IR2110 +5 V +15 V GS4

current. The rms output voltage is measured by rms meter and is found to be 220 V.

DSP Controller +5 V +15 V

G3 I/O G2

+15 V GS3 +15 V IR2110 GS2

NO Relay contact Relay: OMRON G2R-1-E Coil: 5V DC

(a)

+5 V

Fig. 4-2. Control circuit a constant dc source to the inverter. The Cdc must have high voltage rating (greater than 350 V). A snubber capacitor of 0.1F is connected across the inverter to protect it from high surge voltages. A soft start resistor is used to reduce the peak inrush currents, thereby reducing the stress on rectifier diodes and Cdc. Photographs of the unipolar single-phase bridge inverter constructed in the laboratory are shown in Figs. 4-3 (a) and (b). Fig. 4-4 shows the recorded waveforms of unfiltered sinusoidal PWM, filtered output voltage and 194

(b) Fig. 4-3. Laboratory unipolar inverter board (a) control circuit (b) power circuit

Waveforms 400 PWM output (V) 200 0 -200 -400 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04 0.045 0.05

Filtered output (V)

200 0 -200 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04 0.045 0.05

parameters are adjusted for giving fundamental frequency rms output voltage of 220V at 50 Hz. With this unipolar inverter unit, further research on single-phase inverters can be carried out such as soft switching inverters, single-phase UPS and single-phase induction motor drives.

Output current(A)

References
0.2 0 -0.2 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 Time second 0.04 0.045 0.05

Fig. 4-4. PWM waveforms of unipolar inverter obtained through experimental work

Conclusion
A laboratory model of a unipolar singlephase inverter was successfully implemented using DSP TMS320F241 and tested. The inverter unit consists of four, discrete MOSFETs connected as a bridge and drive with a low cost driver. The experimental result matched with simulation results. Although any

Aphiratsakun, N. 2004. Effect of Sampling Time, Switching Frequency and Output Quantization Step on Vector Controlled Cage Motor, Master Thesis, Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand. Ned, M.; Undeland, T.M.; and Robbins, W.P. 1995. Power Electronics Converters, Applications, and Design, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY, USA. Techakittiroj, K.; Aphiratsakun, N., Threevithayanon, W.; and Nyun, S. 2003. TMS320F241 DSP Boards for Powerelectronics Applications. AU J.T. 6:168-73. TI. 2000. TMS320F243/F241/C242 DSP Controllers Reference Guide, system and Peripherals, Literature Number: SPRU276C. Texas Instruments, Texas, USA.

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