512

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS, VOL. 46, NO. 3, JUNE 1999

A Novel Simplied Space-Vector-Modulated Control

Scheme for Three-Phase Switch-Mode Rectier
Chern-Lin Chen, Member, IEEE, Che-Ming Lee, Rong-Jie Tu, and Guo-Kiang Horng

AbstractA novel simplied control scheme for a three-phase

switch-mode rectier is proposed in this paper. The proposed control scheme is based upon a load-conductance rectier controller,
in which reference current signals are obtained. The goal to follow
the reference current is converted to follow a reference voltage.
A simplied control scheme utilizing space-vector modulation
is developed to calculate the duty ratio required to synthesize
the reference voltage. The proposed scheme has the advantage
of space-vector modulation with fast dynamic response and is
simple enough to be implemented in a single-chip microprocessor
80196MC.

Fig. 1. Three-phase boost-type switch-mode rectier.

Index TermsSpace-vector modulation, switch-mode rectier.

I. INTRODUCTION

O AMEND THE problem of power-factor deterioration,

switch-mode rectiers (SMRs) have gained increasing
interest among researchers in recent years. A conventional
three-phase boost-type SMR consists of six switches with
antiparalleled diodes, as shown in Fig. 1. This system is
ideally applicable to dc-linked ac motor drives, since it draws
sinusoidal input currents and controls the dc-bus voltage.
Moreover, its capability of bidirectional power ow allows
regenerative operation, which is particularly advantageous for
high-power applications. The main drawback is that a more
complicated control scheme and six corresponding driving
circuits are required to control the six switches individually.
A simple hysteresis current control scheme for a threephase SMR is discussed in several papers [1], [2]. The
input phase current is individually controlled to track the
corresponding template current waveform. It is capable of
delivering nearly sinusoidal current waveforms with unity
power factor. However, the switching pattern is random. This
increases the switching losses and deteriorates the system performance. Deadbeat control technique [3], [4] is also presented
in previous works and shows good performance. Possible
problems for deadbeat controllers are the computation time
delay and dependence on instantaneous input power.
Lately, the space-vector modulation method for a threephase SMR has been proposed [5]. The input phase voltages
are divided into six 60 intervals, so that no sign change
occurs during each interval. Excellent power factor is obtained
Manuscript received October 30, 1997; revised November 15, 1998. Abstract published on the Internet March 1, 1999.
C.-L. Chen and G.-K. Horng are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106, R.O.C. (e-mail:
clchen@cc.ee.ntu.edu.tw).
C.-M. Lee was with the Department of Electrical Engineering, National
Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106, R.O.C.
R.-J. Tu is with Delta Electronics, Inc., Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Publisher Item Identier S 0278-0046(99)04130-1.

by controlling only two currents in each interval. The spacevector approach can provide fast dynamic control, but is quite
complicated to implement and requires signicant computational resources. High-speed microprocessors or digital signal
processors are required.
This paper presents a simplied space-vector-modulated
control scheme for a three-phase SMR. In this control
scheme, the reference current signals are obtained by a
load-conductance controller [6], [7]. The goal to follow the
reference current is converted to follow a reference voltage.
A simplied control scheme utilizing space-vector modulation
is developed to calculate the duty ratio required to synthesize
the reference voltage. Experimental verication is carried out
using a single-chip microprocessor 80196MC. Experimental
results with sinusoidal input current and nearly unity power
factor are observed.
II. PROPOSED SCHEME
Fig. 2 illustrates the block diagram of the proposed control
scheme. The controller part (inside the dashed square) is
accomplished using a single-chip microprocessor 80196MC.
The details of the proposed control scheme are explained as
follows.
A. Load-Conductance Calculation
The reference current signals are obtained based on the
load-conductance controller. The error between the reference
and measured link capacitor voltage is processed through
a proportional integral (PI) controller. The output of the
PI controller is dened as the rectier load conductance
[6], [7]. The reference current signals are generated by the
product of the load conductance and the input phase voltages.
Therefore, if the input current is controlled to follow the
current command, it follows the input voltage in its waveform
does
and follows the load conductance in its magnitude if
not change signicantly during one line cycle.

02780046/99$10.00 1999 IEEE

Authorized licensed use limited to: National Taiwan University. Downloaded on February 25, 2009 at 03:09 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

CHEN et al.: SPACE-VECTOR-MODULATED CONTROL SCHEME FOR THREE-PHASE SMR

513

0
Fig. 4. Voltage-vector representations of Va ; Vb0 , and Vc0 .

Fig. 2. Block diagram of the proposed control scheme.

(2)
According to the states of the six switches, there are seven
voltage vectors, as shown in Fig. 4, where
for
for

(3)

Also, the input phase voltages and currents and command

voltages can be represented as space vectors
(4)
(5)
(6)

Fig. 3. Input phase voltages are divided into six 60 intervals.

From Fig. 2, the following equation can be obtained:

B. Model Development
This section introduces the basic notions which will be
required in the proposed control scheme. As shown in Fig. 3,
the input phase voltages can be divided into six 60 intervals,
so that no sign change occurs during each interval. Take
and
are positive, and
is
interval I, for example;
negative. Since input currents are to be controlled to be in
and
are positive, and
phase with input voltage,
is negative. Under such condition, there will be no current
, and . According to the
owing through
, and , there are eight operation modes, only
states of
four of which will be used in the proposed control scheme.
Table I illustrates the voltage vectors obtained in the four
operation modes in interval I. The voltage vectors will be
is always set OFF
explained in the next section. Note that
in interval I, thus switching loss can be greatly reduced.

is the desired current

where
is the switching period. Equation (7)
error vector and
states that the current error vector is a function of the voltage
and
(i.e., the operation modes). The proper
vectors
can be decided according to the
voltage vector command
and the input voltage vector
desired current error vectors
. Then, the appropriate conducting states of the switches can
is located as shown in Fig. 5,
be decided. For example, if
, and , which satises the
it can be synthesized using
following equations:

C. Space-Vector Modulation

Equations (8) and (9) can be solved to obtain the following:

(7)

(8)
(9)

With the concept of the space vector, it is convenient to

represent three-phase quantities (voltages and currents) as a
space vector

(10)

(1)
where
bridge

. Consequently, voltages before the rectier

, and
can be represented as a voltage vector

Authorized licensed use limited to: National Taiwan University. Downloaded on February 25, 2009 at 03:09 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

(11)
(12)

514

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS, VOL. 46, NO. 3, JUNE 1999

TABLE I
VOLTAGE VECTORS OBTAINED

IN INTERVAL

TABLE II
DUTY RATIO OF THE SWITCHES IN THE SIX OPERATION INTERVALS

Fig. 5. Synthesis of voltage vector.

However, this algorithm requires complicated computations

with complex numbers. A high-speed microprocessor or digital
signal processor must be used to perform these computations.
D. Simplied Control Scheme
To make the space-vector modulation scheme applicable
in a single-chip microprocessor such as an 80196MC, the
calculation process must be simplied. According to Table I,
three voltage vectors can be obtained in the four operation
modes of interval I by just controlling two legs of the bridge.
is located as in Fig. 5, by substituting the voltage values
If
in Table I into (8), the following equations can be obtained:
(13)
(14)
Solving (13) and (14),
(15)
(16)
Comparing (15) and (16), (10) and (11) save much computation time without the synthesis of voltage vector and the
is OFF for
and , and
calculation of vector angle.

is OFF for . The duty ratio

can be obtained

and

of

and

thus
(17)
(18)

, and
can be obtained
From Table I, we know that
and . Note that, in interval I,
by just controlling
will be located only in the shaded area in Fig. 5. If
is
and
must be used to synthesize
located where
it, the duty ratio obtained will be exactly the same as (17)
and (18). Similarly, operations during the other intervals can
be obtained as in Table II. By using the simplied control
scheme, the space-vector modulation can be implemented in a
single-chip microprocessor, such as an 80196MC.
III. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
A three-phase boost-type SMR with the proposed simplied
control scheme is implemented and tested in the laboratory.
The experimental implementation is shown in Fig. 6. The

Authorized licensed use limited to: National Taiwan University. Downloaded on February 25, 2009 at 03:09 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

CHEN et al.: SPACE-VECTOR-MODULATED CONTROL SCHEME FOR THREE-PHASE SMR

515

Fig. 8. One of the gate-driving signals and the input current.

Fig. 6. Experimental implementation of the proposed scheme.

analog circuits, and more powerful processors can be used to

improve the results. However, the results are quite satisfying
with such a low-cost microprocessor. Fig. 8 shows one of the
gate-driving signals and the input phase current. It is seen that
the ac switch is set normally open in one-third of the operation
cycle. Therefore, the switching losses are greatly reduced.
IV. CONCLUSION

Fig. 7. Input phase voltage and current.

controller part is accomplished in a single-chip microprocessor

80196MC. To save the A/D conversion time, only two input
are measured.
phase currents and the rectier out voltage
The other phase current is obtained by assuming balanced
three-phase input. If the input phase voltages are unbalanced,
more powerful processors will be needed to maintain the
control scheme with the same switching frequency. Phase input
voltage values are built in a table in the controller program.
is detected so that
Zero crossing of the input line voltage
the phase voltages and the operation interval are determined
is obtained from (7). Then, the
from the built-in table.
corresponding duty ratio can be calculated by the equations
shown in Table II. The calculation time for each control cycle
is 250 s, i.e., the switching frequency is 4 kHz. The ratings
of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module for the
six switches are 600 V, 50 A. The input voltage is 110 V ac,
and the link voltage is set as 250 V, with 540-W loading.
A sinusoidal input current in phase with the corresponding
input phase voltage is obtained, as shown in Fig. 7. The small
phase shift between the input current and the input voltage
is due to the computation time delay and some delay in the

This paper has presented a novel simplied space-vectormodulated control scheme for a three-phase boost-type SMR.
The main drawback of the circuit topology is the cost of the
extra switches and driving circuits. However, employing the
conventional three-phase boost-type SMR allows bidirectional
power ow, which is very important in high-power motor
drive applications. The proposed control scheme utilizes spacevector modulation, which has the advantage of fast dynamic
response. Moreover, the proposed method simplies the calculation process of the conventional space-vector modulation,
so that it is possible to be implemented in a single-chip
microprocessor, such as an 80196MC. Experimental results
have been included to verify the effectiveness of the proposed
method.
REFERENCES
[1] B. T. Ooi, J. C. Salmon, J. W. Dixon, and A. B. Kulkarni, A 3-phase
controlled current converter with leading power factor, IEEE Trans.
Ind. Applicat., vol. IA-23, pp. 7884, Jan./Feb. 1987.
[2] J. W. Dixon, A. B. Kulkarni, M. Nishimoto, and B. T. Ooi, Characteristics of a controlled current PWM rectier link, in Conf. Rec. IEEE-IAS
Annu. Meeting, 1986, pp. 685691.
[3] T. G. Habetler, A space vector based rectier regulator for ac/dc/ac
converters, IEEE Trans. Power Electron., vol. 8, pp. 3036, Jan. 1993.
[4] F. Kamran, R. G. Harley, B. Burton, T. G. Habetler, and M. A.
Brooke, A fast on-line neural-network training algorithm for a rectier
regulator, IEEE Trans. Power Electron., vol. 13, pp. 366371, Mar.
1998.
[5] R. Wu, S. B. Dewan, and G. R. Slemon, A PWM AC-to-DC converter
with xed switching frequency, in Proc. IEEE PESC89, 1989, pp.
706711.
[6] J. H. R. Enslin and J. D. Van Wyk, A new control philosophy for
power electronic converters as ctitious power compensators, IEEE
Trans. Power Electron., vol. 5, pp. 8897, Jan. 1990.
[7] S. Bhowmik, A. van Zyl, R. Spee, and J. H. R. Enslin, Sensorless
current control for active rectiers, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 33,
pp. 765772, May/June 1997.

Authorized licensed use limited to: National Taiwan University. Downloaded on February 25, 2009 at 03:09 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

516

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS, VOL. 46, NO. 3, JUNE 1999

Chern-Lin Chen (S86M90), for a photograph and biography, see p. 118

of the February 1999 issue of this TRANSACTIONS.

Che-Ming Lee was born in Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.,

in 1972. He received the B.S. and Ph.D. degrees
from the Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C., in
1994 and 1998, respectively.
He is currently serving as an ofcer in the Taiwan,
R.O.C., military. His research interests lie in the
areas of switch-mode rectiers and induction motor
drives.

Guo-Kiang Horng was born in Taipei, Taiwan,

R.O.C., in 1973. He received the he recieved the
B.S. and M.S. degrees in 1995 and 1997, respectively, from the Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan,
R.O.C., where he is currently working towards the
Ph.D. degree.
His current research interests include passive
and active three-phase power-factor correction techniques.

Rong-Jie Tu was born in Miao-Li, Taiwan, R.O.C.,

in 1968. He received the B.S. degree from National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan,
R.O.C., in 1991 and the Ph.D. degree from National
Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C., both in
electrical engineering.
He has been with Delta Electronics, Inc., TaoYuan, Taiwan, R.O.C., since 1995. His research
interests lie in the areas of switch-mode rectiers
and induction motor drives.

Authorized licensed use limited to: National Taiwan University. Downloaded on February 25, 2009 at 03:09 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.