54

A Direct AC/AC Converter Based on

Current-Source Converter Modules
Mehmod Kazerani, Sania Shah

AbstractThe research on direct ac/ac conversion in the past

twenty years has been following two major directions:
1) improving the performance of the original nine-bidirectional-switch matrix converter topology;
2) using converter topologies composed of unidirectional
switches only.
In this paper, a direct ac/ac converter topology based on currentsource converter modules is proposed. It is shown, through analysis
and simulation, that the proposed topology is free of any switching
difficulties and gives high-quality sinusoidal waveforms on both
sides. Furthermore, with the same number of semiconductor devices as in the original nine-bidirectional-switch matrix converter
topology, it is able to perform all aspects of frequency changing,
real power flow control, and independent reactive power flow control on both sides. The proposed topology finds applications in electric drive industry, as an ac motor drive, and power system industry, as an asynchronous link.
Index TermsAC/AC converter, CSC, frequency changer,
high-quality sinusoidal waveforms, independent reactive power
flow control, LC filter, nine-bidirectional-switch, NPT IGBT,
real power flow control, semiconductor devices, SVC, THDs,
topology.

I. INTRODUCTION

N THE conventional nine-bidirectional-switch matrix converter topology, inaccurate timing of the gating signals sent
to the bidirectional switches can lead to serious problems [1].
A dead-time or an overlap between the on-states of the two
bidirectional switches commutating an inductive load current
can lead to hazardous Ldi/dt overvoltages or dangerously high
overcurrents. To protect the matrix converter switches, some researchers have used snubber networks [2], while others have
implemented multi-step switching algorithms [3]. Snubber circuits are bulky and dissipative in nature, whereas multi-step
switching techniques complicate the control circuit. Furthermore, in the nine-switch topology, the fact that one and only one
of the three switches connecting phases a, b, and c on side-1 to
each phase on side-2 has to be ON at each moment of time,
asks for the distribution of the ON-periods of these switches
over one switching period according to a certain pattern. The
THDs of the side-1 and side-2 waveforms are strongly affected
by the pattern of the above distribution, and high-quality waveforms can be realized only at a high switching frequency. While
some researchers have tried to perfect the nine-switch matrix

The authors are with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Nirma University, Gujarath, India. The project was funded by NCIC, GoI.

converter topology, others such as Kazerani and Ooi [4], [5]

and Kim, Sul, and Lipo [6] have considered topologies that use
only unidirectional switches. In [4], [5], a direct ac/ac converter
topology based on three-phase voltage-source converter modules has been introduced. In this paper, the dual topology, i.e., a
direct ac/ac converter topology based on three three-phase current-source converter (CSC) modules is proposed.
In the early stages of development, current-source converter
topology was facing a lot of difficulties, mainly because of lack
of understanding of its special features and shortcomings of the
semiconductor switch technology. Almost all of the original difficulties associated with the CSC topology have been overcome
through research and development. The problem of misoperation of CSC under bi-level switching regime has been solved by
the introduction of dynamic tri-level switching strategy [7], [8].
The problem of magnification of low-order harmonics due to
the resonance of ac-side capacitors with the system inductances
has been solved by introducing damping in the system through
proper control [9]. The requirement of connecting a diode in series with each switch in the CSC topology, due to the inadequacy
of switch reverse voltage withstand, has been lifted thanks to the
availability of reverse-blocking non-punch-through (NPT) insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switches [10]. Finally, the
introduction of super-conducting materials to magnetic energy
storage has made it possible to reduce the losses in the dc-side
inductor dramatically.
In the following sections, first, the structure of the proposed
ac/ac converter topology will be described. The principles of
operation of the system will be presented next, followed by the
introduction of available control levers and possible transformation matrix structures. Finally, selected simulation results will
be used to verify the analytical expectations.
II. STRUCTURE OF THE PROPOSED AC/AC
CONVERTER TOPOLOGY
Fig. 1 shows the schematic diagram of the proposed ac/ac
converter topology. It consists of three identical current-source
converter modules. On the ac-side, the modules are connected
in parallel to the ac source through an LC filter. On the dc-side,
the CSC modules are connected to the three-phase load through
a three-phase three-legged-core transformer with separate primary and secondary windings and delta-connected secondary
windings.
Each CSC module is controlled to produce a regulated dc current superimposed by a sinusoidal current of desired amplitude,
frequency, and phase angle. The dc components ensure unidirectional current on the dc-side. The ac components are phase

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Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the proposed ac/ac converter topology.

Fig. 2. Three-phase three-legged-core transformer.

shifted by 120 with respect to one another. The primary windings of the transformer secure a loop for the dc-side currents and
provide enough inductance for the regulation of the dc components of the dc-side currents. The dc components do not contribute to any flux in the transformer core and thus, do not lead
to core saturation. The reason for this can be explained in the
light of the structure of the three-phase three-legged-core transformer shown in Fig. 2.
, and
in Fig. 2 contain
As the primary currents
, and
both dc and ac components, the resulting fluxes
will be composed of both constant and time-varying components. Due to the three-legged structure of the core,

. As the time-varying components of

, and constitute a balanced system and thus add up to zero, the sum of
the constant flux components must be zero. Knowing that the
constant flux components are generated by equal and unidirectional dc current components, and are therefore equal and unidirectional, the only way for their sum to be zero is that each
constant flux component is equal to zero. This guarantees that
there will be no constant flux component in the transformer core
and as a result, the core will not saturate.
Before moving to the principles of operation of the proposed
ac/ac converter topology, a qualitative cost-benefit comparison
between the proposed topology and the conventional nine-bidirectional-switch matrix converter topology seems to be useful.
The number of switching devices in the proposed topology is the
same as that in the conventional topology. In the current-source
converter-based ac/ac converter, there are 18 switches and 18 series diodes. In the conventional matrix converter topology, there
are nine four-quadrant switch elements, each composed of two
semiconductor switches and two series diodes, adding up to 18
switches and 18 diodes. The proposed topology does not have
any switching problems and as a result, does not require implementing multi-step switching algorithms or using bulky snubbers to rectify the switching problems. The proposed topology
is based on the standard converter modules which have matured
through years from both hardware design and control technique
points of view. The proposed topology enjoys a high degree of
controllability due to the availability of a high number of control
levers, simplifying the implementation of closed-loop control
systems for active and reactive power flow controls and wave-

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shaping. However, the proposed topology requires switching devices of higher current ratings than those used in the conventional matrix converter topology due to the presence of the dc
components in the side-2 currents. Also, a three-phase threelegged-core transformer is required to ensure the elimination of
the dc current components and maintain a high performance for
the current-source converter modules. As the transformer offers
isolation and possibility of voltage level adjustment as well, its
existence may be justified. Overall, it can be concluded that the
performance of the current-source converter-based ac/ac converter topology is superior to that of the conventional matrix
converter topology, but it costs more. A trade-off between the
performance and cost has always to be made based on the specific application.
III. PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION OF THE PROPOSED AC/AC
CONVERTER TOPOLOGY

(8)
the voltage transformation in (6) yields

(9)
where
(10)

The nine modulating signals corresponding to the nine legs

of the three converters can be presented in the form of a transformation matrix [H]

(11)

(1)
where

where
(2)

(12)
with

, and
(3)

where

(13)
The dc-side currents will be
(4)

(14)
where
(15)

(5)
and
.
The dc- and ac-side currents and voltages are related in the
following way:

with

(16)
where

(6)
(17)

Assuming
(7)

(18)

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Fig. 3.

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Typical side-1 voltage and current waveforms (f

= 60 Hz,

= 120 Hz). Top: 0:1e

In (15),
is the resistance of the primary windings of the
, where
transformer, and in (17) and (18),
and
are the resistance and inductance seen as viewed
from the primary-side of the transformer. It can be shown that
, where
and is the transformer primary-to-secondary turns-ratio.
The current transformation in (6) can be rewritten as

and i . Middle: i . Bottom: i

IV. AVAILABLE CONTROL LEVERS

and

given by (2)(5), offer the following control

levers.
A.
As suggested by (15),
can be used as the control lever to
in a closed-loop control system. The magnitude of
regulate
is chosen to be at least equal to
.
B.

(19)
The simplification in (19) results from the fact that the transformations of the dc and ac components of the dc-side currents are
decoupled from each other, i.e.,

(20)

The structure of
rents, is

, as an example for the unfiltered side-1 cur-

(21)
consists of components at
only, as the low-order
As seen
harmonics present in
, and
are cancelled out upon
addition at the junction point on side-1. The same is true for the
and . As a result, the burden on the input
input currents
filter capacitors (C) is reduced to that of filtering the switching
harmonics.
To provide a visual presentation for the mathematical equations of this section, Figs. 3 and 4 show some typical waveforms
for the voltages and currents associated with side-1 and side-2
of Fig. 1, respectively.

The first term on the right-hand-side of (21) is the reflection

on side-1 as a result of the
transformation. The
of
on side-1 as
second and the third terms are the reflections of
a result of the
transformation. As seen from (21), the phase
angles of the second and the third terms are fixed by and . is
the side-2 displacement angle at angular frequency . is the
phase angle of the side-1 capacitor voltages with respect to the
ac source voltages which is very small when a small input filter
is used at high switching frequency. Therefore, the phase angles
, and , and thus
, and , can be controlled
of
by to adjust the side-1 displacement power factor (DPF).
In PWM technique, the peak values of the modulating signals have to be limited to within the window defined by the peak
, in order to avoid wavevalue of the triangular carrier signal,
is usually very
form distortion due to over-modulation.
small, just large enough to provide the real power necessary to
against the converter internal losses and the power
regulate
. This leaves enough room for the maneuver
loss incurred in
of
. The real power flow involved in the regulation of
is
.
proportional to
C.
As seen from (16)(18), the magnitudes of
, and
can be controlled by
, or
and
both, if
, or
is chosen as the structure
.
for

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Fig. 4. Typical side-2 voltage and current waveforms (f

= 60 Hz, f

= 120 Hz). Top: i

. Middle: v

. Bottom: i .

Fig. 5. Block diagram of the control system for the proposed ac/ac converter topology.

VI. SELECTION OF

D.
As seen from (16)(18), the phase angles of
, and
, and thus the load currents can be controlled by . does
not have any effect on the side-1 currents, as suggested by (21).
is the control lever used for vector control in the induction
motor drives.
V. SVC AND FREQUENCY CHANGER
The proposed ac/ac converter topology virtually contains two
decoupled sub-systems: a static var compensator (SVC) and an
unrestricted frequency changer. The SVC part is realized by the
matrix through control levers
and . As mentioned in
is used to regulate
and is used to control
Section IV,
, and
with respect to
the phase angles of input currents
, and to control the input reactive power and thus adjust
the side-1 displacement power factor. The frequency changer
matrix through control levers
part is realized by the
and . Due to the special structure of
, the side-1 frequency
is changed to the side-2 frequency . Also, the magnitudes
, and
are controlled by
,
of side-2 currents
, and
whereas their phase angles with respect to those of
are controlled by for the vector control of induction motor
drives.

STRUCTURE

As (3)(5) suggest, there are three possible structures for

, i.e.,
, and
. All three
structures result in successful frequency conversion. The only
difference will be in the phase angle of the unfiltered side-1
, and .
currents
By looking at (21), one can see that, in frequency transfor, the side-2 displacement angle changes
mation through
, in (17), to
, when it appears in the unfiltered side-1
from
currents. This conjugate property is a characteristic of the struc.
ture
By examining (21), one can observe that in frequency transformation through
, the sign of the side-2 displacement
angle is kept unchanged when it appears in the side-1 unfiltered
currents. This nonconjugate property is a characteristic of the
.
structure
When the frequency transformation takes place through
, the unfiltered side-1 currents experience both conjugate and nonconjugate effects. The effect of
side-2 displacement angle on side-1 displacement angle will be
and
. In
determined by the relative magnitudes of
conventional nine-bidirectional-switch matrix converter,
and
are adjusted to vary the amplitude of the side-2

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Fig. 6. Simulation results: Frequency sweep. Top: f (Hz). Middle:

Fig. 7.

Simulation results: UDPF at f

= 30 Hz. Top: 0 1

: e

01

: e

(V) & i

(V) & i

(A). Bottom: i

(A). Bottom: i

currents and adjust the side-1 displacement angle to the desired

value or achieve unity displacement power factor (UDPF) on
side-1. In the topology proposed in this paper, the two extra
, i.e.,
and , can
degrees of freedom provided by
be used to regulate the magnitude of the dc component of the
dc-side currents and adjust the side-1 displacement angle. In
. As a result,
this case, one can choose
, given by (21), becomes

(22)

;i

&

(A).

(A).

As seen from (22), the conjugate and nonconjugate effects have

been cancelled out as a result of choosing
as
.
the structure for
The choice between
, and
has
to be made based on the advantage that one can offer over the
others in side-1 displacement power factor correction. In CSC
topology, the ac-side LC filter might be capacitive or inductive
at the fundamental frequency. If the input LC filter is inductive,
can be used to reflect the inductive load on side-2 as a
capacitive impedance on side-1. This helps in neutralizing the
inductive part of the input filter impedance. If the input LC
can be used to reflect the inductive
filter is capacitive,

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Fig. 8.

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Simulation results: UDPF at f

= 60 Hz. Top: 0 1

: e

Fig. 9. Simulation results: UDPF at f = 120 Hz. Top: 0:1e

(V) & i

(V) & i

(A). Bottom: i

(A). Bottom: i

load on side-2 as an inductive impedance on side-1. This helps

in neutralizing the capacitive part of the input filter impedance.
Fine adjustments toward the desired DPF (usually UDPF), at
.
any value of , can be then made by proper choice of in
or
is used, and the load is
When the structure
heavily inductive, the reflected displacement angle from side-2
on side-1 will be large. As a result, a large will be required for
for propower factor correction. A large asks for a large
viding the necessary active power for side-2 dc currents regulation. This results in saturation in the PWM process due to overmodulation and hence waveform distortion. When using the
, with
,
third structure, i.e.,
the effect of side-2 displacement angle on that of side-1 is canresults in successful
celled and a very small effort from
power factor correction by -control. Therefore, the third structure is regarded as the favorite structure in the particular case of
heavily-inductive load as well as any other case. The rest of the
study will thus concentrate on the third structure.

(A).

(A).

VII. CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL

Fig. 5 shows the block diagram of the closed-loop control
system for the proposed ac/ac converter topology. The magnitudes of the dc and ac components of the dc-side currents of the
and
, respectively. Controlling
CSCs are controlled by
the ac components of the side-2 currents of the CSCs is preferred over the direct control of load currents, since controlling
the load currents requires three additional current sensors. The
desired magnitude and phase of the ac components of the side-2
currents can be easily obtained from those of the load currents
using the following phasor relation obtained from Fig. 1:
(23)
Input DPF control through and load current phase angle control through are performed in open loop.

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VIII. SIMULATION RESULTS

The power circuit of Fig. 1 together with the control system

of Fig. 5 was simulated using the structure
. The following parameters were used:

been introduced. The structure requiring the minimum control

effort to achieve unity displacement power factor on side-1
with no risk of over-modulation is identified and regarded as
the favorite structure. The theoretical expectations have been
verified using simulation results.
REFERENCES

Transformer

mH,

mH,
kHz.
The side-1 LC filter was designed for the resonant frequency
of 2002 Hz and damping ratio of 0.283. On the base of 3.0 kVA
pu and
pu. The input LC
and 208 V,
filter was capacitive at 60 Hz. The design ensures that
does not result in more than 10% voltage drop at full load, the
fundamental current component in the filter capacitor is small
and the switching frequency current components are filtered effectively by the capacitor filter.
A,
Fig. 6 shows the simulation results for
A,
, and
, as assumes different
values of 30, 60, and 120 Hz. As seen, due to the proper choice
structure, for all values of , very close to UDPF
of
exists on side-1, without any effort to correct the power factor
using -control. Also, the transition from one frequency to
another frequency, on side-2, is very fast and smooth, without
any effect on the amplitude of the side-2 currents.
A,
Figs. 79 show the simulation results for
A,
, and
Hz, respectively,
and
, with UDPF on side-1.
IX. CONCLUSION
In this paper, a direct ac/ac converter topology based on three
three-phase current-source converter modules is proposed.
Thanks to the well-established technology of the current-source
converter and because of using only unidirectional switches, no
switching difficulties are observed. The special power-circuit
structure and transformation-matrix design, give the proposed
ac/ac converter topology two distinct and decoupled features:
static var compensator (SVC) and frequency changer. The SVC
operation provides input displacement power factor control
(i.e., input reactive power flow control), while the frequency
changer operation allows for unrestricted frequency conversion,
as well as active and reactive power flow control on side-2.
Three different frequency changer matrix structures have

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dynamic tri-logic PWM, IEEE Trans. Power Electron., vol. 8, pp.
288294, July 1993.
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tri-level PWM current-source inverter, IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron., vol.
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Mehrdad Kazerani (S88M96SM02) received the B.Sc. degree from

Shiraz University, Iran, in 1980, the M.Eng. degree from Concordia University,
Montreal, QC, Canada, in 1990, and the Ph.D. degree from McGill University,
Montreal, in 1995.
From 1982 to 1987, he was with the Energy Ministry of Iran. He is presently
an Associate Professor with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada. His research interests
are in the areas of power electronic circuits and systems design, active power
filters, matrix converters, distributed power generation, utility interface of alternative energy sources, and FACTS.
Dr. Kazerani is a Registered Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario,
Canada.