Pulse Density Modulated Soft Switching Cycloconverter

• Main Author: Adamson, Jesse Timothy
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@CalPoly 2010
• Subjects: power conversion; EMI; power supply; AC-AC; Controls and Control Theory; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Electrical and Electronics; Engineering; Power and Energy
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/315; https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1329&context=theses

Single stage cycloconverters generally incorporate hard switching at turn on and soft switching at turn off. This hard switching at turn on combined with the slow switching speeds of thyristors (the switch of choice for standard cycloconverters) limits their use to lower frequency applications. This thesis explores the analysis and design of a pulse density modulated (PDM), soft switching cycloconverter. Unlike standard cycloconverters, the controller in this converter does not adjust thyristor firing angles. It lets only complete half cycles of the input waveform through to the output. This allows and requires a much greater frequency step down from the input to the output. The advantages, shortcomings and tradeoffs of this topology are explored as this converter is designed, built and tested. The resulting cycloconverter has many deficiencies, but proves the concept of the PDM soft switching technique. Cases for further improvement and study are outlined. In the end, this converter shows much promise for applications requiring a high step down in frequency, as well as where the lower electromagnetic interference (EMI) of soft switching may be beneficial.