The STEVAL-ISF003V1 evaluation board allows the inrush-current which charges a DC bus capacitor to
be limited to comply with standard IEC 61000-3-3. This inrush current limitation is based on a soft-start
procedure of the mixed bridge diodes and SCRs rectifier using progressive phase control at board startup.
This solution can also drastically reduce standby losses as the DC bus can be totally disconnected from
the AC mains when it does not have to operate. DC bus deactivation is simply achieved by turning off
SCRs, without requiring an additional relay to open the circuit in standby.
The steady-state losses are also reduced, thanks to the removal of the NTC / PTC resistor traditionally
used to limit inrush current. Also in this case, no relay is required to bypass this resistor as it is no longer
used.
The STEVAL-ISF003V1 is a standalone board designed to demonstrate efficient trade-offs
regarding:
inrush-current limitation without inrush-current resistors
standby losses in line with ECO European directive.
The STEVAL-ISF003V1 board is also a development tool for designing broad inrushcurrent reduction systems (EV chargers, telecom power supply, etc.). For this purpose,
connectors are available for an external power factor corrector, an intelligent power module
(IPM), or for an external microcontroller (see Section 4.5: "Possible board variations").
See Section 5: "Schematic diagrams" for detailed schematics.
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Source
Output
Ground
Destination
Maximum output
current
VCC_AC
5 V
GND_AC is
connected to the
HVDC bus
control SCRs (T1 and T2)
200 mA
5V_DC
+5 V
referenced to the
DC bus Ground
(GND_DC)
MCU and control circuits
90 mA
15V_DC
+15 V
referenced to the
DC bus Ground
(GND_DC)
can supply an IPM to control a
three-phase motor in a final
application
500 mA (together
with 5V_DC
consumption)
VCC_INS
+5 V
insulated output
for components which must be
insulated from the mains voltage,
(e.g., sensors). Not used on the
demoboard
90 mA
The principal sections of the STEVAL-ISF003V1 board are:
1. T1 and T2 silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) in the mixed rectifier bridge.
2. The MCU, which drives SCRs through opto-transistors (see APPENDIX 6) and can
also activate any supply or motor inverter referenced to the DC bus ground (GND_DC)
in a final application.
3. The flyback power converter providing the sources in the table below.
Table 1: Power sources from flyback converter
For further information regarding the SMPS outputs, please refer to Section 6: "STEVAL-
ISF003V1 power supplies and typical consumption".
1.3 Target applications
Target applications include all those using a diode-bridge to rectify the AC line voltage,
where NTC or PTC resistor removal and loss reduction in standby are desirable, such as:
EV chargers.
Telecom power supplies.
1.4 Main part numbers
The references of the main part-numbers used in this demoboard are:
The STEVAL-ISF003V1 board is designed to operate inside following operating ranges:
RMS line voltage range:85 to 264 V
Line voltage frequency range: 45 to 65 Hz
Ambient temperature range is: 0 to 60 °C (heatsink fans keep junction temperature of
bridge components below Tj max)
Maximum input current: 32 A
3.6 kW input power on 120 V
RMS
(7.4 kW input power for operation on 230 V
RMS
).
RMS
RMS
and
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Allowed DC output capacitor (or DC bus capacitor): up to 2 mF. This value is the
equivalent of all capacitors in parallel at the bridge output, like C3 and C
at the PFC
PFC
in the figure below. If an interleaved PFC is used, all the output capacitors of each
PFC must be added.
Figure 3: Connection of a PFC at the HVDC output
1.6 Performance characteristics
Efficiency at 230 V 50 Hz 3.3 kW (with output DC resistive load @ COUT = 1mF) >
98%
Efficiency at 120 V 60 Hz 3.3 kW (with output DC resistive load @ COUT = 1mF) > 98
%
Standby losses < 300 mW (see Section 3.7: "Standby consumption")
Compliance with IEC 61000-3-3 (with MAX_INRUSH CURRENT potentiometer set to
default position, see Section 7: "Inrush-current limitation")
Compliance with EN55014 (CIPSPR 22 method B, see Section 11: "EN55014 test
results")
IEC 61000-4-4: 2 kV criteria A, SCR1 and SCR2 withstands a level of 5 kV without
triggering. This avoids undesired triggering and uncontrolled inrush current in case of
EMI noise.
IEC 61000-4-5: 4 kV
IEC61000-4-11: criteria A for dips down to 100% of the line voltage during 1 cycle;
criteria B for interrupts up to 300 cycles or more (see Section 8: "Mains voltage dips
and interruptions").
The figure below shows an example of the progressive DC capacitor charge which is
ensured by SCR1 and SCR2. The test is performed at start-up when the STEVALISF003V1 board is connected to a 230 V, 50 Hz grid (VAC), while the output DC capacitor is
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completely uncharged (its initial voltage is null). The output DC capacitor connected to the
demonstration board is 1 mF.
The output capacitor is charged over 900 ms while the input RMS current (2.8 A) remains
far below the 16.1 A (IAC). The input RMS current easily complies with the IEC 61000-3-3
standard.
Figure 4: Inrush current at STEVAL-ISF003V1 start-up on 230 V line (1 mF output DC
capacitor)
1.7 Standby consumption
Mixed SCR/Diode rectifier bridges prevent undesirable standby losses through full bridge
disconnection by simply turning off the SCRs; this would otherwise require a front-end
relay, like S2 in the figure below, to achieve.
Figure 5: Solution using relays to limit the inrush current and standby losses
To appreciate the benefits of bridge disconnection, we measured the typical losses of the
STEVAL-ISF003V1 board in standby mode for the following cases:
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case
SCR
status
PTC
status
circuits
power consumption (mW)
Power
LED
HVDC
LED
HV capacitor
discharge
circuit
VAC=230
V
RMS,
C
HVout
=2 mF
VAC=120
V
RMS,
C
HVout
=2 mF
1
OFF
OFF
connected
270
200
2
OFF
OFF
disconnected
200
140
3
OFF
ON
disconnected
500
200
1. STEVAL-ISF003V1 board (without modifications) with SCRs in the OFF state (SW2
HVDC switch in OFF position) and the J1 bypass mode jumper is unplugged (PTC not
connected).
2. Same as 1, but the following circuits used for demonstration purposes and which
consume undesired power in standby are disconnected:
HV Capacitor Discharge circuit: R5 and R6 are disconnected from the DC bus
D6 HVDC LED: D1 is disconnected from the DC bus
D14 POWER_ON LED: R44 is disconnected
3. Same as 2, but the J1 bypass jumper is plugged (PTC connected) to simulate the
losses for a conventional solution using only one PTC (EPCOS B59107J0130A020).
Table 2: "Comparison of standby losses" gives the experimental results for the above
cases with 230 and 120 V line voltages and a 2-mF HV output capacitor connected to the
demonstration board. The test results clearly show that the mixed SCR/Diode bridge
rectifier is the only solution with power consumption lower than 0.5 W, as currently required
by European directive 2005/32/EC.
The losses on this demonstration board are mainly due to:
resistors R54, R55 and R56 to discharge the HV output capacitor
resistors R7 and R9 and the current source to control HVDC LED indicating HVDC
voltage
resistors R6 and R9 to accelerate the HV output capacitor discharge time connected
to the demonstration board output
the other R24, R25 and R28 resistor divider circuit to sense the HVDC voltage
The HVDC voltage is monitored to ensure proper soft-start operation and avoid the DC
capacitor charging too long (e.g., a load is kept connected to the DC bus before start-up).
In standard circuits, such a voltage sensor is often required (e.g., to start the PFC or the
DC/DC supplies).
The losses for a 230 V rectified voltage are:
140 mW for the discharge circuit
500 mW for the HVDC LED circuit
180 mW for the acceleration circuit to discharge the HV output capacitor connected to
the demonstration board output
52 mW for the HVDC sense.
Table 2: Comparison of standby losses
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The high voltage levels used to operate the STEVAL-IHT008V1 evaluation board
may present a serious electrical shock hazard. This evaluation board must be
used in a suitable laboratory and only by qualified personnel who are familiar with
the installation, use, and maintenance of power electrical systems. The STEVALISF003V1 evaluation board is designed for demonstration purposes only and
must not be used for either domestic installation or industrial installation.
2 Getting started
2.1 Safety instructions
2.2 Board connection and start-up
To reduce inrush current by operating the board with the PTC, plug jumper J1 as indicated
by the silk-screen and in the following figure.
Figure 6: J1 jumper plugged on board (bypass mode)
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To control the inrush current with SCRs, do not plug the J1 jumper.
Figure 7: J1 jumper position left free (phase control mode)
Connect L, N and PE (if required) on the respective J3, J6 and J7 headers to an unpowered mains plug.
Figure 8: AC line connections
Switch on the mains voltage; from this moment, do not make any contact with live parts
under line voltage.
The Power_ON LED lights red to indicate the demoboard is powered. The ICL-STATUS
LED first lights red, then orange, then green and finally turns off to indicate the board is
operational. This occurs each time the board is connected to the AC line and the C39
capacitor (5V_DC) is discharged.
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When J1 jumper is unplugged, DC capacitor charging can be accelerated if the
allowed peak current is increased by rotating the MAX-INRUSH CURRENT
potentiometer knob clockwise.
Toggle the HVDC switch ON to start charging the DC capacitors.
Figure 9: HVDC switch
2.3 DC bus capacitor discharge for demonstration purposes
With default STEVAL-ISF003V1 output 47 nF capacitor (C3) and associated 470 kΩ
resistors (R54, 55, and R56) used in parallel to discharge the C3 capacitor, the DC bus
discharging time is a few milliseconds, if no load is connected.
For larger C3 capacitors, a circuit with MOSFET Q2 and resistor R5 is implemented to
accelerate this discharging time, especially when several start-ups are required over a
short interval for test or demonstration purposes. Q2 remains on while the SW1 SPDT
toggle switch (marked HV CAPACITOR DISCHARGE on the PCB) is set to the momentary
ON position.
For a 2-mF C3 capacitor, the full discharge time is around 15 seconds. In this case, the
SW1 switch must be kept at the momentary ON position for these 15 seconds, at least.
The D6 LED (marked HVDC on the PCB) remains lit while the HVDC voltage remains
above 50 V; as soon as this LED turns off, switch SW1 can be released and a new start-up
can begin.
2.4 LED indications
Several status LEDs on the board provide useful information.
ICL-STATUS (LED D1):
On board plug-in, the LED lights red, then orange, then green and finally then off
to indicate that the microcontroller has finished the start-up procedure (correct
mains connection, line frequency measurement, power supply available, etc.) and
the board is ready. The DC output capacitor can now be charged when the
HVDC switch (SW6) is toggled ON.
Green flashing: the DC bus capacitors are charging (flashing starts when the
HVDC switch is toggled ON and ends when the DC bus capacitors are fully
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If the EMI filter capacitor (C4 to C9) values are increased, R10 and R12 values
may be decreased to ensure that the capacitors still discharge down to a safe
voltage (120 V for DC voltage) in less than one or two seconds. Indeed, the EMI
filter capacitor voltage is applied to the power plug when the board is unplugged
and, if the power terminals have accessible live parts, you may be vulnerable to
electric shock.
charged). This flashing mode can last less than one second and may therefore
not be perceived.
Green: DC bus is charged to the right voltage.
Orange flashing: the DC bus capacitors are charging, but the rate of increase of
the output DC voltage is too low. This may occur when a load connected to the
HVDC bus sinks too much current for the DC capacitor to charge efficiently.
Orange: the LED stops flashing and remains lit orange if the output DC capacitor
is not charged to the peak line voltage. This may occur if the bridge is started but
a power load is already connected to the HVDC bus and sinks too much current
for the DC capacitor to fully charge.
Red flashing: the MCU detected an error (e.g., line voltage outside 85 to 264 V
operating range or line frequency outside 45 to 65 Hz operating range).
HVDC (LED6): lights red when the voltage between HVDC and GND_DC terminals is
higher than 50 V (see Section 4.3: "DC bus capacitor discharge for demonstration
purposes").
POWER_ON (LED14): lights when the AC line is plugged to the AC line.
2.5 Possible board variations
The STEVAL-ISF003V1 board allows some external components to be added to the frontend circuit so designers can evaluate entire systems.
2.5.1 EMI filter and DC bus capacitor alteration
The EMI filter and DC capacitors are simple through-hole devices so they are easy to
change. This allows a designer to adapt the EMI filter and HVDC voltage ripple to specific
application requirements (e.g., the power rating).
However, if these components are modified, the SCR control law must be updated to
maintain IEC 61000-3-3 compliance. This can be done by adjusting the maximum peak
current during start-up with the MAX-INRUSH CURRENT potentiometer. When this
potentiometer is turned clockwise, the SCRs are turned on sooner (according to the AC line
polarity) at each half-cycle, leading to a higher peak current.
Maximum RMS current or voltage fluctuation (if a normalized line impedance is used) must
then be measured according to the potentiometer position to check IEC 61000-3-3
compliance.
2.5.2 Power factor circuit connection
A PFC can be connected on the HVDC bus via the HVDC (J2) and GND_DC connections
(J8). Capacitor C3 must be unsoldered by using a 630 V DC film capacitor if needed.
As SCRs are alternately controlled by a DC gate current (according to AC line polarity),
when the HVDC voltage reaches its steady-state value, either a discontinuous mode or a
continuous mode PFC can be used.
For proper STEVAL-ISF003V1 front-end circuit operation, the PFC must be activated after
the PFC_START signal is set to a low level (see Figure 10: "PFC activation permission
(PFC_Start signal) when the HV output capacitor is charged", indicating that the PFC HV
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Connector J13 gives the rectifier AC line voltage and can be used to by an
external PFC to shape the input current waveform.
output capacitor is charged. This signal is referenced to GND_DC terminal and is available
from the J16 header.
The PFC_START signal is an open drain output that must be compatible with the digital rail
used by an external system. The PFC DC storage capacitor (C
in Figure 3: "Connection
PFC
of a PFC at the HVDC output") must be inside the range specified in Section 3.5:
"Operating range ".
Figure 10: PFC activation permission (PFC_Start signal) when the HV output capacitor is
charged
2.5.3 Motor inverter connection
An inverter or any other DC/DC power converter can be added after the PFC or directly
behind the HVDC bus output.
A 15 V positive output referenced to the DC Bus Ground (GND_DC) is available on header
J11 to supply an IPM module if needed. The maximum current sunk from this supply must
be well below the limit in .
2.5.4 Control with an external microcontroller
You can control the STEVAL-ISF003V1 front-end circuit with an external MCU instead of
the embedded STM8S003F3 MCU to directly check the compliance of your own firmware
with this kind of circuit.
All the control signals required to drive the SCRs are available on the J16 header.
EC_SCR1 and EC_SCR2 are the connections to externally drive SCR1 and SCR2,
respectively. GND_DC of the DC bus ground and the ZVS_ext signal (to synchronize the
control signals of the external MCU) are also available on this header.
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the input HVDC_EXT signal is 3.3V/5V compatible.
For correct operation with external signals, Jumpers J9 and J10 (marked as
INT/EXT_CONTROL on the PCB) must be removed to disconnect the opto-Transistor input
LEDs from the U7 microcontroller outputs (see SCRs gate ctrl section in Section 5:
"Schematic diagrams").
It is also possible to control the STEVAL-ISF003V1 front-end circuit with an external MCU
by using the embedded STM8S003F3. In this case, the inrush current limitation is
managed by the embedded STM8S003F3 MCU. The control signal required to start the
inrush current limitation is available on J16 header (HVDC_EXT).
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3 Schematic diagrams
Figure 11: STEVAL-IFS003V1 power and insulated control schematic
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Figure 12: STEVAL-ISF003V1 control circuit schematic
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Figure 13: STEVAL-ISF003V1 flyback SMPS schematic
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Operating mode
Current sunk from
5V_DC (mA)
MCU in standby mode (SCRs off)
Power_ON LED connected
2.9
Power_ON LED not connected
0.7
MCU in standby mode (SCRs on)
Power_ON LED connected
27.6
Power_ON LED not connected
25.4
A +12 V supply is implemented to supply the fan to control the SCR/diode rectifier
bridge temperature; it is regulated through the L78M12 device from the 15V_DC
positive supply.
4 STEVAL-ISF003V1 power supplies and typical
consumption
The table below gives the typical current consumed from the 5V_DC output for the different
STEVAL-IFS003V1 operating modes.
Table 1: "Power sources from flyback converter" lists the following flyback output supplies:
a non-regulated 5 V VCC_AC supply for SCR control
+15 V and +5 V supplies (15V_DC and 5V_DC outputs) supply circuits referenced to
the DC bus Ground (MCU, IPM if added)
a +5 V insulated supply (VCC_INS/GND_INS) for sensors if needed, this output is not
implemented by default
Only the +15 V output is regulated by the VIPer26LD circuit, as this supply is always
loaded when the other outputs are loaded. The two +5 V supplies (5V_DC, VCC_INS) are
also regulated thanks to two LM2931 positive voltage regulators.
The VCC_AC level is not regulated: its voltage level will be higher if it is not loaded and if
the +15 V supply is loaded with its maximum current.
The current capabilities of the different outputs are (for the whole operating range):
For 5V_DC: 90 mA
For VCC_AC (non-regulated 5 V negative output): 200 mA
For 15V_DC: 500 mA (with 5V_DC consumption included)
For VCC_INS (optional 5 V regulated output): 90 mA
The two figures below give the typical output voltage according to the current sunk from
each output. The measurements were taken with the STEVAL-ISF003V1 connected to 230
V and 120 V lines for the whole temperature operating range (0 to 60 °C). The 15 V_DC,
and the 5 V outputs (5V_DC and VCC_INS) are well regulated by the VIPer26LD and
LM2931 devices, respectively.
For the VCC_AC, four curves provide the minimum and maximum values of this output
when the MCU and fan are ON and OFF, respectively. For these two cases, the minimum
voltage is reached when no current is sunk from the 15V_DC, and the maximum voltage is
reached when a 500 mA maximum current is sunk from the 15V_DC.
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Figure 14: Typical output characteristics of the 5 V and 15 V positive supplies
(5V_DC/15V_DC)
Figure 15: Typical output characteristics of the 5 V positive supply (VCC_AC)
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d
max
(%)
δU (V)
δI
input
(A)
3.3
7.6
16.1
4
9.2
19.5
6
13.8
29.3
7
16.1
341
5 Inrush-current limitation
5.1 IEC 61000-3-3 overview
The IEC 61000-3-3 standard gives the limitation of voltage changes and fluctuations for
equipment with rated RMS current lower than 16 A connected to a public low-voltage grid.
These voltages fluctuations are caused by the equipment when the current sunk from the
grid is too high, resulting in a voltage drop due to the line impedance.
The mains voltage fluctuation causes undesired brightness variation in lamps and displays,
known as “flicker”. This is why designers must keep the inrush current sunk by their
equipment down to specific limits.
The following equation explains the link between the line current variation δI
(due to the
input
equipment operation) and the relative mains voltage variation (δU) which must drop to a
maximum allowed value (d
Where Z
is the normalized line impedance (0.6 Ω with 796 µH in series for a single-phase
ref
, given in %).
max
grid) and U is the nominal RMS line voltage
The d
level shall not exceed 4 %. A 6% or 7% limit is also allowed according to the way
max
the equipment is switched (manually or automatically, delayed or not, etc.) or for specific
appliances.
A δU variation exceeding 3.3 % during a single voltage change should not last more than
500 ms.
The table below gives the associated maximum input current variation related to these
different d
levels. To simplify the analysis, we can say that an appliance fulfils the IEC
max
61000-3-3 limit at start-up if its RMS current remains below 16.1 A. The relative variation is
then lower than 3.3% and so the compliance is ensured even if the start-up lasts more than
500 ms. This is clearly a restricted case for simplification purposes; higher current
variations may also allow compliance with this standard.
Table 4: Maximum input RMS current variation for 230 V single-phase grid according to IEC
61000-3-3
5.2 STEVAL-ISF003V1 compliance with the IEC 61000-3-3 limit
One of the most common solutions to limit inrush current involves adding a resistor (like
R
in Figure 5: "Solution using relays to limit the inrush current and standby losses") in
LIM
series with the DC capacitor (C in the same figure). This resistor must then be bypassed to
limit power losses during steady-state operation, usually with a relay or a Triac (S1). To
disconnect the DC bus during standby mode, a second switch (S2) is required.
To avoid using an R
resistor, a different start-up procedure can be implemented. With
LIM
the mixed SCR/diode rectifier bridge, the capacitor can be smoothly charged with
progressive phase control. The bridge does not conduct any current and the DC bus
capacitor is not charged while the SCRs are not triggered. To start charging the DC
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capacitor, SCR1 and SCR2 must be turned on according to the AC line voltage polarity
(SCR1 is turned on when the AC line polarity is positive and SCR2 is turned on when the
AC line polarity is negative). To reduce the inrush current, SCR are alternately first
triggered at the end of the line voltage cycle, just few hundred microseconds before the line
zero voltage. This allows the output capacitor (C in Figure 5: "Solution using relays to limit
the inrush current and standby losses") to be charged to a low level (around 10 to 30 V)
and not directly to the peak line voltage. The current driven from the line is therefore much
lower than for direct full-charging of the DC capacitor.
This soft-start solution can only work with an inductor on the line side as the rate of current
increase must also be limited to avoid SCR damage. Such an inductor is already present
for most applications, whereby the EMI filter usually embeds a common-mode choke which
has a differential-mode parasitic inductor due to the copper turns of the windings. In our
STEVAL-ISF003V1, the EMI filter involves C6-C7 X2 capacitors, C4-C8-C5-C9 Y2
capacitors, and an L1 common-mode inductor. This inductor features a 0.9 mH value in
common-mode but also a 3 µH inductor in differential mode.
To completely charge this capacitor to the peak line voltage, the SCRs must be triggered
on the following cycle with a shorter turn-on delay than the first one used to start charging
(see Figure 16: "HV capacitor charging controlled"). Thus by reducing SCR turn-on delay
by a few ten or hundred microseconds from half-cycle to half-cycle, the output capacitor is
progressively charged while the line current is kept low. In STEVAL-ISF003V1 MCU
firmware, the step of SCR turn-on delay reduction is constant from one half-cycle to the
next. This step is called Step_Phase_Control_µs in the firmware. It is set by the
Max_Inrush_Current_Order routine which reads the voltage set by the MAX_INRUSH
CURRENT potentiometer.
The SCRs are turned on typically 100 µs after the VAC zero voltage. This value is defined
by SCRs_ON_Delay_us in the firmware.
Figure 16: HV capacitor charging controlled
When the SCR turn-on delay is lower than 3 ms, the SCR gate pulse is directly set to a
continuous DC pulse according to the AC line polarity (SCR1 is set to a continuous DC
pulse when the AC line polarity is positive and SCR2 is set to a continuous DC pulse when
the AC line polarity is negative). Indeed, below an approximate 5 ms or 4.2 ms delay (for
50 and 60 Hz line frequency, respectively), the output DC capacitor is fully charged, so it is
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The electrical parameters in the figure below are defined in Figure 3: "Connection
of a PFC at the HVDC output" (arrow head gives the hot-point of the voltage). As
no PFC is used, VDC is actually the voltage across the 1mF capacitor connected
to the HVDC output.
not necessary to ensure a soft-start for turn-on delays much lower than a fourth cycle. In
the firmware, a minimum value of 3 ms is defined by the Phase_Control_ON_Max_µs,
which sets the maximum ON time of SCRs (7 ms, refer to directive definitions in the
firmware).
The figure below (and Figure 4: "Inrush current at STEVAL-ISF003V1 start-up on 230 V
line (1 mF output DC capacitor)") shows an example of such progressive DC capacitor
charging. The test is performed at start-up when the STEVAL-ISF003V1 board is
connected to a 230 V 50 Hz grid, while the output DC capacitor is fully uncharged (i.e., its
initial voltage is null), with a 1mF output DC capacitor connected.
Figure 17: SCR current zoom for the highest peak current during start-up
With the MCU firmware as the default program:
First SCR turn-on is set to 150 µs before next line zero voltage, as the first gate
current pulse lasts 50 µs. This allows the gate current to be removed 100 µs before
next half cycle. This value is set by SCRs_OFF_Delay_us in the firmware. This 100
µs time margin takes into-account the ZVS signal delay (which could equal up to 50
µs, see Section 9: "AC voltage monitoring and zero-voltage synchronisation") and the
delay required to un-saturate transistor Q3 or Q5 which drives the SCR1 and SCR2
(50 µs), respectively. Total delay time equals 150 µs, called
ICL_TRIAC_OFF_Delay_µs in the firmware.
SCR turn-on then progressively occurs 50 µs sooner when the MAX_INRUSH
CURRENT potentiometer is set to the DEFAULT position. This minimum step value is
defined in the directive section of the firmware (refer to Step_Phase_Control_Min).
The DEFAULT position corresponds to the slower output DC capacitor charge, thus
the shortest Step_Phase_Control_µs value. When the MAX_INRUSH CURRENT
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potentiometer is turned clockwise from point 1, the Step_Phase_Control increases
roughly linearly from around 50 µs (position 1) to 600 µs (position 6).
When the SCR Triac turn-on delay is lower than 3 ms, SCR1 and SCR2 are triggered
by a DC gate current according to the AC line voltage polarity.
The figure above (and Figure 4: "Inrush current at STEVAL-ISF003V1 start-up on 230 V
line (1 mF output DC capacitor)") shows a maximum inrush peak current around 22 A. The
RMS current is thus far below the 16.1 A limit. This means that the relative variation is
below 3.3% and so checking the duration of the accumulated time of deviation exceeding
3.3 % is not required. The output capacitor is charged in 900 ms and compliance with the
IEC 61000-3-3 standard is fulfilled.
The peak current during output capacitor charging is not constant; indeed, only the step
reduction of the SCR turn-on delay is constant. Hence, according to the time this SCR
turns on, the peak current can vary slightly from one period to another.
Note that we have limited the inrush peak current to below 22 A, but the IEC 61000-3-3
limit applies to the RMS current. As the SCRs conduct a few hundred microseconds at
each half-cycle, the RMS current is much lower than the peak value. The figure below
shows the Triac current for the highest peak current event measured in Section 7.2:
"STEVAL-ISF003V1 compliance with the IEC 61000-3-3 limit". The Triac conduction lasts
700 µs; its RMS current equals then 2.8 A, which is much lower than the measured 22 A
peak current. The output DC voltage increases by 12 V during this single Triac conduction.
Figure 18: Triac current for the highest peak current during start-up
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These tests results only apply to the inrush-current limitation function (SCR
control).
6 Mains voltage dips and interruptions
The IEC 61000-4-11 standard defines the tests to evaluate equipment immunity to a
voltage dip or interrupt and is referenced by other standards. Product standards like
EN55014-2 for appliances or EN 55024 for IT equipment sold on the European open
market list tests to be performed according to IEC 61000-4-11 standard and expected
results. The general electromagnetic standard is applied according to the use environment
(e.g., residential or industrial environment for example) for products not listed in a specific
standard.
As any appliance connected to the mains can suffer line voltage dips or interruptions, high
input currents may occur when line voltages suddenly return to their nominal values for
rectifier circuits charging DC capacitors. This high current may damage front-end
components like bridge diodes, AC fuses, etc.
Table 5 Dip and interruption tests and STEVAL-ISF003V1 performance gives the different
requirements in terms of line voltage dips and interruptions for the different electromagnetic
immunity standards, and corresponding test results.
The worst cases to take into account are:
Voltage dips: 1 cycle with a 0% residual voltage, and 50 cycles with a 70% residual
voltage
Voltage interruptions: 0% residual voltage during 250 or 300 cycles respectively for 50
and 60 Hz line frequency.
Criteria B is requested for the 0% voltage test during 1 cycle, while the other tests only
require only criteria C.
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Standard
Application
Test type
%
residual
voltage
Number of
cycles
Required
criteria by
standard
STEVALISF003V1
result
IEC 61000-6-1
Residential,
commercial and
light-industrial
environments
Dips
0
0.5 B A
0 1 B A 70
25
(1)
/30
(2)
C
A
Interruptions
0
250
(1)
/300
(2)
C
A
IEC 61000-2-1
industrial
environments
Dips
0 1 B
A
40
10
(1)
/12
(2)
C
B
70
25
(1)
/30
(2)
C
A
Interruptions
0
250
(1)
/300
(2)
C
B
EN 55024
information
technology
equipment
Dips
less than 5
0.5 B A
70
25 C A
Interruptions
less than 5
250 C B
EN 55014-2
Appliances,
electric tools, etc.
Dips
0
0.5 C A
40
10 C B
70
50 C A
Notes:
(1)
50 Hz line frequency
(2)
60 Hz line frequency
Table 5: Dip and interruption tests and STEVAL-ISF003V1 performance
The STEVAL-ISF003V1 board MCU firmware is programmed to comply with these different
tests thus:
If the line voltage remains higher than 70% of the reference voltage (measured at
board start-up), no change applies to the SCR (T1 and T2) sequence.
If the line voltage falls below 70% of the reference voltage during at least 1.5 cycles,
SCRs (T1 and T2) are switched off. The DC bus voltage is discharged by its load
current. When the line voltage is reapplied, the SCRs are controlled back in soft-start
to ensure recharging current limitation. Clearly, SCR restart only occurs if the HVDC
ON SPST switch (SW2) is kept at the ON position. Note that the 1.5 cycle duration to
detect voltage dip that lasts too long is given by the parameter Nb_Peak_VAC_Dips,
which is set to three by default (three times the measured low peak AC voltage). The
ratio of voltage decrease from which an undervoltage is taken into account is set by
the parameter VAC_Variation_Dips in the firmware (the default value is 0.3 for
30% maximum mains voltage reduction).
The same table also provides the test results of the STEVAL-ISF003V1 inrush-currentlimitation function (i.e., SCR control). Criteria A is ensured for all dips, even with a 0%
residual line voltage, shorter than 1 cycle. Criteria B is ensured for longer interruptions,
including 300 cycles or more. The STEVAL-ISF003V1 board performance therefore
comfortably exceeds international standard requirements.
The following figures illustrate board behavior at 230 V with a 1000 W DC resistive load, for
two different voltage dips with a 0% residual voltage applied over 20 ms (Figure 19: "Board
operation during 1-cycle line interruption") and 40 ms (Figure 20: "Board operation during
2-cycle line interruption").
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In the former, the SCRs are kept ON during the line interrupt. When the voltage is
reapplied, the peak current is only 30 A as the DC voltage only decreased by 60 V during
the lack of AC voltage. Only the SCR1 control is defined in this waveform.
Figure 19: Board operation during 1-cycle line interruption
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In the latter, as the interrupt lasts more than 30 ms, the SCRs are retriggered when the AC
voltage is reapplied. To avoid an excessive inrush current due to a long interrupt, the SCRs
are controlled in a soft-start procedure like for any system start-up. The DC capacitor
therefore starts being recharged when the SCR gate current is applied while the AC
voltage is higher than the C voltage. In the figure below, this point occurs around 45 ms
after the line voltage is reapplied. The peak current is therefore only 27 A, which is only
around 1.5 times the nominal current and well below any component damage levels.
Figure 20: Board operation during 2-cycle line interruption
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AC voltage monitoring and zero-voltage
synchronization
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7 AC voltage monitoring and zero-voltage
synchronization
7.1 Zero voltage and AC line voltage sensor circuits
The AC line voltage (VAC) must be measured to detect the RMS AC line voltage level and
to manage the AC line dips (as described in Section 8: "Mains voltage dips and
interruptions"). As the MCU is connected after the diode bridge, a differential measurement
must be performed to measure the AC line voltage (VAC). The VAC measurement is based
on the line voltage (VL) and the neutral voltage (VN) measurement (VAC = VL - VN).
The resistor divider bridge in the following figure id used to sense VL and VN.
Figure 21: AC line voltage measurement principle
Given VL and VN images, the MCU is able to deduce VAC from Equation 1, where V
the image of the AC line voltage and K is the proportional coefficient between V
V
defined by the resistors divider bridge.
AC_IM
AC
and
Equation 1
Equation 2 shows how to calculate resistance RD from chosen resistance RU, where
V
AC_RMS_Max
and V
is the maximum RMS AC line voltage which can be applied in the application
AC_IM_Max
is the maximum AC line voltage image voltage applied at the MCU ADC
input.
Equation 2
Equation 3 gives the proportional coefficient between V
AC
and V
AC_IM
Equation 3
AC_IM
is
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A 470 pf capacitor is added in parallel with resistors R35 and R40.
For example, with RU = 2 MΩ, V
AC_RMS_Max
= 264 V, and V
resistor and K values should be used (a 1% resistor tolerance is recommended):
RU = 2 MΩ
RD = 21.5 kΩ
K=94.025
The actual resistor bridge values in the ICL board schematic are:
The SCR phase-control needs to be synchronized with the AC line voltage. The zero AC
line voltage crossing detection uses the AC line voltage measurement. Indeed, the zero AC
line voltage occurs when the line voltage (VL) and the neutral voltage (VN) are equal. In this
case, a comparator (U3) connected to the pin 10 of the MCU, compares voltages V
V
. As soon as V
N_IM
as shown below. This figure shows that the typical delay between the ZVS signal and the
real VAC zero is 36 µs for a 230 V 50 Hz grid voltage.
is lower than V
L_IM
, the output comparator switches to the low level,
N_IM
AC_IM_Max
= 4 V, the following
L_IM
and
Figure 22: Zero AC line voltage crossing detection
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8 SCR switch insulated control
The VIPer26LD Flyback provides a DC output voltage to control SCR1 (T1) and SCR2
(T2). The GND terminal (GND_AC) of this output is connected to the HVDC. The high
terminal of this output is called VCC_AC.
A positive supply is required to source the current to the SCR gates.
As the MCU is not on the same ground reference as the SCRs, optocouplers are needed to
control them. To control T1 SCR switch, optocoupler (U1) associated with a PNP transistor
(Q3) is used as per Figure 23: "SCR switch insulated control".
Moreover, to improve the circuit control immunity:
An RC filter is connected between the base and the emitter of the PNP transistors
(RF1 = 1 kΩ and CF1 = 10nF).
A capacitor associated with resistors RF3 and RF4 is used to improve optocoupler U1
immunity.
Figure 23: SCR switch insulated control
The gate resistor (Rg) to limit the given the SCR gate current (IGT) can be defined
according to Equation 4, where VCC_AC is the power supply to provide the gate current to
the SCRs, VCE_SAT
is the transistor collector-emitter of the PNP transistor, VGK is the
PNP
SCR gate triggering voltage and RGK is the gate cathode resistor used to improve SCR
immunity.
Equation 4
Collector resistors RF2 and RF3 of the optocoupler are given by Equation 5, where RF1 is
the PNP transistor resistor filter, VCC_AC is the power supply to provide the gate current to
the AC switch, VCE_SAT
PNP transistor gain and VBE_SAT
is the transistor collector-emitter of the optocoupler, β is the
Opto
is the PNP transistor base-emitter.
PNP
Equation 5
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Given optocoupler CTR and resistors RF1 and RF2, the LED resistor (RL) of the optocoupler
is defined by Equation 6, where VCC_AC is the power supply to provide the gate current to
the AC switch, VCE_SAT
VBE_SAT
is the PNP transistor base-emitter and VOH_Min_MCU is the output MCU
PNP
is the transistor collector-emitter of the optocoupler,
Opto
voltage to drive the optocoupler.
Equation 6
With the LTV-817 optocoupler and the 2N2907 PNP transistor, the resistors should be:
This demonstration board provides an innovative front-end circuit providing inrush-current
limitation and power loss reduction. The board is much more than the demonstration of the
efficiency and the robustness of STMicroelectronics solution, this front-end circuit can be
used as a starting element to build a whole system and accelerate the time-to-market of
new application designs.
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Revision history
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Date
Version
Changes
28-Jun-2016
1
Initial release.
14 Revision history
Table 6: Document revision history
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