Power factor correction in a single phase AC to DC converter

Abstract

Electronic equipments recently in use ( PCs, TVs, and Telecommunication Equipments etc.) require power conditioning of some form, typically rectification, for their proper working. But since they have non-linear input characteristics and they are connected the electricity distribution network they produce a non-sinusoidal line current. Current of frequency components which are multiples of the natural frequency are produced that are otherwise called the line harmonics. With constantly increasing demand of these kind of equipments at a high rate, line current harmonics have become a significant problem. There has been an introduction of a lot of international standards which pose limitations on the harmonic content in the line currents of equipments connected to electricity distribution networks. This calls for measures to reduce the line current harmonics which is also otherwise known as Power Factor Correction - PFC.

There exist two kinds of power factor correction techniques – passive power factor correction and active power factor correction. In this thesis we tried to devise an active power factor correction method for improvement of the power factor. In this work the advantages of a boost converter is combined with that of the average current mode control to implement the technique. UC3854 was used to design the power factor corrector. This integrated circuit had all the circuits necessary to control a power factor corrector and was designed to implement the average current mode control.