A new single-phase to three-phase cycloconverter for low cost AC motor drives

This paper presents a new single-phase to three-phase cycloconverter suitable for driving an induction motor. Using discrete variable frequency technique, a single-phase to three-phase modulation strategy is proposed, the output frequency of this cycloconvertor can be up to half of the input frequency. Only six naturally communicated thyristors are employed, so the resulting cycloconverter-motor drive system is cheap and compact. Software in C and assembly language has been written for real-time control. The simulation based on Matlab/Simulink is used to predict the performance for the cycloconverter and induction motor.