Three-Phase Current-Injection Rectifiers: Competitive Topologies for Power Factor Correction

Three-phase current-injection rectifiers have been recently ranked among the most attractive AC-to-DC energy conversion topologies required in medium- and high-power applications. Their increasing popularity is mainly due to their structural and control simplicity and their high performance in terms of input power factor, current distortion, energy efficiency, and dc voltage regulation. They are actually considered solid competitors of six-switch rectifiers and the three-phase/switch/level (Vienna) topologies in applications where bidirectional power flow is not requested. The main benefit of the current-injection rectifier remains in the reduced number of high- frequency power semiconductors [two high- frequency insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and three fast diodes, compared to six high-frequency IGBTs and six fast diodes for the six-switch rectifier, and three high-frequency IGBTs and 18 fast diodes for the three-phase/switch/level rectifier], making it more efficient and reliable.