DC-to-AC Power Converter for Fuel Cell System

As the interface between fuel cells and the utility line, a self-commutated inverter is preferred to a line-commutated inverter because of its easy controllability. Using the gate turn off (GTO) thyristors, this inverter can have high efficiency and simple circuit configurations. This paper describes the design features and test results of the dc-to-ac power converter, which is principally composed of four-phase transistor chopper and 12-pulse GTO inverter, for a 50kW experimental fuel cell power system. Furthermore, new GTO inverter which improves the circuit efficiency is presented. Special emphasis is placed on a detailed analysis and evaluation of this GTO inverter.