High Power Rectifiers - AC Conversion?

[mbowen03]

TL;DR Summary

use rectifier as power supply

Hello all, I was wondering if it would be possible to remove the diodes from a high power dc rectifier and use it as an AC power supply? Is it possible to use an inverter/converter to convert dc output to ac? thanks

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PhysicsForums

What's a "high power dc rectifier"? Do you have some device in mind?

 

[mbowen03]

Welcome to PhysicsForums

What's a "high power dc rectifier"? Do you have some device in mind?

 

[Averagesupernova]

To me the question is very vague. Yes high power rectifiers can be removed from machines. After that the OP's question gets a bit difficult to understand. What's the goal? To put DC on the input and get AC on the output? Simply removing rectifiers will not accomplish this.

 

[berkeman]

@mbowen03 -- I cleaned up your photo a bit to make it more readable. It looks to be a 3-phase rectifier. Are you asking about 3-phase AC power in general, or just using a 3-phase transformer to illustrate your question?

 

[dlgoff]

This is my idea of "high Power" rectifiers.

image compliments of this site.

 

[mbowen03]

To me the question is very vague. Yes high power rectifiers can be removed from machines. After that the OP's question gets a bit difficult to understand. What's the goal? To put DC on the input and get AC on the output? Simply removing rectifiers will not accomplish this.

The goal is to leave the AC input but change the output to AC

 

[mbowen03]

@mbowen03 -- I cleaned up your photo a bit to make it more readable. It looks to be a 3-phase rectifier. Are you asking about 3-phase AC power in general, or just using a 3-phase transformer to illustrate your question?

View attachment 283321

I was wondering how difficult it would be to change the output to AC

 

[mbowen03]

@mbowen03 -- I cleaned up your photo a bit to make it more readable. It looks to be a 3-phase rectifier. Are you asking about 3-phase AC power in general, or just using a 3-phase transformer to illustrate your question?

View attachment 283321

Currently it has 480 vac 3 phase on primary side and 50 volts DC on secondary. I want to change the output to 50 vac if possible.

 

[mbowen03]

Currently it has 480 vac 3 phase on primary side and 50 volts DC on secondary. I want to change the output to 50 vac if possible.

This is the print from the rectifier I'm working on

 

[berkeman]

Currently it has 480 vac 3 phase on primary side and 50 volts DC on secondary. I want to change the output to 50 vac if possible.

Then yes, removing the diodes and any output capacitors will give you 3 separate 50Vrms outputs. I'm not sure it's a good idea to try to parallel the 3 output windings, though.** What are your output power requirements?

Also, how much have you worked with AC Mains and high voltage? There are a number of safety considerations in this project...

** EDIT/ADD -- the 3 AC output windings cannot be parallel combined. They are out of phase.

 

[mbowen03]

Then yes, removing the diodes and any output capacitors will give you 3 separate 50Vrms outputs. I'm not sure it's a good idea to try to parallel the 3 output windings, though. What are your output power requirements?

Also, how much have you worked with AC Mains and high voltage? There are a number of safety considerations in this project...

Output requirements are 50 vdc at 10,000 amps. I have extensive experience with AC mains and high voltage systems.

 

[mbowen03]

Output requirements are 50 vdc at 10,000 amps. I have extensive experience with AC mains and high voltage systems.

Whoops, sorry. Output reguirements are 50 vac with 400 amps.

 

[berkeman]

Output reguirements are 50 vac with 400 amps.

Can your application use 3 separate 50Vrms outputs with different phases?

 

[mbowen03]

I don't think so. But can I eliminate one leg of primary by pulling fuse and then use the remaining phases on the output side.