The pure sine wave inverter: features and operation

Here we will discuss inverters, their characteristics, and functions. You should know that they are essential equipment in any domestic solar power system. Further down, we will talk about the pure sine wave inverter, which is the protagonist of our post.

They transform the DC energy generated by solar panels and batteries into AC energy to power household appliances such as refrigerators, TVs, and others.

To perform this transformation, there are 3 technologies that give rise to the same number of types of inverters, which are:

• Square wave inverter
• Modified sine wave inverter
• Pure sine wave inverter

We have already discussed the first two in previous posts, which you can read on our website energydcac. Let’s get started!

The Characteristics of a Pure Sine Wave Inverter

This equipment has an output waveform that is perfectly sinusoidal, just like the one provided by the outlets in your home. In this sense, it provides clean and stable energy.

As a curious fact, this waveform is called sinusoidal because it has an identical shape to the sine (Wikipedia) trigonometric function. In the following image, you can see the mentioned graph.

To achieve this, it uses highly sophisticated circuitry, and, in fact, pure sine wave inverters have the widest range of applications. The main characteristics of this equipment are as follows:

• High energy efficiency: Typically, its efficiency factor exceeds 95%, making the losses almost negligible. This allows for better utilization of the input DC energy.

• Excellent power quality: It generates a waveform identical to that provided by the conventional electrical grid, making it very suitable for powering electrically sensitive equipment.

• Incorporates additional protections: Apart from the traditional protections such as overcurrent and overvoltage protection, it also includes features like polarity reversal protection, short-circuit protection, among others.

• Generates minimal heat and harmonic distortion: This is because its high-efficiency circuitry produces very low heat losses. Additionally, its output contains a low level of harmonic signals.

However, it’s clear that these particularities are only present in high-quality equipment. For this reason, you should ensure that you purchase one from a reputable brand.

How a Pure Sine Wave Inverter Works

In simple terms, the operation of a pure sine wave inverter occurs in stages, which we describe below:

• Conversion from DC to pulsating current: This is done using a circuit containing components called diodes. This process is commonly referred to as «rectification.»
• Filtering process: In this step, spikes in the waveform and other irregularities are removed, smoothing the waveform. This is achieved by passing it through inductive-capacitive filters.
• Wave inversion: This is the final stage. For this, a special device called an inverter is used, which changes the polarity of the signal, converting it into a continuous sine wave.

In our next post, titled The pure sine wave inverter: advantages, disadvantages, and applications we will continue to explore this useful equipment.

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Image source

• wikipedia
• backend.intelbras.com
• energydcac.com