Inverter facts for kids
An inverter is an electric apparatus that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). It is not the same thing as an alternator, which converts mechanical energy (e.g. movement) into alternating current.
Direct current is created by devices such as batteries and solar panels. When connected, an inverter allows these devices to provide electric power for small household devices. The inverter does this through a complex process of electrical adjustment. From this process, AC electric power is produced. This form of electricity can be used to power an electric light, a microwave oven, or some other electric machine.
An inverter usually also increases the voltage. In order to increase the voltage, the current must be decreased, so an inverter will use a lot of current on the DC side when only a small amount is being used on the AC side.
Inverters are made in many different sizes. They can be as small as 150 watts, or as large as 1 megawatt (1 million watts).
Types
- Sine wave inverters produce good-quality AC power. They are expensive.
- A modified sine wave inverter produces a lower quality of AC power, with strong power system harmonics but is cheaper. Various modulation strategies are used in cascaded multilevel inverters to reduce the harmonic contents.
Images for kids
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Overview of solar-plant inverters
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Waveform produced by a cigarette lighter 12 volt DC to 120 V AC 60 Hz inverter
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Inverter designed to provide 115 V AC from the 12 V DC source provided in an automobile. The unit shown provides up to 1.2 amperes of alternating current, or enough to power two 60 W light bulbs.
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Internal view of a solar inverter. Note the many large capacitors (blue cylinders), used to store energy briefly and improve the output waveform.
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Top: Simple inverter circuit shown with an electromechanical switch and automatic equivalent auto-switching device implemented with two transistors and split winding auto-transformer in place of the mechanical switch.
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Square waveform with fundamental sine wave component, 3rd harmonic and 5th harmonic
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H bridge inverter circuit with transistor switches and antiparallel diodes
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Three-phase inverter with wye connected load
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3-phase inverter switching circuit showing 6-step switching sequence and waveform of voltage between terminals A and C (23 − 2 states)
See also
In Spanish: Inversor (electrónica) para niños
