--- title: "Lost Secrets of the H-Bridge, Part I: Ripple Current in Inductive Loads" url: https://daily.dev/posts/lost-secrets-of-the-h-bridge-part-i-ripple-current-in-inductive-loads-rynfwbwyh source_url: https://www.embeddedrelated.com/showarticle/421.php type: article source: "EmbeddedRelated" published: 2026-05-31T07:48:20.256Z updated: 2026-05-31T08:56:03.650Z tags: ["python"] reading_time: 27 upvotes: 0 comments: 0 language: en --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Lost Secrets of the H-Bridge, Part I: Ripple Current in Inductive Loads **[EmbeddedRelated](https://daily.dev/sources/embeddedrelated)** · 27 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments ## Summary A deep technical dive into ripple current behavior in H-bridge circuits with inductive loads driven by PWM. The post derives closed-form formulas for peak, RMS, and harmonic content of ripple current for both edge-aligned and center-aligned PWM schemes. A key reference current I_R0 = V_DC·T/L is introduced to normalize calculations. Using Python with NumPy, SciPy, and SymPy, the author simulates and verifies the math. The central conclusion is that center-aligned PWM with common-mode duty cycle fixed at 0.5 halves ripple amplitude and doubles ripple frequency compared to edge-aligned PWM. Practical constraints like bootstrap capacitor gate drives and their effect on achievable duty cycles are also discussed. ## Full article daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: --- Tags: [#python](https://daily.dev/tags/python) [View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/lost-secrets-of-the-h-bridge-part-i-ripple-current-in-inductive-loads-rynfwbwyh)