The Islamia University of Bahawalpur University College of Engineering & Technology

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EEN-324 Power Electronics

Thyristor Devices Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCR)

Engr. Affifa Adeeb

Power Semiconductor Switches

Power Diodes Power Transistors Thyristors 2 layer device 3 layer Device 4 layer Device

 

Thyristor devices can convert and control large amounts of power in AC or DC systems while using very low power for control.

Thyristor family includes 1- Silicon controlled switch (SCR) 2 Gate-turnoff thyristor (GTO) 3- Triac 4- Diac 5- Silicon controlled switch (SCS) 6- Mos-controlled switch (MCT) 2

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NTRODUCTION

  SCR is most popular of thyristor family due to its

Fast switching action

,

small size ratings.

and

high voltage and current

It is commonly used in power electronic applications.

 SCR has 3 terminals (gate provides control)  SCR is turned on by applying +ve gate signal when anode is +ve with repect to cathode.

 SCR is turned off by interrupting anode current. PNPN structure Symbol

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T WO T RANSISTOR M ODEL O F SCR



Gate requires small positive pulse for short duration to turn SCR on. Once the device is on, the gate signal serves no useful purpose and can be removed.

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SCR C HARACTERISTIC C URVE

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I DEAL C HARACTERISTIC O F SCR

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SCR R

ATINGS

(a) SCR Current Ratings 1- Maximum Repetitive RMS current Rating    Average on-state current is the maximum average current value that can be carried by the SCR in its on state.

RMS value of nonsinusoidal waveform is simplified by approximating it by rectangular waveform.

This approximation give higher RMS value, but leaves slight safety factor.

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 Average value of pulse is  Form factor is

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   Knowing the form factor for given waveform, RMS current can be obtained from

I

RMS =

f

o

(I

AVE

)

Maximum repetitive RMS current is given by

I

T(RMS) =

f

o

(I

T(AVE)

)

Conduction angle verses form factor

Conduction angle (θ) Form factor (fo)

20 ° 40 ° 60 ° 80 ° 100 ° 120 ° 140 ° 160 ° 180 ° 5.0

3.5

2.7

2.3

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.3

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C ONDUCTION A NGLE

 Duration for which SCR is on. It is measured as shown

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2- Surge Current Rating Peak anode current that SCR can handle for brief duration.

3- Latching current Minimum anode current that must flow through the SCR in order for it to stay on initially after gate signal is removed.

4- Holding Current Minimum value of anode current, required to maintain SCR in conducting state.

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( B ) SCR V OLTAGE R ATINGS

1- Peak repetitive forward blocking voltage Maximum instantaneous voltage that SCR can block in forward direction.

2- Peak Repetitive Reverse Voltage Maximum instantaneous voltage that SCR can withstand, without breakdown, in reverse direction.

3- Non-repetitive peak reverse voltage Maximum transient reverse voltage that SCR can withstand.

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( C ) SCR R ATE OF -C HANGE R ATINGS

1- (di/dt rating) Critical rate of rise of on-state current. It is the rate at which anode current increases and must be less than rate at which conduction area increases. To prevent damage to SCR by high di/dt value, small inductance is added in series with device. Vaue of required inductance is L>= Vp (di/dt)max 2- dv/dt rating Maximum rise time of a voltage pulse that can be applied to the SCR in the off state without causing it to fire. Unscheduled firing due to high value of dv/dt can be prevented by using RC snubber circuit.

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( D ) G ATE P ARAMETERS

1- Maximum Gate Peak Inverse Voltage Maximum value of negative DC voltage that can be applied without damaging the gate cathode junction.

2-Maximum Gate Trigger Current Maximum DC gate current allowed to turn on the device.

3- Maximum gate trigger voltage DC voltage necessary to produce maximum gate trigger current.

4- Maximum Gate Power Dissipation Maximum instantaneous product of gate current and gate voltage that can exist during forward-bias.

5- Minimum gate trigger voltage Minimum DC gate-to-cathode voltage required to trigger the SCR.

6-Minimum gate trigger current Minimum DC gate current necessary to turn SCR on.

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Series and Parallel SCR Connections

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SCRs are connected in series and parallel to extend voltage and current ratings.

For high-voltage, high-current applications, series parallel combinations of SCRs are used.

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SCR S IN S ERIES

 Unequal distribution of voltage across two series SCRs.

 Two SCRs do not share the same supply voltage. Maximum voltage that SCRs can block is V 1 +V 2 , not 2V BO.

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

Resistance equalization



Voltage equalization 18



RC equalization for SCRs connected in series.

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SCR S I N P ARALLEL

 Unequal current sharing between two SCRs is shown:  Total rated current of parallel connection is I 1 +I 2 , not 2I 2 .

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 With unmatched SCRs, equal current sharing is achieved by adding low value resistor or inductor in series with each SCR, as shown below.

 Value of resistance R is obtained from: R=V 1 -V 2 I 2 -I 1

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 Current sharing in SCRs with parallel reactors    Equalization using resistors is inefficient due to

Extra power loss Noncompansation for unequal SCR turn-on and turn-off times.

Damage due to overloading

SCRs with center-tapped reactors is shown below.

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SCR Gate-Triggering Circuits

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  1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Triggering circuits provide firing signal to turn on the SCR at precisely the correct time.

Firing circuits must have following properties Produce gate signal of suitable magnitude and sufficiently short rise time.

Produce gate signal of adequate duration.

Provide accurate firing control over the required range.

Ensure that triggering does not occur from false signals or noise In AC applications, ensure that the gate signal is applied when the SCR is forward-biased In three-phase circuits, provide gate pulses that are 120 ° apart with respect to the reference point Ensure simultaneous triggering of SCRs connected in series or in parallel.

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T

YPES

O

F

G

ATE

F

IRING

S

IGNALS 1.

2.

3.

DC signals Pulse signals AC signals

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(

A

) DC G

ATING

S

IGNAL

S

OURCE

F

ROM

S

EPARATE

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DC G

ATING SIGNALS FROM

S

AME

S

OURCE

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D

ISADVANTAGE OF

DC

GATING

S

IGNALS 1.

Constant DC gate signal causes gate power dissipation 2.

DC gate signals are not used for firing SCRs in AC applications, because presence of positive gate signal during negative half cycle would increase the reverse anode current and possibly destroy the device.

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(2) P

ULSE

S

IGNALS 1.

2.

3.

Instead of continuous DC signal, single pulse or train of pulses is generated.

It provides precise control of point at which SCR is fired.

It provides electrical isolation between SCR and gate-trigger circuit.

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SCR

TRIGGER CIRCUITS USING OSCILLATOR

UJT

 Circuit A

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C IRCUIT B

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SCR TRIGGER CIRCUIT USING DIAC

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SCR

TRIGGER CIRCUIT USING

O

PTOCOUPLER

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(

C

) AC S

IGNALS Resistive phase control RC phase control

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T

RIGGERING

SCR

S IN

S

ERIES AND IN

P

ARALLEL

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SCR Turnoff (Commutation) Circuits

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

What is Commutation?

The process of turning off an SCR is called commutation.

1.

2.

It is achieved by Reducing anode current below holding current Make anode negative with respect to cathode  1.

2.

Types of commutation are: Natural or line commutation Forced commutation

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SCR T URNOFF M ETHODS

1.

Diverting the anode current to an alternate path 2.

Shorting the SCR from anode to cathode 3.

Applying a reverse voltage (by making the cathode positive with respect to the anode) across the SCR 4.

Forcing the anode current to zero for a brief period 5.

Opening the external path from its anode supply voltage 6.

Momentarily reducing supply voltage to zero

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(1) C

APACITOR

C

OMMUTATION  SCR turnoff circuit using a transistor switch

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 SCR turnoff circuit using commutation capacitor  Value of capacitance is determined by:

C

>=

t

OFF

0.693R

L

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(2) C

OMMUTATION

B

Y

E

XTERNAL

S

OURCE

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(3) C

OMMUTATION BY

R

ESONANCE  Series resonant turnoff circuit

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 Parallel resonant turnoff circuit

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(4) AC

LINE COMMUTATION

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Other members of Thyristor Family

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O

THER

T

YPES OF

T

HYRISTORS

1.

Silicon Controlled Switch (SCS) 2.

Gate Turnoff Thyristor (GTO) 3.

DIAC 4.

TRIAC 5.

MOS-Controlled Thyristor (MCT)

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1. SCS

Structure Symbol Equivalent circuit for SCS

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(2) GTO

Structure Symbol GTO Ideal VI characteristiccs

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(3) DIAC

Structure Symbol VI characteristics of diac

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(4) T RIAC

Structure Symbol SCR equivalent circuit

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T

RIAC

VI

CHARACTERISTICS

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(5) MCT

Symbol equivalent circuit MCT VI characteristics

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A

SSIGNMENT

#1

    1.

2.

Does gate current has any effect on forward breakover voltage? Justify the statement “

Higher the gate current, lower is the forward breakover voltage

.” Discribe briefly following members of thyristor family.

Programmable Unijunction Transistor (PUT) Silicon Unilateral Switch (SUS) Static Induction Thyristor (SITH) Light Activated Thyristor (LASCR)

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