Reg. No.

: Section:

Experiment 1
March 31, 2021

Half Wave Controlled Rectifier

Pre-Lab Reading

“Power Electronics: Circuits, Devices and Applications”, by M. H. Rashid (4e).

Objectives

• To analyze resistive and capacitive firing/triggering of silicon controlled rectifier

• Concept of firing angle

Equipment

AC-supply, SCR (MCR 100-6), a diode, load resistor of designed value, variable gate
resistance (0 – 750 kΩ) and capacitors of designed value.

1.1 R-Triggering circuit

Design the circuit according to the procedure given later on and arrange the circuit as shown
in Figure 1.1.

1.1.1 Design procedure

Minimum Resistance (Rmin )
The minimum resistance Rmin should be such that when RG = 0, the gate current does not
exceed the maximum allowable value,

Vs(max)
Rmin = (1.1)
Ig(max)
Vs(max) = (It is equal to the maximum voltage supplied by the AC
supply)
Ig(max) = (This maximum gate current is given in the datasheet)
Using Equation (1.1) Rmin : (choose the nearest standard resistor)
The value of the selected standard resistor = Rmin =

5
6 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Figure 1.1: Half wave rectifier with R triggering

Gate Resistance (RG )

The minimum value of gate triggering current is selected as specified in the datasheet (80 µA
in case of MCR 100-6). The SCR will turn on when instantaneous value of supply voltage Vs
becomes equal to
Vs = IG(min) (RG + Rmin ) + VG(min) + VD (1.2)
Vs − VG(min) − VD
RG + Rmin ≤ (1.3)
IG(min)
VD = (It is equal to the forward voltage drop across the diode).
IG(min) = (It is the minimum value of gate current at which SCR fires).
VG(min) = (It is the gate-cathode voltage corresponding to IG(min)
Using Equation (1.3): RG (choose the nearest standard resistor)
The value of the selected standard resistor = RG

Selection of Load Resistance

Maximum value of anode to cathode current from datasheet = A

Latching current from data sheet = A
Holding current from data sheet = A
Choose a value of load resistance such that anode to cathode current does not exceed the
rated current and is not less than the latching current when SCR is conducting.

1.1.2 Procedure
• Using supply arrange the circuit as shown in Figure 1.1.
• Keep the potentiometer resistance RG to its maximum value such that IG is very small
and SCR is not triggered. Measure and observe the voltage across load and SCR.
• Decrease the resistance of potentiometer RG such that SCR is now fired and almost all
the input voltage appears across the load. Measure and observe the change in voltage
across load and SCR
1.1. R-TRIGGERING CIRCUIT 7

• Record your observations for at least ten different firing angles over the entire range of
observation.

• Record your observations and calculations in tabular form and also plot the waveforms
observed on oscilloscope.

• Compare the practical output voltage with theoretical output voltage.

Observation Set

Sr. No. Firing angle Vo (dc) Vo (dc)

α (Practically using (Theoretically using
DMM) calculations)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle in reading 2
8 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle in reading 4
1.1. R-TRIGGERING CIRCUIT 9

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle in reading 6
10 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above

Show your calculations of voltage with firing angle in reading 3

Show your calculations of voltage with firing angle in reading 7

1.2. RC-TRIGGERING CIRCUIT 11

1.2 RC-Triggering circuit

Arrange the circuit as shown in Figure 1.2 after designing the components values.

Figure 1.2: RC Triggering circuit

1.2.1 Design procedure

Minimum Resistance (Rmin )

The minimum resistance Rmin should be such that when RG = 0, the gate current does not
exceed the maximum allowable value
Vs(max) = (It is equal to the maximum voltage supplied by the AC sup-
ply)
Ig(max) = (This maximum gate current is usually given by in the datasheet)
Using Equation (1.1) Rmin : (choose the nearest standard resistor)
The value of the selected standard resistor = Rmin =
An empirical relation for the product RC is

RC ≥ 0.65T (1.4)

T = f1 = time period of supply voltage

Value of the capacitor =

Gate Resistance

The minimum value of gate triggering current is selected as specified in the datasheet (80µA
in case of MCR 100-6). The SCR will turn on when instantaneous value of supply voltage Vs
becomes equal to
Vs ≥ IG(min) R + VG(min) + VD (1.5)
Vs − VG(min) − VD
R≤ (1.6)
IG(min)
where R = RG + Rmin .
VD = (It is equal to the forward voltage drop across the diode)
IG(min) = (It is the minimum value of gate current at which SCR fires)
VG(min) = (It is the gate-cathode voltage corresponding to IG(min)
12 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Using Equation (1.6): RG (choose the nearest standard resistor)

The value of the selected standard resistor = RG

Selection of Load Resistance

Maximum value of anode to cathode current from data sheet = A

Latching current from data sheet = A
Holding current from data sheet = A
Choose a value of load resistance such that anode to cathode current does not exceed the
rated current and is not less than the latching current when SCR is conducting. It is
recommended to select load resistance of 820 ohm.

1.2.2 Procedure
• Adjust the supply voltage and arrange the circuit as shown in Figure 1.2.

• Keep the potentiometer resistance RG to its maximum value so IG is very small and SCR
is not triggered. Measure and observe the voltage across load and SCR.

• Decrease the resistance of potentiometer RG such that SCR is now fired and almost all
the input voltage appears across the load. Measure and observe the change in voltage
across load and SCR

• Record your observations for at least ten different firing angles over the entire range of
observation.

• Record your observations and calculations in tabular form and also plot the waveforms
observed on oscilloscope.

• Compare the practical output voltage with theoretical output voltage.

Observation Set

No. Firing Angle Vo (dc) Vo (dc)

α (Practically using (Theoretically using
DMM) calculations)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1.2. RC-TRIGGERING CIRCUIT 13

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle in reading 2

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above
14 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle in reading 4

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above
1.2. RC-TRIGGERING CIRCUIT 15

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle in reading 6

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above
16 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Show your calculations of voltage with firing angle in reading 3

Show your calculations of voltage with firing angle in reading 7

Sketch the variation of output voltage with firing angle

.
1.2. RC-TRIGGERING CIRCUIT 17

1.2.3 Alternative circuit for RC triggering

Figure 1.3: Alternative RC triggering circuit

Design

The value of the selected standard resistor = Rmin

The value of the selected standard resistor = RG
Load Resistace =

Observation Set

No. Firing Angle Vo (dc) Vo (dc)

α (Practically using (Theoretically using
DMM) calculations)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
18 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle of 30 degree

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above
1.2. RC-TRIGGERING CIRCUIT 19

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle of 45 degree

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above
20 EXPERIMENT 1. HALF WAVE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER

Sketch voltage waveform across load resistance for firing angle of 90 degree

Sketch voltage waveform across thyristor for firing angle used in graph above
1.3. POST-LAB ASSIGNMENTS 21

Comments: (What is the difference between the two circuits (Figure 1.2 and
Figure 1.3)?

1.3 Post-Lab Assignments

1. Design and simulate a circuit for generating square waveform of 4 kHz with different duty
cycles using 555 timer and TLP494 (You need to simulate two circuits separately). You
can use any software for this simulation.