The Islamia University of Bahawalpur

University College of Engineering &

Technology

EEN-324
Power Electronics

Thyristor Devices
Silicon Controlled Rectifiers
(SCR)
1 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) 2
6- Mos-controlled switch (MCT)
 INTRODUCTION
 SCR is most popular of thyristor family due to its
Fast switching action , small size and high voltage and
current ratings.
 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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 TWO TRANSISTOR MODEL OF 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 CHARACTERISTIC CURVE

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IDEAL CHARACTERISTIC OF SCR

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 SCR RATINGS
(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 =fo(IAVE)
 Maximum repetitive RMS current is given by

IT(RMS) =fo(IT(AVE))
 Conduction angle verses form factor
Conduction angle Form factor (fo)
(θ)
20° 5.0
40° 3.5
60° 2.7
80° 2.3
100° 2.0
120° 1.8
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140° 1.6
160° 1.4
 CONDUCTION ANGLE

 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 VOLTAGE RATINGS

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 RATE-OF-CHANGE RATINGS

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) GATE PARAMETERS
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 14

Minimum DC gate current necessary to turn SCR on.
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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 SCRS IN SERIES
 Unequal distribution of voltage across two series SCRs.

 Two SCRs do not share the same supply voltage.

Maximum voltage that SCRs can block is V1+V2, not
2VBO. 17
 Resistance equalization

 Voltage equalization

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 RC equalization for SCRs connected in series.

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 SCRS IN PARALLEL
 Unequal current sharing between two SCRs is shown:

 Total rated current of parallel connection is I1+I2, not

2I2.

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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=V1-V2
I2-I1
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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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 Triggering circuits provide firing signal to turn
on the SCR at precisely the correct time.
 Firing circuits must have following properties
1. Produce gate signal of suitable magnitude and
sufficiently short rise time.
2. Produce gate signal of adequate duration.
3. Provide accurate firing control over the required range.
4. Ensure that triggering does not occur from false signals
or noise
5. In AC applications, ensure that the gate signal is applied
when the SCR is forward-biased
6. In three-phase circuits, provide gate pulses that are 120°
apart with respect to the reference point
7. Ensure simultaneous triggering of SCRs connected in
series or in parallel.
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 TYPES OF GATE FIRING SIGNALS

1. DC signals
2. Pulse signals
3. AC signals

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(A) DC GATING SIGNAL FROM
SEPARATE SOURCE

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DC GATING SIGNALS FROM SAME
SOURCE

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DISADVANTAGE OF DC GATING
SIGNALS

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) PULSE SIGNALS

1. Instead of continuous DC signal, single

pulse or train of pulses is generated.
2. It provides precise control of point at which
SCR is fired.
3. It provides electrical isolation between SCR
and gate-trigger circuit.

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 SCR TRIGGER CIRCUITS USING UJT
OSCILLATOR
 Circuit A

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CIRCUIT B

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SCR TRIGGER CIRCUIT USING DIAC

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SCR TRIGGER CIRCUIT USING
OPTOCOUPLER

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(C) AC SIGNALS

Resistive phase control RC phase

control
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TRIGGERING SCRS IN SERIES AND IN
PARALLEL

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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.

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

 Types of commutation are:

1. Natural or line commutation
2. Forced commutation

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SCR TURNOFF METHODS
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

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6. Momentarily reducing supply voltage to zero
(1) CAPACITOR COMMUTATION

 SCR turnoff circuit using a transistor switch

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 SCR turnoff circuit using commutation
capacitor

 Value of capacitance is determined by:

C>= tOFF
0.693RL 40
(2) COMMUTATION BY EXTERNAL
SOURCE

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(3) COMMUTATION BY RESONANCE
 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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 OTHER TYPES OF
THYRISTORS

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 Equivalent circuit for

Symbol SCS

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(2) GTO

Structure GTO Ideal VI

Symbol characteristiccs

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(3) DIAC

Structure VI characteristics of
Symbol diac

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(4)
TRIAC

Structure Symbol SCR equivalent circuit

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TRIAC VI CHARACTERISTICS

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(5) MCT

Symbol equivalent circuit MCT VI characteristics

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 ASSIGNMENT#1
1. Does gate current has any effect on
forward-breakover voltage? Justify the
statement “Higher the gate current, lower is
the forward breakover voltage.”
2. 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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