EEN-324

Power Electronics

Thyristor
Si l i cD
o ne vControlled
ices Rectifiers
(SCR)
1
 Power Semiconductor Switches

Power Diodes P o w e r Transistors

Thyristors
2 layer d e v i c e 3 layer D e v i c e 4 lay er
Device

 Thyristor d e v i c e s c a n c o n v e r t a n d contro l large a m o u n t s of p o w e r i n

AC or DC s y s t e m s w h i l e u s i n g v e r y l o w p o w e r for control.
 Thyristor family i n c l u d e s
1 Si l i c o n c o ntro l l e d s w i t c h (SCR)
2 Gate-turnoff thy ri s to r (GTO)
3- Triac
2
4 Diac
5 Si l i c o n c o ntro l l e d s w i t c h (SCS)
6- Mos-controlled s w i t c h (MCT)
 INTRODUCTION
 SCR is most popular of thyristor family due to its
Fast switching action , small size a nd high voltage and current
ratings.
 It is commonly used in power electronic applications.

 SCR has 3 terminals (gate provides

control)
 SCR is t u rn ed on by applyin g +ve ga te al
sign when anode is +ve with repect to
cathode.
 SCR is turned off by interrupting anode
current.
PNPN structure Sym bol

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 TWO TRANSISTOR MODEL OF SCR

 Gate requires small positive pulse for short duration to turn S C R 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 t h a t 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 F o r m 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 S C R is on. It is measured as

shown

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2- Surge Current Rating
Peak anode current t h a t SCR can handle for brief duration.

3 Latching current
Minimum anode current t h a t 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 t h a t SCR can block in forward
direction.
2 Peak Repetitive Reverse Voltage
Maximum instantaneous voltage t h a t SCR can
withstand, without breakdown, in reverse direction.
3 Non-repetitive peak reverse voltage
Maximum transient reverse voltage t h a t SCR can
withstand.

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 (C) SCR RATE-OF-CHANGE RATINGS

1 (di/dt rating)
Critical rat e of rise of on-state current. It is the rate a t which anode current
increases an d m u s t be less t h a n rat e a t 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 t h a t 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 t h a t can be applied without damaging the gate-
cathode junction.

2 Maximum Gate Trigger Current

Maximum DC gate current allowed to t u r n 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 t h a t 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 t u r n SCR on.
S e r i e s a n d Parallel
SCR C o n n e c t i o n s

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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 t h a t SCRs can block is V1+V2, not 2V BO.
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 R e s i s t a n c e e qua l i z a t i o n

 Voltage e qua l i z a t i o n

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 RC e qua l i z a t i o n for SCRs c o n n e c t e d i n series.

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 SCRS IN PARALLEL
 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=V1-V2
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 S C R 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 t u r n
on the SCR a t precisely the correct time.
 Firing circuits m u st 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 t h a t triggering does not occur from false signals or
noise
5. In AC applications, ensure t h a t the gate signal is applied
when the SCR is forward-biased
6. In three-phase circuits, provide gate pulses t h a t are 120°
apart
with respect to the reference point
7. Ensure simultaneous triggering of SCRs connected in
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series or in parallel.
SCR Turnoff (Commutation)
Circuits

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 What is Commutation?
The process of turning off a n 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:

3. Natural or line commutation
4. Forced commutation
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SCR TURNOFF METHODS
1. Diverting the anode current to a n alternate p ath

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 p a th from its anode supply

6. voltage
Momentarily reducing supply voltage to 38
zero
Other m e m b e r s of
Thyristor F a m i l y

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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

St r ucture Symbol Equivalent circuit for SCS

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(2) GTO

St r uct u re Sym bol GTO Ideal VI

cha r a ct erist iccs

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(3) DIAC

Stru cture Symbol VI characteristics of diac

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(4)
TRIAC

Stru cture Symbol SCR equivalent circuit

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TRIAC VI CHARACTERISTICS

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