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Several devices belong to this family. GTO : Gate turn‐off thyristor, MCT: Mos Controlled
thyristor, SIT : Static induction thyristor, IGCT: Integrated gate commutated thyristor, SCR:
Silicon controlled rectifier
Last one is a semi‐controllable device ‐ only tun‐on controllable; turn‐off not controllable
Companies producing power devices
• Toshiba
• Mitsubishi
• International rectifiers
• Infineon technologies
• Semikron
• S T microelectronics
• BHEL
There is a control terminal which is called Gate; this has to be forward biased with respect
to cathode for successfully firing the device.
Forward biasing: Anode connected to positive and Cathode to the ‐ve of the battery
• J1 and j3 : forward biased
• J2: reverse biased
Strength of J2 essentially decides the forward blocking capability.
Reverse biasing:
• J2: forward biased
• J1 and j3 : reverse biased
Strength of j1 and j3 decides the reverse blocking capability.
VFBO : forward break over voltage
VRBD: Reverse Breakdown voltage
Small leakage current flows in reverse bias condition till VRBD.
¾ One small gate pulse is good enough to latch the device into conduction. Collector
current of one transistor is pushed into the other transistor’s base; so both are
driven into saturation. To turn it off, we will have to force a huge negative current in
the anode. So it is not easy to turn off SCR.
¾ Commutation circuits are used to turn it off.
¾ As gate current increases, it can conduct at a lower value of forward voltage itself.
¾ If we goes beyond VRBD , the device will not be able to work normally again.
Ig3>Ig2>Ig1
Non‐repetitive VRBD:
The maximum value of V which can be tolerated when a transient occurs.
Gate power requirement is about 50‐70 watts.
Current amplification factor is very high i.e., IAnode/Ig =1000).
Light activated SCR:
Light falls on gate terminal and releases charge carriers.
Power requirement is as low as 50 mW. Automatically, gate and power circuits will be
isolated in this case.
Latching current:
Minimum anode current which will allow the sustenance of device in conduction even after
the gate pulse is removed.
Turn‐off time:
After the anode current goes below the holding current, the time needed while the device is
reverse biased for successful recombination of all charge carriers to switch off the device is
called Turn‐off time.
Holding current:
Minimum current through the anode for holding the device in conduction. If the anode
current goes below this value the device will go into OFF state. Normally latching current is
slightly higher than holding current.
Steps to turn ON SCR:
• Device should be forward biased and gate pulse should be present.
• Anode current should exceed Latching current.
Steps to turn off SCR:
• Anode current should be less than holding current.
• SCR should be reverse biased for more than turn off time.
Ways to turn‐off thyristor circuits: this is also known as commutation
Line/supply/natural commutation
Voltage VAK itself goes in the reverse direction without any external force. So, automatically
the device turns off
Forced commutation: M is the main SCR and A is the Auxiliary SCR used
for turning OFF M. Assume C is pre‐charged with
upper plate being positive.
When M is fired, the load gets supply voltage as
input. At the same time, Capacitor reverses its
charge through C,M,D1,L and C
When the load is supposed to be in its OFF
interval, M has to be turned OFF. At that time, if
A is given a firing pulse, the reverse voltage of
the capacitor appears across the main SCR
reverse biasing it and instantaneously turning it
OFF. This is a typical example of a commutation
circuit
Types of thyristors:
Convertor grade thyristor:
• Slow toff (100 µsec).
• Available at high ratings (7kV 4.5 kA).
• Available at power frequency (50‐60 Hz).
Invertor grade thyristors:
• Faster (600 Hz to 1 kHz)
• Power rating smaller (about 10 MW)
LASCR:
• Gate power requirement low
• automatic isolation between gate and anode circuit.
Protection of devices:
1. Overvoltage protection
Forward bias:
The device should have appropriate VFBO.
Reverse bias:
Diode in series helps in protection as the reverse breakdown voltage that could be
withstood by the whole circuit increases.
But in forward bias, voltage drop increases if we use a diode in series.
2.Overcurrent protection:
I2t of fuse < i2t rating of device
GATING:
Gating circuit has to have an amplifier and isolator. Normally pulse transformers are used in
SCR firing circuits for isolation between gating circuit and power circuit. Amplification is
done by a CE configuration transistor amplifier.
Because of the use of pulse transformer, a straight forward DC pulse cannot be given
(transformer will saturate). So, a high frequency pulse is ANDed with the gate triggering
pulse.
Series and parallel operation
Similar to a diode
(di/dt) and (dv/dt) protection
di/dt protetcion is byusing an inductor in series
dv/dt protection is by using an R‐C snubber.