CHAPTER 1

OVERVIEW OF POWER ELECTRONIC

DEVICES
OUTLINE
• REMEMBER THE APPLICATIONS OF POWER ELECTRONICS
• UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFIERS (SCR)
• APPLY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFIERS (SCR)
• UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GATE-TURN-OFF SCR (GTO-SCR)
• APPLY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GATE-TURN-OFF SCR (GTO-SCR)
• UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRIAC
• APPLY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRIAC
• UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INSULATED GATE BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR
(IGBT)
OVERVIEW OF POWER ELECTRONICS
 Power Electronics is a field which combines Power (electric power),
Electronics and Control systems.
 Power engineering deals with the static and rotating power equipment for
the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power.
 Electronics deals with the study of solid state semiconductor power
devices and circuits for Power conversion to meet the desired control
objectives (to control the output voltage and output power).
 Powerelectronics may be defined as the subject of applications of solid
state power semiconductor devices (Thyristors) for the control and
conversion of electric power
 THE MEANING AND FUNCTION OF POWER
ELECTRONIC
 Power Electronics is to convert, i.e to process and control the flow of
electric power by supplying voltage s and currents in a form that is
optimally suited for user loads.
 Basic block diagram
 Building Blocks:
– Input Power, Output Power
– Power Processor
– Controller

4
THE APPLICATION OF POWER ELECTRONICS
Commercial applications Domestic applications Industrial applications

• Heating Systems • Cooking • Pumps,

Ventilating, Air • Equipments, Lighting, • compressors, blowers and
Conditioners, Central Heating, Air Conditioners, fans. Machine tools, arc
Refrigeration, Lighting, Refrigerators & Freezers, furnaces, induction
• Computers and Office • Personal Computers, furnaces,
equipments, Entertainment • lighting control circuits,
Uninterruptible Power Equipments, UPS. industrial lasers,
Supplies (UPS), Elevators induction heating,
• Emergency Lamps. welding equipments.
THE APPLICATION OF POWER ELECTRONICS
Aerospace applications Telecommunications Transportation

• Space shuttle power supply
systems, satellite power
systems, aircraft power
• systems.
• Battery chargers, power • Traction control of electric
supplies (DC and UPS), vehicles, battery chargers
mobile cell phone battery for electric vehicles,
chargers. electric
• locomotives, street cars,
trolley buses, automobile
electronics including
engine controls.
POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
 Can be categorized into three groups:
a) Uncontrolled → Diode
b) Semi-Controlled → Thyristor (SCR)
c) Fully Controlled → Power transistor : BJT, MOSFET, IGBT, GTO etc
THYRISTORS
Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCR):
 The SCR has 3- terminals namely:
 Anode (A), Cathode (k) and Gate(G).
 Internally it is having 4-layers p-n-p-n as shown in figure (b).

Symbol Structure
CHARACTERISTIC OF SCR
 If the forward breakover voltage(VBO) is exceeded,
the SCR “self-triggers” into the conducting state.
 The presence of gate current will reduce VBO
 “Normal” conditions for thyristors to turn on:
 The device is in forward blocking state (Vak is
positive)
 A positive gate current (Ig) is applied to the
gate
 Once conducting, the anode current is latched. Vak
collapses to normal forward volt-drop, typically 1.5-
3V.
 In reverse-biased mode, the SCR behaves like a
diode.
CHARACTERISTIC OF SCR
 Thyristor cannot be turned off by applying negative
gate current. It can only be turned off if Ia goes negative
(reverse): This happen when negative portion of the
sine-wave occurs (natural commutation)
 Another method of turning off is known as “forced
commutation”: the anode current is “diverted” to
another circuitry
 Type of thyristors: a) Phase controlled – rectifying
line frequency voltage & current for ac and dc motor
drives, b) Inverter grade – used in inverter & chopper,
c) Light activated – similar to phase controlled but
triggered by pulse of light, d) TRIAC – Dual polarity
thyristors
CHARACTERISTIC OF SCR
 Latching current, IL – the minimum anode current required to maintain the
SCR in the on-state immediately after a SCR has been turned on and the gate
signal has been removed.
 Holding current, IH – the minimum anode current required to maintain the
SCR in the on-state.
 Forward-Break over Voltage, VBO (F) or Break-over Voltage- The existing
voltage on the device in forward blocking area when the gate current is zero
(IG=0)
 Reverse Breakdown Region, VBR(R) or Break-down Voltage- This is the
voltage is required to break the SCR in the reverse bias.
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
 For the control of electric power supplied to the load or the equipment/machinery or for power
conditioning the conversion of electric power from one form to other is necessary and the switching
characteristic of power semiconductor devices (Thyristors) facilitate these conversions.
 The thyristorised power converters are referred to as the static power converters and they perform the
function of power conversion by converting the available input power supply in to output power of
desired form.
 The different types of thyristor power converters are
1. Diode rectifiers (uncontrolled rectifiers).
1. Line commutated converters or AC to DC converters (controlled rectifiers)
2a. AC voltage (RMS voltage) controllers (AC to AC converters).
2b.Cyclo converters (AC to AC converters at low output frequency).
3. DC choppers (DC to DC converters).
4.Inverters (DC to AC converters).
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
 1. AC TO DC Converters (Rectifiers)

 These are AC to DC converters. The line commutated converters are AC to DC power

converters. These are also referred to as controlled rectifiers. The line commutated
converters (controlled rectifiers) are used to convert a fixed voltage, fixed frequency AC
power supply to obtain a variable DC output voltage. They use natural or AC line
commutation of the Thyristors.
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS

22
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
Different types of line commutated AC to DC converters circuits are:
 Diode rectifiers – Uncontrolled Rectifiers
 Controlled rectifiers using SCR’s.
o Single phase controlled rectifier.
o Three phase controlled rectifiers.

Applications of Ac To Dc Converters
 AC to DC power converters are widely used in
 Speed control of DC motor in DC drives.
 UPS.
 HVDC transmission.
 Battery Chargers.

16
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
 2a. AC TO AC Converters or AC regulators

 The AC voltage controllers convert the constant frequency, fixed voltage AC

supply into variable AC voltage at the same frequency using line commutation.
 AC regulators (RMS voltage controllers) are mainly used for
-Speed control of AC motor.
-Speed control of fans (domestic and industrial fans).
-AC pumps.

17
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS

18
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
2b. AC TO AC Converters with Low Output Frequency or CYCLO CONVERTERS

 The cyclo converters convert power from a fixed voltage fixed frequency AC supply to a
variable frequency and variable AC voltage at the output.
 The cyclo converters generally produce output AC voltage at a lower output frequency.
That is output frequency of the AC output is less than input AC supply frequency.
 Applications of cyclo converters are traction vehicles and gearless rotary kilns.

19
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
3. CHOPPERS or DC TO DC Converters

 The choppers are power circuits which obtain power from a fixed voltage DC supply and
convert it into a variable DC voltage. They are also called as DC choppers or DC to DC
converters. Choppers employ forced commutation to turn off the Thyristors. DC choppers
are further classified into several types depending on the direction of power flow and the
type of commutation. DC choppers are widely used in:
1. Speed control of DC motors from a DC supply.
2. DC drives for sub-urban traction.
3. Switching power supplies.

20
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS

21
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
4. INVERTERS or DC TO AC Converters
 The inverters are used for converting DC power from a fixed voltage DC supply into an
AC output voltage of variable frequency and fixed or variable output AC voltage. The
inverters also employ force commutation method to turn off the Thyristors.
 Applications of inverters are in
1. Industrial AC drives using induction and synchronous motors.
2. Uninterrupted power supplies (UPS system) used for computers, computer
labs.

22
TYPES OF POWER ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS

23
REVIEW QUESTION
Question 1
(a) Identify an equivalent circuit of GTO-SCR with the aid of diagram (4m)
(b) Draw and label the characteristics of I-V curve for TRIAC completely (6m)

Question 2
(a) With the aid of a diagram of the power electronic devices, define the symbol of GTO-SCR and TRIAC (4m)
(b) With the aid of a diagram of the I-V characteristics of TRIAC, explain the following operating region. (6m)
i. Quadrant 1
ii. Quadrant 3
(a) Draw the equivalent circuit for SCR using transistor and write the circuit operation of Regeneration Process in
SCR (10m)
REVIEW QUESTION
Question 3
(a) With the aid of a diagram, determine the equivalent circuit of TRIAC by using two SCR connected antiparallels (4m)
(b) Determine TWO (2) differences between SCR and TRIAC (4m)
(c) Illustrate and label the I-V characteristic curve of MOSFET and explain the following operating regions: (7m)
i. Cut off region
ii. Saturation region
iii. Active region
Question 4
(a) Explain TWO (2) advantages of TRIAC compared to SCR (4m)
(b) Draw the symbols of devices listed below: (4m)
i. MOSFET N-Channel – enhancement type
ii. MOSFET P-channel – depletion type
(a) Illustrate and completely label the I-V characteristic of GTO-SCR, then explain its operation
THANK YOU