EEE 377

Power Electronics

Course No: EEE 377

Course Name: Power Electronics
Reading reference

Chapter: 2. Switches
Topic: i) Diodes

Reference Books:
Book name Chapter
Power Electronics- Circuits, Devices and Applications Ch2
=> Muhammad H. Rashid

Sections:
Book Article No. Topic Description Page and Example No.
2.3 Diode characteristics Pg 33-35, class eg1 (HR eg 2.1)
2.4 Reverse Recovery Characteristics Pg 36, 37, class eg2 (HR eg 2.2)
2.5 Types of diodes Pg 38-40
Rashid
2.8 Series connected diodes Pg 42-43, class eg4 (HR eg 2.3)
2.9 Parallel connected diodes Pg 45-46, class eg5
2.12 Free-wheeling diode Pg 56-57, class eg3 (HR eg 2.7)

Prepared by:
Mohammed Radoan, Lecturer,
EEE, BUBT
 EEE 377
Power Electronics

Assignment Questions
1) The forward voltage drop of a power diode is 𝑉𝐷 = 1.2 V at 𝐼𝐷 = 300 A. Assuming 𝑛 = 2 and
𝑉𝑇 = 25.7 mV, find the reverse saturation current 𝐼𝑆 .
{Example 2.1 – Rashid}
2) The reverse recovery time of a diode is 𝑡𝑟𝑟 = 3𝜇𝑠 and the rate of fall of the diode current is
𝑑𝑖
𝑑𝑡
= 30 A/μs. Determine the following:
a) The storage charge, 𝑄𝑅𝑅 , and
b) The peak reverse current, 𝐼𝑅𝑅 .
{Example 2.2 – Rashid}
3) An electronic switch S1 is used in the following circuit as shown.

1Ω
Type equation here.
2 mH

The switch was closed for 10 ms, and then opened. The switch takes 5 ns to open completely.
a) Find the current stored in the inductor just before the switch was opened.
b) Find the energy stored in the inductor before the switch was opened.
c) Find the voltage that would appear across the inductor after the switch was opened, if the
flyback diode was not present.
d) Sketch the waveform for current through the inductor, with and without flyback diode.
e) Draw the current path through the circuit
i. When switch was closed
ii. When switch was open (without flyback)
iii. When switch was open (with flyback)
f) What is the problem if the flyback diode is not present?
{Example 2.7 – Rashid}
4) The datasheet of 1N4007 diode has the following data:
Peak reverse voltage, 𝑉𝑅𝑅𝑀 = 1000 V; Peak reverse current, 𝐼𝑅 = 5.0 μA;
Maximum forward current, 𝐼𝐹 = 1 A
A circuit in an HVDC system of Vs(peak) = 1.8 kV is designed to use 1N4007 diodes for
rectification.
a) Show that two diodes are needed for rectification
b) Draw a circuit required to prevent the problem of asymmetric voltage sharing
c) Find the resistance of the voltage sharing resistors if leakage current through the diodes are
2 μA and 12 μA.
{Example 2.7 – Rashid}
5) A rectifier needs to supply to a load consuming 2 A.
a) Draw a circuit using 1N4007 diodes with two diodes and add components to ensure equal
voltage sharing, and surge current protection.
b) Find the required values of resistors needed to ensure equal current sharing, provided
the voltage drops are 0.2 V and 0.5 V respectively.

Prepared by:
Mohammed Radoan, Lecturer,
EEE, BUBT
 EEE 377
Power Electronics

Formulae
𝑉𝐷
Forward current through a diode, 𝐼𝐷 = 𝐼𝑠 (𝑒 𝑛 𝑉𝑇 )
Diode characteristic
equation Here, thermal voltage, 𝑉𝑇 = 𝑘𝑞𝑇 and,
Boltzmann constant, 𝑘 = 1.38 × 10−23 J/K

Peak reverse recovery current, 𝐼𝑅𝑅 = 𝑡𝑟𝑟 𝑑𝑖⁄𝑑𝑡

Reverse recovery of a diode
Reverse recovery charge, 𝑄𝑅𝑅 = 12 𝑡𝑟𝑟 𝐼𝑟𝑟

Total leakage current,

Series connected diodes 𝐼𝑠 = 𝐼𝑠1 + 𝐼𝑅1 = 𝐼𝑠2 + 𝐼𝑅2
𝑉𝐷1 𝑉𝐷2
= 𝐼𝑠1 + = 𝐼𝑠2 +
𝑅1 𝑅2

Voltage drops across parallel combination,

Parallel connected diodes 𝑉𝐷 = 𝑉𝐷1 + 𝑉𝑅1 = 𝑉𝐷2 + 𝑉𝑅2
= 𝑉𝐷1 + 𝐼1 𝑅1 = 𝑉𝐷2 + 𝐼2 𝑅2

Prepared by:
Mohammed Radoan, Lecturer,
EEE, BUBT