Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION
 1.1 Power Semiconductor Devices.

a-Diodes

b-Thyristors

c-Power transistors
 Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

 1.2 Comparison of Power Semiconductor Devices.

 1.3 Thyristor Ratings.

 1.4 The Single-Phase Half-wave Rectifier Behavior.

 1.5 Some Features of Converter Circuits.

 1.6 Some Basic Definitions.

 Chapter 2
CONTROLLED RECTIFIERS

2.1 Introduction.
2.2 Centre-Tap Rectifiers.
2.3 Bridge Rectifiers
 Chapter 2
CONTROLLED RECTIFIERS

2.4 The Dual-Converter.

2.5 Terminal Characteristics of AC-to-
DC Converters.
 Chapter 3
AC VOLTAGE CONTROLLERS

3.1 Introduction.
3.2 Control Methods.
3.3 Integral Cycle Control.
3.4 Contactors.
3.5 phase Control.
 Chapter 4
DC-TO-DC CONVERTERS

4.1 Introduction.
4.2 Applications.
4.3 Principle of Operation.
 4.3.1 Step-down operation.
 4.3.2 Step-up operation.
 Chapter 5
FREQUENCY CONVERTERS

5.1 The D.C. Link Inverters.

 5.1.1 The half-bridge inverter.
 5.1.2 The bridge inverter.
5.2The Inverter Output Waveform
and Voltage Control.
 Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
 The use of power electronics has led to a
real revolution in industrial applications,
such as:
 Control of d.C. And a.C.  VAR compensation.
Drives.  Static circuit breakers.
 Frequency changers.  Battery chargers.
 Machine tool controls.  Power supplies (dc and UPS).

 Aircraft power supplies.  Supplementary energy systems

(solar, wind) and many other
 Electric road vehicles. fields.
 High voltage dc  Excitation systems.
transmission (HVDC).
Relationship of power electronics to power,
electronics, and control.
Command

Control Unit Feedback

Analog &/or Digital Signal

Power
Supply Power
Electronics
Electronic Load
Circuits circuit
Fixed voltage Fixed voltage
a.c. Uncontrolled d.c.
rectifier

Fixed voltage Variable voltage

a.c. A.C. voltage a.c.
controller
Fixed voltage Controlled Variable
a.c. voltage d.c.
rectifier
Fixed D.C. Variable
voltage d.c. voltage d.c.
chopper

Fixed Inverter Fixed

voltage d.c. (uncontrolled) voltage a.c.
Fixed voltage
Inverter
Variable voltage
d.c. (controlled) a.c.

Fixed frequency Cycloconverter Variable

a.c. frequency a.c.
 Power Semiconductor Devices.
 a-Diodes
I
K
Voltage drop

Forward
Leakage
conduction
current
V
V

Reverse
blocking A

Reverse
breakdown

Symbol and I-V characteristic of a diode.

Power Diodes Photographs.
2v / R

iA

iA A K
2v / R
+ + vAK -

R VA

_ v  2V sin t  2V

Ideal diode.
 Various types of diodes
 Low or line frequency diodes: The on-state voltage of these diodes is
low (about 1v), but they have large reverse recovery time.

 Fast recovery diodes: Suitable for high frequency circuits due to their
small reverse recovery time.

 Schottky diodes: Their blocking voltage capabilities are limited to 50-

100v, but the forward voltage drop is very low (typically 0.3v).
 b-Thyristors
K

IA Forward
G conduction
-
VAK
+
IG1< IG2 < IGN
IGN IG2 IG1 IG=0
A
IL
Reverse voltage IH

VAK
Forward blocking
Breakover
Reverse blocking
voltage

Reverse breakdown IL= Latching current.

IH= Holding current.
IG=Gate current.

Thyristor IA –VAK characteristics.

 - vAK +
iA iA

A K
+ G 2v / R

v  2V sin t R  2V 2V

_ VAK

Ideal thyristor
The forward voltage drop in the on-state is 1 to 3 volts,
depending on the device blocking voltage rating.

Thyristors (SCR) Photographs.

 The most important thyristor types are:
 Phase-control thyristors:
 used for phase-controlled rectifiers.
 used for a.c. voltage controllers.
 The main device requirements are large voltage and current handling capabilities
 low on-state voltage drop.
 The inverter grade thyristors (fast thyristors):
 fast turn-on and turn-off times
 low on-state voltage drops.
 Light-activated thyristors (LASCRs):
 turned on by a pulse of light guided by optical fibers to a special sensitive region of the thyristor.
 used in high voltage applications such as HVDC transmission where the thyristors are connected in series to make up a
converter valve.
 Gate-turn-off thyristors (GTOs):
 These are turned on by applying a short positive pulse to the gate, and turned off by applying a short negative pulse to the
gate.
The "triac" :It can be turned on by either positive or
negative gate current.

I
A1

G
IG=0

A2
V
IG=0

The triac symbol and characteristic

c-Power transistors:

 i-Bipolar junction transistors (BJTs).

 ii-Metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors

(MOSFETs).

 iii-The insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs).

 C IC IB3
IC

IB IB2
I
B
IB1

IB=0
E

VCE(sat.) VCE

The i-v characteristics of a n-p-n BJT.

Transistors Photographs.
 V iC
- +

V/R
IC

+
VCE
VBE
-
V
R
Ideal n-p-n BJT (as a switch).
 iD D iD VGS=7v
+
vD 6v
on 5v
G C
- 4v
+ off
VGS S
- vDS
iD
on

off

vDS

Symbol and i-v characteristics of an n-channel MOSFET

MOSFETs Photographs
 iC C
iC
+
G VC VGE
+ E
VGE -
- E

iC VCE
on

off

VCE
Idealized IGBT
Symbol and i-v characteristics of an IGBT
IGBTs Photographs.
In general:

 thyristors are of high power capability with low switching speed.

 The BJTs are of medium power capability and medium switching
speed; this applies also for the IGBTs.
 MOSFETs are of fast switching speed but of low power
capability.
VG Curves of constant gate power

maxim
5
Typical
4
Region of
certain firing
3
minim
2

IG
0.5 1.0 Amp.
125oc 25oc 0oc -40oc Minimum current to fire all thyristor

Typical gate characteristics.

0.9IG Gate current

ton= td + tr,
td tr
ton where
0.9IA the delay time, td, and
VAK
IA the rise time, tr,

0.1IA
t

Thyristor turn-on time.

IA

Anode current

Reverse or
'sweepout" current Reverse recovery time, tr r
trr tgr
VAK
toff Gate recovery time, tgr
t
time toff= trr + tgr

Anode voltage

Thyristor turn-off time.

1.4 The Single-Phase Half-wave Rectifier Behavior.
 v  2V sin t
i v

v AK  (v  vo ) 0.0
+
+ vAK - π 2π
0
ωt
vo
γ= β- α = π v=Vmsinωt
R
-
i
γ

ωt
α β
2V
i sin t 
for
0.0  t   vo
R
& i  0.0 for
  t  2
ωt

VAK= v - vo

P  I 2R ωt


1 2V 2
I   t d t
2 2
( ) sin
2 0 R
A simple diode circuit.
 the conduction angle, γ, is determined as, i
γ=π -2α rad.
+ vAK -
R
V=Vmsinωt vo vR
Where E
E
  sin (
1
) rad - +
2V
v + -
Also, E
β= π – α = α + γ rad.
The current, i(t), is determined as; 0 ωt

'α 'β
-E
vo

2V sin t  E
i (t )  for   t   ωt
R α β
i
ωt
π 2π
P  I R  EI av
2
( I av  the average value) VAK=
ωt
v - vo
 
1 1 γ
I   (t )dt   i (t )dt
2 2
i and I av
2  2 
A simple diode circuit with emf.
If polarity of the emf source is reversed,
the diode will conduct once it is forward biased (α' < 0.0) and continue beyond π (β'=π+α),
as shown dotted on Figure. In this case, γ=π+2α, during which,

2V sin t  E
i(t ) 
R
, and the supply power will be

P  I  EI av
2
 + vL - + vAK -
i i
di
iR  L  2V sin t L +
dt + + vAK -
R
vL L
vo vR v
v=Vmsinωt
at t=0.0 i=0.0 - -

R (a) (b)
2V  t v=Vmsinωt
i (t )  [sin(t   )  e L
sin  ] for 0.0 < ωt ≤ β v
2
R 2  L
π 2π 2π
L
  tan 1 , and   2f rad . / s γ ωt π
ωt
R
i
At the end of the conduction period, i=0.0 and ωt= β. β i
R 
  ωt ωt
sin(    )  e L 
sin   0.0 vR=iR 0
2π
for β < ωt ≤ 2π i(t)=0.0 ωt
vL=Ldi/dt vAK=0.0
ωt

If the load is a pure inductance (R=0.0) the

ωt
diode will be continually conducting(γ=2π).
A simple diode circuit with inductive load.
 + vL i
E -

  sin 1
rad
2V + vAK - L
v=Vmsinωt vo vR
R
i(ωt) and the extinction angle, β, are E
determined by the solution of the differential
- +
equation, v
E
di
v(t )  iR  L  E ωt
dt
during the interval α < ωt ≤ γ + α , and using the vo
boundary conditions,
at ωt=α i=0.0, and
ωt
at ωt=α+γ i=0.0 , β=α+γ
i
α β
Notice that, when
ωt
 the diode is ON, vo = v and vAK =0.0. Also, π 2π
 the diode is OFF, vo = E and vAK = v- E . VAK= ωt
v - vo
γ
The power taken from the supply is obtained as,
P  I 2 R  EI av A simple diode circuit with R-L load and back emf.
 v

π(n+1)
ωt
nπ π(n+2)
vo
i
+ vAK1 - +
vR R
D1 ωt
vo D2
vAK2 io i iD io=i+iD
v=Vmsinωt io
-
L ωt
vL
iD vAK1
ωt

vAK2
ωt

Effect of the freewheeling diode .

 v

Control circuit 2π
0 ωt
α π
G i
A K
ωt
+ i
+ vAK -
γ
vo
vo
- V=Vmsinωt R

ωt

Firing
pulses
ωt
A simple thyristor circuit with resistive load.
 1.6 Some Basic Definitions.

 The input displacement angle, θ, :

It is defined as the angle displacement between fundamental component
of the a.c. line current and associated line-to-neutral voltage.

 The input displacement factor, DF,:

It is defined as the cosine of the input displacement angle, θ.

 The input power factor, λ,: It is defined as,

the total mean input power( P)


the total rms input volt amperes( S )
 The input current distortion factor, μ,:
It is defined as the ratio of the rms value of the fundamental
component, I1, to the total rms value, I, of the input current.

 The total harmonic distortion, THD,:

It is defined as the ratio of the rms value of all harmonic
components to the rms value of the fundamental component of the
input current.
-----------------------------------(

i (t )  I o  I 1m sin(t   )  n  2 I nm sin(nt   n )



where,
I1 is the fundamental component.
In is the nth harmonic component, and
Io is the d.c. component; converter circuits are usually arranged such that Io=0.0.

The mean a.c. input power is given by,

2
1
P
2  v(t )i(t )dwt
0
 v(ωt) =Vm sin ωt,

P  VI 1 cos 
  P / VI
I  n  2 I n2

I 1
2
  I1 / I

P I1 I I 1 VI 1 cos 
       cos 
VI I I1 I VI 1