Power Electronics

Emiyamrew Minaye (PhD)

Power Semiconductor
Switches - Solid-State
Switching Devices
Objectives
After the completion of this chapter,
students will be able to:

● Identify various semiconductor

switches used in power electronic
system.

● Analyze the losses associated with

power electronic switches

● Classify power electronic converter

circuits based on operating
characteristics.

● Understand and analyse gate drive

and snubber circuits & analyse the
switching and conduction losses
 Introduction
● Power electronics is the technology of processing and controlling
the flow of electric energy by supplying voltages and currents in a
form that is optimally suited to the end-user’s requirements.
● The primary elements of PES is power converters which consists of
the power semiconductor switches that can be turned on and off at
high frequency.

Figure: Block diagram of

PE Systems
Introduction
● PES enables us to control voltage and current and as a
result controlled power can be delivered any load.
● Significant amount of loss may be introduced to PES
due to the power semiconductor switches characteristics
and switching loss.
● Therefore, the loss can be conduction or switching
loss.
● But by using a control(compensation circuit), the
power loss can be minimized and quality power can be
delivered.
● The control logic can be implemented
○ Analog circuits - ( Op-amp, Comparators)
○ Digital signal processors and microcontrollers.
● This show that control circuit plays pivotal role to proper
& desired operation of the PES.
Introduction
❖ Various semiconductor devices can be
classified
✔ Uncontrolled: Diodes:-Its ON state and
OFF state is controlled by power circuit
✔ Semi-controlled: Thyristors or SCR
(silicon controlled rectifier ) can be
controlled by gate signal or current to
turn on. Once turn-on the
controllability of the device is lost.
✔ Fully-controlled: GTO, MOSFETs, IGBTs,
BJTs, MCT, SIT…

❖ In all switches, including the fully

controlled ones, the speed response to
control signals is limited, depending on
the type and size of the switch.
Power Electronics
Switches
Characteristics of
Switches
1. Forward and reverse voltage blocking
ratings
2. Current during conduction state
3. Off-state leakage current
4. On-state voltage drop across the switch
5. Turn-on and turn-off losses
6. Controllability characteristics during turn
on and turn off
7. Capability to operate on rated current
and rated voltage without any derating
8. The dv/dt and di/dt ratings
9. Ability to operate in high temperature.
10.Short circuit behaviour
Power Diodes
➔ The power diode is a unidirectional two terminal
devices
➔ They are distinct from signal diode due to the intrinsic layer
added. This enables them to withstand high reverse
voltage.
➔ This in fact increases the voltage
drop during conduction state and
as result they may require
additional cooling mechanisms.
Power Diodes: I-V
Characteristics
➔ The figure below shows V-I characteristics of power
diodes.
Power Diodes - Reverse Recovery
Characteristics
➔ Whenever the diode is switched off the
current decays from IF to zero and further
continues in reverse direction due to the
charges stored in the depletion region and
the semiconductor region.
➔ The figure depicts the
typical reverse recovery
characteristics of a
power diode.
➔ The reverse current
flow for time duration
called reverse recovery
time(trr)
➔ Therefore the reverse recovery time is defined as
the time between the instant diode current
becomes zero and the instant reverse recovery
current decays to 25% reverse recovery peak
current IRM
Power Diodes - Reverse Recovery
Characteristics
➔ In other words, the reverse recovery time is the
time required for minority carriers to recombine
with opposite charges and become neutralize. so
that the diode will get its blocking
characteristics.
Power Diodes -
Classification
Line Frequency Fast Recovery Schottky

- Also called - Minority Carrier - Majority Carrier

general purpose Devices Devices
diodes - Fast recovery - Can only be
- Minority Carrier time found with limited
Devices - also can be found amount of voltage
- large reverse with higher upto 100V
recovery time voltage rating - Low Voltage Drop
- Used as - Low Snubber
- High voltage
freewheeling Circuit
and current diodes, Rectifiers, Requirement
rating DC-DC - Used in
- Able to Converters, application that
withstand over Inverters, require highly
current and Induction heaters efficient rectifiers
surge voltage like
- mainly used in instrumentation,
line rectifies self powered
microsystems
Thyristors(SCR)
● The most common type of Thyristor family is Silicon
Controlled Rectifier(SCR)
● Three junction and four layer devices
● Turned on by the application of a gate pulse when a
forward bias voltage is present at the main terminals
● Cannot be turned off by applying gate current - they are
self commutating
Thyristors

Figure : Thyristor (a) Circuit Symbol; (b) Structure; (c) Schematic

structure of two-transistor model; (d) Two-Transistor equivalent circuit
I-V Characteristics of SCR

Figure: Thyristor i-v characteristics (a) ideal; and (b) Non-Ideal

Dynamic Characteristics
of SCR
Gate Recovery Time, tgr.

Circuit Turn off Time, tc

Reverse recovery
time trr,

Turn off time (tq) is

defined as the time in
between the instant
when anode current
becomes zero to the
instant when SCR
regains forward blocking
capability.
Gate Triggering
Considerations
● To stop conduction, the anode current must be
reduced below the holding current level.
● Holding current is the minimum anode current
required to maintain the thyristor on without a
gate signal.
● Like other switching devices, Thyristors cannot be
turned off by a negative gate signal.
● To turn on the thyristor, the current flowing through it
must be higher than the latching current.
● Latching current is the minimum anode current
required to maintain the thyristor on with a gate
signal.
● If the anode current falls below the latching
current, the thyristor continues to conduct.
● However, if it falls below the holding current (latching
current > holding current), the thyristor turns off.
Gate Triggering
Considerations
1. After turning on the thyristor, the gate signal
should be promptly removed. Continuous
application of the gate signal after
triggering increases power loss in the
gate junction.

2. And applying a gate signal when the

thyristor is reverse biased should be avoided
to prevent damage from leakage current and
power loss.

3. The pulse width of the gate signal should

exceed the time required for the anode
current to reach the holding current value
(IH).
Thyristors Types
Depending on the application requirements,
various types of thyristors are available.
1. Phase-Control Thyristors: used for
rectification and HVDC.
2. Inverter-Grade Thyristors: has
small turn-off times ,available upto
2500V and 1500A rating
3. Light-Activated Thyristors: Can
be triggered by using light: Typical
application HVDC System, available
4kV and 3kA.
Gate-Turn Off Thyristor(Reading)
● Like SCRs they are unidirectional semiconductor device
● The key difference between GTO and SCR is that a GTO
can be turned off by applying a negative gate current.
Gate-Turn Off Thyristor
Other Thyristor Types
Bipolar Junction Transistor(BJT)
● Three terminal three layer devices(NPN or PNP)
● Current controlled switches & minority carrier
devices
● They require a sufficiently large base current
(dependent on the collector current) to be fully on
● This requires the base drive circuit that will be able
to supply sufficiently large base current
proportional to the required collector current.
● The base current must be supplied continuously to
keep them in the on state.
● Large amount current can be obtained by using
Darlington pair structure.
Bipolar Junction Transistor(BJT)
Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field
Effect Transistor
● Voltage controlled device
● High gate to source input impedance. this enables them to
be controlled from microcontroller circuits.
● Require the continuous application of a gate-source
voltage of appropriate magnitude(> Gate to source
threshold voltage (VGS(th)) in order to be in the on state
● To turn on a MOSFET the gate capacitance has be
charged full charged in short possible time.
● MOSFETs are easily paralleled
● They are available upto 1000V and 100A ratings.
● They can be turned on and off relative at higher switching
frequencies.
Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field
Effect Transistor

Figure : Power MOSFET: (a) Circuit

symbol for an n-channel; (b) circuit-
symbol for a p-channel; (c) basic
structure of an n-channel device; and
(d) voltage signal control of typical n-
channel device.
Insulated-Gate Bipolar
Transistor(Reading)
● IGBT combines the characteristics of
both BJT and MOSFET
● High gate impedance & they are voltage
controlled devices
● Requires only a small amount of energy
to switch the device
● Has a small on-state voltage even in
devices with large blocking voltage
ratings
● They are available upto 2-3kV and
1200A ratings.
● They can be turned on and off relative at
higher switching frequencies than BJT
Insulated-Gate Bipolar
Transistor(Reading)
Comparison of Controllable
Switches
 Comparison of Controllable
Switches
 Power diodes are available up to the ratings of 3,000 V,
3,500 A, and 1 kHz,
 Whereas thyristors are available up to 6,000 V, 3,500 A, 1
kHz, and gate turn-off (GTO) thyristors up to ratings of
4,000 V, 3,000 A, and 10 kHz.
 MOS-controlled thyristors (MCTs) and TRIACS can work
up to 600 V, 60 A, 20 kHz, and 1,200 V, 300 A, 400 Hz,
respectively.
 Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) are available in the
market up to ratings of 1,200 V, 400 A, and 10 kHz,
 Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors
(MOSFETs) 1,000 V, 50 A, 100 kHz,
 Insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) 1,200 V, 400 A,
and 20 kHz.
Introduction to Gate Drive
& Snubber Circuits
● In a given controllable power semiconductor switch, its switching
speeds and on-state losses depend on how it is controlled.
● Therefore, for a proper converter design, it is important to design
the proper drive circuit for the base of a BJT or the gate of a
MOSFET, GTO, or IGBT.
● Each switch has different switching characteristics and as a result
they require different type gate drive circuits.
● Snubber circuits are used to modify the switching waveforms of
controllable switches.
● In general, snubbers can be divided into three categories:
1. Turn-on snubbers to minimize large overcurrents through the
device at turn-on.
2. Turn-off snubbers to minimize large overvoltages across the
device during turn-off
3. Stress reduction snubbers that shape the device switching
waveforms such that the off voltage and current associated
with a device are not high simultaneously.
Losses Associated with
Switches
➔ The loss may be conduction or switching
type.
➔ Consider the simplified linearized voltage
and current waveforms during the turn on
and turn-off interval as shown in Figure
Below.
Losses Associated with
Switches
Types of Power Electronic
Circuits

❖ Based on the form (frequency) on the two sides, converters can

be divided into the following broad categories:
1. AC-DC
2. DC-AC
3. DC-DC
4. AC-AC
 Typical Applications of Power Electronics

 No boundaries can be earmarked for the applications of

power electronics, with the present trend of integrated design
of power semiconductor devices, microprocessors, and the
controlled equipment.
 The power ratings of power electronic systems range from a
few watts in lamps to several hundred megawatts in HVDC
transmission systems.
 Presently almost 80% of the electric power consumed in
utility systems will pass through power electronics, and this
figure will eventually reach 100% in the future because
power electronic converters or controllers are better over
other types of controllers (e.g., hydraulic, mechanical) in
respect to the following aspects:
 Typical Applications of Power Electronics

1) Efficiency: Efficiency of a power electronic converter is

very high (of order of 95%). Therefore, it results in low loss
in the controller circuit.
2) Compactness: These are lighter in weight and occupy less
space.
3) Ease and speed: Power electronic controllers are very fast
in comparison to other controllers. Also, the automatic
controls with complicated and sophisticated control
strategies are easily accomplished.
4) Reliability: Probability of failure is low and life is longer in
case of power electronic controllers as compared to others.
 Typical Applications of Power Electronics
1. In aerospace for power supplies in the space shuttle,
satellite, and aircraft power systems.
2. In various commercial applications, such as advertising,
heating, air-conditioning, central refrigeration, computer and
office equipment, UPS, elevators, light dimmers, and
flashers.
3. In various industries, such as arc and industrial furnaces,
blowers and fans, pumps and compressors, industrial lasers,
transformer-tap changers, rolling mills, textile mills,
excavators, cement mills, welding.
4. Power electronics have wide applications in residential
requirements, such as air conditioning, cooking, lighting,
space heating, refrigerators, electric-door openers, dryers,
fans, personal computers, other entertainment equipment,
vacuum cleaners, washing and sewing machines, light
dimmers, food mixers, electric blankets, food-warmer trays.
 Typical Applications of Power Electronics

5. In the field of telecommunication, power electronics is

required for battery chargers and power supplies.
6. Nowadays, power electronics plays a crucial role in
transportation, such as battery chargers, traction control of
electric vehicles, electric locomotives, street cars, trolley
buses, subways, automotive electronics.
7. It has wide applications in HVDC transmission, excitation
systems, static Var compensation (SVC), static circuit
breakers, fans and boiler-feed pumps, supplementary energy
systems (solar, wind).
 Typical Applications of Power Electronics

A laptop computer power supply system

Inverter Display
backlighting

iac(t) Charger
Buck Microprocessor
PWM
vac(t) converter Power
Rectifier
management

ac line input Boost Disk

85–265 Lithium
converter
Vrms battery drive
 Typical Applications of Power Electronics

An electric vehicle power and drive system

ac machine ac machine

Inverter Inverter control bus

battery
µP
+ system
controller
3ø ac line Battery
DC-DC
vb converter
50/60 Hz charger
Vehicle
– electronics
Low-voltage
dc bus

Inverter Inverter

Variable-
frequency
Variable-voltage
ac ac machine ac machine
References
➔ Mohan, Underland, Robbins: “Power Electronics
Converters, Applications and Design” 3rd edition.
➔ Bimal K. Bose, “Modern Power Electronics and AC
Drives”
➔ Mohammad H. Rashid, “Power Electronics Circuits,
Devices, and Applications”, 3rd Edition
➔ Dr. P.S. Bimbhra, “Power Electronics”, Khanna
Publishers
➔ Other related books