Power Electronics

SILICON CONTROLLED RECTIFIERS

2018 Dr. Francis M. Fernandez

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 1

Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR)

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 2

SCR operating modes
1. Forward blocking mode
◦ When a positive voltage is applied to the anode of
the SCR with respect to the cathode, and with zero
gate current, the junction J2 will be reverse biased J1
and therefore the device will not conduct. This is the
J2
forward blocking mode of SCR.
J3
2. Reverse blocking mode
◦ When the cathode of SCR is made positive with
respect to the anode, the junctions J1 and J3 will be
reverse biased and therefore the device will not
conduct. This is the reverse blocking mode of SCR.

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 3

SCR operating modes
3. Forward Conduction Mode
 An SCR will go into forward conduction mode in two ways:
a) without gate current, the anode voltage is increased beyond a
certain level called breakover voltage VBO
b) A gate current is applied so that the SCR starts conducting
 Once the SCR starts conducting, no gate current is needed to
maintain the anode current.

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 4

Latching and Holding current
Latching current
 The minimum anode current required to maintain the ON condition even
after removal of the gate current is the latching current.
 Typ value: 25 mA

Holding current
 The minimum anode current below which the SCR will go to forward
blocking state is the holding current.
 Typ value: 10 mA

RL
Latching current > Holding current
VS
Vg

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 5

SCR Characteristics

IG3 > IG2 > IG1 > IG0

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 6

Problem
Rh

24V
Vg

For the given circuit, a gate pulse is applied with Rh = 1200 ohms

a) Will the SCR turn on?

b) If the answer is “no” what is the condition to effect a turn on?
c) After turn on how can the SCR be turned off?

Assumptions:
Latching current = 24 mA
Holding current = 10 mA
Forward on state voltage = 0V

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 7

Solution
Rh

24V
Vg

24 V
Current throgh the SCR when it is conducting = = 20 mA
1200 Ω

This current is less than the latching current; so the SCR will not turn on

24 V
Maximum value of load resistance = = 1000 Ω
24 mA

To ensure proper turn on, the load resistance (Rh) should be 1000 ohms or less

To turn off the SCR, the current should be brought down to below 10 mA by
reducing the supply voltage of increasing the load resistance (Rh)

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 8

SCR Turn On Methods
1. Forward Voltage Triggering
2. Gate Triggering
3. Radiation Triggering (Light Triggering)
◦ Light falling on the junction created electron-hole pairs and leads to current
flow.
◦ This principle if used in the following devices:
◦ Light activated SCR (LASCR)
◦ Light activate silicon controlled switch(LASCS)

4. Thermal Triggering (Temperature Triggering)

◦ Width of depletion layer decreases with rise in junction temperature. If the
anode is at near break-over voltage and the if the temperature rises, the
device may start conducting.
◦ This is an undesirable triggering

5. dv/dt Triggering

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 9

SCR Turn On Methods
5. dv/dt Triggering
◦ The reverse biased junction of the SCR may have a capacitance across it.
When a sudden voltage is applied, the device may turn on due to the
capacitance charging current

d d d d
iJ  QJ   C J V   V C J  C J V
dt dt dt dt A
P
N
• This is an undesirable triggering P
G
• Typical limit for dv/dt is 10-20 V/μs N

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 10

 Snubber Circuit

 A Snubber Circuit may be used to eliminate the dv/dt turn on problem

 A suitable RC network forms the snubber circuit

DS R2
R1
VS VT
VS VT R1
CS
CS

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 11

 Design of Snubber Circuit

R1

CS

t
  dv 0.632 VS 0.632 VS
VT  VS 1  e  S  At t   S , VT  0.632 VS  
  dt S R1C S

dv 0.632 VS

dt R1CS
VS
Also R1  where, I TD is the maximum discharge current of SCR
I TD

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 12

Problem
A SCR is to operate in a circuit where the supply voltage is 200 VDC. The
dv/dt should be limited to 100 V/ µs. Series R and C are connected across
the SCR for limiting dv/dt. The maximum discharge current from C into
the SCR, if and when it is turned ON is to be limited to 100 A. Using an
approximate expression, obtain the values of R and C.

R1

CS

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 13

Solution

VS 200
R1    2
I TD 100 R1

Select 2.2 ohms CS

dv 0.632 VS 100 0.632  200

 6

dt R1CS 10 2.2  CS

0.632  200  10 6
CS   0.575F Select 0.68 μF
2.2  100

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 14

 di/dt Rating
 Critical rate of rise of current is the maximum rate of rise of anode
current in the ON state that the device can safely withstand.
 If the rate of rise if faster than the spreading velocity of carriers across
the junction, hot spots may develop and damage the device.
 Specified for the highest value of junction temperature.
 Typical di/dt ratings are in the range of 50-800 A/μs
 Protection provided with a series inductor.

di Vs

dt Ls

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 15

Two Transistor Analogy
Eber Moll equation:    = +

For TR1:    = 1 +

For TR2:    = 2 +

− − =0 = +
= + + +

For gating signal = +

= ( + )+ + +

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 16

Two Transistor Analogy Contd.

= ( + )+ + +

− − = + +

(1 − ( + )) = + +

+ + ( + ) is called the loop gain

=
1−( + )

When ( + ) = 1, IA becomes very high.

Here, IA is limited by the external resistance (Load)

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 17

 Parallel operation of SCRs
 Parallel operation is needed when the load current is more than
device rating
 Should be done carefully if the VI characteristics are different

I2

Forward Current
T2
T1
T1 T2
I1

Voltage Drop
I = I1 + I2

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 18

Proper Current Sharing
Current sharing using series resistance

R1 + RT1 = R2 + RT2

R1 R2
The SCRs should turn on simultaneously
◦ SCRs are mounted symmetrically on the heat
T1 T2 sink to reduce difference of inductance of
conducting paths
◦ Series resistance connected in gate circuit

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 19

Proper Current Sharing

Current Sharing using magnetically

coupled series reactance

L1 L2

T1 T2

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 20

Series Operation of SCRs

 SCR with higher resistance will

have larger voltage drop
T1 across it
 Results in unequal distribution
of voltages
T2
 String efficiency reduces

Actual voltage rating of the string

String Efficiency 
Voltage rating of one SCR  Number of SCRs

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 21

 Voltage Equalisation

• Static Equalisation
R2
T1 R1 • A uniform voltage distribution in
steady state can be achieved by
C connecting a suitable resistance
(same value) across each SCR
R2 ns  ED  Es
R1 
T2 R1  ns  1 I b max  I b min 
C
Where
ns  number of devices
ED  maximum permissible breakdown voltage
Es  string voltage
E2
Power dissipated , PR  I b  device blocking current
R

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 22

Voltage Equalisation
• Dynamic Equalisation
• A simple resistor used for static
R2 voltage equalization cannot maintain
T1 R1 equal voltage distribution under
transient conditions
C
• Parallel connected RC network does
the dynamic compensation
R2 • Also acts as snubber circuit
T2 R1
n  1Qmax
C s
C ns  E D  E s
Where
ns  number of devices
E D  maximum permissible breakdown voltage
Qmax  maximum difference between reverse
recovery charge of SCRs of the same type

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 23

Structure of SCR

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 24

 TRIAC
 Conducts in both half cycles of AC supply voltage
 Has two main terminals and a gate

Symbol
IT

Ig Ig Ig Ig = 0
3 2 1

VT
Ig = Ig Ig Ig
0 1 2 3

Internal Structure Characteristics

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 25

Triac Circuit & Waveforms

SCR TRIAC

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 26