INTRODUCTION TO POWER

ELECTRONICS DEVICES

MD. ZARAFI BIN AHMAD

JEK, FKEE 1
 LEARNING OUTCOMES

„ Student will know the definition and

concepts of power electronics
electronics.
„ Student can identifies the power
semiconductor switches
switches.
„ Students are able to compare the rating of
the switches
switches.
„ Student will know several applications of
power electronics devices
devices.
„ The snubbers
2
 What is Power Electronics

„ Power electronics involves the study of

electronic circuits intended to control
the flow of electrical energy.
gy These
circuits handle power flow at levels
much higher than the individual
devices rating.

3
 Power Electronic Converters

„ To convert, i.e. to process and control

the flow of electric power by supplying
voltage
g and current in a form that is
optimally suited for user loads.

4
The role of Power Electronics

5
Power Electronics Converters

AC-DC Converter DC-DC Converter

6
DC-AC Converter
 PE Growth
PE rapid growth due to:
Advances in power (semiconductor) switches.
Advances in microelectronics (DSP,
(DSP microprocessor/microcontroller)
microprocessor/microcontroller).
New ideas in control algorithms.
Demand for new applications.

PE is an interdisciplinary field:
Digital/analogue electronics.
Power and energy
energy.
Microelectronics.
Control systems.
Computer, simulation and software.
Packaging
Heat transfer

7
8
 Power Switches

Can be categorized into:

U
Uncontrolled
t ll d – Diode
Di d
Semi--controlled – Thyristor (SCR)
Semi
Fully controlled – Power transistor; e.g: BJT,
MOSFET,, IGBT,, IGCT,GTO
,
The rating of the switches are stated in
terms of voltage rating
rating, current rating
rating,
frequency and ON-
ON-state voltage.

9
Power Switches

„ Power Diodes
- Stud type
- Hockey
Hockey-
y-p
puck type
yp
- etc.

10
Power Switches

„ IGBT
- Module type: Full bridge
and three phase.
- etc.

„ IGCT
- Integrated with its driver

11
Power Switches

„ Thyristor
- Switched on gate terminal,
the device remain latched.

vo
The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again.

The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again.

ig

Thyristor
y voltage
g regulated
g by
ypphase
control 12
Power Diodes

• Forward biased – conducts current with small forward

voltage (Vf)
• Reversed (blocking state) – a small leakage current (μA –
mA) flows until the reverse breakdown occurs.
• Diode should not be operated at reverse voltage greater
than VPRV.
13
 Power Diodes

„ When the input voltage is greater than the diode

volt--drop the diode is in forward conduction.
volt
„ When the supply voltage falls below VD , the
conduction is blocked and the load is separated
from the source by the blocking diode 14
 Power Diodes (Reverse recovery)
The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again.

„ When the diode switched quickly from forward to reverse

bias,, it continues to conduct due to the minorityy carriers
which remains in the p- p-n junction.
„ The minority carriers requires finite time, trr (reverse
recovery time) to recombine with opposite charge and
neutralize. 15
Power
P Diodes
Di d (Reverse
(R recovery))
„ Two types:
1) Snap-
Snap-off
The image cannot be display ed. Your computer may not hav e enough memory to open the image, or the image may hav e been corrupted. Restart y our computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, y ou may hav e to delete the image and then insert it again.

Softness factor, Sr

16
Power
P Diodes
Di d (Reverse
(R recovery))
„ Two types:
2) Soft-
Soft-recovery

Softness factor, Sr

17
 Power Diodes (Reverse recovery)

„ If trr is high, the diode cannot be be used

i high
in hi h frequency
f application.
li ti

„ Effects of reverse recovery:

œ increase switching losses
œ increase voltage rating
œ over
over--voltage (spikes) in inductive loads.

18
 Thyristor (SCR)

„ Thyristor is a family name for bi-

bi-
polar devices which comprise four
semi--conductor layers.
semi

19
Thyristor (SCR)

V-I characteristics 20
 Thyristor (SCR)

„ Can turn ON but hard to turn OFF.

„ R
Requires
i large
l voltage
lt before
b f can ON.
ON
„ If the forward breakover voltage (Vbo) is
exceeded the SCR self-
exceeded, self-triggers into conducting
state.
„ If the ggate current is occurs,, it will reduce Vbo.
„ Condition to turn ON:
 Vak must be +ve.
 a +ve gate current is applied.
„ In reverse-
reverse-biased – SCR behaves like a diode.
21
 Thyristor (SCR)

„ Cannot be turn OFF by applying negative

gate current.

„ The ways to turn OFF:

i) Ia goes to negative (-
(-ve portion of
supply current) – natural commutation.
ii) Using forced commutation.
commutation

22
Thyristor (SCR)

„ Types of thyristor:

i) Phase
Ph controlled.
ll d
ii) Inverter grade.
iii) Light activated.
iv) Triac
v) Diac

23
 Power Transistors

„ Can be turn ON and OFF by relatively very

smallll control
t l signals.
i l

„ Operated at saturation and cut

cut--off modes
only.

„ No linear region operation is allowed due

to excessive power loss.

24
Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

„ The transistor is a current-

current-
driven device.
„ The base current
determines whether it is in
the on state or the off state.
„ To keep the device in the
on state there must be
sufficient base current.

25
Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

„ The high-
high-voltage power switching
transistors is commonly in NPN
rather than PNP.
„ Power transistors usually in
Darlington form. 26
Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

Transistor characteristics

27
 Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

„ Rating:
Voltage VCE < 1000
1000V
1000V,
V
V,
Current Ic < 400 A
Switching
g freq
q up
p to 5kHz

„ Low current gain ( ):

Needs large base current to obtain reasonable Ic.

„ Expensive and the base drive circuit is complex.

complex

„ Current driven devices

28
 Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect
Transistor (MOSFET)

„ There are two types of MOSFETs:

depletion--type (normally on)
depletion
enhancement--type
enhancement yp (normally
( y off))

„ Power MOSFETs are generally from

enhancement type.

29
 Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect
Transistor (MOSFET)

„ Voltage driven devices – to turn ON needs

gate
t voltage.
lt

30
 Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect
Transistor (MOSFET)

„ Rating:
Voltage VDS < 500
500V
V
Current IDS < 300A
300A
f > 100 kHz
„ Superior – high switching with very nice w/form
(up to MHz).
„ The gate drive cct (simple) – When have high f
the passive component (L & C) can be reduced.
„ Biggest application is in switch-
switch-mode power
supply.

31
 Metal Oxide Silicon Field Effect
Transistor (MOSFET)

„ Advantages:
- High input impedance due to insulated gate (thus no gate
current, no gate power)
- Fast switching (thus less switching losses, suitable for
frequencies above 100
100kHZ)
kHZ)
- Positive temperature coefficient, good for parallel
operation

„ Disadvantages:
Higher conduction loss, lower voltage & current capability

32
 Insulated Gate Bipolar
p Transistor
(IGBT)

„ Hybrid semiconductor devices –

combination of BJT and MOSFET.
MOSFET
„ The gate is voltage driven, as in
the MOSFET
MOSFET.
„ Ratings:
Voltage VCE < 3.3kV
Current IC < 1.2 kA
Switching freq up to 100 kHz

33
 Gate Turn-
Turn-Off Thyristor (GTO)

„ GTO is a thyristor that can be triggered into

conduction by a small positive gate
gate--current pulse
(like SCR), but also be turned off by a negative
gate--current pulse (unlike SCR).
gate
„ Turning off needs very large reverse gate current
(normally 1/5 of anode current).
„ Ratings:
Voltage VAK < 5kV
Current IA < 5 kA
Switching freq up to 5 kHz

34
Gate Turn-
Turn-Off Thyristor (GTO)

T
Turn-off
ff characteristics
h t i ti
35
 Insulated Gate-
Gate-Commutated
Thyristor (IGCT)
„ Among the latest power switches (1996).
„ C d t as thyristor
Conduct th i t butb t can b
be turn
t off
ff using
i
gate signal, similar to IGBT.
„ Power switch is integrated with the gate drive
unit.
„ Ratings:
g
- voltage Vak < 6.5 kV
- current Ia < 4 kA
- Frequency < 1 kHz
„ Very low an state voltage – 2.7 V
36
37
 Power Electronics System

„ To convert electrical energy from one

f
form tto another,
th ii.e. ffrom th
the source tto
load with:
- highest
h h efficiency
ff
- highest reliability
- hi h t availability
highest il bilit
- lowest cost
- smallest size
- least weight.

38
 Applications
pp of Power Electronics
Converters
„ Static Application
ª involves non-
non-rotating or moving mechanical
components.
ª Examples:
DC Power supply,
supply, un
un--interruptible power supply
supply,, power
generation and transmission (HVDC), electronic ballast
and etc.
„ Drive application
ª intimately contains moving or rotating
components such as motor.
motor
ª Examples:
Electric trains,, electric vehicles,, air
air--conditioning
g system,
system
y ,
pump, compressor and etc.
39
 Applications
pp of Power Electronics
Converters
„ Others example

40
 Power Switch Losses

The sources of losses generally include:

„ Conduction loss: a function of the forward volt-

volt-drop
& conduction current (more significant at lower
frequency operation).
operation).

„ Off-state
Off- t t leakage
l k loss:
l associated
i t d with
ith the
th leakage
l k
current during blocking state.
state.

„ Switching loss: during the devices turning on and

turning off (can be significant at a relative high
f
frequency).
)
41
 Protection of Power Switches -
Snubbers
„ The voltage across the switch is bigger than the
supply (for a short moment) cause a spike
spike.

„ The spike may exceed the switch rated blocking

voltage and causes damage due to over-voltage.

„ A snubber is put across the switch – RCD circuit.

„ Snubber circuit “smoothened” the transition and

make the switch voltage rise more “slowly”.
42
Protection of Power Switches -
Snubbers

RCD circuit
43
 Gate and Base Drive Circuits

• Interface between control circuit ((low power

p electronics))
and high power switch.

44
 Gate and Base Drive Circuits

Functions:
•T
To switch
it h a power semiconductor
i d t d device
i ffrom off
ff state
t t to
t
the on state and vice versa.
• The drive circuit amplifies the control signals to levels
required to drive the power switch.
• Provides electrical isolation between the p
power switch
and logic level of control circuit.
• May included in drive circuit for protection of power
switch
it h ffrom overcurrents.
t

45
 Gate and Base Drive Circuits

• The component values to be used and the

complexity of a drive circuit will vary depending
on the characteristics of the power switch being
driven.
• For example, the MOSFET or IGBT drivers are
simple
p but for GTO it is vary
y complicated
p and
expensive.

46
 Gate and Base Drive Circuits
Simple MOSFET gate
driver
• The MOSFET requires VGS
= +15 V for turn on and 0 V
to turn off.
• When the output of the
comparator is low, VGS is
pulled
ll d tto VGG.
• If VGG is set to +15 V, the
MOSFET turn on. on
• When output of the
p
comparator is high,
g , VGS is
pulled to the ground, then
47
the MOSFET is off.
 Gate and Base Drive Circuits
Simple Thyristor gate
driver
• In this circuit, a pulse
transformer is used to
conduct the thyristor
y with
the R1 is to limit the gate
current.
•N
Normally,
ll a pulse
l with
ith
length of 10 us and
amplitude of 50 mA is
sufficient to turn-on the
thyristor.
• H
However, thi
this simple
i l circuit
i it iis nott possible
ibl tto tturn-off
ff the
th
thyristor. 48
 Electrical Isolation for Drivers
• V
Very often,
ft there
th is
i needd for
f
electrical isolation between the
logic-level control signals and
the dri
drive e circ
circuit
it to pre
prevent
ent
damages on the high power
switch to propagate back to low
power electronics
electronics.
• The basic ways to provide
electrical isolation are:
- optocoupler
- fiber optics
- transformer.
transformer

• Many standard driver chips have buit-in isolation for example TLP-20 from
Toshiba and HP 3150 from Hewlett-Packard uses optocoupling g isolation.

49
 Electrical Isolation for Drivers

Schematic of an optocoupler use for electrical isolation in drive circuit

50
Thank You

51