Power Electronics System Converter Classification

Convert electric power from one form to Main conversions:

another using power electronics devices. AC-DC (Rectifier)
Power Electronics system block diagram: DC-AC (Inverter)
DC-DC (Chopper/Booster)
AC-AC (Cyclo-converter)

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Applications
Power rating Example
< 100 W Switched-mode power supplies (portable equipment)
Small motor drives (home appliances)
< 10 kW Power supplies for computers or office equipment
Variable-speed motor drives used in commercial buildings
10 kW 1 MW High power motor drives in industry, traction control and
renewable energy system
> 1 MW Utility transmission lines, grid connected systems, reactive power
control

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 Applications Examples for Sources and Loads
Sources Examples
AC Input Grid Voltage, Generators
DC Input Battery, Photo Voltaic

Loads Examples
Power Supply Low power battery chargers used in portable devices (hp, laptop)
Electric Vehicles, PC, Printers, Telecommunication Devices, Audio
and Video equipments
Motor Drives DC or AC Variable Speed Drives in Robotics or Industry
Low/medium power drives in Home Appliances, Air Conditioners,
High power drives in Tractions, Electric Vehicles, Conveyers, Lifts,
Power System Renewable Energy Systems, Distributed Generations, Flexible AC
Transmission, Power Quality, UPS, Active and Reactive Power
Control

Adjustable frequency
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Application: Interdisciplinary Nature of Power Electronics

Wind turbines generate variable voltage in
magnitude and frequency due to the fact that
wind speed and power is not constant over a day.
In order to transfer power from the generator into
a grid, power converters are required to adjust the
frequency and magnitude.

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 Power Electronics Concepts Solutions:
1. Voltage divider
Low-Pass Filter + Switch
control

? 2. A switch circuit

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Power Semiconductor Devices Power Switches

Devices Power Diodes Thyristors Power Transistors
(Uncontrolled) (Semi-controlled) (Fully controlled)
Types General purpose Silicon-controlled BJT
High speed (Fast Rectifier (SCR) Power MOSFET
Recovery) IGBT
Schottky
Silicon Carbine (SiC)
Diodes Thyristors
General
Symbol G C E
A C A C
B

Terminal Anode (A) Anode (A) Collector (C)

Cathode (C) Cathode (C) Emitter (E) Gate-Turn-Off Thyristors
Gate (G) Base (B)

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 Power Diode Reverse Recovery
The ON and OFF states are determined by
When a diode is switched quickly from forward to
voltages and currents in the circuit.
reverse bias, it continues to conduct due to the
minority carriers which remains in the p-n junction.
The minority carriers require finite time, i.e. trr
(reverse recovery time) to recombine with opposite
charge and neutralize. [trr < 1ms]
Effects of reverse recovery are increase in switching
Conduction i-v Ideal case diode
losses, increase in voltage rating, over-voltage
Forward-biased Current id positive Short circuit (spikes) in inductive loads.
(ON)
Reverse-biased Voltage vd is Open circuit
(OFF) negative
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Reverse Recovery Type of Power Diodes

Maximum Maximum Forward
i Switching
Type Breakdown Current Voltage Applications
Speed
ON Voltage Rating Drop
High Voltage
trr = (t2 t1 )
Power Diodes
t1 t2 OFF
t Fast Recovery

Schottky Diodes

Power Zener
The current is decreases and momentarily becomes negative before
Diodes
becoming zero.

The time trr is usually less than 1 s.

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 Thyristors (SCR) Thyristors (SCRs)
3 terminals: .., ., .
Turn-ON requirement:
a)

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b)
Forward-biased: the anode current is latched.
vAK = normal forward volt-drop (1.5-3V).
Turn-OFF requirement:
a)
Reverse-biased: the SCR behaves like a diode.
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Thyristor Conduction Thyristors

ig vs
ia
wt Gate Turn-Off Thyristor (GTO)
Behave like normal thyristor, but can be turned off using gate signal
+ ig
vs vo However turning off is difficult. Need very large reverse gate current
wt
- (normally 1/3 of the on-state anode current).
vo
wt Triac
Capable of conducting current in either direction
vs vs Equivalent to two antiparallel SCRs
wt wt

ig ig MOS-Controlled thyristor (MCT)

wt
voltage controlled device
wt
Low voltage drop in the on state at relatively
vo vo high currents
wt wt Faster switching speed in ms range.
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Power Transistors: Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor
Power Transistor: Bipolar Junction Transistor
Field Effect Transistor
Voltage controlled device Current controlled device
Supply a sufficient vGS to trigger ON the device. Supply a sufficient iB to trigger ON the device. (iB must be
(vGS @ 20V) supply continuously to keep the BJT ON)
ON state: voltage drop across Drain-Source terminal, vDS. ON state: voltage drop across Collector-Emitter terminal,
[RDS(ON) @ mW] vCE @ 1-2V
Switching frequency in MHz range. Rarely used in new applications, being surpassed by
MOSFET and IGBT.

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Power Transistor:
Summary of Device Capabilities
Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
Combine the advantages of MOSFET, BJT, and
GTO.
Small amount of energy to switch on the device,
Small on-state voltage drop, VCE(ON) is 2-3V.
Block negative voltages
Medium switching speed

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