Power Electronics

TRIGGERING CIRCUITS

2018 Dr. Francis M. Fernandez

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 1

 Gate Characteristics

A
Vg
Vgmax

S1

B
Vgmin S2
OA and OB represent the
spread of characteristics for
the thyristor of same rating
O
Igmin Igmax Ig

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 2

R - Triggering Circuit
 R1 is the gate current limiting
resistance
 R2 is used to vary the gate current
and hence firing angle

Vm Vm
I g max  R1 
R1 I g max

 R limits the voltage at Gate terminal

Vg max R1
R
Vm  Vg max
 Diode D prevents build-up of negative
voltage at Gate terminal

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 3

R-Trig Waveforms

Vi
t

VL  The phase angle at which

α the SCR starts
conducting is called
firing angle, α
VT

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 4

Features of R-Trig Circuit

 Simple circuit

 Disadvantages:
 Performance depends on
temperature and SCR
Vi
characteristics t

 Minimum phase angle is typically

2-4 degrees only (not zero degree) VL
α
 Maximum phase angle is only 90
degrees VT

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 5

 Problem
Design an R-triggering circuit for a half wave controlled rectifier circuit
for 24 V ac supply. The SCR to be used has the following data.
Igmin = 0.1 mA, Igmax = 12 mA, Vgmin = 0.6V, Vgmax = 1.5 V

Solution:
Vm 24 2
= 24 2 R1    2.8 k   3.3 k 
I g max 12  103

1.5 × 3.3 × 10
≤ = = 145.8  ≃ 120 
− 24 2 − 1.5

For finding R2 =
− +

− 24 2 − 0.6 × 120
= − = − 3.3 × 10 = 3.37 
0.6
Select 4.7 k Potentiometer for R2
(Drop across diode D is neglected)
DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 6
 Problem
In a resistance firing circuit for SCR, the following parameters are
applicable
Igt(min) = 0.5 mA,
V gt(min) = 0.7V,
Supply voltage = 48 V, 50Hz
Resistance in gate current path = 70 kΩ.
a) Find the firing angle for the above
condition
b) What is the resistance for which
firing angle is 90 degrees

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 7

Solution
a)
et  I g  R1  R2   VD  Vg
 0.5  10 3  70 103  0.6  0.7
 36.3 V

et  Vm sin t
36.3  2  48sin t
36.3
sin t   0.535
2  48
t  sin 1 t  32.3

Firing angle = 32.3 degrees

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 8

Solution
b)

et  I g  R1  R2   VD  Vg
2  48  0.5 10 3  R  0.6  0.7
66.6  0.5 10 3  R
66.6
R 3
 133 kΩ
0.5  10

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 9

 RC Triggering Circuit

Advantage over R-triggering Circuit:

Controls upto 180 degrees

1.3 T
RC 
2

To ensure minimum gate current

 Capacitor charges during the negative vs  R I g min  Vg min  VD1

half cycle through D2
 When SCR is turned on, capacitor C is
suddenly discharged through D2 vs  Vg min  VD1
R
 D1 protects the SCR during negative I g min
half cycle

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 10

RC Trig Waveforms

1.3 T
RC 
2

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 11

 RC Full wave trigger circuit

 Initial Capacitor voltage in each

half cycle is almost zero

50 T vs  Vg min
RC  R
2 I g min

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 12

Unijunction Transistor (UJT)

 Has a lightly doped n-type silicon

layer to which a heavily doped
p-type emitter is embedded
 The inter-base resistance is in the
range of 5 – 10 kΩ
 This device cannot ‘amplify’

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 13

UJT Equivalent Circuit
RB1
VAB1  VBB   VBB
RB1  RB2
η is called intrinsic standoff ratio
Value of η varies from 0.5 – 0.8

 When Ve is more than V1+VD, then the

diode is forward biased and a current
flows through RB1
 Number of carriers in RB1 increases
and the resistance reduces
 Ve decreases with increase in Ie and the
therefore the device is said to exhibit
negative resistance

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 14

UJT Characteristics

At peak point, Ve = V1+VD,

At Valley point, RB1 is minimum

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 15

 UJT parameters
Maximum emitter reverse voltage
◦ Maximum reverse bias which the emitter – base2 junction can tolerate without
breakdown. Typ: 30V
Maximum inter-base voltage
◦ Maximum voltage possible between base1 and base2. Decided by the power
dissipation. Typ: 35 V
Interbase resistance
◦ Typ: 4.7 k – 9.1 k
Intrinsic stand off ratio
◦ Typ: 0.56 – 0.75
Maximum peak emitter current
◦ Typ : 2A
Emitter leakage current
◦ The emitter current when Ve is less than Vp and the UJT is off.
◦ Typ 12 μA
Typical values are of 2N2646
DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 16
UJT Oscillator

• R1 and R2 are much less than the inter-base resistance

• The output pulses can be used to trigger an SCR

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 17

Design
t
VC  VBB 1  e RC 

 
Time required for C to charge from
Vv to Vp is obtained as follows
t
V p  VBB  VD  Vv  VBB 1  e RC 
 R1 is selected based on
  voltage level required to
t trigger the SCR
Assuming VD  Vv   1  e RC 

  R2 is selected using the
empirical formula:
For this case , t  T
10 4
 1 
R2 
1 VBB
T  RC ln 
f  1  
DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 18
UJT firing circuit for Half Wave Controller

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 19

Waveforms for Half Wave Controller

Vi
t

VP
VV

VC

VO

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 20

Full wave UJT trigger Circuit

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 21

Problem
Design a UJT relaxation oscillator using UJT2646 for triggering an SCR. The
UJT has the following parameters
η = 0.63, VBB = 20 V, VP = 13.2 V, IP = 50 μA
VV = 2 V, IV = 6 mA, RBB = 7 kΩ, leakage current = 2.5 mA
Also find the minimum and maximum time period of oscillation.

Solution:
Assume C = 0.1 μF
− 20 − 13.2
= = = 136 
50 × 10

− 20 − 2
= = = 3 
6 × 10

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 22

 10 10
Approximate value of 2= = = 794 Ω
  0.63 × 20

0.7
= = = 280 Ω
  2.5 × 10

1 1
= ln = 136 × 10 × 0.1 × 10 × ln = 13.5 
1− 1 − 0.63

1
= 3 × 10 × 0.1 × 10 × ln = 0.3 
1 − 0.63

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 23

 Commutation
 Commutation us the process by which a thyristor is turned off or
current diverted to another path.
 There are two types of commutation
 Natural Commutation
 Forced Commutation

• In natural commutation, the • In DC circuits, external circuits are

reversing nature of alternating necessary for turn off of thyristors
voltages turn off the thyristor • Turn off with external circuits is called
• Suitable for AC circuits only forced commutation
• Current passes through a zero in
every half cycle
• No external circuit is required for
natural commutation

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 24

Pulse Transformer

 Used to trigger SCR, TRIAC etc

 Provides Electrical isolation between power circuit and control circuit

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 25

Optical Isolation

 Used to trigger SCR, TRIAC etc

 Provides Electrical isolation between power circuit and control circuit

DEPT. OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING TRIVANDRUM 26