Ratings of Thyristor

There are different ratings that are specified by the device manufacturers and they are available
in SCR manuals.The designer must make use of this data in order to select a device which has
adequate ratings.The specified ratings should not be exceeded in order to operate SCR reliably.
In this section some of the important ratings have been discussed.

• Latching Current (IL): 

Latching current IL is the minimum anode current required to maintain thyristor in ON state
immediately after thyristor has been Turn ON and the gate signal has been removed
• Holding Current (IH): 
Minimum anode current below which device stop conducting and return to its off state usually
this value is very small in mA.
• Forward Breakdown Voltage (VBO): 
If anode to cathode voltage VAK is increase to sufficient large value, the reverse bias junction J2
breaks this is known as Avalanche Breakdown and corresponding voltage is called as forward
breakdown voltage VBO.
• Reverse Breakdown Voltage (VBR): 
If reverse voltage is increased During reverse blocking if Ig = 0 then only reverse saturation
current (Is) flows until the reverse voltage reaches reverse break down voltage (VBR). At this
point current starts rising sharply. Large reverse voltage and current generates excessive heat and
destroys the device.
• dv/dt: 
dv/dt rating of thyristor indicates maximum rate of rise of anode voltage that will not trigger the
device without any gate signal.
• di/dt: 
di/dt rating of thyristor indicates maximum rate of rise of anode to cathode current.
• Surge Current:
It specifies the maximum allowable non repetitive current the device can withstand. The device
is assumed to be operating under rated blocking voltage, forward current and junction
temperature before the surge current occurs. Following the surge the device should be
disconnected from the circuit and allowed to cool down. Surge currents are assumed to be sine
waves of power frequency with a minimum duration of ½ cycles. Manufacturers provide at least
three different surge current ratings for different durations.
• Gate current to trigger (IGT):
Minimum value of the gate current below which reliable turn on of the thyristor cannot be
guaranteed. Usually specified at a given forward break over voltage.
• Gate voltage to trigger (VGT): 
Minimum value of the gate cathode forward voltage below which reliable turn on of the thyristor
cannot be guaranteed. It is specified at the same break over voltage as IGT.

Thyristor Commutation

Concept of commutation

As we know that a thyristor can be turned on by triggering gate terminal with low voltage short
duration pulse. But after turning on, it will conduct continuous until the thyristor is reverse
biased or the load current falls to zero. This continuous conduction of thyristors causes problems
in some applications. The process used for turning off a thyristor is called as commutation. By
the commutation process, the thyristor operating mode is changed from forward conducting
mode to forward blocking mode. So, the thyristor commutation methods or thyristor
commutation techniques are used to turn off.
The commutation techniques of thyristors are classified into two types:
1. Natural Commutation
2. Forced Commutation

• Natural Commutation (Line Commutation)

Generally, if we consider AC supply, the current will flow through the zero crossing line while
going from positive peak to negative peak. Thus, a reverse voltage will appear across the device
simultaneously, which will turn off the thyristor immediately. This process is called as natural
commutation as thyristor is turned off naturally without using any external components or circuit
or supply for commutation purpose. Figure below shows the Natural Commutation. Natural
commutation can be observed in AC voltage controllers, phase controlled rectifiers and
cycloconverters.

• Forced Commutation
The thyristor can be turned off by reverse biasing the SCR or by using active or passive
components. Thyristor current can be reduced to a value below the value of holding current.
Since, the thyristor is turned off forcibly it is termed as a forced commutation process. The basic
electronics and electrical components such as inductance and capacitance are used as
commutating elements for commutation purpose. Forced commutation can be observed while
using DC supply; hence it is also called as DC commutation. The external circuit used for forced
commutation process is called as commutation circuit and the elements used in this circuit are
called as commutating elements.
The Forced commutation is classified as-
a) Voltage commutation
b) Current commutation
Forced commutation requires external components to store energy & used to apply reverse
voltage across SCR or reduce anode current below holding current.
• Current commutation-SCR is turned off by reducing anode current below holding current.

• Voltage commutation-SCR is turned off by applying large reverse voltage across it.

Classification of Forced Commutation Methods.

The forced commutation can be classified into different methods as follows:
1. Class A: Self commutated by a resonating load
2. Class B: Self commutated by an LC circuit
3. Class C: Cor L-C switched by another load carrying SCR
4. Class D: C or L-C switched by an auxiliary SCR
5. Class E: An external pulse source for commutation
6. Class F: AC line commutation
Natural Vs Forced communication

Thyristor Commutation Techniques

Class A: Self Commutated by a Resonating Load

Figure below shows the Class ‘A’ Commutation. When the SCR is triggered, anode current
flows and charges up C with the dot as positive. The L-C-R form a second order under-damped
circuit. The current through the SCR builds up and completes a half cycle. The inductor current
will then attempt to flow through the SCR in the reverse direction and the SCR will be turned
off. The capacitor voltage is at its peak when the SCR turns off and the capacitor discharges into
the resistance in an exponential manner. The SCR is reverse-biased till the capacitor voltages
returns to the level of the supply voltage V.

Class B: Self Commutated by an L-C Circuit

Figure below shows Class ‘B’commutation. The Capacitor C charges up in the dot as positive
before a gate pulse is applied to the SCR. When SCR is triggered, the resulting current has two
components. The constant load current Iload flows through R – L load. This is ensured by the
large reactance in series with the load and the freewheeling diode clamping it. A sinusoidal
current flows through the resonant L- C circuit to charge-up C with the dot as negative at the end
of the half cycle. This current will then reverse and flow through the SCR in opposition to the
load current for a small fraction of the negative swing till the total current through the SCR
becomes zero. The SCR will turn off when the resonant–circuit (reverse) current is just greater
than the load current. The SCR is turned off if the SCR remains reverse biased for tq>toff, and
the rate of rise of the reapplied voltage < the rated value.
Class C: C or L-C Switched by another Load Carrying SCR

Figure below shows Class C Commutation. This configuration has two SCRs. One of them may
be the main SCR and the other auxiliary. Both may be load current carrying main SCRs. The
configuration may have four SCRs with the load across the capacitor, with the integral converter
supplied from a current source. Assume SCR2 is conducting. C then charges up in the polarity
shown. When SCR1 is triggered, C is switched across SCR2 via SCR1 and the discharge current
of C opposes the flow of load current in SCR2.

Class D: L-C or C Switched by an Auxiliary SCR

Figure below shows Class D Commutation. The circuit shown in Figure (Class C) can be
converted to Class D if the load current is carried by only one of the SCR’s, the other acting as
an auxiliary turn-off SCR. The auxiliary SCR would have a resistor in its anode lead of say ten
times the load resistance. SCRA must be triggered first in order to charge the upper terminal of
the capacitor as positive. As soon as C is charged to the supply voltage, SCRA will turn off. If
there is substantial inductance in the input lines, the capacitor may charge to voltages in excess
of the supply voltage. This extra voltage would discharge through the diode-inductor-load
circuit. SCRA must be triggered first in order to charge the upper terminal of the capacitor as
positive. As soon as C is charged to the supply voltage, SCRA will turn off. If there is substantial
inductance in the input lines, the capacitor may charge to voltages in excess of the supply
voltage. This extra voltage would discharge through the diode-inductor-load circuit. When
SCRM is triggered the current flows in two paths: Load current flows through the load and the
commutating current flows through C- SCRM -L-D network. The charge on C is reversed and
held at that level by the diode D. When SCRA is re-triggered, the voltage across C appears
across SCRM via SCRA and SCRM is turned off.

Class E: External Pulse Source for Commutation

The transformer is designed with sufficient iron and air gap so as not to saturate. It is capable of
carrying the load current with a small voltage drop compared with the supply voltage. When
SCR1 is triggered, current flows through the load and pulse transformer. To turn SCR1 off a
positive pulse is applied to the cathode of the SCR from an external pulse generator via the pulse
transformer. The capacitor C is only charged to about 1 volt and for the duration of the turn-off
pulse it can be considered to have zero impedance. Thus the pulse from the transformer reverses
the voltage across the SCR, and it supplies the reverse recovery current and holds the voltage
negative for the required turn-off time. Figure below shows the Class E Commutation.
Class F: AC Line Commutated

Figure below shows the Class F Commutation. If the supply is an alternating voltage, load
current will flow during the positive half cycle. With a highly inductive load, the current may
remain continuous for some time till the energy trapped in the load inductance is dissipated.
During the negative half cycle, therefore, the SCR will turn off when the load current becomes
zero ‘naturally’. The negative polarity of the voltage appearing across the outgoing SCR turns it
off if the voltage persists for the rated turn-off period of the device. The duration of the half
cycle must be definitely longer than the turn-off time of the SCR.The commutation process
involved here is representative of that in a three phase converter. The converter has an input
inductance Ls arising manly out of the leakage reactance of the supply transformer. Initially,
SCRs Th1 and Th1′ are considered to be conducting. The triggering angle for the converter is
around 600. The converter is operating in the continuous conduction mode aided by the highly-
inductive load. When the incoming SCRs, Th2 and Th2′ are triggered, the current through the
incoming devices cannot rise instantaneously to the load current level. A circulating current Isc
builds up in the short-circuited path including the supply voltage, Vs-Ls-Th1′- Th2 and Vs- Ls-
Th2′-Th1 paths.
Triggering Circuit of Thyristor

One common application of the Uni junction transistor is the triggering of the other devices such
as the SCR, triac etc. The basic elements of such a triggering circuit are shown in figure below.
The resistor RE is chosen so that the load line determined by RE passes through the device
characteristic in the negative resistance region, that is, to the right of the peak point but to the left
of the valley point, as shown in figure. If the load line does not pass to the right of the peak point
P, the device cannot turn on.

For ensuring turn-on of UJT

RE < VBB – Vp / IP
This can be established as below Consider the peak point at which,
IRE = Ip and VE = VP
the equality IRE = IP is valid because the charging current of capacitor, at this instant is zero,
that is, the capacitor, at this particular instant, is changing from a charging state to a discharging
state.
Then,
VE = VBB – IRE RE
RE (MAX) = VBB – VE¬ / IRE = VBB – Vp / IP
At the valley point, V
IE = IV and VE = VV so that
VE = VBB – IRE RE

So RE (MIN) = VBB – VE / IRE = VBB – VV / IV or

for ensuring turn-off.

RE > = VBB – VV / IV
So, the range of resistor RE is given as
VBB – VP / IP >RE > VBB – VV / IV

The resistor R is chosen small enough so as to ensure that SCR is not turned on by voltage VR
when emitter terminal E is open or IE = 0
The voltage VR = RVBB/R + RBB for open-emitter terminal. The capacitor C determines the
time interval between triggering pulses and the time duration of each pulse. By varying RE, we
can change the time constant RE C and alter the point at which the UJT fires. This allows us to
control the conduction angle of the SCR, which means the control of load current.

Triggering Circuit by Synchronized UJT & IC 785

IC TCA 785 a 16 pin IC shown in figure is used in this study for firing the SCRs. This IC having
output current of 250 mA and a fuzzy logic trainer kit with two input variables and having 5
linguistic sets is used. This can generate 5 X 5 rules. The output of fuzzy logic which varies from
DC -10V to +10V is given to IC 785 controller pin11, which controls the comparator voltage VC
,and the firing angle α for one cycle and (180 +α) during negative cycle shown in figure.