IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO.

5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000 1449

New Life for Old Thyristor Power Rectifiers Using

Contemporary Digital Control
Paul Buddingh, Member, IEEE, and Jack R. St. Mars, Member, IEEE

Abstract—This paper presents information on a control and

monitoring system retrofit of two unreliable 1978 14-MW recti-
fiers used in a sodium chlorate plant. Reasons for the upgrade and
expectations of the new system are discussed. Alternate solutions
considered and the rationale supporting the choices made are
reviewed. The paper summarizes the project from the initial in-
vestigation through the design process and selection of equipment.
Justification of the expenditure, issues of mating old and new
equipment, problems overcome during the implementation, and
the lessons learned are described. In closing, the suitability of this
approach for other rectifier installations is addressed.
Index Terms—Industrial power rectifier, upgrade.

I. INTRODUCTION
Fig. 1. Beauharnois rectifiers.

A PPROXIMATELY 20 power rectifier systems with ratings

of 8–34 MVA are operated and maintained in the North
American plants of CXY Chemicals. Seven manufacturers are
represented and ages range up to 42 years. The dependability of
1970s first-generation thyristor power rectifiers has been partic-
ularly troublesome relative to the diode machines of the same
period and present-day thyristor rectifiers. The worst of these
older thyristor units require costly ongoing repairs. Production
losses have been substantial with repeated failures and extended
downtime, particularly during periods of full-load production.
To maintenance personnel fighting repeated battles to keep the
equipment running, the effect on morale has been negative. De-
spite all this, convincing management to replace the equipment
based on poor reliability alone is seldom successful due to the
high capital cost and lengthy production outages.
Increasing the plant’s product output was the key element in
obtaining funding for this project.
This case study of the owner’s Beauharnois plant near Mon-
treal, PQ, Canada, summarizes how increased output and reli-
able production were achieved at a reasonable cost without re-
placing the rectifiers.
Paper PID 00–9, presented at the 1999 IEEE Petroleum and Chemical In-
dustry Technical Conference, San Diego, CA, September 13–15, and approved
for publication in the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS by the
Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications
Society. Manuscript submitted for review September 15, 1999 and released for
publication May 5, 2000.
P. Buddingh is with Universal Dynamics Ltd., Richmond, BC V6V 2X8
Canada (e-mail: pbuddingh@udl.com).
J. R. St. Mars is with CXY Chemicals, North Vancouver, BC V7H 1S4
Canada.
Publisher Item Identifier S 0093-9994(00)07615-5.
0093–9994/00$10.00 © 2000 IEEE
II. EXISTING EQUIPMENT
The plant operates two 52-kA 275-Vdc output 13.8-kV input
industrial-type outdoor water-to-air cooled rectifiers, each sup-
plied with a close-coupled forced-air-cooled oil-insulated trans-
former (Fig. 1). The circuit design is ANSI 45/46 with inter-
phase transformer. Two rectifier cabinets are attached to each
transformer, each containing a single-way three-phase thyristor
bank. As the two three-phase transformer windings supplying
the rectifier cabinets are phase shifted, the combined output of
the two cabinets is six-pulse. The single-way rectifiers consist
of two legs per phase with each leg containing 12 thyristors for
a total of 144 per rectifier system.
Controls were original first-generation electronic design
utilizing discrete analog components with gate drive and
isolator cards mounted in the power cabinet. Trigger amplifier,
gate drive, dc CT electronics, auxiliary relays, fan controls, and
the majority of the control system were placed in the control
cabinet at the end of the rectifier enclosure. Operator interface
cards, meters, and an alarm panel were all located in the remote
operator control room located 300 ft from the rectifier.
Each 52-kA rectifier system powers a separate production
line, is controlled by its own HV circuit breaker, and is equipped
with its own alarm panel and control station.
III. REASONS FOR UPGRADE
A. Control System Electronics
Aging analog control electronics were particularly trouble-
some. After some 20 years of operation, repeated failures of
random components were typical of the final portion of the
1450 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000
Fig. 2. Control cabinet prior to removal of old controls.
bathtub-shaped reliability curve often used to describe elec-
tronic components (Fig. 2). The manufacturer was no longer
in business and replacement parts were not readily available.
Detailed drawings of existing components had degraded over
time; reverse engineering and outsourcing of replacement
cards were costly and time consuming. Many repairs required
specialized knowledge, not available locally.
Automatic load control was inoperable. The operators simply
adjusted potentiometers in response to process changes. De-
mand control consisted of an audible warning that signaled the
operator to reduce load via the potentiometer.
Similarly, the integrity of the fuse/thyristor failure monitoring
system was questionable at best, making identification of failed
components a laborious process. When faced with failures or
impending problems, the electricians had to shut down the rec-
tifier and manually check the condition of cards, and up to 144
fuses and thyristors. Furthermore, without a first-out thyristor
alarm, the operator would not know that load needed to be re-
duced to protect the remaining thyristors. This greatly increased
the probability of cascade failures and rectifier outages.
B. Repeated Failures of Power Thyristors
Over the years, the makeup of fuses and thyristors had be-
come a mix of manufactures with unmatched characteristics. As
well, both the integrity of the fuses due to aging and of the con-
nections due to varying assembly methods had degraded. As a
result, thermal and current-sharing problems arose among the
24 thyristors per phase (Fig. 3). It is noted that equal current
sharing is critical for continued operation of the thyristors. If
one thyristor conducts much more than its rated current, it will
eventually fail by overheating. As thyristors fail, the remainder
are forced to share the load and additional thyristors are stressed,
creating a cascade effect. Massive paralleling was a technolog-
ical necessity at the time of manufacture and demanded careful
Fig. 3. Original power section.
matching of components, and made uniform load-sharing inher-
ently difficult. One solution utilized was the purposely designed
bus and balancing reactor design.
On occasion, replacement of up to 24 thyristors per leg and
an equal number of fuses was required, a costly repair, not to
mention the downtime required to complete the repairs.
As the accuracy and precision of the gating (firing) signals
strongly affect current sharing and the rectifier’s total output ca-
pability, the unreliability of the aging control components fos-
tered power section component failures.
Investigation of the rectifier repair history established a close
correlation between each case of multiple thyristor failure and
an electronic control system problem.
C. Maintenance Expertise
In the past, plant personnel have lacked technical insight into
equipment operation and preventive maintenance. With the re-
cent emphasis on improving reliability and plant production
levels, maintenance electricians have become quite adept at re-
pairing the electronics with the limited resources available. Nev-
ertheless, the frustrations of recurring failures with no solution
in sight were counterproductive to the morale of those trying to
keep the equipment operating.
IV. EXPECTATIONS OF UPGRADE
The needs for the rectifier upgrade were established as fol-
lows.
1) 105% of full-load rating of the rectifier must be achieved
with reliability. On occasion, the plant had operated at
105%, but at the expense of rectifier failures.
2) Good operating reliability must be achieved. This was
defined as reducing or eliminating unscheduled outages
to the point where production levels were unaffected.
BUDDINGH AND ST. MARS: NEW LIFE FOR OLD THYRISTOR POWER RECTIFIERS
3) The upgrade must provide the knowledge, documenta-
tion, and continuing parts supply to undertake any needed
troubleshooting in house.
4) Outside technical support must be readily available.
5) A new system must fit into the existing control cabinet;
the firing and fuse monitoring equipment must mate up to
the columns in the power cabinets. The operator interface
must be compatible with the old control panel.
6) The plant downtime to install the new equipment should
be limited to ten days per rectifier.
7) One rectifier per production line must be kept operating
during the upgrade of the other.
The following “want” list evolved.
1) A digital control system was desirable for its stable oper-
ation and ability to deliver precise thyristor firing timing,
a serious shortcoming with the existing controls.
2) Implementation of the control system in software with
user-friendly programmable parameters was needed. The
software should include online diagnostics to allow plan-
ning for scheduled repair outages.
3) The control system would automatically monitor the con-
dition of the thyristor fuses and be set to alarm, reduce
load, and trip the system based on the number of thyristor
circuit failures.
4) Troublesome auxiliary relays, meters, and interface de-
vices would be replaced with a digital graphical interface
displaying metering, alarm, and control information.
V. CONSIDERATIONS
Early in the project cycle, the restrictions on available capital
meant a creative approach would be required to meet the expec-
tations of the plant.
The need to examine the feasibility of a partial retrofit be-
came evident in the early stages of the project. Several essential
questions required answers to ensure a successful result.
A. What Is Reusable?
The major unknown at the beginning of the project was the
continued viability of the rectifier transformers. The condition
of these costly units was a major criterion for a successful
retrofit. Current and past dissolved gas analysis reports and
an internal inspection helped to confirm the integrity of the
transformers.
The power section of the rectifier was in surprisingly good
condition despite the repeated thyristor failures. The thyristors
and fuses, although unmatched, were of a style in current usage
and commonly available.
Auxiliary components of the rectifier, including the cabinets,
heat exchangers, plumbing, and fans were also in satisfactory
condition.
B. What Should Be Replaced?
The operating history of the plant clearly indicated the neces-
sity of replacing the control electronics with something main-
tainable.
1451
The operator interface consisted of a partially functional
alarm panel, broken trend recorders, and worn manual poten-
tiometer that all needed replacement.
C. General Improvements
The local attitude and level of interest in implementing an
engineered solution were excellent. Knowledge of fundamental
aspects of maintaining a power rectifier system was lacking.
Education was required in the following areas:
1) importance of and frequency of monitoring the dissolved
gases in the rectifier transformer oil and monitoring tem-
peratures of the rectifier power cabinet components;
2) correct methods for installing replacement thyristors and
fuses;
3) importance of matching fuses and thyristors mounted in
the same leg.
D. Gaining Corporate Approval
Approval for the expenditure hinged on the payback of a pro-
duction improvement. The compelling question was whether the
system was capable of additional output. Evaluation of the trans-
formers and cooling system history indicated that overheating of
the system was not a serious problem. New, precise control of
thyristor firing and careful matching, installation, and thermal
monitoring of components would provide better balance and
improved operating temperatures. A first-out or high-tempera-
ture alarm and automatic cutback in case of a thyristor failure
would likely allow 105% output without impacting long-term
reliability.
VI. SELECTION OF NEW EQUIPMENT
With the viability of the rectifier power section, auxiliaries
and, particularly, the transformers reasonably assured, the next
step was deciding what type of system to select and how to im-
plement it.
A. Upgrade Options
1) Replace complete rectifier/transformer systems.
2) Retain transformers and replace rectifiers.
3) Replace the control, firing, and fuse monitoring electronic
systems.
4) Replace power section fuses and thyristors in addition to
the electronics.
Options 1) and 2) were too expensive. Option 3) was nec-
essary; option 4) was desirable, but optional. Implementing
a power section upgrade at a later date would be possible by
careful selection of an equipment vendor at this time.
Next was the selection of the most appropriate system
from the marketplace. After going out for quotations, choices
included custom-designed systems as proposed from several
engineering companies or adapting a system from an estab-
lished rectifier manufacturer.
The rationale for the selection included the following:
1) experience with similar system at other company-owned
plants;
2) proven reliability;
3) vendor support;
1452 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000

4) ease of reconfiguring, maintaining, and troubleshooting;

5) availability of local support;
6) compatibility with a possible future upgrade of the power
section.
The owner had purchased several new rectifiers from the
same manufacturer in the past several years at competitive
prices, with positive results. Accordingly, it was decided
to order a semi-custom equipment package from the same
manufacturer. In this instance the term “semi-custom” refers
to the vendor’s standard equipment packaged in a custom
arrangement designed to fit into the existing rectifier design.
The owner elected to purchase new controls, gate drive and
fuse monitoring systems. A remote digital operator interface
completed the system.

B. New System
The new equipment consists of controls, gate drive panels,
fuse monitoring circuits and a remote digital operator interface.
The control panel mounts on a wall within the control cab-
inet. The heart of the system is an industrial 486 PC running an
RMX operating system. RMX is a real-time operating system Fig. 4. New main control panel.
that is designed to improve reliability for industrial automation
applications. Control system program changes are accessible by
a laptop computer that modifies “sequencer” software, a soft
PLC-type ladder logic. A keypad is available for normal control
functions in local mode.
Each rectifier control is provided with a current regulator of
the proportional and integral (PI) type designed to control two
six-pulse rectifiers. Each three-pulse side of a rectifier uses the
controls for a six-pulse system due to uncertainties in the orig-
inal design to acquire optimum control and balance. The sides
are designated “A” and “B.”
The current regulator operates with a fast inner feedback loop
and a slower outer loop. The regulator has a direct input to sup-
press firing signals. By going directly to the regulator, a very fast
method of stopping firing under fault or emergency conditions
results. In fact, the manufacturer’s tests indicate this action will Fig. 5. New gate drive/fuse monitor panels.
stop firing faster than the primary 15-kV breaker can open if a
tripping signal occurs.
The annunciator is equipped with 160 programmable and A CRT mounted in a shielded box recessed into the control
128 predefined points for faults and alarms. Diagnostics include console displays control, metering, and alarm information to the
predefined and programmable annunciator messages displayed operator.
on an LCD display. I/O consists of digital and analog inputs 1) Main Control Panel (Fig. 4): The supplier built their stan-
and outputs. Up to 20 “meters” and 16 “status lights” can be dard PC-based control system on a custom two-piece flat
programmed and displayed in graphical format on the display. panel approximately 7.5-ft high by 4.5-ft wide and 16.5-in
Firing uses a 120-electrical-degree pulse train to eliminate depth, designed to fit on a vacant wall of the walk-in con-
thyristor turn-on failure. For electrical immunity, fiber optics trol cabinet. CPU, firing interface, I/O, metering, protec-
are used to transmit the firing signals. tion, and the fiber-optic gating signals and control inter-
The control system is shielded and equipped with an LCD face attach to this panel.
display and minimizes the effects of the surrounding magnetic 2) Gate Drive and Protection Assembly (Fig. 5): Gate drive,
field and EMI/RFI. fuse monitor, and protection panels for each leg attach at
The gate drive, fuse monitor, and protection circuits for each floor level behind a clear acrylic cover. Pilot fuses mi-
leg (total of six per rectifier) are mounted on panels attached to croswitches and gate leads fasten on vertical glass fiber
the base of the columns in the power cabinet. columns replacing the old columns which supported the
A fiber-optic serial interface connects the control system to gate protection cards (Fig. 2).
the remote digital input panel, where a keypad is mounted for 3) Operator Interface (Fig. 6): The operator interface con-
operator input signals. The remote digital input panel is mounted sists of a main breaker close/trip switch, E-stop, keypad,
behind the existing operator control console. and computer CRT monitor. The single CRT displays in
BUDDINGH AND ST. MARS: NEW LIFE FOR OLD THYRISTOR POWER RECTIFIERS
Fig. 6. Installation complete.
graphical format all metering, alarm, and control infor-
mation. It replaces numerous chart recorders, panel me-
ters, and a panel alarm. A VGA display extender ampli-
fies VGA signal from the LCD display in the rectifier con-
trol cabinet and displays an identical image on the remote
CRT through a multiconductor coaxial cable. The keypad
connects to the remote digital input panel I/O card and a
fiber-optic modem transmits the signals to the main con-
trol system located in the rectifier.
VII. INSTALLATION
The list of direct participants included the project manager,
consultant, installation contractor, plant project engineer, plant
maintenance electricians, and process and production staff. To
upgrade one rectifier while keeping the second in service re-
quired a concerted effort by all members of the team. Control
systems of the two believed to be independent rectifiers turned
out to be interconnected, requiring a methodical procedure to
decommission and install the new equipment.
The original schedule called for the installation during
a period of low production demand. A relatively leisurely
schedule was called for with an installation contract based on a
three-week cycle for each rectifier, two five-day weeks to install
the equipment, and one week to start up and commission each
system. Typically, when the installation period approached,
production demands changed and the careful scheduling
became redundant.
Several meetings later, it was decided to use the original
schedule for the first rectifier and speed up the work on the
second unit once all the difficulties were discovered and
resolved.
Commissioning consisted of wiring checkout, preliminary
system checks, and correct phasing tests. The phasing checks
1453
must extend from the phase reference supply through the
control to the gate on each thyristor. Measuring each gating
signal for the correct 1-A dc pulse of 120 electrical degrees
assures the correct signal to each thyristor. Synchronization
was confirmed using a dummy load. Finally, the rectifiers were
operated with the process load; first in “test mode” to determine
the feedback scaling, polarity, and load time constant, then
switching to automatic and fine-tuning step response and gain.
The first rectifier was equipped and commissioned within the
scheduled time. The second unit took 15 days or half the time
of the first.
VIII. REFLECTIONS AND COMMENTS
One of the more perplexing problems that surfaced during
commissioning affected the fiber-optic firing circuits. Discon-
necting the fiber-optic connections one sunny day to complete a
test, the power supplies to the gating circuit were inadvertently
left on. Suddenly, one member of the team smelled the distinc-
tive odor of smoking electrical parts. Sunlight shining through
an open rectifier door had turned on the gating circuits via the
open optical connection. The gating circuits designed for a 1/3
duty cycle had failed when turned fully on for several minutes.
Fortunately, damage was limited to several power resistors.
Limitations of field test equipment prevented the testing of
the short length [7.6 m (25 ft)] of fiber-optic cables used to de-
liver gating pulses to the thyristors. On startup, several of the
cables were found to be defective, likely from lack of care in
handling when they were removed and repulled into the con-
trol box. As the cable size and connector type were an older
standard, connectors were in short supply. Accordingly, repairs
involved both the retermination of existing and installation of
replacement cables.
The VGA extender system used to transmit graphical images
to the operators control console from the main control resulted
in a low-cost solution without the expense of a separate
human–machine interface (HMI) system. Actual operator
inputs were accomplished with a very robust keypad/digital
I/O/fiber-optic modem system. With the plant expecting to
install a distributed control system (DCS) system the following
year, switching the graphics over to the DCS is under consid-
eration.
The original control used a number of auxiliary relays and
switches to interface control, alarms, and monitoring signals.
The new system eliminated most of these devices. Nevertheless,
corrosion and wear in the few that remained caused most of
the startup difficulties. In retrospect, replacing all these devices
would have resulted in a smoother startup.
Benefits of the new control system include better balance,
slightly cooler transformers, and greatly reduced thyristor fail-
ures due to tighter control.
The plant has adopted a structured procedure to procure, in-
stall, and monitor thyristors and fuses to help ensure current bal-
ance and minimize future thyristor failures. Matching sets of
thyristors and fuses for each leg was critical for the planned in-
crease in output.
Digital control and the use of fiber optics improved the accu-
racy and precision of firing. Matching of components and en-
1454 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. 36, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000
suring proper operation of the cooling systems all contributed
to additional output through incremental improvements.
On the final day of commissioning, the rectifiers reached full
load and the load was increased to 105% the following day. The
rectifiers have run constantly since that time, except for one con-
trol card that failed due to infant mortality.
IX. SUITABILITY FOR OTHER APPLICATIONS
This application is suitable for similar thyristor rectifiers
when seeking improved reliability with limited funds. To help
assure a successful outcome, the following considerations are
applicable.
1) The condition of the rectifier transformers is critical. A
rewind or major repair is costly and time consuming.
Usually custom-built, with a complex configuration,
these transformers are very difficult to source with
suitable specifications on the “used” market.
2) A history of dissolved gas analysis, preferably with an
internal inspection, is very helpful during the decision-
making process. Records from the original manufacturer
can provide valuable design information in order to eval-
uate the transformers additional output capacity.
3) Condition of the enclosure, cooling systems, balancing
reactors, maintenance history, operating environment,
and the original rectifier design constraints are all im-
portant considerations. In some cases, it may actually be
less expensive to replace the rectifier and/or transformer.
4) In order to sustain the intended long-term operation of a
retrofit, emphasize the need for plant stakeholders to take
ownership and understand the importance of performing
preventive maintenance, stocking sufficient spare parts,
and maintaining technical support contacts.
X. CONCLUSION
The feasibility study was completed in the summer of 1997,
and the upgrade was completed in the fall of 1998.
To date, plant operation has proven that reliable performance
and increased output are achievable on a problematic early-de-
sign thyristor power rectifier.
By installing up-to-date digital controls supported by the im-
plementation of practical preventive maintenance methods, a
successful retrofit has met the requirements of the project.
Lower capital requirement of the upgrade versus replacement
made the difference between corporate approval and having to
stay on the path of reactive repairs and extended downtime.
The continued reliable operation of the rectifiers will depend
on closely monitoring temperatures and transformer dissolved
gas levels. Summer 1999 ambient temperatures at the plant will
approach 100 F (40 C) and will provide valuable information
on the ability to run at extended output year round.
REFERENCES
[1] R. Bernadelli et al., “Control modernization of SCR rectifiers with con-
tinuous device current monitoring,” in Conf. Rec. IEEE PCIC, vol. PCIC
97-19, 1997, pp. 183–190.
[2] R. L. Doughty et al., “Optimum electrical system design for a modern
Chlor-Alkali plant,” Conf. Rec. IEEE PCIC, vol. PCIC 88-51, pp.
139–150, 1988.
[3] Power Converter Handbook, Canadian General Electric Co. Ltd., 1976.
[4] USA Standard Practices and Requirements for Semiconductor Power
Rectifiers, IEEE Std. 34.2, 1968.
[5] Megaverter Instruction Book, vol. MI-7805, Oxymetal Industries Corp..
Paul Buddingh (S’89–M’90) received the B.Eng.
degree in electrical engineering from Lakehead
University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.
Following graduation, he spent several years
working out of Toronto, ON, Canada, as an electrical
consulting engineer working in heavy industry,
primarily in the electrochemical field. In 1991, he
co-founded Mirus International, where he applied
a new magnetic approach to solving zero-sequence
harmonic problems in low-voltage systems. In 1997,
he joined Universal Dynamics Ltd., Vancouver,
BC, Canada, where his work is centered on designing high-reliability power
systems, power conversion issues, and resolving power system problems for a
number of industrial clients. He has authored a previous paper for the Petroleum
and Chemical Industry Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society.
Mr. Buddingh is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Provinces of On-
tario and British Columbia, Canada.
Jack St. Mars (M’88) is a native of Vancouver, BC,
Canada. He received the Diploma of Technology in
Electrical Power Engineering from British Columbia
Institute of Technology, Vancouver, BC, Canada, in
1971.
Following graduation, he worked in commercial
electrical consulting for one year. In 1972, he began
his career in the electrochemical industry with
Hooker Chemicals, which later became CXY Chem-
icals, North Vancouver, BC, Canada. He is currently
responsible for providing electrical engineering
support for the maintenance and upgrade of power distribution, rectifier, and
harmonic filter systems at seven company-owned electrochemical plants.