Lecture (4/5)

Triode for Alternating Current (TRIAC)

Part-1 and 2

There are several applications that need to regulate the power fed of the
load. For example: using electrical methods/devices to control the power flow in a
system. But, these devices do not allow a fine control of the power flow.
Additionally, there is an extensive wastage of power. In the present day, such
devices have been developed which can allow a fine control of a large amount of
power flow in a system. These devices perform as controlled switches and can
complete the tasks of controlled rectification, regulation, and inversion of power
in a load. These devices are semiconductor switching devices as BJT, UJT,
JFET, MOSFET, SCR, DIAC, and TRIAC.

Triode for Alternating Current-TRIAC

The TRIAC is a development of the thyristor. While the thyristor can
control the current for one half of an AC waveform only (half-wave device), while
the TRIAC controls it for two halves of an AC waveform (full-wave device).

TRIACs are electronic components that are widely used in AC power

control/switching applications. They are able to switch high voltages and high
levels of current, and over both parts of an AC waveform.
Like other electronic components, the TRIAC has its own circuit symbol for
use on circuit diagrams and this indicates its bi-directional properties. A TRIAC
device comprises two thyristors that are parallel connected in the opposite
direction, but it is controlled by the same gate (the gates merged together).

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

Construction of TRIAC
TRIAC is a three-terminal device; the gate terminal is the control
terminal. The flow of current in the TRIAC is bi-directional which means current
can flow in both directions. The structure of TRIAC is shown in the below figure.
Here, in the structure of TRIAC, two SCRs are connected in the anti-parallel and
it will act as a switch for both directions. The three terminals of the TRIAC are
main terminals 1, 2 ( , ) and gate terminal ( ). The layers closer to the
terminals are the combination of both positive and negative layers, this
combination of both the polarities at the terminals helps in operating the TRIAC in
both directions. Generating pulses are applied between and , using +Ve or
-Ve gate pulses. When the is open, the TRIAC will prevent both the polarities
of the voltage across the and .

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

Characteristics and Operation of TRIAC
The TRIAC is able to conduct in different ways - more than the thyristor.
It can conduct current irrespective of the voltage polarity of terminals and
. It can also be triggered by either positive or negative gate currents,
irrespective of the polarity voltage of the .This means that the TRIAC has
four triggering modes:

Quadrant I (1st quadrant)

Mode (+Ι):

with positive potential (+ve) and with positive potential (+ve), the current
flows as:

Mode (-Ι):

with positive potential (+ve) and with negative potential (-ve), the current
flows as:

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

 Quadrant III (3rd quadrant)

Mode (+ΙΙΙ):

with negative potential (-ve) and with positive potential (+ve), the current
flows as:

Mode (-ΙΙΙ):

with negative potential (-ve) and with negative potential (-ve), the current
flows as:

The typical I-V characteristic of a TRIAC can be seen in the diagram below
with the four different quadrants labeled. Operating characteristics of TRIAC in
the 1st and 3rd quadrants are similar but the direction of current and the applied
voltage are reverses. The characteristics of TRIAC in the 1st and 3rd quadrants
are basically the same as those of a thyristor in the 1st quadrant.

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

 With no signal to the , the TRIAC will block both halves of the AC
applied voltage, in case of the peak value of this voltage is less than the TRIAC
break-over voltages ( or ).

It is found that the TRIAC sensitivity is greatest when the and

voltages are both in the same polarity (the more common TRIAC triggering).
That means both voltages are positive or both voltages are negative. If the
and voltages are of the opposite polarity then the sensitivity is typically about
half value when they are in the same polarity.

Also, just like thyristor, TRIAC’s also required a minimum Holding

current to maintain conduction. Then even though the two thyristors are
combined into one single TRIAC device, they still display individual electrical
characteristics such as different breakdown voltages and holding currents levels
for each one of them from the other thyristor device.
The voltage and current values for a typical TRIAC are given below:

1. On-state current: – 25 A

2. On-state voltage: – 1.5 V

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

 3. Average triggering current: – 5 mA

4. Holding current: – 75 mA

Applications of TRIAC
The TRIAC device is the most commonly used for power switching and
power control of AC systems; as the TRIAC can be switched on by either a
positive or negative gate pulse, regardless of the AC supply polarity at that time.
It’s often used in low to medium levels of power switching requirements of AC
systems. But where the large levels of power switching, two thyristors tend to be
used as they can be controlled more easily. Nevertheless, TRIACs are widely
used in many applications:

 Lighting control.

 Heaters control.

 Control of fans and small universal motors.

It is found that because of their slight differences between the two halves of
TRIAC in the internal construction, the results are the non-symmetrical firing of
TRIAC. This results in harmonics being generated; that meaning the less fire
symmetrical of TRIAC, the greater level of harmonics that are produced.

To help in overcoming the problem of the non-symmetrical firing of

TRIAC, and the resulting harmonics; either by using two thyristors instead of
TRIAC or another semiconductor device known as a DIAC with TRIAC, its often
placed in series with the gate of the TRIAC.

Basic TRIAC Switching Circuit

The circuit below shows a simple AC triggered TRIAC power switching
circuit, using the actual AC supply voltage itself as the gate triggering voltage.

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

 As above, if switch is open at position-A, there is no gate current and
the lamp is off.

If the is moved to position-B, the gate current flows at every half cycle
via resistor and the full power is drawn by the lamp as the TRIAC operates in
modes (+Ι) and (–IIΙ).

But in this time when the is connected to position-C, the diode will
prevent the triggering of the gate when is negative as the diode is reversed
biased. Thus the TRIAC only conducts on the positive half-cycles operating in
mode (+Ι) only and the lamp will light at half power.

Then depending upon the position of the switch, the load is ‘Off’ at
position-A, ‘Half Power’ at position-C, or ‘Fully On’ at position-B.

Actual Difference between SCR and TRIAC

SCR and TRIAC are very important semiconductor devices which are used
in power electronics circuits. Here we will discuss the important differences
between SCR and TRIAC.

1- SCR means Silicon Controlled Rectifier and TRIAC means Triode for
Alternating Current.

2- SCR is an uni-directional semiconductor device but TRIAC is a bi-directional

semiconductor device.

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

3- The construction difference between SCR and TRIAC both are four-layer and
three-terminal devices. We can make a TRIAC by connecting two SCR in anti-
parallel and gate terminal connected together.

4- The symbolic difference between SCR and TRIAC as:

5- The SCR can work with only positive gate triggering; TRIAC can work with
both positive and negative gate triggering.

6- The SCR can operate in only one mode; TRIAC can operate in four modes.

7- The SCR mainly used to control DC power, TRIAC mainly used to control AC
power.

8- The SCR mainly requires two heat sinks; TRIAC mainly requires only a single
heat sink.

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020

Advantages of TRIAC
 Its bi-directional device for conduction.

 It requires only a single fuse for protection.

 It requires only a single heat sink for cooling.

 It can be triggered with positive or negative polarity of gate pulses.

Disadvantages of TRIAC
 It doesn’t conduct symmetrically on both sides of the waveforms.

 It doesn’t appropriate for the DC power.

 It has a very high switching delay.

 It doesn’t available in larger rating power.

 Reliability of TRIAC is less than that of SCR.

Reference:
1. M. H. Rashid, “Power Electronics: Circuits, Devices and Applications,”
Prentice Hall India, Second Edition, 2006.

2. P. S. Bimbhra, "Power Electronics," Khanna Publishers, fifth edition, 2012.

Dr. Heba Mahmoud Soufi 19/26-11-2020