AN1048/D

RC Snubber Networks
For Thyristor
Power Control and Littelfuse.com

Transient Suppression
By George Templeton APPLICATION NOTE
Thyristor Applications Engineer

INTRODUCTION

Edited and Updated

RC networks are used to control voltage transients that

could falsely turn-on a thyristor. These networks are called
ǒdV
dt
Ǔ DEVICE PHYSICS
s
snubbers.
The simple snubber consists of a series resistor and Static dV turn-on is a consequence of the Miller effect
dt
capacitor placed around the thyristor. These components and regeneration (Figure 1). A change in voltage across the
along with the load inductance form a series CRL circuit. junction capacitance induces a current through it. This cur-
Snubber theory follows from the solution of the circuit’s
differential equation.
rent is proportional to the rate of voltage change dV . It ǒ dt Ǔ
Many RC combinations are capable of providing accept- triggers the device on when it becomes large enough to
able performance. However, improperly used snubbers can raise the sum of the NPN and PNP transistor alphas to unity.
cause unreliable circuit operation and damage to the semi-
conductor device. A
Both turn-on and turn-off protection may be necessary A
for reliability. Sometimes the thyristor must function with a IA
IB
range of load values. The type of thyristors used, circuit P
V
PE
PNP
configuration, and load characteristics are influential. I1 CJ
P IJ IC NB
P
Snubber design involves compromises. They include
CJ
N
CJ C
IC I2 dv
cost, voltage rate, peak voltage, and turn-on stress. Practi- N
IJ
dt G PB
NPN G t
cal solutions depend on device and circuit physics. IB
N NE
IK dV
CJ
STATIC dV
dt
K IA +
dt 1 * (aN ) ap)
K
TWO TRANSISTOR MODEL CJ
CEFF +
WHAT IS STATIC dV ?
OF INTEGRATED
1*(aN)ap)
SCR STRUCTURE
dt
Static dV is a measure of the ability of a thyristor to
dt
retain a blocking state under the influence of a voltage
transient.
Figure 6.1. ǒdV
dt
Ǔ Model
s

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 1 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

CONDITIONS INFLUENCING dV
dt s
ǒ Ǔ 170

150
Transients occurring at line crossing or when there is no MAC 228A10
130
initial voltage across the thyristor are worst case. The col- VPK = 800 V

STATIC dV (V/ μs)

lector junction capacitance is greatest then because the 110
depletion layer widens at higher voltage. 90

dt
Small transients are incapable of charging the self-
capacitance of the gate layer to its forward biased threshold 70
voltage (Figure 2). Capacitance voltage divider action 50
between the collector and gate-cathode junctions and built-
30
in resistors that shunt current away from the cathode emit-
ter are responsible for this effect. 10
25 40 55 70 85 100 115 130 145
TJ, JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (°C)
180
Figure 6.3. Exponential ǒdV
dt
Ǔ versus Temperature
160 s
MAC 228A10 TRIAC
140
TJ = 110°C
ǒdV Ǔ FAILURE MODE
STATIC dV (V/ μs)

120 dt s
100 Occasional unwanted turn-on by a transient may be
dt

acceptable in a heater circuit but isn’t in a fire prevention

80
sprinkler system or for the control of a large motor. Turn-on
60 is destructive when the follow-on current amplitude or rate
40 is excessive. If the thyristor shorts the power line or a
charged capacitor, it will be damaged.
20
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Static dV turn-on is non-destructive when series imped-
dt
PEAK MAIN TERMINAL VOLTAGE (VOLTS)
ance limits the surge. The thyristor turns off after a half-
Figure 6.2. Exponential ǒdV
dt
Ǔ versus Peak Voltage cycle of conduction. High dV aids current spreading in the
dt
s
thyristor, improving its ability to withstand dI. Breakdown
dt
turn-on does not have this benefit and should be prevented.
Static dV does not depend strongly on voltage for opera-
dt
tion below the maximum voltage and temperature rating. 140
Avalanche multiplication will increase leakage current and 120
reduce dV capability if a transient is within roughly 50 volts MAC 228A10
dt 100 800 V 110°C
of the actual device breakover voltage.
STATIC dV (V/ μs)

A higher rated voltage device guarantees increased dV at 80

dt
dt

lower voltage. This is a consequence of the exponential rat- 60

ing method where a 400 V device rated at 50 V/μs has a
40 RINTERNAL = 600 Ω
higher dV to 200 V than a 200 V device with an identical
dt
rating. However, the same diffusion recipe usually applies 20
for all voltages. So actual capabilities of the product are not 0
much different. 10 100 1000 10,000
Heat increases current gain and leakage, lowering GATE‐MT1 RESISTANCE (OHMS)

ǒdV
dt
Ǔ, the gate trigger voltage and noise immunity dV ǒ Ǔ
Figure 6.4. Exponential dt s versus
s
(Figure 3). Gate to MT1 Resistance

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 2 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

IMPROVING dV
dt s
ǒ Ǔ 10
MEG MCR22‐006
TA = 65°C

GATE‐CATHODE RESISTANCE (OHMS)

Static dV can be improved by adding an external resistor A
dt 10
from the gate to MT1 (Figure 4). The resistor provides a V G
1
path for leakage and dV induced currents that originate in
K
MEG
dt
the drive circuit or the thyristor itself.
Non-sensitive devices (Figure 5) have internal shorting
resistors dispersed throughout the chip’s cathode area. This 100
design feature improves noise immunity and high tempera- K
ture blocking stability at the expense of increased trigger
and holding current. External resistors are optional for non-
sensitive SCRs and TRIACs. They should be comparable in 10K
size to the internal shorting resistance of the device (20 to 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100
100 ohms) to provide maximum improvement. The internal STATIC dV (Vńms)
dt
resistance of the thyristor should be measured with an ohm-
meter that does not forward bias a diode junction. dV
Figure 6.6. Exponential dt ǒ Ǔ
versus
s
Gate-Cathode Resistance

A gate-cathode capacitor (Figure 7) provides a shunt

2200 path for transient currents in the same manner as the resis-
tor. It also filters noise currents from the drive circuit and
2000
enhances the built-in gate-cathode capacitance voltage
MAC 15‐8
1800 VPK = 600 V divider effect. The gate drive circuit needs to be able to
STATIC dV (V/ μs)

1600
charge the capacitor without excessive delay, but it does
not need to supply continuous current as it would for a
dt

resistor that increases dV the same amount. However, the

1400

1200 dt
capacitor does not enhance static thermal stability.
1000
130
800
120
600 MAC 228A10
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 800 V 110°C
110
STATIC dV (V/ μs)

TJ, JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (°C)

dVǒ Ǔ
Figure 6.5. Exponential dt s versus
100
dt

Junction Temperature 90

80

70

Sensitive gate TRIACs run 100 to 1000 ohms. With an 60

0.001 0.01 0.1 1
external resistor, their dV capability remains inferior to GATE TO MT1 CAPACITANCE (μF)
dt
non-sensitive devices because lateral resistance within the
gate layer reduces its benefit.
dV ǒ Ǔ
Figure 6.7. Exponential dt versus Gate
s
Sensitive gate SCRs (IGT t 200 μA) have no built-in to MT1 Capacitance
resistor. They should be used with an external resistor. The
recommended value of the resistor is 1000 ohms. Higher
The maximum dV ǒ dt Ǔ improvement occurs with a short.
s
values reduce maximum operating temperature and dV ǒ dt Ǔ Actual improvement stops before this because of spreading
resistance in the thyristor. An external capacitor of about
s
(Figure 6). The capability of these parts varies by more than 0.1 μF allows the maximum enhancement at a higher value
100 to 1 depending on gate-cathode termination. of RGK.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 3 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

One should keep the thyristor cool for the highest dV
Also devices should be tested in the application circuit at
the highest possible temperature using thyristors with the
lowest measured trigger current.
TRIAC COMMUTATING dV
dt
WHAT IS COMMUTATING dV ?
dt
The commutating dV rating applies when a TRIAC has
dt
been conducting and attempts to turn-off with an inductive
load. The current and voltage are out of phase (Figure 8).
The TRIAC attempts to turn-off as the current drops below
the holding value. Now the line voltage is high and in the
opposite polarity to the direction of conduction. Successful
turn-off requires the voltage across the TRIAC to rise to the
instantaneous line voltage at a rate slow enough to prevent
retriggering of the device.
VOLTAGE/CURRENT
ǒ dt Ǔ . for sinusoidal currents is given by the slope of the secant
line between the 50% and 0% levels as:
s
ǒdIdtǓc + 61000
f I TM
Ańms
where f = line frequency and ITM = maximum on-state cur-
rent in the TRIAC.
Turn-off depends on both the Miller effect displacement
current generated by dV across the collector capacitance
dt
and the currents resulting from internal charge storage
within the volume of the device (Figure 10). If the reverse
recovery current resulting from both these components is
high, the lateral IR drop within the TRIAC base layer will
forward bias the emitter and turn the TRIAC on. Commu-
tating dV capability is lower when turning off from the pos-
dt
itive direction of current conduction because of device
geometry. The gate is on the top of the die and obstructs
current flow.
Recombination takes place throughout the conduction
period and along the back side of the current wave as it
declines to zero. Turn-off capability depends on its shape. If

R L

ǒdtǓ
i 2
VLINE G VMT2‐1 the current amplitude is small and its zero crossing dI is
1 c
low, there is little volume charge storage and turn-off
ǒdIdtǓ ǒ dt Ǔ
VMT2‐1

PHASE becomes limited by dV . At moderate current amplitudes,

ANGLE c s
the volume charge begins to influence turn-off, requiring a
Φ
TIME
TIME larger snubber. When the current is large or has rapid zero
ǒdVdtǓ crossing, dV ǒ dt Ǔ has little influence. Commutating dI and
dt
i VLINE c c
delay time to voltage reapplication determine whether turn-
off will be successful or not (Figures 11, 12).
Figure 6.8. TRIAC Inductive Load Turn-Off ǒdV
dt
Ǔ
c
G MT1
ǒ Ǔ
dV DEVICE PHYSICS
dt c
TOP

A TRIAC functions like two SCRs connected in inverse-

N N N N
parallel. So, a transient of either polarity turns it on. P
There is charge within the crystal’s volume because of Previously
prior conduction (Figure 9). The charge at the boundaries Conducting Side
N
of the collector junction depletion layer responsible for
ǒdV Ǔ is also present. TRIACs have lower ǒdV
dt s
Ǔ than
dt c
+ -

ǒdV Ǔ because of this additional charge.

N N N
dt s
The volume charge storage within the TRIAC depends REVERSE RECOVERY MT2 STORED CHARGE
on the peak current before turn-off and its rate of zero CURRENT PATH LATERAL VOLTAGE FROM POSITIVE

ǒdtǓ
crossing dI . In the classic circuit, the load impedance
DROP CONDUCTION

c
and line frequency determine dI . The rate of crossing ǒdtǓ Figure 6.9. TRIAC Structure and Current Flow
at Commutation
c

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 4 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

VOLTAGE/CURRENT
CONDITIONS INFLUENCING dV
dt c
ǒ Ǔ
ǒdtdiǓ Commutating dV depends on charge storage and recov-
dt
c
ery dynamics in addition to the variables influencing static
ǒdV
dt
Ǔ dV. High temperatures increase minority carrier life-time
c dt
TIME and the size of recovery currents, making turn-off more dif-
0
ficult. Loads that slow the rate of current zero-crossing aid
turn-off. Those with harmonic content hinder turn-off.
VMT2‐1 CHARGE
DUE TO Circuit Examples
VOLUME dV/dt
STORAGE
IRRM Figure 13 shows a TRIAC controlling an inductive load
CHARGE in a bridge. The inductive load has a time constant longer
than the line period. This causes the load current to remain
constant and the TRIAC current to switch rapidly as the line
Figure 6.10. TRIAC Current and Voltage
at Commutation voltage reverses. This application is notorious for causing
TRIAC turn-off difficulty because of high dI . ǒdtǓ
c

RS C

E i
V LS
MAIN TERMINAL VOLTAGE (V)

ǒdIdtǓc DC MOTOR
i - +
60 Hz R L
t

E ǒRL u8.3 msǓ

Figure 6.13. Phase Controlling a Motor in a Bridge

VT
High currents lead to high junction temperatures and
0 td TIME
rates of current crossing. Motors can have 5 to 6 times the
normal current amplitude at start-up. This increases both
Figure 6.11. Snubber Delay Time
junction temperature and the rate of current crossing, lead-
ing to turn-off problems.
The line frequency causes high rates of current crossing
in 400 Hz applications. Resonant transformer circuits are
doubly periodic and have current harmonics at both the pri-
0.5 mary and secondary resonance. Non-sinusoidal currents
NORMALIZED DELAY TIME

0.2 can lead to turn-off difficulty even if the current amplitude

0.2 0.1 is low before zero-crossing.
(td* = W0 td)

ǒdV Ǔ
0.05
0.1
FAILURE MODE
dt c
0.05 0.02

0.03
RL = 0
M=1 0.01 ǒdV
dt
Ǔ failure causes a loss of phase control. Temporary
c
0.02 IRRM = 0 VT turn-on or total turn-off failure is possible. This can be
0.005
E destructive if the TRIAC conducts asymmetrically causing a
0.001 0.002 0.005 0.01 0.02 0.05 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 1 dc current component and magnetic saturation. The winding
DAMPING FACTOR resistance limits the current. Failure results because of
Figure 6.12. Delay Time To Normalized Voltage excessive surge current and junction temperature.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 5 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

IMPROVING dV
dt c
ǒ Ǔ Is +
Hs ML
where :
0.4 p N

The same steps that improve dV ǒ dt Ǔ ǒ dt Ǔ

aid dV except
Hs = MMF to saturate = 0.5 Oersted
ML = mean magnetic path length = 4.99 cm.
s c
when stored charge dominates turn-off. Steps that reduce (.5) (4.99)
Is + + 60 mA.
the stored charge or soften the commutation are necessary .4 p 33
then.
Larger TRIACs have better turn-off capability than SNUBBER PHYSICS
smaller ones with a given load. The current density is lower
in the larger device allowing recombination to claim a UNDAMPED NATURAL RESONANCE
greater proportion of the internal charge. Also junction w0 + I Radiansńsecond
temperatures are lower. Ǹ LC
TRIACs with high gate trigger currents have greater
turn-off ability because of lower spreading resistance in the Resonance determines dV and boosts the peak capacitor
dt
gate layer, reduced Miller effect, or shorter lifetime. voltage when the snubber resistor is small. C and L are
The rate of current crossing can be adjusted by adding a related to one another by ω02. dV scales linearly with ω0
commutation softening inductor in series with the load. dt
when the damping factor is held constant. A ten to one
Small high permeability “square loop” inductors saturate
causing no significant disturbance to the load current. The reduction in dV requires a 100 to 1 increase in either
dt
inductor resets as the current crosses zero introducing a component.
large inductance into the snubber circuit at that time. This
slows the current crossing and delays the reapplication of DAMPING FACTOR
blocking voltage aiding turn-off.
The commutation inductor is a circuit element that ρ+R
2
ǸCL
introduces time delay, as opposed to inductance, into the
The damping factor is proportional to the ratio of the
circuit. It will have little influence on observed dV at the circuit loss and its surge impedance. It determines the trade
dt
device. The following example illustrates the improvement
off between dV and peak voltage. Damping factors between
resulting from the addition of an inductor constructed by dt
winding 33 turns of number 18 wire on a tape wound core 0.01 and 1.0 are recommended.
(52000-1A). This core is very small having an outside The Snubber Resistor
diameter of 3/4 inch and a thickness of 1/8 inch. The delay
time can be calculated from: Damping and dV
dt
When ρ t 0.5, the snubber resistor is small, and dV
(N A B 10 *8) dt
ts + where: depends mostly on resonance. There is little improvement
E
in dV for damping factors less than 0.3, but peak voltage
ts = time delay to saturation in seconds. dt
and snubber discharge current increase. The voltage wave
B = saturating flux density in Gauss
has a 1-COS (θ) shape with overshoot and ringing. Maxi-
A = effective core cross sectional area in cm2
N = number of turns. mum dV occurs at a time later than t = 0. There is a time
dt
delay before the voltage rise, and the peak voltage almost
For the described inductor: doubles.
When ρ u 0.5, the voltage wave is nearly exponential in
t s + (33 turns) (0.076 cm 2 ) (28000 Gauss) shape. The maximum instantaneous dV occurs at t = 0.
dt
(1 10 −8 ) ń (175 V) + 4.0 ms. There is little time delay and moderate voltage overshoot.
When ρ u 1.0, the snubber resistor is large and dV
dt
The saturation current of the inductor does not need to be depends mostly on its value. There is some overshoot even
much larger than the TRIAC trigger current. Turn-off fail- through the circuit is overdamped.
ure will result before recovery currents become greater than High load inductance requires large snubber resistors and
this value. This criterion allows sizing the inductor with the small snubber capacitors. Low inductances imply small
following equation: resistors and large capacitors.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 6 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

Damping and Transient Voltages Table 1 shows suggested minimum resistor values esti-
Figure 14 shows a series inductor and filter capacitor mated (Appendix A) by testing a 20 piece sample from the
connected across the ac main line. The peak to peak voltage four different TRIAC die sizes.
of a transient disturbance increases by nearly four times.
Also the duration of the disturbance spreads because of Table 1. Minimum Non-inductive Snubber Resistor
ringing, increasing the chance of malfunction or damage to for Four Quadrant Triggering.
the voltage sensitive circuit. Closing a switch causes this
dI
behavior. The problem can be reduced by adding a damping Peak VC Rs dt
resistor in series with the capacitor. TRIAC Type Volts Ohms A/μs
Non-Sensitive Gate 200 3.3 170
(IGT u 10 mA) 300 6.8 250
100 μH 0.05 8 to 40 A(RMS) 400 11 308
600 39 400
340 V
0.1 VOLTAGE 800 51 400
0 10 μs μF V SENSITIVE
CIRCUIT

Reducing dI
+700 dt

TRIAC dI can be improved by avoiding quadrant 4

V (VOLTS)

0 triggering. Most optocoupler circuits operate the TRIAC in
-700
0 10
TIME (μs)
Figure 6.14. Undamped LC Filter Magnifies and
Lengthens a Transient
dI
dt
Non-Inductive Resistor
The snubber resistor limits the capacitor discharge
current and reduces dI stress. High dI destroys the thyristor
dt dt
even though the pulse duration is very short.
The rate of current rise is directly proportional to circuit
voltage and inversely proportional to series inductance.
The snubber is often the major offender because of its low
inductance and close proximity to the thyristor.
With no transient suppressor, breakdown of the thyristor
sets the maximum voltage on the capacitor. It is possible to
exceed the highest rated voltage in the device series
because high voltage devices are often used to supply low
voltage specifications.
The minimum value of the snubber resistor depends on
the type of thyristor, triggering quadrants, gate current
amplitude, voltage, repetitive or non-repetitive operation,
and required life expectancy. There is no simple way to pre-
dict the rate of current rise because it depends on turn-on
speed of the thyristor, circuit layout, type and size of snub-
ber capacitor, and inductance in the snubber resistor. The
equations in Appendix D describe the circuit. However, the
values required for the model are not easily obtained except
by testing. Therefore, reliability should be verified in the
actual application circuit.
dt
quadrants 1 and 3. Integrated circuit drivers use quadrants 2
and 3. Zero crossing trigger devices are helpful because
20 they prohibit triggering when the voltage is high.
Driving the gate with a high amplitude fast rise pulse
increases dI capability. The gate ratings section defines the
dt
maximum allowed current.
Inductance in series with the snubber capacitor reduces
dI. It should not be more than five percent of the load
dt
inductance to prevent degradation of the snubber’s dV
dt
suppression capability. Wirewound snubber resistors
sometimes serve this purpose. Alternatively, a separate
inductor can be added in series with the snubber capacitor.
It can be small because it does not need to carry the load
current. For example, 18 turns of AWG No. 20 wire on a
T50-3 (1/2 inch) powdered iron core creates a non-saturat-
ing 6.0 μH inductor.
A 10 ohm, 0.33 μF snubber charged to 650 volts resulted
in a 1000 A/μs dI. Replacement of the non-inductive snub-
dt
ber resistor with a 20 watt wirewound unit lowered the rate
of rise to a non-destructive 170 A/μs at 800 V. The inductor
gave an 80 A/μs rise at 800 V with the non−inductive
resistor.
The Snubber Capacitor
A damping factor of 0.3 minimizes the size of the snub-
ber capacitor for a given value of dV. This reduces the cost
dt
and physical dimensions of the capacitor. However, it raises
voltage causing a counter balancing cost increase.
Snubber operation relies on the charging of the snubber
capacitor. Turn-off snubbers need a minimum conduction
angle long enough to discharge the capacitor. It should be at
least several time constants (RS CS).

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 7 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

STORED ENERGY snubber inductor and limits the rate of inrush current if the
Inductive Switching Transients device does turn on. Resistance in the load lowers dV and
dt
E + 1 L I 0 2 Watt−seconds or Joules VPK (Figure 16).
2
I0 = current in Amperes flowing in the
1.4 2.2
inductor at t = 0. E
dV
Resonant charging cannot boost the supply voltage at dt
2.1
turn-off by more than 2. If there is an initial current flowing 1.2 2
VPK
in the load inductance at turn-off, much higher voltages are 1.9
possible. Energy storage is negligible when a TRIAC turns
1 1.8
off because of its low holding or recovery current.

NORMALIZED PEAK VOLTAGE

M=1 M = 0.75
The presence of an additional switch such as a relay, ther- 1.7

NORMALIZED dV
dt
mostat or breaker allows the interruption of load current and 0.8 1.6

(dVdt)/ (E W0 )
the generation of high spike voltages at switch opening. The

VPK /E
1.5
energy in the inductance transfers into the circuit capacitance M = 0.5
0.6 1.4
and determines the peak voltage (Figure 15).
M = 0.25 1.3
0.4 1.2
L
I M=0 1.1
R 0.2 1
OPTIONAL
VPK M = RS / (RL + RS) 0.9
C FAST 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
SLOW

ǒ Ǔ
DAMPING FACTOR
RS
M + RESISTIVE DIVISION RATIO +
R L ) RS
dV + I V
dt C PK
+ I Ǹ L
C
I
RRM
+ 0

(b.) Unprotected Circuit Figure 6.16. 0 To 63% dV

(a.) Protected Circuit dt

Figure 6.15. Interrupting Inductive Load Current

CHARACTERISTIC VOLTAGE WAVES
Capacitor Discharge Damping factor and reverse recovery current determine
T h e e n e rg y s t o r e d i n t h e s n u b b e r c a p a c i t o r the shape of the voltage wave. It is not exponential when
the snubber damping factor is less than 0.5 (Figure 17) or
ǒEc + 12 C V2Ǔ transfers to the snubber resistor and when significant recovery currents are present.
thyristor every time it turns on. The power loss is propor-
tional to frequency (PAV = 120 Ec @ 60 Hz). ρ = 0.1
ρ=0
500
V MT (VOLTS)

CURRENT DIVERSION 400

The current flowing in the load inductor cannot change 300 0.1
0.3
instantly. This current diverts through the snubber resistor
2‐1

200 1 ρ = 0.3 ρ=1

causing a spike of theoretically infinite dV with magnitude
100 0
dt 0
equal to (IRRM R) or (IH R). 0 0.7 1.4 2.1 2.8 3.5 4.2 4.9 5.6 6.3 7
TIME (μs)
LOAD PHASE ANGLE
Highly inductive loads cause increased voltage and ƪ 0*63% dV
dt s
ǒ Ǔ
+ 100 Vńms, E + 250 V, ƫ
ǒdV
dt
Ǔ at turn-off. However, they help to protect the R + 0, I RRM + 0
L
c
thyristor from transients and dV ǒ dt Ǔ . The load serves as the Figure 6.17. Voltage Waves For Different
Damping Factors
s

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 8 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

2.8 COMPLEX LOADS

2.6
E 0-63%
Many real-world inductances are non-linear. Their core
2.4 materials are not gapped causing inductance to vary with
dV
dV ǒdVdtǓ MAX
dt
2.2 dt current amplitude. Small signal measurements poorly char-
NORMALIZED PEAK VOLTAGE AND 2 acterize them. For modeling purposes, it is best to measure
1.8
10-63%
them in the actual application.
1.6 Complex load circuits should be checked for transient
1.4
VPK voltages and currents at turn-on and off. With a capacitive
10-63
1.2
dV
% load, turn-on at peak input voltage causes the maximum
1 dt surge current. Motor starting current runs 4 to 6 times the
0.8 steady state value. Generator action can boost voltages
0.6 above the line value. Incandescent lamps have cold start
0.4
0.2
ǒdVdtǓ currents 10 to 20 times the steady state value. Transformers
generate voltage spikes when they are energized. Power
o
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
factor correction circuits and switching devices create
DAMPING FACTOR (ρ) complex loads. In most cases, the simple CRL model
(R L + 0, M + 1, I RRM + 0) allows an approximate snubber design. However, there is
dVńdt V PK no substitute for testing and measuring the worst case load
NORMALIZED dV + NORMALIZED V PK + conditions.
dt E w0 E

Figure 6.18. Trade-Off Between VPK and dV SURGE CURRENTS IN INDUCTIVE CIRCUITS
dt Inductive loads with long L/R time constants cause
asymmetric multi-cycle surges at start up (Figure 20). Trig-
A variety of wave parameters (Figure 18) describe dV gering at zero voltage crossing is the worst case condition.
dt
Some are easy to solve for and assist understanding. These The surge can be eliminated by triggering at the zero cur-
include the initial dV, the maximum instantaneous dV, and rent crossing angle.
dt dt
the average dV to the peak reapplied voltage. The 0 to 63%
dt
ǒdV Ǔ ǒ dt Ǔ
20 MHY
and 10 to 63% dV definitions on device data i
dt s c
240 0.1
VAC Ω
sheets are easy to measure but difficult to compute.

NON-IDEAL BEHAVIORS
CORE LOSSES
90
i (AMPERES)

The magnetic core materials in typical 60 Hz loads

introduce losses at the snubber natural frequency. They
appear as a resistance in series with the load inductance and 0

winding dc resistance (Figure 19). This causes actual dV to ZERO VOLTAGE TRIGGERING, IRMS = 30 A
dt
be less than the theoretical value. 40 80 120 160 200
TIME (MILLISECONDS)
L R

Figure 6.20. Start-Up Surge For Inductive Circuit

Core remanence and saturation cause surge currents.

C
They depend on trigger angle, line impedance, core charac-
L DEPENDS ON CURRENT AMPLITUDE, CORE teristics, and direction of the residual magnetization. For
SATURATION example, a 2.8 kVA 120 V 1:1 transformer with a 1.0
R INCLUDES CORE LOSS, WINDING R. INCREASES ampere load produced 160 ampere currents at start-up. Soft
WITH FREQUENCY starting the circuit at a small conduction angle reduces this
current.
C WINDING CAPACITANCE. DEPENDS ON
INSULATION, WIRE SIZE, GEOMETRY Transformer cores are usually not gapped and saturate
easily. A small asymmetry in the conduction angle causes
Figure 6.19. Inductor Model magnetic saturation and multi-cycle current surges.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 9 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

Steps to achieve reliable operation include: resistor. The non-inductive snubber circuit is useful when
1. Supply sufficient trigger current amplitude. TRIACs the load resistance is much larger than the snubber resistor.
have different trigger currents depending on their
quadrant of operation. Marginal gate current or RL
optocoupler LED current causes halfwave operation.
RS
2. Supply sufficient gate current duration to achieve E e
latching. Inductive loads slow down the main terminal
CS
current rise. The gate current must remain above the
specified IGT until the main terminal current exceeds e
E τ = (RL + RS) CS
the latching value. Both a resistive bleeder around the
load and the snubber discharge current help latching. R
V step + E S

3. Use a snubber to prevent TRIAC dV ǒ dt Ǔ failure.

R ) RL
S
TIME
c t=0
4. Minimize designed-in trigger asymmetry. Triggering
must be correct every half-cycle including the first. Use
a storage scope to investigate circuit behavior during the
e(t + o)) + E ƪǒ RS
R S ) RL
Ǔ
e*tńt ) (1 * e *tńt) ƫ
first few cycles of turn-on. Alternatively, get the gate RESISTOR CAPACITOR
circuit up and running before energizing the load. COMPONENT COMPONENT
5. Derive the trigger synchronization from the line instead Figure 6.21. Non-Inductive Snubber Circuit
of the TRIAC main terminal voltage. This avoids
regenerative interaction between the core hysteresis Opto-TRIAC Examples
and the triggering angle preventing trigger runaway, Single Snubber, Time Constant Design
halfwave operation, and core saturation.
Figure 22 illustrates the use of the RC time constant
6. Avoid high surge currents at start-up. Use a current
design method. The optocoupler sees only the voltage
probe to determine surge amplitude. Use a soft start
across the snubber capacitor. The resistor R1 supplies the
circuit to reduce inrush current.
trigger current of the power TRIAC. A worst case design
DISTRIBUTED WINDING CAPACITANCE procedure assumes that the voltage across the power
There are small capacitances between the turns and lay- TRIAC changes instantly. The capacitor voltage rises to
ers of a coil. Lumped together, they model as a single shunt 63% of the maximum in one time constant. Then:
capacitance. The load inductor behaves like a capacitor at
R1 CS + t +
0.63 E
ǒ Ǔ
where dV is the rated static dV
frequencies above its self-resonance. It becomes ineffective
ǒ Ǔ
dV dt s dt
in controlling dV and VPK when a fast transient such as that dt s
dt
resulting from the closing of a switch occurs. This problem for the optocoupler.
can be solved by adding a small snubber across the line.
1 A, 60 Hz
SELF-CAPACITANCE
L = 318 MHY
A thyristor has self-capacitance which limits dV when the
10 V/μs
Rin 1 6 180 2.4 k 170 V
dt VCC 2N6073A
load inductance is large. Large load inductances, high power 2 MOC
0.1 μF C1 1 V/μs
factors, and low voltages may allow snubberless operation. 3021 4

φ CNTL
SNUBBER EXAMPLES
0.63 (170) (0.63)(170)
WITHOUT INDUCTANCE DESIGN dV +  + 0.45Vńms
dt (2400)(0.1mF)
Power TRIAC Example TIME
240 μs
Figure 21 shows a transient voltage applied to a TRIAC
controlling a resistive load. Theoretically there will be an dV
(Vńms)
dt
instantaneous step of voltage across the TRIAC. The only Power TRIAC Optocoupler
elements slowing this rate are the inductance of the wiring 0.99 0.35
and the self-capacitance of the thyristor. There is an expo-
nential capacitor charging component added along with a Figure 6.22. Single Snubber For Sensitive Gate TRIAC
decaying component because of the IR drop in the snubber and Phase Controllable Optocoupler (ρ = 0.67)

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 10 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

The optocoupler conducts current only long enough to However a power TRIAC along with the optocoupler
trigger the power device. When it turns on, the voltage should be used for higher load currents.
between MT2 and the gate drops below the forward thresh-
old voltage of the opto-TRIAC causing turn-off. The opto- 80

coupler sees dV ǒ dt Ǔ when the power TRIAC turns off later 70

s

LOAD CURRENT (mA RMS)

in the conduction cycle at zero current crossing. Therefore, 60
CS = 0.01
it is not necessary to design for the lower optocoupler 50
ǒdV
dt
Ǔ rating. In this example, a single snubber designed 40
c
for the optocoupler protects both devices. 30 CS = 0.001

20
1 MHY NO SNUBBER
10
100
VCC 0
430 120 V 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
1 4 1N4001 MCR265-4
MOC3031

400 Hz TA, AMBIENT TEMPERATURE (°C)

2 5
(RS = 100 Ω, VRMS = 220 V, POWER FACTOR = 0.5)
3 6 51 MCR265-4 0.022
μF Figure 6.24. MOC3062 Inductive Load Current versus TA
100 1N4001

(50 V/μs SNUBBER, ρ = 1.0) A phase controllable optocoupler is recommended with a

power device. When the load current is small, a MAC97A
TRIAC is suitable.
Figure 6.23. Anti-Parallel SCR Driver
Unusual circuit conditions sometimes lead to unwanted
operation of an optocoupler in dV ǒ dt Ǔ mode. Very large cur-
Optocouplers with SCRs c
rents in the power device cause increased voltages between
Anti-parallel SCR circuits result in the same dV across MT2 and the gate that hold the optocoupler on. Use of a
dt
the optocoupler and SCR (Figure 23). Phase controllable larger TRIAC or other measures that limit inrush current
opto-couplers require the SCRs to be snubbed to their lower solve this problem.
dV rating. Anti-parallel SCR circuits are free from the Very short conduction times leave residual charge in the
dt optocoupler. A minimum conduction angle allows recovery
charge storage behaviors that reduce the turn-off capability before voltage reapplication.
of TRIACs. Each SCR conducts for a half-cycle and has the
next half cycle of the ac line in which to recover. The turn- THE SNUBBER WITH INDUCTANCE
off dV of the conducting SCR becomes a static forward Consider an overdamped snubber using a large capacitor
dt whose voltage changes insignificantly during the time
blocking dV for the other device. Use the SCR data sheet under consideration. The circuit reduces to an equivalent
dt
ǒ Ǔ
dV rating in the snubber design.
dt s
L/R series charging circuit.
The current through the snubber resistor is:
A SCR used inside a rectifier bridge to control an ac load
will not have a half cycle in which to recover. The available i+ V
Rt
ǒ1 * e*ttǓ ,
time decreases with increasing line voltage. This makes the
circuit less attractive. Inductive transients can be sup- and the voltage across the TRIAC is:
pressed by a snubber at the input to the bridge or across the e + i R S.
SCR. However, the time limitation still applies.
The voltage wave across the TRIAC has an exponential
rise with maximum rate at t = 0. Taking its derivative gives
OPTO dV
dt c
ǒ Ǔ its value as:
Zero-crossing optocouplers can be used to switch
inductive loads at currents less than 100 mA (Figure 24).
ǒdV
dt
Ǔ +
V RS
L
.
0

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 11 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

Highly overdamped snubber circuits are not practical φ = measured phase angle between line V and load I
designs. The example illustrates several properties: RL = measured dc resistance of the load.
1. The initial voltage appears completely across the circuit Then
inductance. Thus, it determines the rate of change of
current through the snubber resistor and the initial dV. Z+
V RMS
I RMS
ǸRL2 ) XL2 XL + ǸZ2 * RL2 and
dt
This result does not change when there is resistance in
XL
the load and holds true for all damping factors. L+ .
2. The snubber works because the inductor controls the 2 p f Line
rate of current change through the resistor and the rate If only the load current is known, assume a pure inductance.
of capacitor charging. Snubber design cannot ignore This gives a conservative design. Then:
the inductance. This approach suggests that the snubber
V RMS
capacitance is not important but that is only true for L+ where E + Ǹ2 V RMS.
this hypothetical condition. The snubber resistor shunts 2 p f Line I RMS
the thyristor causing unacceptable leakage when the For example:
capacitor is not present. If the power loss is tolerable,
E + Ǹ2 120 + 170 V; L + 120 + 39.8 mH.
dV can be controlled without the capacitor. An (8 A) (377 rps)
dt
example is the soft-start circuit used to limit inrush Read from the graph at ρ = 0.6, VPK = (1.25) 170 = 213 V.
current in switching power supplies (Figure 25). Use 400 V TRIAC. Read dV + 1.0.
dt (ρ+0.6)
2. Apply the resonance criterion:

Snubber With No C ǒ
w0 + spec dV ń dV E .
dt dt (P)
Ǔ ǒ Ǔ
RS
E 5 10 6 VńS
RECTIFIER w0 + + 29.4 10 3 r ps.
AC LINE SNUBBER C1 (1) (170 V)
BRIDGE G
L
C+ 1 + 0.029 m F
ǒ Ǔ ER
dV  + S
dt f L
w0 2 L
3. Apply the damping criterion:
RS
E
AC LINE SNUBBER
RECTIFIER
BRIDGE C1
RS + 2 ρ ǸCL + 2 (0.6) Ǹ0.029
39.8 10 *3 + 1400 ohms.
10 *6
L G

ǒdV Ǔ SAFE AREA CURVE

dt c
Figure 6.25. Surge Current Limiting For
a Switching Power Supply Figure 26 shows a MAC15 TRIAC turn-off safe
operating area curve. Turn-off occurs without problem
TRIAC DESIGN PROCEDURE dV
dt c
ǒ Ǔ under the curve. The region is bounded by static dV at low
dt
1. Refer to Figure 18 and select a particular damping values of dI
dt c
ǒ Ǔ
and delay time at high currents. Reduction
factor (ρ) giving a suitable trade-off between VPK and dV. of the peak current permits operation at higher line
dt
frequency. This TRIAC operated at f = 400 Hz, TJ = 125°C,
Determine the normalized dV corresponding to the chosen
dt and ITM = 6.0 amperes using a 30 ohm and 0.068 μF
damping factor. snubber. Low damping factors extend operation to higher
The voltage E depends on the load phase angle:
ǒdIdtǓ , but capacitor sizes increase. The addition of a small,
E + Ǹ2 VRMS Sin (f) where f + tan*1
XL
RL
ǒ Ǔ where
c
saturable commutation inductor extends the allowed
current rate by introducing recovery delay time.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 12 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

One hundred μH is a suggested value for starting the

design. Plug the assumed inductance into the equation for
-ITM = 15 A C. Larger values of inductance result in higher snubber
100 resistance and reduced dI. For example:
dt
ǒǓ
dI + 6fITM
dt c
10 *3Ańms Given E = 240 Ǹ2 + 340 V.
Pick ρ = 0.3.
( dVdt )c (V/ μs)

10 Then from Figure 18, VPK = 1.42 (340) = 483 V.

Thus, it will be necessary to use a 600 V device. Using the
previously stated formulas for ω0, C and R we find:
WITH COMMUTATION L
1 50 10 6 VńS
w0 + + 201450 rps
(0.73) (340 V)

C+ 1 + 0.2464 m F
(201450) 2 (100 10 *6)
0.1

Ǹ
10 14 18 22 26 30 34 38 42 46 50
ǒdIdtǓ AMPERESńMILLISECOND R + 2 (0.3) 100 10 *6 + 12 ohms
c 0.2464 10 *6

ǒMAC16-8, COMMUTATIONALL + 33TURNS# 18,

52000-1ATAPEWOUNDCORE3ń4INCHOD Ǔ VARIABLE LOADS

Figure 6.26. ǒdV

dt
Ǔ versus ǒdtdIǓ T J = 125°C
The snubber should be designed for the smallest load
c c inductance because dV will then be highest because of its
dt
dependence on ω0. This requires a higher voltage device for
operation with the largest inductance because of the corre-
STATIC dV DESIGN sponding low damping factor.
dt
Figure 28 describes dV for an 8.0 ampere load at various
There is usually some inductance in the ac main and dt
power wiring. The inductance may be more than 100 μH if power factors. The minimum inductance is a component
there is a transformer in the circuit or nearly zero when a added to prevent static dV firing with a resistive load.
dt
shunt power factor correction capacitor is present. Usually
the line inductance is roughly several μH. The minimum
inductance must be known or defined by adding a series 8 A LOAD
inductor to insure reliable operation (Figure 27).
R L
BTA08-800CW3G
68 Ω 120 V
60 Hz
10 0.33 μF 0.033 μF

100 μH t 50 V/μs
20 A ǒdV
dt
Ǔ + 100 Vńms ǒdV
dt
Ǔ + 5 Vńms
LS s c
1

340 R L Vstep VPK dv

12 Ω ρ dt
V
HEATER Ω MHY V V V/μs
0.75 15 0.1 170 191 86
0.03 0 39.8 170 325 4.0
0.04 10.6 28.1 120 225 3.3
0.06 13.5 17.3 74 136 2.6

Figure 6.27. Snubbing For a Resistive Load Figure 6.28. Snubber For a Variable Load

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 13 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

EXAMPLES OF SNUBBER DESIGNS 1

Table 2 describes snubber RC values for ǒdV

dt
Ǔ.
s 80 A RMS
Figures 31 and 32 show possible R and C values for a 5.0
V/μs dV ǒ dt Ǔ assuming a pure inductive load. 40 A
c
0.1
dV 20 A
Table 2. Static Designs
dt

C S ( μ F)
(E = 340 V, Vpeak = 500 V, ρ = 0.3) 10 A
5.0 V/μs 50 V/μs 100 V/μs
5A
L C R C R C R
μH μF Ohm μF Ohm μF Ohm 0.01 2.5 A
47 0.15 10
100 0.33 10 0.1 20
220 0.15 22 0.033 47
500 0.068 51 0.015 110 0.6 A
1000 3.0 11 0.033 100
0.001
TRANSIENT AND NOISE SUPPRESSION 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

Transients arise internally from normal circuit operation
or externally from the environment. The latter is partic-
ularly frustrating because the transient characteristics are
undefined. A statistical description applies. Greater or
smaller stresses are possible. Long duration high voltage
transients are much less probable than those of lower
amplitude and higher frequency. Environments with infre-
quent lightning and load switching see transient voltages
below 3.0 kV.
10K
0.6 A RMS
1000
R S (OHMS)
ǒ Ǔ
DAMPING FACTOR
PURE INDUCTIVE LOAD, V + 120 V RMS,
I RRM + 0
Figure 6.30. Snubber Capacitor For dV = 5.0 V/μs
dt c
ǒ Ǔ
The natural frequencies and impedances of indoor ac
wiring result in damped oscillatory surges with typical fre-
quencies ranging from 30 kHz to 1.5 MHz. Surge ampli-
tude depends on both the wiring and the source of surge
energy. Disturbances tend to die out at locations far away
from the source. Spark-over (6.0 kV in indoor ac wiring)
sets the maximum voltage when transient suppressors are
not present. Transients closer to the service entrance or in
2.5 A heavy wiring have higher amplitudes, longer durations, and
more damping because of the lower inductance at those
5A
locations.
The simple CRL snubber is a low pass filter attenuating
10 A
frequencies above its natural resonance. A steady state
20 A sinusoidal input voltage results in a sine wave output at the

same frequency. With no snubber resistor, the rate of roll

40 A off approaches 12 dB per octave. The corner frequency is at
the snubber’s natural resonance. If the damping factor is
80 A low, the response peaks at this frequency. The snubber
100
resistor degrades filter characteristics introducing an
up-turn at ω = 1 / (RC). The roll-off approaches 6.0
dB/octave at frequencies above this. Inductance in the
snubber resistor further reduces the roll-off rate.
Figure 32 describes the frequency response of the circuit
10 in Figure 27. Figure 31 gives the theoretical response to a
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 3.0 kV 100 kHz ring-wave. The snubber reduces the peak

ǒ Ǔ
DAMPING FACTOR voltage across the thyristor. However, the fast rise input
PURE INDUCTIVE LOAD, V + 120 V RMS,
causes a high dV step when series inductance is added to the
I RRM + 0 dt
Figure 6.29. Snubber Resistor For dV
dt c
= 5.0 V/μs ǒ Ǔ snubber resistor. Limiting the input voltage with a transient
suppressor reduces the step.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 14 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

400 In Figure 32, there is a separate suppressor across each

WITHOUT 5 μHY
WITH 5 μHY AND
thyristor. The load impedance limits the surge energy deliv-
ered from the line. This allows the use of a smaller device
VMT (VOLTS)

450 V MOV
AT AC INPUT but omits load protection. This arrangement protects each
0
thyristor when its load is a possible transient source.
2‐1

WITH 5 μHY

-400
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
TIME (μs)

Figure 6.31. Theoretical Response of Figure 33 Circuit VMAX

to 3.0 kV IEEE 587 Ring Wave (RSC = 27.5 Ω)

+10
Figure 6.33. Limiting Line Voltage
0
VOLTAGE GAIN (dB)

-10
100 μH
WITH 5 μHY
-20 5 μH
Vin 10 Vout
-30 0.33 μF
12 WITHOUT 5μHY

-40
10K 100K 1M

ǒ Ǔ
FREQUENCY (Hz)
V out
Figure 6.32. Snubber Frequency Response
V in
Figure 6.34. Limiting Thyristor Voltage

It is desirable to place the suppression device directly

The noise induced into a circuit is proportional to dV across the source of transient energy to prevent the induc-
dt
dI tion of energy into other circuits. However, there is no
when coupling is by stray capacitance, and when the protection for energy injected between the load and its con-
dt
coupling is by mutual inductance. Best suppression trolling thyristor. Placing the suppressor directly across
requires the use of a voltage limiting device along with a each thyristor positively limits maximum voltage and snub-
rate limiting CRL snubber.
ber discharge dI .
The thyristor is best protected by preventing turn-on dt
from dV or breakover. The circuit should be designed for EXAMPLES OF SNUBBER APPLICATIONS
dt
what can happen instead of what normally occurs.
In Figure 30, a MOV connected across the line protects In Figure 35, TRIACs switch a 3 phase motor on and off
many parallel circuit branches and their loads. The MOV and reverse its rotation. Each TRIAC pair functions as a
SPDT switch. The turn-on of one TRIAC applies the differ-
defines the maximum input voltage and dI through the load. ential voltage between line phases across the blocking
dt
With the snubber, it sets the maximum dV and peak voltage device without the benefit of the motor impedance to
dt constrain the rate of voltage rise. The inductors are added to
across the thyristor. The MOV must be large because there
is little surge limiting impedance to prevent its burn-out. prevent static dV firing and a line-to-line short.
dt

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 15 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

SNUBBER

φ1 2 1
22 Ω
100 μH 2W
G
300 WIREWOUND
4 MOC 6 91
3081 0.15
FWD μF

SNUBBER

2 1 SNUBBER
ALL MOV’S ARE 275
G VRMS
300
ALL TRIACS ARE
4 MOC 6 91
BTA08−8003W3G
3081
1/3 HP
REV
208 V
SNUBBER 91
3 PHASE

SNUBBER
φ2 2 1 G
1
100 μH 6
G
300 MOC
2
91 3081
4 MOC 6
3081 4
FWD
SNUBBER 43

2 1

G
300
6 MOC 4 91
3081
φ3 REV

Figure 6.35. 3 Phase Reversing Motor

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 16 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

Figure 36 shows a split phase capacitor-run motor with less dV capability than similar non-sensitive devices. A
reversing accomplished by switching the capacitor in series dt
with one or the other winding. The forward and reverse non-sensitive thyristor should be used for high dV .
dt
TRIACs function as a SPDT switch. Reversing the motor dV
TRIAC commutating ratings are 5 to 20 times less
applies the voltage on the capacitor abruptly across the dt
blocking thyristor. Again, the inductor L is added to prevent than static dV ratings.
dt
ǒdV
dt
Ǔ firing of the blocking TRIAC. If turn-on occurs, the
s
forward and reverse TRIACs short the capacitors (Cs)
SNUBBER INDUCTOR
resulting in damage to them. It is wise to add the resistor RS
to limit the discharge current.
D1
D2
+
C1
120 VAC -
OR D3
D4
REV 240 VAC
91 0.1 RL
46 V/μs 3.75
LS 330 V 240 V
MAX 0 G
+
FWD 500 μH 5.6 C2
120 V -
91 0.1 MOTOR
1/70 HP RS CS
RS CS
0.26 A
115

2N6073
Figure 6.37. Tap Changer For Dual Voltage
Switching Power Supply

Phase controllable optocouplers have lower dV ratings

Figure 6.36. Split Phase Reversing Motor
Figure 37 shows a “tap changer.” This circuit allows the
operation of switching power supplies from a 120 or 240
vac line. When the TRIAC is on, the circuit functions as a
conventional voltage doubler with diodes D1 and D2 con-
ducting on alternate half-cycles. In this mode of operation,
inrush current and dI are hazards to TRIAC reliability.
dt
Series impedance is necessary to prevent damage to the
TRIAC.
The TRIAC is off when the circuit is not doubling. In this
state, the TRIAC sees the difference between the line volt-
age and the voltage at the intersection of C1 and C2. Tran-
sients on the line cause dV ǒ dt Ǔ firing of the TRIAC. High
s
inrush current, dI, and overvoltage damage to the filter
dt
capacitor are possibilities. Prevention requires the addition
of a RC snubber across the TRIAC and an inductor in series
with the line.
THYRISTOR TYPES
Sensitive gate thyristors are easy to turn-on because of
their low trigger current requirements. However, they have
dt
than zero crossing optocouplers and power TRIACs. These
should be used when a dc voltage component is present, or
to prevent turn-on delay.
Zero crossing optocouplers have more dV capability than
dt
power thyristors; and they should be used in place of phase
controllable devices in static switching applications.
APPENDIX A
MEASURING dV ǒ dt Ǔ
s
Figure 38 shows a test circuit for measuring the static dV
dt
of power thyristors. A 1000 volt FET switch insures that the
voltage across the device under test (D.U.T.) rises rapidly
from zero. A differential preamp allows the use of a
N-channel device while keeping the storage scope chassis
at ground for safety purposes. The rate of voltage rise is
adjusted by a variable RC time constant. The charging
resistance is low to avoid waveform distortion because of
the thyristor’s self-capacitance but is large enough to pre-
vent damage to the D.U.T. from turn-on dI. Mounting the
dt
miniature range switches, capacitors, and G-K network
close to the device under test reduces stray inductance and
allows testing at more than 10 kV/μs.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 17 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

27
VDRM/VRRM SELECT 2W 1000
10 WATT
WIREWOUND
X100 PROBE 2

DIFFERENTIAL DUT 20 k 2W 0.33 1000 V 0.047

PREAMP
X100 PROBE G 1 1000 V

RGK 470 pF
dV
MOUNT DUT ON dt 0.001
100
TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED VERNIER 2W
Cμ PLATE
0.005
1 MEG 2 W EACH
1.2 MEG
82 0.01
2W 2W
POWER
TEST
0.047

1N914 0.1

MTP1N100
20 V 0.47 0-1000 V
10 mA
56
1000 1N967A
f = 10 Hz 2W
1/4 W 18 V
PW = 100 μs
50 Ω PULSE
GENERATOR

ALL COMPONENTS ARE NON‐INDUCTIVE UNLESS OTHERWISE SHOWN

Figure 6.38. Circuit For Static dV Measurement of Power Thyristors

dt

APPENDIX B Commercial chokes simplify the construction of the nec-

MEASURING dV ǒ dt Ǔ
c
A test fixture to measure commutating dV is shown in
dt
Figure 39. It is a capacitor discharge circuit with the load
series resonant. The single pulse test aids temperature con-
trol and allows the use of lower power components. The
limited energy in the load capacitor reduces burn and shock
hazards. The conventional load and snubber circuit pro-
vides recovery and damping behaviors like those in the
application.
The voltage across the load capacitor triggers the D.U.T.
It terminates the gate current when the load capacitor volt-
age crosses zero and the TRIAC current is at its peak.
Each VDRM, ITM combination requires different compo-
nents. Calculate their values using the equations given in
Figure 39.
essary inductors. Their inductance should be adjusted by
increasing the air gap in the core. Removal of the magnetic
pole piece reduces inductance by 4 to 6 but extends the cur-
rent without saturation.
The load capacitor consists of a parallel bank of 1500
Vdc non-polar units, with individual bleeders mounted at
each capacitor for safety purposes.
An optional adjustable voltage clamp prevents TRIAC
breakdown.
To measure dVǒ dt Ǔ , synchronize the storage scope on the
c
current waveform and verify the proper current amplitude
and period. Increase the initial voltage on the capacitor to
compensate for losses within the coil if necessary. Adjust
the snubber until the device fails to turn off after the first
half-cycle. Inspect the rate of voltage rise at the fastest
passing condition.

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 18 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

HG = W AT LOW LD10‐1000‐1000

NON‐INDUCTIVE + CLAMP - CLAMP LL RL
RESISTOR DECADE
0-10 k, 1 Ω STEP TRIAD C30X

2.2 M, 2W

2.2 M, 2W
51 k 50 H, 3500 Ω
2W 910 k

2W Q3 Q1
MR760

2.2 M

2.2 M

C L (NON‐POLAR)
51 k 2W

MR760
2.2 M
CAPACITOR DECADE 1-10 μF, 0.01-1 μF, 100 pF- 0.01 μF

910 k
RS 2W
2N3904 2N3906 + 1.5 kV
62 μF 2W

0‐1 kV 20 mA
6.2 MEG
1 kV
+ - 70 mA
0.01

0.01

2.2 M

MR760
120 1/2 W
- 6.2 MEG 2W
1/2 W 120 150 k
2N3906 2N3904

Q3 Q1
2N3906 2N3904 -5 +5
0.1 0.1 PEARSON
301 X 360 1/2 W 360 1/2 W
2N3904 2N3906
1k 1k
2 CASE
CONTROLLED 2N3904
HEATSINK
1 - +
51 2W 2N3906
CS +5 G
51 2W -5 56
2 WATT Q3 Q1
TRIAC 0.22 0.22
dV UNDER 270 k 1N5343
dt 2.2 k
TEST 7.5 V 270 k
SYNC 1/2

ǒ CL +
I PK
W 0 V Ci
+
Ip T
2 p V Ci
LL +
V Ci
W 0 I PK
+ T
2
4 p 2C L
W0 + I
ǸLL
ǒdIdtǓ
c
+ 6f I PK 10 *6
Ańms
Ǔ

Figure 6.39. ǒdV

dt
Ǔ Test Circuit For Power TRIACs
c

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 19 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

APPENDIX C CONSTANTS (depending on the damping factor):

dV DERIVATIONS 2.1 No Damping (ρ + 0)
dt w + w0
DEFINITIONS RT + a + ρ + 0

1.0 R T + R L ) R S + Total Resistance 2.2 Underdamped (0 t ρ t 1)

RS
Ǹ
w + w0 2 * a 2 + w0 Ǹ1 * ρ2
1.1 M + + Snubber Divider Ratio
RT
2.3 Critical Damped (ρ + 1)

1.2 w0 + 1 + Undamped Natural Frequency a + w0, w + 0, R + 2 ǸCL , C+ 2

a RT
ǸL CS
w + Damped Natural Frequency 2.4 Overdamped (ρ u 1)
Ǹ
w + a 2 * w0 2 + w0 Ǹρ2 * 1
RT
1.3 a + + Wave Decrement Factor
2L Laplace transforms for the current and voltage in Figure 40
are:
1ń2 LI2 Initial Energy In Inductor S V 0 L* c
1.4 χ 2 + + EńL)SI
1ń2 CV 2 Final Energy In Capacitor
3.0 i (S) + ; e +E *
RT S RT
S 2)S ) 1 S 2) S) 1
1.5 χ + I
E
ǸCL + Initial Current Factor L LC L LC

ǸCL + wa0 + Damping Factor

RT RL L
1.6 ρ +
2
t=0
I RS
1.7 V 0 + E * R S I + Initial Voltage drop at t + 0 e
L
across the load
CS

E RL INITIALCONDITIONS
1.8 c + I * I + I RRM
CS L
VC + 0
ǒ Ǔ
S
dV + Initial instantaneous dV at t + 0, ignoring
dt 0 dt Figure 6.40. Equivalent Circuit for Load and Snubber
any initial instantaneous voltage step at
t + 0 because of I RRM The inverse laplace transform for each of the conditions
gives:

1.9 ǒdV
dt
Ǔ + V OL
RT
L
) c. For all damping conditions
UNDERDAMPED (Typical Snubber Design)
0 4.0 e + E * V 0 ƪCos (wt) * wa sin (wt)ƫe * at )
L

2.0 When I + 0, dV +
dt 0
E RS
L
ǒ Ǔ c
w sin (wt) e
*at

ǒ Ǔ
dV
dt max
+ Maximum instantaneous dV
dt
dt L
ƪ
4.1 de + V0 2a Cos (wt) )
(w 2 * a 2)
w
sin (wt) e−at) ƫ
tmax + Time of maximum instantaneous dV
dt
tpeak + Time of maximum instantaneous peak c ƪ Cos (wt) * a sin (wt) ƫ e −at
w
voltage across thyristor

Average dV + V PKń tPK + Slope of the secant line

ȱ 2a V0 L ) c
ȳ
dt
4.2 t PK + w ȧ
1 tan*1 *
ȧ ȧ
caȧ
V 0 ǒw *a Ǔ
from t + 0 through V PK 2 2
V PK + Maximum instantaneous voltage across the
thyristor.
Ȳ L w * wȴ

When M + 0, R S + 0, I + 0 : w t PK + p

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 20 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

2 2
4.3 V PK + E ) a * a tPK w0 V0 L ) 2ac V0 L) c
Ǹ2 6.3 V PK + E * ƪ V0 (1−a t PK)−c tPK ƫ e−a t PK
L
w0
When I + 0, R L + 0, M + 1: V PK
6.4 Average dV +
dt tPK
V PK
4.4 + (1 ) e * a t PK) When I + 0, R S + 0, M + 0
E
V PK e(t) rises asymptotically to E. t PK and average dV
Average dV + dt
dt t PK do not exist.

1 ATN
4.5 t max + w ƪ w (2ac * V0 (w 2 * 3a 2))
L
V0 (a 3 * 3aw 2) ) c(a 2 * w 2)
L
ƫ 6.5 t max +
3aV0 ) 2c
L
a 2V0 ) ac
L
When I + 0, t max + 0
4.6 ǒdVǓ +ǸV0L2 w02) 2ac V0L ) c2 e−atmax
dt max For
RS
y3ń4,
RT

NO DAMPING then dV
dt max
+ dVǒ Ǔ
dt 0
5.0 e + E (1 * Cos (w0t)) ) I sin (w t)
C w0 0

5.1 de + E w sin (w t) ) I Cos (w t) 6.6 ǒdV

dt
Ǔ
0 0 0 max
dt C
+ ƪa V0 (2−a t max) ) c (1−a t max) ƫe −a t max
5.2 ǒ Ǔ
dV + I + 0 when I + 0
dt 0 C
L

p * tan *1 ǒCEIw0Ǔ APPENDIX D

5.3 t PK +
SNUBBER DISCHARGE dI DERIVATIONS
w0
dt
5.4 V PK + E ) Ǹ E2 ) I2
w 0 2C 2 OVERDAMPED
VC
S a −at sinh (wt)
5.5 ǒdVǓ
dt AVG
+
V PK
t
1.0 i +
w LS
PK

5.6 t max + 1 tan *1

w0 I
ƪ
w0 EC
ǒ Ǔƫ + w10 p2 when I + 0 1.1 i PK + VC
S Ǹ CS
LS
e −a t
PK

5.7 ǒdV
dt
Ǔ + I
C
ǸE2w02 C2)I2 + w0E when I+0 1 tanh −1 ƪwƫ
1.2 t PK + w
max a

CRITICAL DAMPING
CRITICAL DAMPED
6.0 e + E * V0 (1 * at)e *at ) cte *at VC
L S te −at
2.0 i +
de + ƪ a V LS
O L (2 * at) ) c(1 * at) ƫe
6.1 *at
dt
VC
c 2.1 i PK + 0.736 S
2) RS
2 V 0L
6.2 t PK +
c
a) 1
V0 2.2 t PK + a
L

Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 21 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D
 AN1048/D

UNDERDAMPED NO DAMPING
VC VC
3.0 i + S e −at sin (wt) S sin (wt)
w LS 4.0 i +
w LS

3.1 i PK + VC
S Ǹ CS
LS
e −a t
PK 4.1 i PK + VC
S Ǹ CS
LS
1 tan −1 ǒwǓ
3.2 t PK + w a 4.2 t PK + p
2w

RS LS

t=0

VC CS i
S

INITIALCONDITIONS :
i + 0, V C + INITIALVOLTAGE
S

Figure 6.41. Equivalent Circuit for Snubber Discharge

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bird, B. M. and K. G. King. An Introduction To Power
Electronics. John Wiley & Sons, 1983, pp. 250−281.
Blicher, Adolph. Thyristor Physics. Springer-Verlag, 1976.
Gempe, Horst. “Applications of Zero Voltage Crossing
Optically Isolated TRIAC Drivers,” AN982, Motorola Inc.,
1987.
“Guide for Surge Withstand Capability (SWC) Tests,”
ANSI 337.90A-1974, IEEE Std 472−1974.
“IEEE Guide for Surge Voltages in Low-Voltage AC Power
Circuits,” ANSI/IEEE C62.41-1980, IEEE Std 587−1980.
Ikeda, Shigeru and Tsuneo Araki. “The dI Capability of
dt
Thyristors,” Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 53, No. 8,
August 1967.
Kervin, Doug. “The MOC3011 and MOC3021,” EB-101,
Motorola Inc., 1982.
McMurray, William. “Optimum Snubbers For Power
Semiconductors,” IEEE Transactions On Industry Applica-
tions, Vol. IA-8, September/October 1972.
Rice, L. R. “Why R-C Networks And Which One For Your
Converter,” Westinghouse Tech Tips 5-2.
“Saturable Reactor For Increasing Turn-On Switching
Capability,” SCR Manual Sixth Edition, General Electric,
1979.
Zell, H. P. “Design Chart For Capacitor-Discharge Pulse
Circuits,” EDN Magazine, June 10, 1968.

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Specifications subject to change without notice. © 2016 Littelfuse, Inc. 22 Publication Order Number:
September 19, 2016 − Rev. 3 AN1048/D