Sample Answer to Quiz 1 in EED306 (the question below is similar to the one you got)

(Q1) The thyristor chopper circuit shown has been discussed in the class. Assume thyristors, diodes,
inductor and capacitor to be ideal elements. Take ‘E’ as 200 volts, C= 2 micro-farad, L = 20.4 micro-
henry. The chopping time period is 1.1 millisecond (i.e., main thyristor is turned ON after every 1.1 ms
and auxiliary thyristor is also turned on at same frequency but after 0.5 ms of main thyristor’s
triggering. Assume usual operation of thyristor circuit with desired initial charging of capacitor ‘C’.
Load current is nearly constant at 10 A (load is highly inductive). Match the conduction time (during
each chopping time period) of the devices mentioned in column 1 with time periods written in
arbitrary order in column 2. Draw clear straight lines linking the devices with their conduction times.

Answer: (Q1) Refer to the thyristor circuit operation and the waveform shown below:

Blue waveform: Load voltage (vertical

axis),

Brown waveform: Capacitor voltage

Horizontal axis: Time.

As per the given problem, chopping time period ( t= 0 to t4) = 1.1 millisec = 1100 micro-second.

When Th(M) is turned on at t=0, load voltage becomes equal to ‘E’ and capacitor charge reversal takes
place through C, Th (M), diode ‘D’ and inductor ‘L’ (initially capacitor’s upper plate potential is E volts
higher than lower plate’s potential). Due to diode ‘D’ only half cycle of L-C oscillation takes place (from
t=0 to t=t1). The capacitor voltage changes in co-sinusoidal manner whereas its current changes in
sinusoidal manner. This half cycle of conduction duration = π/ω; where ω = 1/sqrt(L*C).
Sample Answer to Quiz 1 in EED306 (the question below is similar to the one you got)

Thus (using data given above) conduction duration per cycle for ‘D’ and ‘L’ = π * sqrt(L*C) = 20
microseconds. Th(M) turns off as soon as Th(A) is turned ON at t=t2. Th(M) conducts from t=0 to t=t2;
which equals 500 micro-second (as per data given).

As soon as Th(A) turns on, load voltage jumps to 2E. Now load current flows through E, C, Th(A) and
load. Here, load current is given to be constant at 10 amperes. The capacitor discharges linearly with
this constant current, until load voltage becomes zero at t=t3 (by this time capacitor voltage changes
from –E to +E). At t3, Th(A) turns off and FWD carries load current till the time Th(M) is again turned
ON at t4. Next chopper cycle repeats after t4. After Th(A) is turned on, Th(M) remains reverse biased
till capacitor has negative voltage (this time is half of time duration between t2 and t3 and is known as
circuit turn-off time for Th(M)). The conduction duratioin of Th(A) is time taken for capacitor voltage
to change from –E to +E, (due to load current flowing through capacitor) = 2*C*E / Iload = 80
microsecond. Capacitor ‘C’ conducts during charge reversal through diode ‘D’ and also when Th(A)
conducts. Thus ‘C’ conducts for (80+20) microsecond.

Conduction duration of FWD = total time period – ON time of Th(M) – ON time of Th(A) = (1100-500-
80) microsecond = 520 microsecond.

(Q2) If the main thyristor ‘TH(M)’ of above circuit is replaced by a MOSFET type switch
which may be turned on and off simply by gate voltage control, you will not need the
commutation circuit consisting of auxiliary thyristor ‘TH(A)’, ‘L’, ‘C’ and ‘D’. Load, FWD and
input voltage ‘E’ will still be there. Such circuits are also known as DC to DC buck converter
(chopper). Such an ideal chopper circuit will output rectangular voltage of magnitude ‘E’
(when MOSFET switch is ON) and zero voltage when MOSFET switch is OFF and inductive-
resistive load current freewheels through FWD. MOSFET and diode are assumed lossless
(ideal). Now consider the following: Input Voltage = 200 volts, Load current = 5 amps (assume
constant). Switch duty ratio = 0.6. Assume load to be resistance ‘R’ in series with very large
inductor (very large inductor tries to keep load current magnitude constant). For above
condition, Find:

(i) Average current through switch and freewheeling diode = …3A….. and …2A… amps
respectively.
(ii) Load voltage (across R) = ……120 Volts.
(iii) Load resistance ‘R’ = ……24 Ohms.

Answer Q2: Sw. conducts load current for (0.6*T) time during chopping cycle-time period of ‘T’. For
remaining 0.4*T time the load current freewheels through FWD. When sw. is on, FWD is off (due to
reverse voltage across it). Average load voltage = 0.6 * 200V = 120V. Under steady state, the entire
average (dc) voltage appers across ‘R’ (since dc voltage across ‘L’ =0). R = 120V/5A = 24 ohm.