Power Devices and Converters

Dr. M. M. Rajan Singaravel

Assistant Professor / EEE
National Institute of Technology Puducherry
Karaikal
 Power Electronics

• Power Electronics  Art of converting one form of electrical energy to

another form of electrical energy

Power Interface/
Source Power Converters
Load

Battery Heating
Grid Lighting
PV Motors

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 Power Electronics

 Power Converters  4 Basic Types

Power Interface/
Source Power Converters
Load

AC Rectifier DC

DC Inverter AC

DC DC-DC Converter DC

AC AC Voltage Controller AC

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 Power Electronic Switches

Power Electronics Switches  Ideal Switches

Dissipates no power.
Turned on in no time with a signal of zero energy.
Zero impedance to the conduction of any current during ON condition.

Turned off in no time with a signal of zero energy.

Infinite impedance to the conduction of current during OFF condition.
That is, no current was conducted.
Ideal switch would block any voltage.

In practical, there is NO IDEAL SWITCH

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 PN Junction

Silicon is a semiconductor element from group IV of the Periodic Table – 4 electrons

Group V of the Periodic Table have 5 electrons in the outer orbit of the atoms
(antimony, arsenic and phosphorus)
Doping with intrinsic silicon results in N type semiconductor

Group II of the Periodic Table have 3 electrons in the outer orbit of the atoms
(aluminum, boron and gallium)
Doping with intrinsic silicon results in P type semiconductor

A semiconductor wafer that is processed to have adjoining p and n layers is

called a pn junction and has special electric characteristics.

This pn junction is the basic building block in any power semiconductor switch.

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 PN Junction

(a) p and n types, (b) unbiased (c) forward biased (d) reverse biased.

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 Power Diode

Practical Diode I-V characteristics Ideal Diode I-V characteristics

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 Power Diode

Forward Bias

VD = VDF + RDID

If ID is 100 A, VDF = 0.7 V, RD = 1 mohm

VD = 0.8 V

If ID is 400 A, VD = 1.1 V

PD = VDID

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Power Diode – Turn on Characteristics

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Power Diode – Turn OFF Characteristics

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 Power Diode –Protection

Over Current Protection

Over Voltage Protection

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 Thyristor - SCR

The thyristor is a 4-layer, 3-terminal, semiconductor switch.

It can handle more power than any other semiconductor switch.

It is possible for a single device, to control 1 MW of power.

There is power dissipation (the current density is limited to about 150 A /cm 2

The voltage drop across a conducting thyristor is about 1.5 V).

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 Thyristor - SCR

(a) pnpn representation, (b) circuit symbol (c) simple circuit

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Thyristor – 2 Transistor Model

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Thyristor – IV Characteristics

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 Thyristor – Turn ON
1. Light activation,
2. Gate electrical signal,
3. High forward-bias voltage and
4. dv / dt turn-on

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Thyristor – Gate Pulses

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Thyristor – Snubber Circuits

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 Thyristor – Snubber Circuits

The thyristor circuit, illustrated in Fig. (Previous slide), has an RsCs snubber
circuit to protect against dv/dt turn-on. Consider that the thyristor has just
been turned off. Calculate the minimum value of C so that the thyristor will not
turn on again due to dv/dt breakdown. The junction capacitance of the
thyristor is 20 pF and the minimum value of the charging current required to
turn on the thyristor is 4 mA.

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 Pulse amplifier
(used for SCR circuits)
Pulse amplifier = Pulse transformer + current amplifier
+ 5V
1:1:1 G1 5V
K1 0
+ 5V
5V G2 ≈ 25 mA G1 5V
10 k K2 K1 0
0 G2
SL 100
from µc K2
T1 10 k
≈ 0.5mA
BC 107
5V
T1
0
hfe ≈ 50 SL 100
from 8051 µc
T2
IOH ≈ 30µA

CE amplifier Darlington amplifier

(For medium anode current) (For high anode current)
If hfe1 = 100, hfe2 = 50, AI = 5000

suitable for PIC16F876 µc suitable for 8051 µc

Source : Dr. NAG/Prof., NITT

 MOSFET

Voltage Controlled Device

Switch frequency >= 100 kHz

No inertia for state change

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MOSFET

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MOSFET – Parasitic Devices

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 MOSFET – IV Characteristics

Ideal Practical

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IGBT

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IGBT Model

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IGBT IV Characteristics

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 Gate drive circuit for IGBT/ MOSFET
+ 5V + 15V

220 10K 1K
Ω
G
T2
2N2222
10 V
10 V
MCT2E
0
Opto coupler

1K E
2N2222
5V
T1
0

Optocoupler is used for isolation

MCT2E : Medium frequency ; HCPL 3101 : High Frequency

Requires 2 power supplies: one +5V and another +15 V

Pulse Transformers cannot be used due to core saturation problem

 IGBT/MOSFET
ID
IC C
• voltage controlled device
• IC/ID depends on VG G
VG E VG

For conduction
• Gate pulse is applied between G & E or G & S
• Minimum gate voltage required : Vg(min) = 3 – 18 V
Vg(nominal) = 10 V
• However the gate circuit draws a transient current for charging Cgs.
• The power supply should have sufficient current rating( ≈ 1A)

Source/sink current of I/O pin = 25 mA (for PIC16F876)

Source : Dr. NAG/Prof., NITT