Power Electronics

LECTURE 1: INTRODUCTION
DR. AHMED HANAE KASSEM

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Course title Power Electronics

Course code/
level / EME 342 / 3rd level / 2nd semester
semester

Contact L T B S
Hours
4 1 2 7

Grading C B E F F
10 % 10 % 20 % 60 % 3 Hrs

Dr. Ahmed Hanae Kassem

Instructor
ahmed.hany@aiet.edu.eg
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 Course description

Course contents The Following topics will be covered in this course

1. Introduction of power electronics devices

Diode , Thyristor , transistor
2. AC- DC converter (Rectifiers)
Single-phase , Three-phase { uncontrolled, controlled}
3. DC- DC converter (Choppers)
Buck , Boost , Buck-boost, cuk
4. DC- AC converter (Inverters)
Single-phase , Three-phase, PWM
5. Motor speed control
DC drive and AC drive
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 Syllabus

CHAPTER 1 POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

Introduction to power electronics, History, Definitions and Applications. Power Semiconductor Devices
“diodes, Thyristors, and power transistors” Control characteristics of power devices, Characteristics and
specifications of switches, Design of power electronics equipment, Rms values of waveforms, Types of
power electronic circuits, Peripheral effects, Power and intelligent modules
CHAPTER 2 RECTIFIERS (AC to DC Converters)
Introduction, Applications, Topologies, Performance Parameters, 1-Phase Half-Wave Rectifier, 1-Phase
Full-Wave Rectifier, Line Quality Issues, 3-phase Rectifiers, Comparison of Rectifiers, Summary
CHAPTER 3 DC-DC CONVERTERS
Introduction, Buck Converter, Boost Converter, Buck-Boost Converter, Čuk Converter, Two Quadrant
Converters, Full Bridge Converter, Summary
CHAPTER 4 INVERTERS (DC-AC CONVERTERS)
Single-phase inverter, three-phase inverter
CHAPTER 5 Motor Speed control
DC drives and AC drives & their applications
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References

1. Power electronic circuits, devices, and applications, Muhammad H.

Rashid, 4th Edition, 2014

2. Power electronics, drives, and advanced applications, Vinod Kumar

3. Fundamentals of Electric drives, Mohamed A. El-sharkawi, 2nd

Edition, 2017

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 Chapter 1

Introduction to power electronic devices

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 Outlines

1. Power electronics, Definitions, History of development,

and applications.
2. Design of power electronics equipment, and types of
power electronic circuits.
3. Power semiconductor devices( Diodes, Thyristors)
different types, limitations, main characteristics and its
models

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 Power electronics history

History

1. Mercury arc rectifiers -1900 such as grid-controlled vacuum-tube

rectifier were used for controlling electrical power, until the 1950s but
such rectifier circuits applications was limited.
2. Advent of PNPN triggering transistor, which was defined as a Thyristor
or Silicon-Controlled Rectifiers “abbreviated as SCRs” led to the
development of a new area of application called the Power Electronics.
3. Once the SCRs were available (1957), and many different types of power
semiconductor devices and conversion techniques have been introduced
the application area spread to many fields such as drives, power supplies,
aviation electronics, high frequency inverters and power electronics
originated.
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 Introduction

Power electronics: Combine power, electronics, and control.

Power deals with the static and rotating

power equipment for the generation,
transmission, and distribution of electric
energy.

Electronics deals with the solid-state

devices and circuits for signal processing
to meet the desired control objectives.
Control deals with the steady state and
dynamic characteristics of closed-loop
systems.
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 Power Electronics definitions

• Power electronics is defined as the

application of solid-state electronics for the
control and conversion of electric power.
• Also, it is defined as the art of converting
electrical energy from one form to another
in an efficient, clean, compact, and robust
manner for the energy utilization to meet
the desired needs.
• Relationship of power electronics to power,
electronics, and control
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 The main task of power electronics:

• Control and convert electrical power from one form to another form.
• So power electronics has applications that span the whole field of electrical
power systems, with the power range of these applications extending from a few
VA/Watts to several MVA/MW.
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 Some applications of power electronics

• Air conditioning • Gas turbine starting

• Aircraft power supplies • Generator exciters
• Alarms • Uninterruptible power supplies
• Security systems • High voltage dc (HVDC)
• Light dimmers • Static circuit breakers
• Battery charger • Transmission
• Computers • Distribution
• Cranes, hoists, elevators • Renewable energy
• Displays • Solar power supplies, etc…
• Electric door openers • Motor drives
• Electric dryers, fans • Movie projector
• Electric vehicles • Oil well drilling
• Electric vehicles & traction • Photograph, photocopy
• Electric furnaces • Machines
• Electric welding • TV, Radio, VCR 12
 Advantages and disadvantages of power electronics

The advantages of power electronics systems are as follows:

1. High efficiency as there are negligible losses in semiconductor devices
2. High reliability
3. Long life with less maintenance due to the absence of any moving parts
4. Fast dynamic response as compared to electromechanical converter
systems
5. Lower cost due to mass production semiconductor devices
Various demerits of power electronics are as follows
1. These circuits generate harmonics.
2. Certain converters like AC to DC or AC to AC under certain operating
conditions operate at a low input power factor (PF).
3. It has low momentary overload capacity. Therefore, these converters
must be rated for taking momentary overloads, which increases the cost
of the power electronic controller.
4. The control of power electronic converter systems is not simple. 13
 Types of Power Electronic Circuits

The power electronics circuits can be classified into six types:

1. Diode rectifiers
2. AC–DC converters (controlled rectifiers)
3. DC–DC converters (dc choppers)
4. DC–AC converters (inverters)
5. AC–AC converters (AC voltage controllers constant frequency
or controlled frequency)
6. Static switches

Power electronic devices can operate as static switches or

contactors to transmit either AC or DC power to loads.

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 Power semiconductor devices:

Power semiconductor devices are made of either silicon or silicon carbide.

The power semiconductor devices can be classified as:
1. Diodes:
These are uncontrolled power semiconductor devices. Their on and off states
are not dependent on the control signals but controlled by the power supply and load
circuit conditions.
2. Thyristors:
These are semi-controlled, switched on by a gate signal, and once they get
turned on, they remain latched in the “on” state due to the internal regenerative
action.
3. Controllable switches:
These devices are controlled switched on/off by applying control signals. The
devices, which behave as controllable switches, are BJT, MOSFET, GTO, Static
Induction Thyristor (SITH), IGBT, Static Induction Transistor (SIT), and MCT.
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Power semiconductor devices:

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 1- POWER DIODES

• A diode has two terminals (anode (A) and cathode (K)).

• Power diodes are similar to pn-junction small signal diodes.
• Power diodes have larger power-voltage and current handling capabilities
than those of ordinary diodes.
• It conducts when its anode voltage is higher then that of the cathode (VA >
VC),
• Forward voltage drop (when on) is very low (typically 0.5 and 1.2V), and If
VC > VA the diode is said to be in blocking mode.

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 Power Diodes classification and control

The power diodes can be classified into three categories

Standard or general purpose diodes

Rating up to 6000V, 4500A
High speed (or fast recovery)
Rating up to 6000V, 1100A
Reverse recovery time 0.1 to 5μs
Essential for high-frequency switching
Schottky diodes
Low on-state voltage
Very small recover time (typically nano sec.)
Leakage current increases with voltage rating
Rating limited to 100V, 300A 18
 General purpose diodes

Various general-purpose diode configuration 19

 V-I characteristics of diode

• When anode is positive with respect to the cathode, the diode is said to be forward biased and it conducts.
• When diode conducts it has a small forward drop voltage.

VD < - VBR
VD < 0
VD > 0

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If the reverse voltage exceeds the break down voltage (VBR), the diode will conduct then be damaged.
 Forward-biased region of diode:

𝑰𝑫 = 𝑰𝑺 𝒆𝑽𝑫Τ𝒏𝑽𝑻 − 𝟏
where
ID : current through the diode.
VD : diode voltage with anode positive with respect to cathode
IS : leakage (or reverse saturation) current, typically in the range 10-6 to 10-15 A
n : empirical constant known as emission coefficient, or ideality factor, whose value varies from 1 to 2.
VT : is a constant called thermal voltage
• In the forward-biased region, VD > 0 .
• The diode conducts fully if VD is higher than this value VTD, which is referred to as the threshold
voltage, cut-in voltage, or turn-on voltage.
• Thus, the threshold voltage is a voltage at which the diode conducts fully.
Reverse-biased region:
𝑰𝑫 ≈ −𝑰𝑺
which indicates that the diode current ID in the reverse direction is constant and equals IS.

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 Reverse Recovery Characteristics Reverse recovery time trr
Forward
• Once the forward current is reduced to zero, the diode continues current
to conduct due to minority carriers that remain stored in p-n
junction and the bulk semiconductor material.
• The minority carriers require a certain time to recombine with
opposite charges and to be neutralized. This time is called
reverse recovery time of the diode.
• The reverse recovery time of a diode is the time which a
forwardly conducting diode takes to recover to a blocking state
when the voltage across it is suddenly reversed (which is known
as forced turn-off). R R current
• The forward recovery time of a diode is the time a non-
conducting diode takes to change to the fully on state when a
forward current is suddenly forced into it (which is known as
forced turn-on).
𝑡𝑟𝑟 = 𝑡𝑎 + 𝑡𝑏

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 Reverse Recovery Characteristics

1 1
𝐼𝑅𝑅 ≅ 𝑡𝑎 𝑄𝑅𝑅 + 𝑡𝑏 𝑄𝑅𝑅
2 2
1
≅ 𝑡𝑟𝑟 𝑄𝑅𝑅
2
2𝑄𝑅𝑅 𝑑𝑖
𝐼𝑅𝑅 ≈ = 𝑡𝑎 , 𝑡𝑎 ≅ 𝑡𝑟𝑟
𝑡𝑟𝑟 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑖
𝐼𝑅𝑅 = 2𝑄𝑅𝑅
Soft recovery abrupt recovery
𝑑𝑡
Reverse recovery charge QRR
is the amount of charge carriers that flows across the diode in the reverse
direction due to change over from forward conduction to reverse blocking
condition.
Reverse recovery current IRR:
is the current at a particular voltage, and which is below the breakdown voltage.
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 Note that

A design engineer frequently needs to calculate reverse recovery time in order to

evaluate the possibility of high-frequency switching where, the lower trr is, the
faster the diode can be switched.
• A diode with a long reverse recovery time is similar to a diode with a large parasitic
capacitance.
• A diode with a long forward recovery time is similar to a diode with a large
parasitic inductance.
• The adverse effect of a long reverse recovery time is much worse than that of a long
forward recovery time.
Forward voltage VF : is the voltage drop of a diode across ( A ) and ( K ) at a
defined current level when it is forward biased.
Breakdown voltage VB : is the voltage drop across the diode at a defined current
level when it is beyond reverse-biased level.
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 2-Thyristor

• Four-layer semiconductor device of pn-pn structure with

three p-n junctions, it has three terminals.
• When a small current is passed through the gate terminal
to cathode, the Thyristor conducts provided that the anode
terminal is at higher potential than that of the cathode:
➢ Once a Thyristor is in a conduction mode, the gate
circuit has no control and the Thyristor continues to
conduct.
➢ In conduction mode, forward voltage is very small (0.5 to
2 V).
➢ Once a thyristor conducts, it behaves like a conducting
diode and there is no control over the device.

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 2-Thyristor
Two-transistor model of thyristor
A thyristor can be considered as two complementary transistors, one pnp-
transistor, Q1 , and other npn- transistor, Q2 , as shown in fig. (a). The equivalent
circuit model is shown in fig. (b)

Where, the common-

base current gain is
defined as α = IC/IE
fig. (a) fig. (b)
The collector current IC of a thyristor is related, in general, to the emitter
current IE and the leakage current of the collector-base junction, ICBO, as
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 2-Thyristor
Characteristics of thyristor
Latching current is the minimum anode current
required to maintain the thyristor in the on
state immediately after a thyristor has been
turned on and the gate signal has been removed.
Holding current is the minimum anode current
to maintain the thyristor in the on state after a
thyristor has been turned off.
In the on-state, the anode current is limited by
an external impedance or resistance RL . The
anode current must be more than a value
known as latching current IL to maintain the
required amount of carrier flow across the
junction. Other wise, the device reverts to the
blocking conditions as the anode to cathode
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voltage is reduced.
 2-Thyristor
Operation of the Thyristor
In this mode anode of the thyristor is at a positive potential
VAK with respect to the cathode with no voltage applied at
the gate. Junctions J1 and J3 are forward biased, while
junction J2 is reverse biased and no conduction takes place.
From this off state thyristor can be forced into the forward
conducting mode.
If a positive current IG is applied at the gate terminal with
respect to the cathode, the breakdown of the junction J2
occurs at a lower value of VAK. By selecting an appropriate
value of IG, the thyristor can be switched into the on state
immediately. This is normal operation of a thyristor.

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 2-Thyristor
Operation of the Thyristor
It must be noted that IG need not be applied after the
breakdown has occurred. Hence IG can be only a voltage
pulse.
Forward conducting mode
After the thyristor has been triggered into conduction it will
remain conducting until the forward current drops below a
threshold value known as the holding current IH.
A thyristor can be switched off if the external circuit causes
the anode to become negatively biased.
Reverse blocking mode:
VAK is applied in the direction that would reverse the
junctions J1 and J3. In this mode the thyristor operates as a
diode..
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 2-Thyristor
Thyristor turn-on and turn-off conditions

Latching current (IL)

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 2-Thyristor
Types of Thyristor

Thyristors can be subdivided into eleven types:

1. Phase-controlled Thyristors or (SCRs) 7. Light-activated Silicon-Controlled

2. Bidirectional Phase controlled Thyristors Rectifier (LASCRs)
(BCTs) 8. MOS Turn-Off (MTOs)
3. Gate-Turn-Off (GTOs) 9. Emitter Turn-Off control (ETOs)
4. Reverse Conducting Thyristors (RCTs) 10.Integrated Gate-Commutated Thyristor
5. Static Induction Thyristors (SITH) (IGCT)
6. Bidirectional triode Thyristors (TRIACs) 11.MOS Controlled Thyristors (MCTs)
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 Thank you

Dr. Ahmed Hanae Kassem

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