Chapter 2

Power Electronics and Motor Drives (ELE381) 10/19/2023
Chapter 2
Power Electronic
Devices
1
Prof. Ibrahim A. Metwally 1/40

DEFINITION
Power electronics refers to control and
convert of electrical power by power
semiconductor devices ( these devices
operate as switches).
Ideal Switch
vsw
vs
R
+ i
i R
vs vt vs
- Vsw 3
Load Switching
Load Voltage
On-time
(ton)
V
Off-time
Time (t)
(toff)
t)
Period (
V ton V
toff
4

Power Electronic Devices

These devices can be divided broadly into three main types:
Anode
– Power diodes + i
v
(C)
_
Cathode
Symbol
– Transistors (B)
• Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)
• Power Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect
Transistors (MOSFETs)
• Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) (E)
Anode (A)
– Thyristors
Gate (G)
• Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR)
• Gate Turn-Off (GTO)
5
• TRIode for Alternating Current (TRIAC)
Cathode (K)
Classification of Power Semiconductor Switches

• The various semiconductor devices can be classified into three categories
according to their degree of controllability into uncontrolled, semi-controlled
and fully-controlled switches:
• 1. Uncontrolled
• The on and off states of power switch are controlled by the power circuit. The
diode belongs to this category
• 2. Semi-controlled
• Switched on by a control signal but must be turned off by the power circuit.
The thyristor is controlled by a gate signal to turn-on. However, for most of
thyristors, once they are on, the controllability of these device are
generally lost and the power circuit controls when the devices will turn-off. 6

• 3. Fully-controlled
• Turned on and off by control signals. This category includes the main kind of
transistors and a few thyristors such as:
 Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)
 Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFET)
 Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT)
 Gate-Turn off Thyristors (GTO)
 MOS-Controlled Thyristors (MCT)

Power Electronic Converters (from Ch. 1)

Converter Conversion Function Applications
1 Controlled rectifiers AC to variable dc Control of dc motors
2 Choppers Fixed voltage dc to Control of dc motors

variable voltage dc
3 AC voltage Fixed voltage ac to Control of induction
controllers variable voltage ac motors
at same frequency
4 Inverters (voltage DC to fixed or variable Control of induction
source or voltage and motors and
current source) frequency ac, synchronous motors
voltage or current
sources
5 Cycloconverters Fixed voltage and Induction motors and
frequency ac to synchronous motors
variable voltage and
frequency ac
10

1- Power Diodes
(up to few kV and kA)
Anode (A)
General characteristics:
+ i
v • A passive switch
_ • Single-quadrant switch:
Cathode (C) – can conduct positive on-state current
Symbol – can block negative off-state voltage
i • Conducts when its anode voltage is higher
than that of the cathode (VA > VC)
on
• Forward voltage drop (when on) is very low
off
v (typically 0.3 V for Ge and  0.6 V for Si)
• If VC > VA the diode is said to be in blocking
mode.
Instantaneous
i-v
11
characteristic
Stud-mounted type
Disk type
12

P-N JUNCTION
Metallurgical Junction Depletion Region
p n
Anode Cathode
Wp 0 Wn
Ep
Electric Field
Barrier potential VT
13
No bias wo
p n Cathode
Anode
Low High Low

resistance resistance resistance
vT  0.72V : barrier potential
w f  wo
Forward bias
p n Cathode
Anode
vS  vT
vS
Reverse bias wr  w
p n Cathode
Anode
vS  vT
vS
14

Switching Characteristics:
turn-on and turn-off in the diode
Slope (1/ron)
VBR
VT V
15
Types of Power Diodes

• General purpose
– Rating up to 6000V, 4500A
– Typical reverse recovery time 25 µs
• High speed (or fast recovery)
– Rating up to 6000V, 1100A
– Reverse recovery time 0.1 to 5 µs
– Essential for high-frequency switching
• Schottky diode
– Very small reverse recovery time (nanoseconds)

– Rating limited to 100V, 300A
The time required for conduction to settle into the reverse bias
16
state is the diode's reverse recovery time.

A Schottky diode is a semiconductor-metal junction, which

has a low forward voltage drop (0.25 V compared with 0.6–
0.7 V dc). It is used for very small reverse recovery time
(nanoseconds) applications.
A zener diode is usually used reverse-biased, with a limited

current, to create a stable voltage drop which changes little
with current.
17
Power Diode Protection

A power diode must be protected against overvoltage, overcurrent, and transients.
■ Overvoltage
• It is common practice to select a diode with a peak reverse voltage rating
that is 1.2 times higher than the expected voltage during normal operating
conditions.
■ Overcurrent
• The diode current should be lower than the current rating based on the
maximum junction temperature produced by conduction losses in diode.
■ Transients
• Protection against transients usually takes the form of RC
series circuit connected across the diode in order to snubs
(reduces) the rate of change of voltage across the diode.
A snubber circuit
18

A diode as a half-wave uncontrolled rectifier
vs
iL Vsm
0
vL R
t
vs  Vsm sin( t )
vL
t
19
2- Transistor
i- Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
(C) (C) (C)
Collector IC
N VCB
Base
(B) P (B) IB
N VCE
(B)
Emitter VBE
(E) IE
(E)
IC   I B (E)
I E  I B  IC
VCE  VCB  VBE 20

(C)
IC Characteristics of Bipolar Junction
IB
VCB
Transistor
(B) VCE
VBE
Saturation Region IB1
IE
IB (E) IC
IB2< IB1
IB= 0
V 0.6 VCE
BE Cut Off Region
Base Characteristics Collector Characteristics

21
IC IC IB max
RL VCC
(1)
IB RL
V CE
V CC
(2)
IB = 0
VCC VCE
VCC  VCE  RL IC
Closed
At point (1) Switch At point (2)
VCE is very small (ON) IC is very small
Open
V
I C  CC Switch VCE  VCC
RL OFF 22

Plastic casing type
To identify the pins, keep the front flat side

facing you and count the pins as one, two etc.
In most NPN transistors it will be 1
(Collector), 2 (Base) and 3 (Emitter). Thus
CBE. But in PNP transistors, the condition will Metal can type
be just reversed. 23
Main Features of BJT

• Current controlled device
• High base current must be present during
the closing period
• Can operate at 10 kHz to 20 kHz
• High base losses
• The driving circuit must be capable of
producing a large base current for as long
as the transistor is closed. Such a circuit is
large, of low efficiency, and complex to
build.
24

ii- POWER MOSFET

MOSFET Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
Drain
i
Gate +
V
_
Source
Symbol
i
On (Vgs>0)
v
Off (Vgs=0)
https://youtu.be/rkbjHNEKcRw
Instantaneous i-v https://youtu.be/p34w6ISouZY?t=428
25
characteristic
26

MOSFET General Characteristics:
• The MOSFET is the most common type of

transistor today. Their primary use is to control
conductivity, or how much electricity can flow,
between its source and drain terminals based on
the amount of voltage applied to its gate terminal,
i.e. an active switch controlled by Gate terminal
voltage.
• Normally operated as a single-quadrant switch:
– can conduct positive on-state current
– can block positive off-state voltage
– provided that the intended on-state and off-
state operating points lie on the MOSFET i-v
characteristic, then switch can be realized
27
using a MOSFET.
Main Features of MOSFET
• Voltage controlled device

• Low gate losses
• Typical switching frequencies are 100
kHz – 1 MHz and more
• Available at a relatively low power rating
in the range of 1000V, 100A.
28

iii- Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor

(C)
(IGBT)
(G)
Symbol
(E)
https://fb.watch/nGeB5nRjns/ 29
Equivalent circuit
30

Main Features of IGBT

IC VG1 >VG2 >VG3
 Easy to drive — similar to
MOSFET VG2
 Typical switching frequencies:
1 kHz – 100 kHz VG3
 Compared with MOSFET:
slower switching times, VG = 0
 lower on-resistance,
VCE
useful at higher power rating
(up to 1700V, 2400 A)
31
32
Go to Slide # 57

33
34
SMPS: Switched-Mode Power Supply

35
3-Thyristors
 Thyristors are used extensively in industrial electronic circuits.
 Compared to transistors, thyristors have lower on-state
conduction losses and higher power handling capability (typically
6000V, 5500A) but slower (low-frequency applications).
 On the other hand, transistors have superior switching
performance in terms of faster switching speed and lower
switching losses.
 Depending on the physical construction, and turn-on and turn-off
behavior, thyristors can be classified into thirteen categories. We
will only focus on the most three famous categories:
i. Phase Controlled Thyristors (PCT) or Silicon Controlled
Rectifier (SCR).
ii. Gate Turn-Off Thyristors (GTO).
iii. Bidirectional Triode Thyristors (TRIAC).
36

i- Phase Controlled Thyristors

Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCR)
 A thyristor is a four-layer semiconductor device of pnpn
structure with three pn junctions.
 It has three terminals; Anode, Cathode, and Gate.
Anode (A) Anode (A)
Anode (A) Anode (A)
IA IA
Gate (G) Q2 Ic2

P
P Q1
N N N
Gate P P
Cathode (K) P Gate Ic1
N N Q2
Q1 IG
Symbol IA
Cathode (K) Cathode (K)
Cathode (K)
37
Equivalent circuit
38

Thyristor Characteristic
Anode (A) IA
Ig = max
Ig = 0
Ig > 0
Ih
Gate (G) VRB
V
AK
VBO
Cathode (K)
39
Closing Conditions of SCR

Anode (A)
1. Positive anode to
cathode voltage
(VAK)
Gate (G)
2. Maximum
triggering pulse is
applied (Ig) Cathode (K)
Closing angle is a
(ON) 40

Opening Conditions of SCR

IA
1. Anode current is
below the holding
Ig = 0
value (Ih)
Ih
VRB
V
AK
Opening angle is 
(OFF)
The SCR: high voltage and current ratings (6500V,4200A)
low cost, passive turn-off transition. 41
Thyristor commutation techniques

Commutation is the process of turning off a thyristor. There are many
techniques to commutate a thyristor. However, these can be broadly
classified into two types:
1- Natural commutation:
i- Line commutation:
If the voltage source is ac, the vt
i
thyristor current goes through a
natural zero, and a reverse voltage
appears across the thyristor. The a
t
device is then automatically turned vs
off.
42

ii- Load Commutation
 As its name implies, this type of

commutation depends on the nature of the
load circuit.
L
 Load commutation is primarily of interest
DC
in dc-excited circuits.
 In this circuit, it is clear that once thyristor R
is turned on, it will not turn off again.
 However, the thyristor may be turned off
in a finite time if some series capacitance
is added to the circuit, Provided that the
relationship between R, L, and C is such
that the current is oscillatory, the thyristor DC
can be turned off when the current tends to

be negative (passing through ZERO).
43
2- Forced commutation:
 It is not convenient or economic to bring

about load commutation of a typical RL
load circuit by the introduction of a series
capacitor large enough to carry the load
current. IMPRACTICAL!
 A commutation circuit is then required to
force the thyristor to turn-off by diverting
the thyristor current to another path.
 Thyristor commutation circuit normally
composed of another thyristor, diode(s), an
inductor and a capacitor(s).
44

A thyristor as a half-wave controlled

rectifier
vs
iL Vsm
0
vL R
t
vs  Vsm sin( t ) ig
a 2  a t
vL
a =  2  a t
45
ii- Gate Turn-Off Thyristor (GTO)

• Thyristors are suitable for ac line operation systems
(low-frequency applications).
• Thyristors are NOT suitable for dc line operation
systems because of the turn-off problems.
• GTO is the solution, a GTO is an SCR fabricated using
modern techniques.
• Negative gate current is able to completely reverse-bias
the gate-cathode junction
• GTO requires positive current impulse at the gate
for turn-on and negative current impulse for turn-
off.
46

GTO Thyristor:
General Characteristics
Anode (A)  Maximum controllable current (MCC)
is highest anode current that can be
turned off under gate control.
Gate (G)
 GTO is designed for an allowable
Cathode (K) peak current that is less than the
Symbol MCC by a safety factor.
 Turn-on positive gate current pulse is higher

than that of a normal SCR. 47
GTO turn-on and turn-off.
Vs
iL
GTO
Vs vL R
ig
vL
Vs
48

• The GTO: intermediate

voltage and current ratings
(less than SCR, somewhat
more than IGBT).
• Slower than IGBT.
• Difficult to drive. A (200 V, 160 A) GTO
49
iii-TRIACS
MT1
First
Gate quadrant
MT2
Symbol BVR BVf
MT1 v
Third
quadrant
G
MT2
Equivalent circuit i-v characteristics
A Triac behaves just like two conventional thyristors connected together

in inverse parallel (back-to-back) sharing a common Gate terminal. 50

A triac as an ac voltage controller
iL
vs
Vsm
vL
R
0
vs  Vsm sin( t ) t
ig
T2
iL
a  a 2  a t
vL
T1
vL
R  a
vs  Vsm sin( t )
a 2  a t
51
Difference between Thyristor and Transistor
52

Difference between Thyristor and Transistor, Cont’d
53
54

• It is clear that there are various differences

between a thyristor and a transistor. Both of
these semiconductor devices find a wide range
of applications in different electronic circuits like
electronic switches, amplifiers, controlled
rectifiers, etc.
• Thus, the knowledge of these differences can
help an individual in selecting either of them
according to the requirements.
55
Power ranges of commercially available power semiconductor devices
6500V/600A 12000V/1500A 7500V/1650A

(Eupec) (Mitsubishi) (Eupec) 6500V/2650A
V [V]
SCR (Market) (ABB)
12000
5500V/2300A
(ABB)
7500 IGBT (Market) 6000V/6000A GTO
6000 GTO (Market)
5500 (Mitsubishi)
4800V/5000A
(Westcode)
1000
Power MOSFET 4500V/4000A
(Mitsubishi)
(Market)
1000 V/100A
200 (SanRex)
100
60 V/1000A
(Semikron)
100 200 500 1000 2400 4000 6000 10000 I [A]

56

Applications of power devices. (Courtesy of Powerex, Inc.)

Go to Slide # 32 57
Classification
1. Uncontrolled turn on and turn off (e.g. diode)
2. Controlled turn on and uncontrolled turn off
(e.g. SCR)
3. Controlled turn on and off (e.g. BJT, MOSFET,
IGBT, GTO)
4. Continuous gate signal requirement (e.g. BJT,
MOSFET, IGBT)
5. Pulse gate requirement (e.g. SCR, GTO)
58

TRIAC
59
Revision of Instantaneous Power LEARNING EXAMPLE

Assume : v (t )  4 cos( t  60),
Instantaneous
Z  230
Power Supplied
Find : i (t ), p(t )
to Impedance
V 460
p(t )  v(t )i (t ) I   230( A)
Z 230
i (t )  2 cos( t  30)( A)
VM  4, v  60
In steady State
I M  2, i  30
v (t )  VM cos( t   v )
p(t )  4 cos 30  4 cos( 2 t  90)
i (t )  I M cos( t   i )
p(t )  VM I M cos( t   v ) cos( t   i )
cos 1 cos 2 
1
cos(1  2 )  cos(1  2 )
2
p( t ) 
VM I M
cos( v   i )  cos( 2 t   v   i )
2
p(t )  Veff I eff cos( v  i )  cos(2 t   v  i )
constant Twice the
frequency
60

Revision of Average Power LEARNING EXAMPLE

For sinusoidal (and other periodic signals)
we compute averages over one period  Find the average
power absorbed
T VR by impedance
1 2
T 0
P p(t )dt T 

VM I M
p( t )  cos( v   i )  cos( 2 t   v   i )
2
1060 1060
V I I   3.5315( A)
P  M M cos( v   i )  Veff I eff cos( v   i ) 2  j 2 2 245
2
VM  10, I M  3.53, v  60, i  15
If voltage and current are in phase
35.3
P cos(45)  12.5W
1 Purely
 v  i  P  VM I M  Vrms I rms 2
2 resistive
Since inductor does not absorb power
one can use voltages and currents across
If voltage and current are in quadrature the resistive part
 v   i  90  P  0 Purely If voltage and current are in phase
inductive or 1 2
capacitive  v  i  P  VRM I M 1 RI M2  1 VRM
2 2 2 R
1
P   2  (3.53) 2  12.5 W
2 61
LEARNING EXTENSION Find the AVERAGE power absorbed by each PASSIVE

component and the total power supplied by the source
1
P4   4  4.122 (W )
I1 2
 I2
Pj 2  0(W )
Vs

Power supplied by source
4  j2
I1  1030 Method 1. Psupplied  Pabsorbed
3  4  j2
4.4726.57 Psupplied  P3  P4  90.50W
I1  1030  6.1440.62( A)
7.2815.95 Method 2: P  1 V I cos(   )
1 2 1 M M v i
P3  RI M   3  6.142 (W ) 2
2 2
Vs  3I1  18.4240.62
I 2  1030  6.1440.62 1
P   18.42  10  cos( 40.62  30)
3 3030 2
I2  1030 
3  4  j2 7.2815.95
 4.1214.05( A)
62

Revision of Average Value
Area under the curve

Aav (average value) 
length of the curve
2
The average value of
Am
 2 A m
sin a a pure sinusoidal
0 a (rad) Aav  0
0 waveform over one
Am 2 full cycle is zero.
Example:
1
(  2  4)
Area under the curve
Vav   2 1
4 4
63
Revision of Effective (eff) or RMS Values

i (t ) Instantane ous power For a sinusoidal signal
p( t )  i 2 ( t ) R x (t )  X M cos( t   )
the effective value is
R XM
X eff 
2
The effective value is the equivalent DC

value that supplies the same average power
If current is periodic with period T If the current is sinusoidal the average

power is known to be
1
T
1T 
Pav   p (t )dt  R  i 2 (t )dt 
T 0 T 0   Pav  I eff
2
R
If current is DC (i (t )  I dc ) then
I eff : Pav  Pdc
Pdc  RI dc
2
t 0 T t 0 T
1 1
I eff  i
2
effective  rms (root mean square)
  i (t )dt
2 2 (t )dt
I eff
T t0
T t0
Definition is valid for ANY periodic 64

signal with period T

LEARNING EXTENSION Compute rms value of the voltage waveform
T
1 2
T 0
X rms  x (t )dt
T 4
v  2t
12
Vrms  
40
(2t ) 2dt
2
1  8
  t3  (V )
 0
3 3
65
LEARNING EXTENSION Compute the rms value for the current waveforms and use
them to determine average power supplied to the resistor
i (t ) T
1 2
T 0
X rms  x (t )dt
R  4 R Pav  I rms
2
R
T 6
1 2 4 6
 8  32  8
2
I rms    4dt  16dt   4dt   8 P  8  4  32(W )
6 0 2 4  6
T 8
1 2 6

2
I rms   16dt  16dt   8 P  32(W )
8 0 4 
66

Revision of First-Order Transient with DC Source

t
LEARNING EXAMPLE 
x (t )  K1  K 2e t ,t  0
FIND i (t ), t  0  vR  K1  x (); K1  K 2  x (0)
t

KVL  i (t )  K1  K 2e t , t  0
vL MODEL. USE KVL FOR t  0
i (t )

di
VS  v R  v L  Ri (t )  L (t )
dt
INITIAL CONDITION
t  0  i (0 )  0 
i ( 0  )  0
inductor  i (0)  i (0 )
L di V L
STEP 1 (t )  i (t )  S t
R dt R R
STEP 2 STEADY STATE VS
i (  )  K1 
R
 
t

STEP 3 INITIAL CONDITION VS  L 
ANS : i (t )  1  e R
i (0)  K1  K 2 R  

 
7.14 68

VR
70

71
 Series Connection of Diodes

 A series connection of two or more diodes is used to increase the voltage rating.
 The diode with lower leakage current can have excessive reverse voltage across it.
 Forced voltage sharing can be obtained by connecting voltage-sharing resistors of

appropriate values across each series diode.`

73
• Figure 2.13 V·I characteristics of two diodes in series 74

75

77
78

79

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Power Electronics and Motor Drives (ELE381) 10/19/2023

Prof. Ibrahim A. Metwally 1/40

Prof. Ibrahim A. Metwally 2/40

Power Electronic Devices

Classification of Power Semiconductor Switches

Prof. Ibrahim A. Metwally 3/40

 Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)

 Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFET)

 Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT)

 Gate-Turn off Thyristors (GTO)

 MOS-Controlled Thyristors (MCT)

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Power Electronic Converters (from Ch. 1)

1 Controlled rectifiers AC to variable dc Control of dc motors

2 Choppers Fixed voltage dc to Control of dc motors

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Low High Low

vT  0.72V : barrier potential

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Types of Power Diodes

– Very small reverse recovery time (nanoseconds)

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A Schottky diode is a semiconductor-metal junction, which

A zener diode is usually used reverse-biased, with a limited

Power Diode Protection

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A diode as a half-wave uncontrolled rectifier

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Base Characteristics Collector Characteristics

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Plastic casing type

To identify the pins, keep the front flat side

Main Features of BJT

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ii- POWER MOSFET

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MOSFET General Characteristics:

• The MOSFET is the most common type of

Main Features of MOSFET

• Voltage controlled device

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iii- Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor

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Main Features of IGBT

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i- Phase Controlled Thyristors

Gate (G) Q2 Ic2

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Closing Conditions of SCR

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Opening Conditions of SCR

Thyristor commutation techniques

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ii- Load Commutation

 As its name implies, this type of

can be turned off when the current tends to