Lecture Notes

Snubber Circuits

Outline

A. Overview of Snubber Circuits

B. Diode Snubbers

C. Turn-off Snubbers

D. Overvoltage Snubbers

E. Turn-on Snubbers

F. Thyristor Snubbers

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 1

 Overview of Snubber Circuits for Hard-Switched Converters

Function: Protect semiconductor devices by: Types of Snubber Circuits

• Limiting device voltages during turn-off transients

1. Unpolarized series R-C snubbers
• Used to protect diodes and thyristors
• Limiting device currents during turn-on transients

2. Polarized R-C snubbers

• Limiting the rate-of-rise (di/dt) of currents through
• Used as turn-off snubbers to shape the turn-on
the semiconductor device at device turn-on
switching trajectory of controlled switches.
• Used as overvoltage snubbers to clamp voltages
applied to controlled switches to safe values.
• Limiting the rate-of-rise (dv/dt) of voltages across
• Limit dv/dt during device turn-off
the semiconductor device at device turn-off

3. Polarized L-R snubbers

• Shaping the switching trajectory of the device as it
• Used as turn-on snubbers to shape the turn-off
turns on/off
switching trajectory of controlled switches.
• Limit di/dt during device turn-on

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 2

 Need for Diode Snubber Circuit

di V
Df d
=
d t Lσ
+ Lσ Io
Rs
Io i (t) t
Df
Vd Df Cs I rr

Sw
-

v (t) t
Df Vd
• Lσ = stray inductance

• S w closes at t = 0 • Diode voltage

d i Lσ
without snubber Lσ
• R s- Cs = snubber circuit d t

d iLσ
• Diode br ea kd o wn i f V d + L σ > BV BD
dt

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 3

 Equivalent Circuits for Diode Snubber

Lσ
• Simplified snubber -
the capacitive snubber
+ Rs
Lσ
Vd Diode cathode
snap-off anode
- +
+
Vd v Cs
Cs
-
i Df -
t

• R s= 0
• Worst case assumption-
diode snaps off instantaneously •v = -v
Cs Df
at end of diode recovery
d 2 v Cs v Cs Vd
• Gove rning e qua t ion - + =
dt 2 LσCs   LσCs

• Bounda ry cond ition s - vCs(0 + ) = 0 and iLσ(0 + ) = I rr

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 4

 Performance of Capacitive Snubber
Cbase
• v Cs ( t ) = V d - V d c o s ( ωo t) + V d sin( ωo t)
Cs

⎡ I ⎤2
1 ⎢ rr⎥
• ωo = ; C base = L σ ⎢ ⎥
LσCs ⎣V d ⎦

⎧ Cbase ⎫
• V cs,m ax = V d
⎨1   +  1   +   
⎬
⎩ Cs ⎭

3
V

Cs,max

V
d

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2

C
base

C
s

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 5

 Effect of Adding Snubber Resistance

Snubber Equivalent Circuit

Lσ i(t)
d2 i di i
+ - • Gove rning eq ua t ion L σ + Rs + = 0
2 d t C
Rs dt s

V v (t) • Boun d ary conditions

d Df
Cs d i(0 + ) V d   - I rrR s
- + i( 0 + ) = I rr and =
dt Lσ

Diode voltage as a function of time

Vdf e-αt
Vd (t) = - 1 - η cos(φ)
sin(ωat -φ + ζ) ; R s ≤2 R b

Rs ⎡ ⎤
2 1 -1 ⎢ (2-x) η ⎥
ωa = ωo 1- (α/ ωo) ; α = 2 L ; ωo = ; φ = tan ⎢ ⎥
σ LσCs ⎣ 4 - ηx2⎦

Cs Rs Vd Lσ [Irr]2
η = C ; x = R ; Rb = I ; Cb = 2 ; ζ = tan-1(α/ωa)
b b rr Vd

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 6

 Performance of R-C Snubber

• At t = t m v Df (t ) = V m a x
R
s,opt
C =C
s base = 1.3

t a n -1 ( ωa/ α)
R

φ  -  ξ base

• tm = ωa + ω ≥0
a 2

V m ax V

η-1  - x
max

• = 1 + 1 +  e xp(-αtm )
Vd V
d

Cs Rs 1

• η = and x=
Cbase R base
RI
s rr

Ls I rr2 Vd V

• Cbase = and R base =

d

V d2 Irr 0

0 1 R 2
s

R
base

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 7

 Diode Snubber Design Nomogram
W
tot

L I /2
3 s rr

W
R

L I /2
s rr

V
0 max

for R = R
s s,opt
0 V
d
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0
0

1
R
s,op

R
base

2 3
0 1
C /C
s base

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 8

 Need for Snubbers with Controlled Switches
Step-down converter Switch current and voltage waveforms
di
Lσ
L1 dt
L I rr
2
Io i
sw
V
d L σ di
i Io dt V Io
sw + d
S v sw
L3 w
- v sw

to t t t t
t 3 4 5 6
1
• L1 , L , L = stray inductances
2 3
Switching trajectory of switch
• Lσ = L1 + L 2 + L 3 idealized
i sw switching
t6 t 5 loci

t turn-off
o • Overvoltage at turn-off
t due to stray inductance
1
turn-on
• Overcurrent at turn-on due to
diode reverse recovery
t
4 t3 vsw
Vd

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 9

 Turn-off Snubber for Controlled Switches

Turn-off

D snubber

i I
f
+ o
D
F

Step-down converter with turn-off snubber

d
D
s

R
S
s
w
i
-
C
C
s
s

Equivalent circuit during switch turn-

I
o
off.
D

• Simplifying assumptions
f

V 1. No stray inductance.
d

I -i
o

2. isw(t) = Io(1 - t/tfi)

sw

sw
C
s

3. isw(t) uneffected by snubber circuit.

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 10

 Turn-off Snubber Operation
2
Io t Io t
• Capac ito r v olt ag e and curre nt for 0 < t < t fi i Cs ( t ) = and v (t) =
t fi Cs 2C t
s fi
Io t fi
• For Cs = Cs 1 , v Cs = V d a t t = t fi yiel d ing C s 1 =
2 Vd

Circ uit wa vef orm s for var ying va lues of Cs

i i i

sw sw
sw

I
o

i
i
i
D
f D
D
f
f

t
t
t
fi fi
fi

C
s

V
d

C
s

C = C C > C
C < C s
s s1 s
s1 s

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 11

 Benefits of Snubber Resistance at Switch Turn-on

v
sw

t
rr
I I
D o o
f

• Ds shorts out Rs
R i I
s
during Sw turn-off. D
f
rr

• During Sw turn-on,
V
d
I
S D o

Ds reverse-biased and
w s i R
sw s

C
s
Cs discharges thru Rs.
I
rr

discharge
• Turn-on with Rs > 0
t
rr

of C

• Energy stored on Cs dissipated

s

• Turn-on with Rs = 0
v
in Rs rather than in Sw.
sw

• Energy stored on Cs dissipated

V

d
I
o
in Sw. • Voltage fall time kept quite
short.
i
sw
t
ri
t
2
• Extra energy dissipation in Sw
0
because of lengthened voltage
fall time.
t + t
ri rr

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 12

 Effect of Turn-off Snubber Capacitance
1

Energy dissipation
W /
W
total base

0.8 WR = d is s ipat ion in

res is tor
0.6

W /W
base
WT = d is s ipat ion in
R
0.4

W /
s witc h S w
W
T base

0.2

Io t fi
Cs 1 =
0
2 Vd
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

C /C
s s1

Wtota l = W R + W T
i
sw

Wb as e = 0 .5 V d Io t fi
I
o

Cs < Cs1 RBSOA

Cs = Cs1 Switching trajectory

Cs > Cs1

v
V sw
d

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 13

 Turn-off Snubber Design Procedure

Selection of Cs

• Minimize energy dissipation (WT) in BJT at turn-on

• Minimize WR + WT

• Keep switching locus within RBSOA

Snubber recovery time (BJT in on-state)
• Reasonable value is Cs = Cs1
• Capacitor voltage = Vd exp(-t/RsCs)

• Time for vCs to drop to 0.1Vd is 2.3 RsCs

• BJT must remain on for a time of 2.3 RsCs

Selection of Rs

Vd
• Limit icap(0+) = R < Irr
s

Vd
• Usually designer specifies Irr < 0.2 Io so Rs = 0.2 Io

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 14

 Overvoltage Snubber

kV
d
i
+

f
I
R

ov
s
o

w
Io
V

d
V
d
S D

w ov

- C
v
s
ov

w
o t
fi
• Step-down converter with
overvoltage snubber comprised of
Dov, Cov, and Rov. • Sw it ch S w wav e for ms w it hout ov e rvo lta g e sn ubb e r

• t fi = s wit ch cur re nt fa ll t ime ; kVd = o ve rvo lta ge o n S w

• Overvoltage snubber limits
overvoltage (due to stray I d iLσ
Io
nductance) across Sw as it • kVd = L σ = Lσ
turns off. dt tfi

kV d tfi
• Lσ =
Io
Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 15
 Operation of Overvoltage Snubber
i
L σ
π LσCov
• Dov on for 0 < t <
L
2
σ
+

π LσCov
R
D
ov
ov

• tfi <<
V 2
d

+ i

L σ • Equivalent circuit while

C v
ov
- Cov inductor current decays to zero

- +
L +
+ +
σ v (0 ) =V i (0 )=I
L σ o
V Cov d
v
d C
Cov
ov

• Dov,Cov provide alternate path -

-
i (t) = I cos[ ]
t

for inductor current as Sw turns L σ

  L
σ
 C
ov

off.

• Switch current can fall to zero Discharge of C thru R

much faster than Ls current.

ov ov
Charge-up of C from L
ov σ

with time constant R C

ov ov

• Df forced to be on Δ V
sw,max
i

(approximating a short ckt) by Io L σ

after Swis off.

• Energy transfer from L to C
I V σ ov

• Equivalent circuit after turn-off o d

of Sw. 2 2
C  ( Δ V ) L  (I )
ov sw,max σ o
v
=
s
2 2

w
π
  L  C
σ ov
0

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 4

Snubbers - 16
 Overvoltage Snubber Design
Ls   Io 2
• Cov =
( Δvsw,m ax) 2

• Limi t Δvsw,m ax t o 0 .1 V d

kV d   tfi
• Using L s = in eq uation for Cov yield s
    Io

kV d tfiIo 2 1 0 0k  tfi  Io

• Cov = =
  Io (0 .1 V d ) 2     Vd

tfiIo
• Cov = 20 0 k Cs1 whe re Cs1 = w hich is use d
  2V d
in turn-off snubbe r

• R ec ove ry tim e of Cov ( 2. 3 R ovCov) m ust be le ss

than off-time d uration, t off, o f the sw itch S w.
toff
• R ov ≈
2 .3  C ov

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 17

 Turn-on Snubber

Step-down converter
+

D
+
with turn-on snubber
D
I
f f
o
R

Ls
L

• Snubber reduces Vsw at switch

I
s
o
Snubber

turn-on due drop across

D

circuit Ls

inductor Ls.
R V

V d
L Ls
d s
D
f
D

Ls • Will limit rate-of-rise of switch

current if Ls is sufficiently
S

-
S
w -
w
large.

i
sw

I
o

Without
With

snubber
snubber

Switching trajectory with and without turn-on snubber.

di
sw
L
s
dt

sw

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 18

 Turn-on Snubber Operating Waveforms

Sma ll va lue s o f snu b b e r in d uc tan c e (L s < L s 1 ) s

I
rr

d is w
• con t rol le d b y s wit c h S w
dt V

a nd dr ive circui t . d
I
o

LsIo
• Δvsw =
tri i

t t
ri rr
w

I
v

La rg e va lue s o f snu b be r ind uc t anc e (L s > L s 1 )

rr

d is w Vd Io
reduced

• limit ed by c ircu it to <

dt Ls t ri
V

Vd t ri I
o

• Ls 1 =
Io
i

d is w w

• Irr re d uc ed wh e n L s > L s 1 b e c a us e Irr p ro po rt iona l to L

s
I

dt
o
t ≈ > t + t
ri rr
on

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 19

 Turn-on Snubber Recovery at Switch Turn-off

I R
D o
I Ls
f I R exp(-R t/L )
o
o Ls Ls s

i
s

w V

I d
o
R

V Ls
L

d s

D s
t
Ls rv

S
- w

• Switch waveforms at turn-off with turn-on snubber in circuit.

• Assume switch current fall time • Overvoltage smaller if tfi smaller.

tri = 0.
• Time of 2.3 Ls/RLs required for inductor current to decay to 0.1 Io
• Inductor current must discharge
thru DLs- RLs series segment. • Off-time of switch must be > 2.3 Ls/RLs

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 20

 Turn-on Snubber Design Trade-offs

Se le ction o f indu c to r
• Larger Ls decreases energy dissipation in switch at turn-on
• Wsw = WB (1 + Irr/Io)2 [1 - Ls/Ls1]
• WB = VdIotfi/2 and Ls1 = Vdtfi/Io
• Ls > Ls1 Wsw = 0

• Larger Ls increases energy dissipation in RLs

• WR = WB Ls / Ls1

• Ls > Ls1 reduces magnitude of reverse recovery current Irr

• Inductor must carry current Io when switch is on - makes

inductor expensive and hence turn-on snubber seldom used

Selection of resistor RLs

• Smaller values of RLs reduce switch overvoltage Io RLs at turn-off

• Limiting overvoltage to 0.1Vd yields RLs = 0.1 Vd/Io

• Larger values of RLs shortens minimum switch off-time of 2.3 Ls/RLs

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 21
 Thyristor Snubber Circuit
P

1 3 5

v L
- an + σ

3-phase thyristor circuit with snubbers -

v
+
L
σ
A

bn

B i
d

• v a n ( t ) = V s s in( ωt) , vbn ( t) = V ssin( ωt - 120 °) , - v

+
L
σ
c n

vcn ( t) = V ssin( ωt - 240 °) C

C
s

4 6 2
R
s

Phase-to-neutral waveforms α
v

bn
v

an

• v LL( t ) = 3 Vs s in( ωt - 60 °)

3
• Maxim um rms line -to-line voltag e V LL = Vs
2
v = v v ω t
v =
LL 1
bn an
ba

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 22

 Equivalent Circuit for SCR Snubber Calculations

Assumptions

• Trigg e r a ngl e α = 90 ° so that vLL( t) = ma xim um = 2 V LL

Equivalent circuit after T1 reverse recovery

• Re verse rec overy tim e trr << pe riod of ac w ave form so that

vLL( t) eq uals a constant value of vba( ωt1 ) = 2 V LL i

Lσ
2L σ P
• W orst case stray ind uctance Lσ g ives rise to re actance eq ual
+ T1 after Cs
to o r le ss than 5 % o f lin e imped ance . recovery
V ( ω t)
Vs 2 V LL V LL ba 1 i
• Line imped ance = = = T 3 (on) T1 Rs
2 Ia1 6 Ia1 3 Ia1
-
A
where Ia1 = rm s value of fund ame ntal comp on e nt o f the
line cu rre nt.
V LL
• ωLσ = 0.05
3 Ia1

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 23

 Component Values for Thyristor Snubber
• Us e s a me d e s ign a s f o r d io d e s nubb er bu t a d ap t th e f or m u la s to th e
th y risto r circui t not a tion

⎡ I ⎤2
⎢ rr⎥
• Snub b e r c a p a cit or Cs = C b a s e = L σ ⎢ ⎥
⎣V d ⎦

d iLσ
• From s nubb e r eq uival
e nt circuit 2 Lσ = 2 V LL
dt

d iLσ 2 V LL 2 V LL
• Irr = trr = t rr = t = 25 ωIa1 trr
dt 2 Lσ 0.05  V LL rr
2 
3  I a1 ω

• V d = 2 V LL

0.05  V LL ⎡
⎢25  ωIa1 trr⎤
⎥
2 8.7  ωIa1 trr
• Cs = Cbase = ⎢ ⎥ =
3  I a1 ω ⎣   2 V LL ⎦ V LL

V d
• Snub b e r re sistance R s = 1.3 R base = 1.3
Irr

2 V LL 0.07  V LL
• Rs = 1.3 =
25 ωIa1 trr   ωIa1 trr

• Ene rg y d issipate d pe r cycl

e in snubb e r resistance = W R

LσIrr2 CsV d 2
• WR = + = 18 ω Ia1 V LL( t rr) 2
2 2

Copyright © by John Wiley & Sons 2003 Snubbers - 24