Series and Parallel Connection of SCR

SERIES & PARALLEL
CONNECTION OF SCR
SERIES & PARALLEL CONNECTION OF
SCR
 SCR ratings have improved considerably since its introduction in
1957.
 Nowadays SCRs with voltage and current ratings of 10 kV and 3kA
are available.
 For some industrial applications, the demand for voltage and
current ratings is so high that a single SCR cannot fulfil such
requirements.
 In such cases, SCRs are connected in series in order to meet the
high voltage demand and in parallel for fulfilling the high current
demand.
 For series or parallel connected SCRs, it should be ensured that
each SCR rating is fully utilized and the system operation is
satisfactory.
 String efficiency: It is a term that is used for measuring the
degree of utilization of SCRs in a string.
 Although all SCRs in a string are of same rating, their V-I
characteristics differ from one another. This leads to unequal
voltage or current division among them.
 Hence every SCR is not fully utilized. So the efficiency of
string is always less than 100% according to the given
expression.
 String efficiency of SCRs connected in series/parallel is
defined as
 String efficiency =
Actual voltage/current rating of the whole string
___________________________________________________________________
[Individual voltage/current rating of one SCR][No. of SCRs in the string]
 This ratio is less than one. For obtaining highest possible string
efficiency, the SCRs is connected in series/parallel string must
have identical V-I characteristics.
 As SCRs in a string are of same rating, their V-I characteristics
differ from one another. This leads to unequal voltage or
current division among them.
 As a consequence, string efficiency can never be equal to one.
 However, unequal voltage/current sharing by the SCRs in a

string can be minimised to a great extent by using external
equalising circuits.
 With increase in the numbers of SCRs in a string voltage or
current handled by each SCR is minimized.
 This phenomenon increases the reliability of the string, but
reduces the utilization of each SCR. Thus string efficiency
decreases.
 Reliability of string is measured by derating factor (DRF)
which is given by the expression.
DRF = 1 – string efficiency
 If the value of recommended DRF is more, the number of
devices used in series/parallel string will be more. This will
certainly improve the reliability of the string for a given rating
of the string.
 Next we have to study the problems concerning the
series/parallel operation of SCRs and to discuss the measures
adopted to overcome these problems.
SERIES OPERATION
 Why we need to have series connection of SCR?
 When we connect SCR in any circuit, we see the rating of the
circuit?
 SCR of rating – 1kV, 5A
 Circuit rating – 3kV, 5A
 So can we connect the SCR in this circuit?
 We cannot connect single SCR in this circuit. The problem is

circuit rating is higher by rating than single SCR voltage rating.
 If we want to increase rating of circuit by using SCR, we have
to connect the SCR in series.
 In series voltage of SCR gets added. Now the SCR circuit rating
is 3kV & 5A.
 If we want to increase voltage rating of SCR it is connected in
series.
 Ideally in series the rating will be 3 kV, practically it will not be
3 kV.
 What are the problems?
 Problem 1:
 During forward blocking and reverse blocking when we

connect SCR in series, though it is manufactured by same
company. It is possible voltage across SCR might be different
i.e V1, V2, V3.
 Now total voltage rating
V = V1+V2+V3
 Now what will happen if voltage across V1 is greater & its get turn on
earlier.
 So what will happen is that the load across V2 & V3 will increase. It
will damage T2 & T3.
 When blocking is happening all three should block together & V1, V2,
V3 should be equal.
 If V1, V2, V3 are different, it is possible one will get into blocking
state earlier then load will appear across this SCR & it may damage the
SCR.
 To avoid this we need to provide equalisation
 We provide static equalisation, R is connected across the SCR to

provide equal voltage across SCR.
 Problem 2: (during turn on or turn off)
 When we give gate signal, if T1 gets triggered earlier, load appear

across T2 & T3 and it will damage T2 & T3.
 If response of any SCR is greater it will trigger earlier & load appear
across other SCR.
 If T3 turn off first, load appear across T3 & will damage T3.
 During turn on & turn off, if one getting turn on or turn off fast
it will damage SCR.
 To avoid this we provide dynamic equalisation
 Conclusion:
 We connect SCR in series, it will increase resultant voltage
rating.
 If we increase voltage rating there will be problem of increase
in dv/dt.
 That may provide false triggering of SCR.
 Snubber circuit is used to provide dv/dt protection.
 With the help of snubber circuit, the false turn-on of a thyristor due to large dv/dt
can be prevented.
 RC Snubber Circuit for SCR dv/dt Protection:
 This type of snubber circuit consists of a series combination of resistance R and

Capacitance C in parallel with a SCR.
 When a reverse voltage is applied, commutation process is initiated and the forward
current flow through SCR approaches zero.
 Due to the inductance, current continuous to flow due to sweeping of charge carries
at the external junctions.
 When it reaches a peak value it cannot be further supported by the charge carriers
and falls very quickly to zero. This causes a voltage spike with the value of L(di/dt).
 Also when the supply is closed to the circuit( in the above figure
say the switch S is closed), sudden voltage appears across SCR.
 Now, as the thyristor current is zero it can be considered as an
open switch.
 At this moment, the capacitor C behaves like a short-circuit and
therefore voltage across the SCR is zero.
 With the passage of time capacitor C gets charged at a slow rate
such that dv/dt across the capacitor and therefore across SCR is
less than the specified maximum dv/dt rating of the device.
 Thus the capacitor protects the SCR against high voltages and
high dv/dt.
 Based on the above discussion we can say that simply a
Capacitor C is sufficient to protect the SCR against dv/dt false
triggering.
 Then what is the purpose of resistance R?
 In the RC snubber circuit, the resistance R limits the discharge current of
capacitor at the instant of firing of SCR.
 Before SCR is fired, capacitor C charges to full voltage V.
 If SCR is fired, when the capacitor voltage is maximum, it discharges

through the local path formed by capacitor C, Resistance R and SCR.
 During this time, if the resistance R is not included in the circuit, the
discharge current will be high and consequently may damage the SCR due
to large di/dt.
 Thus the Resistance R in the snubber circuit reduces the discharge current
of the capacitor C and thus protect the SCR against large di/dt.
 In actual practice, R, C and the load current parameters should be such that
 dv/dt across C during its charging is less than the specified dv/dt rating of
the SCR
 Discharge current at the turn ON of the SCR is within reasonable limits.
 Normally R, C and load circuit parameters form an underdamped circuit so

that dv/dt is limited to acceptable values.
 In some RC snubber circuits, a diode D used to connect in
parallel with the resistor R. It is used for the purpose of bypass
and thus giving improved dv/dt protection.
 Let SCR1 has lower leakage current Ibmn, It will block a
voltage Vbm which is comparatively larger than other SCRs.
 I1 = I – Ibmn and I2 = I - Ibmx
 Voltage across SCR1 is Vbm = I1R . Voltage across (n-

1)SCR is (n-1) I2R, so the voltage equation for the series
circuit is
 So the value of R calculated is low than actually required.

 Under transient condition equal voltage distribution can be achieved by

employing shunt capacitance as this shunt capacitance has the effect of that the
resultant of shunt and self capacitance tend to be equal.
 The capacitor is used to limits the dv/dt across the SCR during forward
blocking state.
 When this SCR turned ON capacitor discharges heavy current through the
SCR .The discharge current spike is limited by damping resistor.
 RC also damps out high frequency oscillation that may arise due to
series combination of RC, Shunt capacitor and circuit inductance.
 RC & C are called dynamic equalizing circuit Diode D is used during
forward biased condition for more effective charging of the capacitor.
 During capacitor discharge RC comes into action for limiting current
spike and rate of change of current di/dt.
 The R, RC & C component also provide path to flow reverse recovery
current.
 When one SCR regain its voltage blocking capability. The flow of
reverse recovery current is necessary as it facilitates the turning OFF
process of series connected SCR string.
 So C is necessary for both during turn ON and turn OFF process.
 But the voltage unbalance during turn OFF time is more predominant
then turn ON time. So choice of C is based on reverse recovery
characteristic of SCR .
 SCR 1 has short recovery time as compared to SCR 2.
 ΔQ is the difference in reverse recovery charges of two SCR 1 and SCR 2.
 Now we assume the SCR 1 recovers fast .i.e it goes into blocking state and does not allow the passage of
excess charge ΔQ, so charge ΔQ can pass through C .
 The voltage induced by ΔQ in the capacitor C, connected across SCR1 is ΔQ/C ,where as no voltage is
induced by ΔQ in C connected across SCR2.
 The difference in voltage to which the two shunt capacitor are charged is
ΔQ/C.
 Thyristor with least recovery time will share the highest transient voltage say Vbm.
V1 = Vbm and V2 = Vbm – ΔQ/C
=
1
]

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SERIES & PARALLEL

 However, unequal voltage/current sharing by the SCRs in a

 Circuit rating – 3kV, 5A

 So can we connect the SCR in this circuit?

 We cannot connect single SCR in this circuit. The problem is

 During forward blocking and reverse blocking when we

 We provide static equalisation, R is connected across the SCR to

 When we give gate signal, if T1 gets triggered earlier, load appear

 This type of snubber circuit consists of a series combination of resistance R and

 If SCR is fired, when the capacitor voltage is maximum, it discharges

 Normally R, C and load circuit parameters form an underdamped circuit so

 Voltage across SCR1 is Vbm = I1R . Voltage across (n-

 Under transient condition equal voltage distribution can be achieved by

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