Thyristors: Power Electronics Circuits, Devices, and Applications Third Edition Muhammad H. Rashid

Industrial Electronics
Thyristors
Chapter 7
Power Electronics Circuits, Devices, and Applications
Third Edition
Muhammad H. Rashid
Prepared and Presented by:

Dr. Sajal K. Das (PhD, UNSW, Australia)
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Engineering
American International University-Bangladesh
27/04/2016 1
Introduction
The required minimum anode current to maintain the

thyristor in the on-state immediately after a thyristor has
been turned on and the gate signal has been removed is
called latching current.
The thyristor is a solid-state three terminal semiconductor device with four layers of
alternating N and P-type material
The main terminals, labelled anode and cathode, are across all four layers.
a reverse leakage current
known as reverse current,
The control terminal, called
would flow the gate,
through is attached to p-type material near the cathode.
the device.
reverse blocking state
Two Transistor Model of Thyristor

Introduction
a reverse leakage current

known as reverse current,
would flow through the device.
reverse blocking state
Triggering Devices
0 pn junction
p
current
meter
n anode
0
+ 1 pn junction
volt
meter
cathode
This diode is forward biased
collector current
meter
base 0
emitter +
n +
0
2 pn junctions p pn junctions
current +
meter
n 0
+ 0
+
volt volt
meter meter
This transistor is in conduction

UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
0 pn junction
p
current
meter
n anode
0
+ 1 pn junction
volt
meter
cathode
This diode is forward biased
2 pn junctions
Base 2
collector current
meter b2
base 0 emitter
e
emitter + b2
n +
0
+ b1
e
n
p pn junctions UJT Base 1
current
+ p
meter +
n 0
+ 0
+ +
volt volt + b1
meter meter +
This transistor is in conduction
Base 2 b2
+
emitter e
b1
Low voltage signal
Base 1
applied to emitter OFF
UJT
Low current flow from base 1
emitter through base 2
0
n p n
current
A UJT (unijunction base 2 base 1 meter
transistor) is a voltage-
controlled switch that does
not amplify the current in Low voltage signal
the load circuit. applied to emitter OFF
0
p
n n current
meter
Base 2 b2
+
emitter e
b1
Low voltage signal
Base 1
applied to emitter OFF
UJT
Low current flow from base 1
emitter through base 2
0
n p n
current
A UJT (unijunction base 2 base 1 meter
transistor) is a voltage-
controlled switch that does
not amplify the current in High voltage signal
the load circuit. applied to emitter ON
emitter
0
p base 1
n n current
meter
High current flow from base 1
through emitter
Equivalent circuit
Equivalent circuit
• The equivalent circuit comprised of two

resistors, one fixed (RB2) and one variable
(RB1) and a single diode (D).
• RB1 varies with IE.
• Variation of RB1 : 5 k to 50  for the
corresponding variation of 0 A to 50 A in
IE .
Equivalent circuit
• RBB is the interbase resistance when IE =

0 i.e.
RBB  RB1  RB 2  I
E 0
• Typical range of RBB : 4 k - 10 k

RB1
VRB1  VBB  VBB
RB1  RB 2 I E 0
RB1

RB1  RB 2 I E 0
Intrinsic stand-off ratio

For VE > VRB1 by VD (0.35  0.70 V), the

diode will fire and IE will begin to flow
through RB1.
The emitter firing potential VP is given by:
VP  VBB  VD
Characteristics of representative UJT:
The emitter characteristics:
For fixed values of 

and VD, VP varies
with VBB.
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Basic UJT relaxation oscilator

The operation
Assume that the initial
capacitor voltage, VC is
zero. When the supply
voltage VBB is first
applied, the UJT is in the
OFF state. IE is zero and
C charges exponentially
through R1 towards
VBB.
When the supply

voltage VC (= VE)
reaches the firing
potential, VP, the UJT
fires and C discharges
exponentially through
R2 until VE reaches the
valley potential VV.
When VE reaches the valley potential VV the UJT

turns OFF, IE goes to zero and the capacitor is
recharged.
This process repeats itself to produce the

waveforms for vC and vR2 as shown below;
The waveform, vR2

Condition for switching-ON
To switch-on a UJT, the

emitter current IE must
be able to reach the
peak current IP i.e.
VR1 I  I P R1
E I P
In other words, R1 must be

small enough such that IE is
not limited to a value less
than IP when VC = VP.
Thus, to fire the UJT;
VBB  I P R1  VP
VBB  VP  I P R1
VBB  VP
R1 
IP
Condition for switching-OFF
To switch-off a UJT, the

emitter current IE must
drop below IV when VC
= VV. Hence;
VBB  IV R1  VV
Condition for switching-OFF
Thus, to fire the UJT;
VBB  VV  IV R1
VBB  VV
R1 
IV
Thus, to ensure the switching ON and OFF, the following

condition must be met;
VBB  VP VBB  VV
 R1 
IP IV
It can be shown that;
 VBB  VV 
t1  R1C ln  
 VBB  VP 
and;
 VP 
t 2  RB1  R2 C ln  
 VV 
The periodic time;
T  t1  t2
In many cases, t1 >> t2, therefore;
 VBB  VV 
T  t1  R1C ln  
 VBB  VP 
When VBB and VP are much greater than VV,
then;
 VBB 
T  R1C ln  
 VBB  VP 
And if VBB >> Vpn i.e. VP  VBB, then
 VBB 
T  R1C ln  
 VBB  VBB 
or;
 1 
T  R1C ln  
 1  
The frequency;
1 1
f  
T  1 
R1C ln  
 1  
Example
For the UJT relaxation oscillator in the

following figure, it is known that;
RBB  5 k;   0.6; VV  1 V;

IV  10 mA; I P  10 μA and
RB1  100  during discharge
phase
Example (cont’d)
Example (cont’d)
a) Determine;
i. The value of VP to switch-on the UJT;
ii. The range of R1 to switch-on and switch-

off the UJT;
iii.Frequency of oscillation if RB1 = 100 
during discharge phase of the capacitor
C;
b) Sketch the wave shape of VC and VR2.
Example – SOLUTION
a)
 RB1   RB1 
      
 RBB   RB1  RB 2 
Substituting values;
RB1
0.6  RB1  3 k
5 k
Example – SOLUTION (cont’d)
a)
RB 2  RBB  RB1  5 k  3 k  2 k
The value VP to switch-on the UJT when vC

= VP which corresponds to IE = IP = 10 A 
0 A may be calculated as follows;
 RB1  R2 
VP  V pn   VBB
 RB1  R2  RB 2 
a)
 3 k  R2 
VP  0.7   12 V 
 3 k  0.1 k  2 k 
VP  8 V
b)
 VBB  VP   VBB  VV 
   R1   
 IP   IV 
 12  8   12  1 
   R1   
 10 μ   10 m 
b)
400 k  R1  1.1 k
c)
 VBB  VV 
t1  R1C ln  
 VBB  VP 
c)
 12  1 
t1  50 k 0.1 μ  ln    5.05 ms
 12  8 
 VP 
t1  RB1  R2 C ln  
 VV 
c)
8
t1  0.1 k  0.1 k 0.1 μ  ln  
1
 41.6 μs
c)
T  t1  t1  5.05 m  41.6 μ
 5.09 ms
1 1
f    196.5 Hz
T 5.09 m
d)
d) While C is charging,
the UJT is inactive.
 R2 
VR 2   
 R2  RB1  RB 2 
 
12
0.1k

 0.1k  3k  3k 
 0.235 V
d) While V = V , the UJT is active.
C P
VR 2
 R2 
  VP  V pn 
 R2  RB1 
d) Substituting values;
 0.1k 
 8  0.7 
 0.1k  0.1k 
 3.65 V
Always a small flow of current
in this branch of circuit.
Current flows into this circuit B2
+ branch until voltage at node

becomes high enough to stop the n
flow.
+ p
n
+
+
B1
+
capacitor
But not
enough to turn the
light on.
Unijunction transistor in a light flasher circuit

Current flows into this circuit B2
+ branch until voltage at node

becomes high enough to stop the n
flow. v threshold
+ p
When node voltage reaches
threshold value, the capacitor
(This charging current continues its discharges current through the n
+ flow into the capacitor until the emitter to B1 circuit
capacitor becomes fully charged +
and node reaches the threshold B1
+ voltage value.)
Light is ON while
capacitor capacitor discharge
current is flowing.

B2
+
n
v threshold
+ p
When node voltage reaches
threshold value, the capacitor
Voltage across capacitor drops discharges current through the n
+ as capacitor current discharges emitter-B1 circuit
+
B1
+
capacitor Light is
Light is ON
OFFwhile
when
capacitor discharge
capacitor voltage is
below UJT’s
current threshold
is flowing.
voltage value.

B2
When voltage across capacitor
+ drops low enough current
starts following in this branch n
again and cycle repeats itself.
+ p
Voltage across capacitor drops n

+ as capacitor current discharges
+
B1
+
capacitor

Thyristors: Power Electronics Circuits, Devices, and Applications Third Edition Muhammad H. Rashid

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Thyristors: Power Electronics Circuits, Devices, and Applications Third Edition Muhammad H. Rashid

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Thyristors: Power Electronics Circuits, Devices, and Applications Third Edition Muhammad H. Rashid

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Industrial Electronics

Prepared and Presented by:

The required minimum anode current to maintain the

Two Transistor Model of Thyristor

a reverse leakage current

This transistor is in conduction

• The equivalent circuit comprised of two

• RBB is the interbase resistance when IE =

• Typical range of RBB : 4 k - 10 k

Intrinsic stand-off ratio

For VE > VRB1 by VD (0.35  0.70 V), the

The emitter firing potential VP is given by:

For fixed values of 

Basic UJT relaxation oscilator

When the supply

When VE reaches the valley potential VV the UJT

This process repeats itself to produce the

The waveform, vR2

To switch-on a UJT, the

In other words, R1 must be

Thus, to fire the UJT;

To switch-off a UJT, the

Thus, to fire the UJT;

Thus, to ensure the switching ON and OFF, the following

In many cases, t1 >> t2, therefore;

For the UJT relaxation oscillator in the

RBB  5 k;   0.6; VV  1 V;

ii. The range of R1 to switch-on and switch-

The value VP to switch-on the UJT when vC

Current flows into this circuit B2

+ branch until voltage at node

Unijunction transistor in a light flasher circuit

Current flows into this circuit B2

+ branch until voltage at node

Unijunction transistor in a light flasher circuit

Unijunction transistor in a light flasher circuit

Voltage across capacitor drops n

Unijunction transistor in a light flasher circuit

You might also like