SCR
POWER ELECTRONICS
Copyright © 2014-2021 Testbook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
Download Testbook
SCR
Silicon Controlled Rectifier
Types of Switches
Uncontrolled Switches E.g. Diode
Diode Semi-controlled switches E.g. SCR
Fully - controlled switches E.g. GTO, BJT, MOSFET etc.
Four modes of an Ideal switch
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D1
A – Forward Blocking Mode
B – Forward Conduction Mode
C – Reverse Blocking Mode
D – Reverse Conduction Mode
Note
Only TRIAC is a device which support all four modes.
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 2
Download Testbook
Conduction losses
Average power in a switch is given by
If the device is modeled as a Resistance
P = (Irms)2RON
If the device is modeled as a voltage source
P = VIavg
Silicon Controlled rectifier (SCR)
Silicon Controlled Rectifier is a device that has four layers and three PN junctions.
The silicon control rectifier (SCR) consists of four layers of semiconductors, which form NPNP or PNPN
structures, having three P-N junctions labeled J1, J2 and J3 and three terminals.
A SCR is made up of silicon because Silicon has large leakage current than Germanium.
Its switching is controlled by the biasing conditions and the gate input terminal.
SCR has two stable states as forward blocking (OFF) and forward conduction (ON) state.
The negative gate current can't turn off the thyristor.
It is a unidirectional semiconductor device.
Circuit Symbol
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D5
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 3
Download Testbook
Structure
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D6
Static V – I Characteristics
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D7
Here,
IL = Latching Current (it is related to Turn On process)
IH = Holding Current (it is related to Turn Off process)
VBO = Forward break over voltage
VBR = Reverse break over voltage
Ig = Gate current
NOTE-
The value of latching current is more than that of holding current for the SCR i.e., IL:IH
= 2:1.
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 4
Download Testbook
Modes
Forward blocking mode
Forward conduction mode
Reverse blocking mode
Turn – off characteristics
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D8
Where,
tq = Device turn off time
tgr = Gate recovery time
tc = Circuit turn off time
tq = trr + tgr
Turn OFF methods of SCR
SCR can be turned OFF by
Reducing the anode current below the holding current (IH)
By reverse biasing it → force commutation.
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 5
Download Testbook
Turn ON characteristics
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D9
Turn On time = td + tr + ts
NOTE-
Turn off time of a thyristor is greater than turn on time.
A SCR is turned off when its turn-off time is less than the circuit turn-off time.
Turn-on and turn-off times of a thyristor depends on junction capacitances but it is independent of voltage
gain and junction temperature.
Two thyristors of same rating and same specifications may have equal or unequal turn-on and turn-off
periods.
Circuit turn off time is the time during which a reverse voltage is applied across the thyristor during its
commutation process.
Turn on methods of SCR
Forward Voltage Triggering
This triggering occurs when the Anode-Cathode forward voltage is increased with the gate circuit
opened.
Gate Triggering
In this method, positive gate current is flow in forward biased SCR to make it ON.
It is the most reliable, simple, and efficient way.
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 6
Download Testbook
Pulse Gate Triggering is the most popular method for triggering the device.
dv/dt Triggering
SCR is turned ON by changing the forward bias voltage with respect to time.
It is independent of the magnitude of voltage.
Temperature triggering
In forward blocking mode of SCR or thyristor, there will be a flow of reverse saturation current across the
junction middle junction.
This current will increase the temperature of the junction which in turn will result in a further increase in
reverse leakage current.
This increased leakage current will again increase the junction temperature and hence will further
increase the reverse leakage current.
This process is cumulative and will eventually lead to the vanishing of the depletion region of reversed
biased junction middle junction at some temperature. At this temperature, the SCR will turn ON.
Light triggering
A pulse of light of suitable wavelength guided by optical fibers is irradiated to turn SCR ON.
Gate Characteristics of SCR
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 7
Download Testbook
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D10
Es = Vg + Ig Rs
1 - ϕ Half Wave Rectifier
F1_Gaurav EE_17.4.21_Pallavi_D 2
Important Expression
Average value
Rms value
Average load current
Input p. f =
Circuit turn off time
For R – L load, extinction angle (β) lies between π & 2π
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 8
Download Testbook
Thyristor Protection
F16_Gaurav G_EE_16-4-2021_Swati_D11
To prevent the high rate of change of current, an inductor is connected in series with a thyristor.
dv/dt protection can be reduced by using the RC snubber network across the SCR.
To protect from high voltage protection, a metal oxide varistor is connected across the thyristor.
Snubber Circuit
Snubber Circuit is a circuit consisting of a series combination of resistance and capacitance in parallel with
SCR.
Electric field stress is the stress endured by insulator materials when exposed to high voltage electrical
fields i.e high dv / dt
The main purpose of the Snubber Circuit is to prevent the unwanted triggering of SCR or thyristor due to
a high rate of rising of voltage i.e. dv / dt.
Points to Remember
Device Current flow Voltage withstanding capability
SCR Unidirectional Bipolar
TRIAC Bidirectional Unipolar
GTO Unidirectional Bipolar
MOSFET with body
Bidirectional Unipolar
diode
IGBT Unidirectional Unipolar
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 9
Download Testbook
Difference between power BJT, Power MOSFET &
IGBT
Power BJT Power MOSFET IGBT
BJT is bipolar device MOSFET is unipolar device IGBT is bipolar device
BJT is current controlled device It is voltage controlled device It is voltage controlled device
It has high input impedance
It has low input impedance It has high input impedance
Minority carrier
Majority carrier Minority carrier
Communication Circuit Not Communication Circuit Not
Communication Circuit Not Necessary
Necessary Necessary
Negative temperature coefficient Positive temperature coefficient Positive temperature coefficient
High switching loss Low switching loss Low switching loss
Low on state voltage drop High on state voltage drop Low on state voltage drop
Parallel operation not possible Parallel operation possible Parallel operation possible
It finds applications in Inverters, It finds applications in Choppers, low
It finds applications in Inverters,
Choppers, UPS, SMPS, Induction power UPS, SMPS, brushless DC motor
UPS, SMPS, A.C. motor drives
motor drives
POWER ELECTRONICS | SCR PAGE 10