Power Electronic

Devices
Overview
The modern age of power electronics began with
the introduction of thyristors in the late 1950s.
Now there are several types of power devices
available for high-power and high-frequency
applications. The most notable power devices are
gate turn-off thyristors, power Darlington
transistors, power MOSFETs, and insulated-gate
bipolar transistors (IGBTs). Power semiconductor
devices are the most important functional
elements in all power conversion applications. The
power devices are mainly used as switches to
convert power from one form to another. They are
used in motor control systems, uninterrupted
power supplies, high-voltage DC transmission,
power supplies, induction heating, and in many
other power conversion applications. A review of
the basic characteristics of these power devices is
presented in this section.

1: Simple Diodes
Power diodes play an important role in power
electronics circuits. They are mainly used as
uncontrolled rectifiers to convert single-phase or
three-phase AC voltage to DC. They are also used
to provide a path for the current flow in inductive
loads. Typical types of semiconductor materials
used to construct diodes are silicon and
germanium. Power diodes are usually constructed
using silicon because silicon diodes can operate at
higher current and at higher junction temperatures
than germanium diodes. The symbol for a
semiconductor diode is given in Fig. (1). The
terminal voltage and current are represented as Vd
and Id, respectively. Figure (2) shows the structure
of a diode. It has an anode (A) terminal and a

cathode (K) terminal. The diode is constructed by

joining together two pieces of semiconductor
material a p-type and an n-type to form a pn-
junction. When the anode terminal is positive with
respect to the cathode terminal, the pn-junction
becomes forward-biased and the diode conducts
current with a relatively low voltage drop. When
the cathode terminal is positive with respect to the
anode terminal, the pn-junction becomes reverse-
biased and the current flow is blocked. The arrow
on the diode symbol in Fig. (1) shows the
direction of conventional current flow when the
diode conducts.
FIGURE (1) Diode symbol. FIGURE (2) Diode
structure.

2: Characteristics
The voltage-current characteristics of a diode are
shown in Fig. 3. In the forward region, the diode
starts conducting as the anode voltage is increased
with respect to the cathode. The voltage where the
current starts to increase rapidly is called the knee
voltage of the diode. For a silicon diode, the knee
voltage is approximately 0.7 V. Above the knee
voltage, small increases in the diode voltage
produce large increases in the diode current. If the
diode current is too large, excessive heat will be
generated, which can destroy the diode. When the
diode is reverse-biased, diode current is very small
for all values of reverse voltage less than the diode
breakdown voltage. At breakdown, the diode
current increases rapidly for small increases in
diode voltage.
 FIGURE (3) Diode voltage-current characteristic.

3: Principal Ratings for Diodes

Figures (4) show typical data sheets for power diodes.

Maximum Average Forward Current:

The maximum average forward current (If (avg) max)is the
current a diode can safely handle when forward biased. Power
diodes are available in ratings from a few amperes to several
hundred amperes. For example, the power diode D6 described in
the data specification sheet (Fig 4) can handle up to 6 A in the
forward direction when used as a rectifier.

Peak Inverse Voltage

The peak inverse voltage (PIV) of a diode is the maximum
reverse voltage that can be connected across a diode without
breakdown. The peak inverse voltage is also called peak reverse
voltage or reverse breakdown voltage. The PIV ratings of power
diodes extend from a few volts to several thousand volts. For
example, the power diode D6 has a PIV rating of up to 1600 V,
as shown in Fig. 4.

Maximum Surge Current

The IFSM (forward surge maximum) rating is the maximum
current that the diode can handle as an occasional transient or
from a circuit fault. The IFSM rating for the power diode D6 is up
to 190 A, as shown in Fig 4.

Maximum Junction Temperature

This parameter defines the maximum junction
temperature that a diode can withstand without
failure. The maximum junction temperature for the
power diode D6 is 180oC.

Figures (4) show typical data sheets for power

diodes.
4: Diode in Rectifier Circuits
4.1: Single-Phase Half-Wave Rectifiers circuit with R load :
The simplest single-phase diode rectifier is the single-phase
half-wave rectifier. A single-phase half-wave rectifier with
resistive load is shown in Fig. 5. The circuit consists of only one
diode that is usually fed with a transformer secondary as shown.
During the positive half-cycle of the transformer secondary
voltage, diode D conducts. During the negative half cycle, diode
D stops conducting.

FIGURE 5 A single-phase half-wave rectifier with

resistive load.

Assuming that the transformer has zero internal impedance and

provides perfect sinusoidal voltage on its secondary winding,
the voltage and current waveforms of resistive load R and the
voltage waveform of diode D are shown in Fig. 6. By observing
the voltage waveform of diode D in Fig. 6, it is clear that the
peak inverse voltage (PIV) of diode D is equal to Vm during the
negative half-cycle of the transformer secondary voltage. Hence
the Peak Repetitive Reverse Voltage (VRRM) rating of diode D
must be chosen to be higher than Vm to avoid reverse
breakdown. In the positive half-cycle of the transformer
secondary voltage, diode D has a forward current which is equal
to the load current and, therefore, the Peak Repetitive Forward
Current (IFRM) rating of diode D must be chosen to be higher
than the peak load current Vm/R, in practice. In addition, the
transformer has to carry a dc current that may result in a dc
saturation problem of the transformer core.

FIGURE 6: Voltage and current waveforms of the half-

wave rectifier with resistive load.

4.2 Single-Phase Full-Wave Rectifiers circuit with R load:

There are two types of single-phase full-wave rectifier, namely,
full-wave rectifiers with center-tapped transformer and bridge
rectifiers. A full-wave rectifier with a center-tapped transformer
is shown in Fig. 7. It is clear that each diode, together with the
associated half of the transformer, acts as a half-wave rectifier.
The outputs of the two half-wave rectifiers are combined to
produce full-wave rectification in the load. As far as the
transformer is concerned, the dc currents of the two half-wave
rectifiers are equal and opposite, such that there is no dc current
for creating a transformer core saturation problem.
 FIGURE 7 Full-wave rectifier with center-tapped
transformer

The voltage and current waveforms of the fullwave rectifier are

shown in Fig. 8. By observing diode voltage waveforms vD1
and vD2 in Fig. 8, it is clear that the peak inverse voltage (PIV)
of the diodes is equal to 2Vm during their blocking state. Hence
the Peak Repetitive Reverse Voltage (VRRM) rating of the
diodes must be chosen to be higher than 2Vm to avoid reverse
breakdown, the full-wave rectifier has twice the dc output
voltage, as shown in Section (4.1) During its conducting state,
each diode has a forward current that is equal to the load current
and, therefore, the Peak Repetitive Forward Current (IFRM)
rating of these diodes must be chosen to be higher than the peak
load current Vm=R in practice. Employing four diodes instead
of two, a bridge rectifier as shown in Fig. 9 can provide full-
wave rectification without using a center-tapped transformer.
During the positive half cycle of the transformer secondary
voltage, the current flows to the load through diodes D1 and D2.
During the negative half cycle, D3 and D4 conduct. The voltage
and current waveforms of the bridge rectifier are shown in
Fig. 10. As with the full-wave rectifier with center-tapped
transformer, the Peak Repetitive Forward Current (IFRM) rating
of the employed diodes must be chosen to be higher than the
peak load current Vm/R. However, the peak inverse voltage
(PIV) of the diodes is reduced from 2Vm to Vm during their
blocking state.
.

FIGURE 8 Voltage and current waveforms of the full-wave rectifier

with center-tapped transformer.

FIGURE 9 Bridge rectifier

 .

FIGURE 10 Voltage and current waveforms of the bridge rectifier.

4.2.1: Voltage Relationships

The average value of the load voltage VL is Vdc and it is
defined as

---(1)

In the case of a half-wave rectifier, Fig. 6 indicates that load

voltage VL. for the negative half-cycle. Note that the angular
frequency of the source ,T=2pi, and Eq. (1) can be rewritten as

---(2)
Therefore,

---(3)

In the case of a full-wave rectifier, Figs. 8 and 10 indicate that

VL(t)= Vm sin  t , for both the positive and negative half-
cycles. Hence Eq. (1) can be rewritten as

---(4)

Therefore,

---(5)

The root-mean-square (rms) value of load voltage vL is

VL,which is defined as

---(6)

In the case of a half-wave rectifier, vL = 0 , for the negative

half-cycle, therefore, Eq. (6) can be rewritten as

---(7)

---(8)

In the case of a full-wave rectifier, vL(t)= Vmsin  t ,for both the

positive and negative half-cycles. Hence, Eq. (6) can be
rewritten as
or ---(9)

---(10)

The result of Eq. (10) is as expected because the rms value of a

full-wave rectified voltage should be equal to that of the original
ac voltage.

4.2.2: Current Relationships

The average value of load current iL is Idc and because load R is
purely resistive it can be found as

---(11)

The root-mean-square (rms) value of load current iL is IL and it

can be found as

---(12)

In the case of a half-wave rectifier, from Eq. (3)

---(13)

---(14)

In the case of a full-wave rectifier, from Eq. (5)

---(15)

---(16)
The form factor (FF) is defined as the ratio of the root-mean
square value (heating component) of a voltage or current to its
average value,

---(17)

In the case of a half-wave rectifier, the FF can be found by

substituting Eq (8) and (3) into Eq. (17)

---(18)

In the case of a full-wave rectifier, the FF can be found by

substituting Eq (5) and (10) into Eq. (17)

---(19)

4.2.3:Ripple factor:

The ripple factor (RF), which is a measure of the ripple content,

is defined as

---(20)

where Vac is the effective (rms) value of the ac component of

load voltage vL,

---(21)

Substituting Eq. (21) into Eq. (20), the ripple factor can be
expressed as:

---(22)
4.2.4: Transformer Utilization Factor
The transformer utilization factor (TUF), which is a measure of
the merit of a rectifier circuit, is defined as the ratio of the dc
output power to the transformer volt-ampere (VA) rating
required by the secondary winding,

5: Three-Phase Star Rectifiers

5.1: Three-Phase half wave Star Rectifier Circuit with R load:
A basic three-phase star rectifier circuit is shown in Fig. 11. This
circuit can be considered as three single-phase half-wave
rectifiers combined together. Therefore, it is sometimes referred
to as a three-phase half-wave rectifier. The diode in a particular
phase conducts during the period when the voltage on that phase
is higher than that on the other two phases. The voltage
waveforms of each phase and the load are shown in Fig. 12. It is
clear that, unlike the single-phase rectifier circuit, the
conduction angle of each diode is 2π/3, instead of π. This circuit
finds uses where the required dc output voltage is relatively low
and the required output current is too large for a practical single-
phase system. Taking phase R as an example, diode D conducts
from π/6 to 5π/6. Therefore, by using Eq. (1) the average value
of the output can be found as

Fig (11) Three-Phase half wave Star Rectifier Circuit with R load
 Fig(12) Waveforms of voltage and current of the three-phase star
rectifier as shown in Fig. 11.

---(23)

Or

---(24)

Similarly, using Eq. (6), the rms value of the output voltage can
be found as

---(25)
Or

---(26)

5.2: Three-Phase Bridge Rectifiers

Three-phase bridge rectifiers are commonly used for high power
applications because they have the highest possible transformer
utilization factor for a three-phase system. The circuit of a three-
phase bridge rectifier is shown in Fig. 13.

FIGURE 13 Three-phase bridge rectifier.

The diodes are numbered in the order of conduction sequences

and the conduction angle of each diode is 2π/3. The conduction
sequence for diodes is 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, and 6-1. The
voltage and current waveforms of the three-phase bridge
rectifier are shown in Fig. 14. The line voltage is 1.73 times the
phase voltage of a three-phase star-connected source. It is
permissible to use any combination of star- or delta connected
primary and secondary windings because the currents associated
with the secondary windings are symmetrical.
 FIGURE 14 Voltage and current waveforms of the three-phase
bridge rectifier.

Using Eq. (1), the average value of the output can be found as

---(27)

or

---(28)

Similarly, using Eq. (6), the rms value of the output voltage can
be found as

--- (29)

or
--- (30)