Faculty of Information Engineering & Technology

Electrical & Electronics Department

Course: Power Electronics (ELCT 704)

Sheet (2)
1- A thyristor has a forward characteristic which may be approximated over its normal
working range to the straight line shown in the figure below. Estimate the mean power
loss for:
a. A continuous on-state current of 23A.
b. A half sine wave of mean value 18 A.
c. A level current of 48.5 A for one-third cycle.

2- The thyristor in the shown circuit has a latching current level of 50mA and is fired by
a pulse of length 50 microseconds. Show that without resistance R the thyristor will fail
to remain on when the firing pulse ends, and then find the maximum value of R to
ensure firing. Neglect the voltage drop. RL=20, L=0.5H.

3- The data sheet of a switching device specify the following switching times
corresponding to the linear characteristics shown in the figure below for this inductive
switching:
tri =100ns, tfv=50ns, trv=100ns, tfi=200ns. Calculate and plot the switching power loss as
a function of time, assuming that Vd=300V and Io=4A in the circuit shown in figure.

4- For the same circuit of the previous problem, If Vd=40V ,Io=5A, D=0.4 and
f=300KHz.Assume that the switching times ton=toff=25ns. The on state resistance
R=0.3ohms.Calculate the power losses and the converter efficiency.

5- A thyristor bridge switches at 1 KHz and the total energy loss per thyristor is
0.01 J/cycle. The thermal resistance between the junction of the thyristor and the
casing is 0.9C/W and the thermal resistance between the casing and the heat sink
is 1.1C/W. The thermal resistance between the heat sink and the ambient is
1.8C/W. If the junction temperature should not exceed 125C in an ambient of
40C.
a) Calculate the maximum number of thyristors that can be mounted on one heat
sink.
b) Find the heat sink temperature.
(Hint: all thyristors are identical)