Hacettepe University

Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department

ELE 454 Power Electronics
Homework No.1
Due 2 March 2016
Q1) Consider the thyristor circuit in Fig.1. Forward conduction and blocking characteristics of
the thyristor are as given in Fig.2. The holding current of the thyristor is Ih= 0.1 A.
i. Find IA and VAK for the following circuit parameters: RL= 4 , IG=IG2.
ii. Now, if IG is reduced to IG1, what is the new operating point of the thyristor ? Why?
iii. For the operating condition in (i), if RL is increased from 4 to 10 k, find the new
operation state of the thyristor?
iv. What will happen to the operation state of thyristor in (iii) when IG2 is reapplied?
Explain your reasoning.

IA
+
Vs=
200V dc

+ VAK

RL

Anode current, IA

Fig.1. The thyristor circuit

Anode-cathode voltage , VAK

Fig. 2. Forward conduction and blocking characteristics of the thyristor

Q2) Design a thyristor firing circuit, by calculating some proper values for R1 and R2 in the
circuit given in Fig.3, by considering that the gate characteristics limits of a number of
individual thyristors of the same type given are in Fig.4, which are drawn by assuming open
anode circuit. Let maximum permissible gate current be 0.75A, and maximum permissible
gate voltage be 10V. Minimum gate voltage to ensure firing is taken as 1V.

24 V
0
1:1
Fig.3. Proposed firing circuit

Fig. 4. Gate characteristics limits

Q3) Figure 5 shows the structure of an n-channel power MOSFET. Mark on this figure the
terminals, insulating material, main current path in the forward conduction state, and the
internal body diode. How does the MOSFET turn-on? Why is it the semiconductor device
operating at very high frequencies? Why is it not vulnerable to second breakdown like the
BJT?

Fig. 5. Structure of an n-channel power MOSFET