Product details

• ABB Type Designation:
  




• Phase Control Thyristor, PCT
• Country of Origin:

• Switzerland (CH)

• Technical Information:
• Phase Control Thyristor, PCT
  VDRM 4200V , ITAVM 3960A Mounting force 90kN
  Patented free-floating silicon technology
  Low on-state and switching losses
  Designed for traction, energy and industrial applications
  Optimum power handling capability
  Interdigitated amplifying gate

The basic working principle of thyristors. 

Under a certain anode voltage, the external circuit injects the driving current into the gate to make the thyristor open. At this time, if the driving current is removed, the thyristor will still maintain the on-state because of the strong positive feedback (that is, the saturation state) that has been formed inside. To turn off the thyristor, the anode voltage must be removed, reverse voltage applied to the anode, or the current flowing through the thyristor (note that ⚠️ is not the drive current) must be reduced to some value near zero.

In addition to applying the drive current to make the thyristor open, the avalanche breakdown can also occur by increasing the anode voltage to a very high value. Light trigger; Higher junction temperature and so on.

Working principle of bidirectional thyristor.

The thyristor is a P1N1P2N2 four-layer three-terminal structural element, with a total of three PN junctions. When analyzing the principle, it can be regarded as composed of a PNP tube and an NPN tube.

When anode A is applied with a forward voltage, both BG1 and BG2 tubes are amplified. At this time, if a forward trigger signal is input from the control pole G, BG2 will have a base current ib2 flowing through, amplified by BG2, its collector current ic2=β2ib2. Since the collector of BG2 is directly connected to the base of BG1, ib1=ic.

At this time, the current ic2 is amplified by BG1, so that the collector current of BG1 ic1=β1ib1=β1β2ib2. This current flows back to the base of BG2, forming a positive feedback, so that ib2 continues to increase, so the result of the forward feed cycle, the current of the two tubes increases sharply, and the thyristor makes the saturation conduction.

High snubberless turn-off rating

Optimized for medium frequency (<l kHz) and low turn-off losses

High reliability

High electromagnetic immunity

Simple control interface with status feedbackAC or DC supply voltage

Applying IGCT Gate Units

pplying IGCTs

Recommendations regarding mechanical clamping of Press Pack High Power Semiconductors

Failure rates of IGCTs due to cosmic rays

Field measurements on High Power Press Pack Semiconductors

Voltage ratings of high power semiconductors

The expansion of power electronics into the new fields of Energy Management and Co-generation is driving semiconductor requirements towards higher frequency, higher voltage and higher efficiency while increasing reliability and lowering costs. The IGCT offers the potential for still higher currents, voltages and frequencies without series or parallel connection and such future devices are under serious consideration amongst leading semiconductor and equipment manufacturers for medium voltage conversion at line voltages up to 7.2 kVRMS. Series connection for very high voltage will benefit from ”autogenous power supplies” which, combined with active clamping, will eventually eliminate the need for external power supplies and sharing snubbers. Ultimately, the IGCT will become a two-terminal module with a single fiberoptic communication link. The use of Diamond-Like Carbon (an inorganic passivation technology now used on all ABB IGCTs) is driving junction temperatures from historically 115 to currently 125 to ultimately 140°C (on selected types). In combination with improved thermal resistances (reduced by 30% on recent devices), the power and frequency capability of these latest switches will remain unequalled for the foreseeable future.

Voltammetry characteristics of thyristors:Definition: The relationship between the voltage U between the anode and cathode of the thyristor and the anode current 1 is called the voltammetry characteristic of the thyristor.The first quadrant is the forward characteristic, and the third quadrant is the reverse characteristic.

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