CONTENTS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction Switching Losses Snubbering: Protection of Switching Devices Zero-Current Switching Zero Voltage Switching Summary
Section 1 INTRODUCTION
Switches are very important and crucial components in power electronic systems. They are a substitution of the mechanical switches, but they are severely limited by the properties of the semiconductor materials and the process of manufacturing. This chapter will examine the losses incurred during the switching process in a generic (standard) switch.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 3
ON-STATE LOSSES
In on state the electric switches have non zero voltage across them. The on-state losses are: on son f
P =v i
Typical power diodes and transistors have nearly 0.5 to 1 volt on-state voltage across them. The forward currents can be hundreds of amperes. amperes The on-state losses are very significant.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 5
OFF-STATE LOSSES
In off state the electric switches withstand high voltages and have nonzero leaking current through them. The off-state losses are:
Poff = vsoff ir
Typical power diodes and transistors have high reverse off-state voltage across them in hundreds to thousands of volts. The reverse volts currents can be microamps to milliamps. milliamps
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 6
TRANSIENT-STATE LOSSES
Practical switches have limited capabilities of rate of voltage transition and rate of current steering. These nonabrupt transition rates give rise to power losses in the switching devices. These losses will be examined for two types of loads; inductive and capacitive loads.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 7
L >>
Load inductance
I o = constant
Load current
D L
At t=0 S is off
+ Io
Freewheel through diode
Io
+ _
vs
D L
vD=0 (ideal)
Io
+ _
vswitch = +Vs
vs
Switch current builds up to +Io linearly (assumption). Diode ceases to conduct Switch voltage ramps linearly down to zero (assumption)
vswitch = 0 (ideal)
L
+ _
vs
I switch = + I o
After Switch voltage builds up to +Vs the current starts decreasing. Diode starts to conduct Switch current ramps linearly down to zero (assumption)
I switch = 0 (ideal)
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 10
D
L
Io
Io
+ _ vs
Ts
toff1 toff2
D turns on
1 1 f s max = Psw = Vs I o [ton1 + ton 2 + toff 1 + toff 2 ] f s ton1 + ton 2 + toff 1 + toff 2 2
11
C >>
Vo = constant
Load voltage
Io
Load capacitance
At t=0 S is on
vsw = 0
Io = I s
Is
C
+ Vo
12
When S is turned off Switch voltage ramps linearly up to +Vo While diode is still off and I switch = I s
Is
C
+ Vo
Io
After build up is over, the diode begins to conduct. Current through switch ramps linearly down to zero.
Vsw = Vo
I switch = 0
Switch turns off
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 13
Io
vsw = +Vo
After Switch current builds up to Is the diode turn off. Switch voltage ramps linearly down to zero.
vsw = 0 (ideal)
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 14
Io
Vo
Is
C
+
Vo
Ts
toff1 toff2
D turns off
1 1 f s max = Psw = Vs I o [ton1 + ton 2 + toff 1 + toff 2 ] f s ton1 + ton 2 + toff 1 + toff 2 2
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16
17
Switch stresses: Maximum transient voltage Protection is required at turnMaximum transient current
on and turn-off of power and in overvoltage conditions.
current transition give rise to Rate of current change di/dt local hot spots in the switch that may permanently damage the devices. Special circuits are used to slow down the high rate of transition. These circuits are called snubbering circuits.
Dr. Adel Gastli
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TURN-OFF SNUBBER
Inductor L maintains a dc current Io. It reduces the switching losses by reducing the voltage across the Vs switch during the transition of current through the switch.
L
D1
Io
R
D2
isw
vsw
+
Assumptions: In the following we assume ideal diodes and ideal switch. The switch is also assumed to have limited maximum rates of rise and fall transitions of voltage and current.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 19
L
D1
Io
isw = I o
vsw = 0
D1 is off
isw
v sw
+
Vs
isw = I o until t = t f 1 D1 remains off until vsw = Vs t > t f 1 isw : I o 0 (linearly) for duration t f 2
t isw = I o 1 t f2
I o isw = I o t through D1 for t f 2 freewheeling
through L. Current diverted
20
Io
10
isw vsw Vs
tf1
0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 x 10
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection
-6
2 f1
t +tf2
21
Without C
With C
0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 -6 x 10
22
Switching trajectory
15
Without C
10
isw
5
With C
0 0
Dr. Adel Gastli
vsw
Vs
10
23
Io
R
D2
isw = I o
vsw = 0
D1 is off
Vs
D1
isw
vsw
+
During turnoff:
vc = vsw : 0 Vs
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Io
10
isw
iC Vs vsw
tf 2
0 0
Dr. Adel Gastli
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8 2 -6 x 10
25
tf2
C=
I ot f 2 2Vs
120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0
Without C
With C
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 -6 x 10
Note the very significant reduction in the power loss through the switch in comparison with the case without C.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 27
The maximum rate of dvsw/dt occurs when the current has dropped to a low or zero value.
dvsw dt
max
Io t = C tf 2 t tf2 1
t tf2
dvsw dt
max
Io C
This equation can be used to calculate the capacitance required for a switch with a specified maximum dv/dt (slew) rating.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 28
Io
R
D2
isw
+ v sw
Vs
Vs isw vsw
I rr
Io
tr
30
A non-zero resistance R takes away the capacitor energy in the form of heat out of the system thus retarding the current rise beyond Io. Diode D2 isolates the rate of fall of the switch voltage from the snubber capacitor. Designers restrict the amount of current overshoot to 20% of Io by selecting R from the following equation:
Vs R= 0.2 I o
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 31
TURN-ON SNUBBER
Reduces switching losses by reducing vsw during current transition through switch.
Assumptions: In the following we assume ideal diodes and ideal switch. The switch is also assumed to have limited maximum rates of rise and fall transitions of voltage and current.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection
D1
Io
Vs
+
vsw+
isw
32
Prior to turnon:
D1
Io
vsw = Vs isw = 0
D1 is on
Vs
+ L
v sw +
D2
i sw
isw overshoots beyond Io with an amount Irr which depends on energy stored in snubber inductor and characteristic of D1. isw flows also through the snubber inductor, hence, the inductor voltage instantly reduces vsw to zero.
disw LI o vsw = Vs L = Vs dt tr
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 33
Io Vs
L
I rr
disw dt
Io
isw vsw
tr t
D1
Io
isw = I o , vsw = 0
Vs
+ L
v sw +
D2
i sw
D
1
+ v sw
isw : I o 0
Turnoff
Io
Voltage spike
Drawback
Vs
Io
Vs
i sw
v sw +
vsw
tr
isw
t
36
The following circuit is able to protect the switch from over voltage.
L
D1
Io
vsw Io isw
Vs
isw
Vs
v sw
+
D2
tr
Prior to turnoff, the snubber capacitor is charged to Vs through R. Diode D2 is reverse-biased. During turnoff, Diode D2 clamps the switch to Vs.
Dr. Adel Gastli Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 37
SIMULINK SIMULATION
Run psbswitch Simulink demo example of ideal switch with series R-C snubber circuit. (Matlab 6).
VC
1 g 2 m + + v -
Timer
Ideal Switch
i I_load
120 Vrms 60 Hz
I_switch Demux V_switch
V_load
R C L Scope
Demux
I_load
powergui
Ideal Switch in switching circuit Double click on the More Info button (?) button for details
? More Info
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Sw
During turn off L dumps its energy on C through D enabling switch to turn off at zero current.
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Sw
Dr. Adel Gastli
During turnoff, D conducts and C permits slow voltage buildup on switch. During turnon, D prevents C to discharge through Sw.
Semiconductor Switches: Losses & Protection 40
SUMMARY
This chapter has covered the power switch losses involved during on-off switching. It has also presented the means of minimizing those losses and protecting the switches using snubbing circuits, zerocurrent switching, or zero-voltage switching.
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