Measurements on IGCTs and diodes series connection

This paper presents experimental analysis of the voltage sharing in series connected IGCTs (Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristors) and their associated freewheeling diodes. Voltage sharing is evaluated in function of three interesting parameters: junction temperatures, gate units delay and switch off currents during switch off transients. Voltage unbalance can be improved by keeping time delay difference Δt
_doff
(IGCTs) and reverse recovery charge difference ΔQ
_rr
(diodes) as small as possible (Banding).