AIR UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER

ENGINEERING

EXPERIMENT NO 8

Lab Title: AC CONTROL USING TRIAC

Student Name: Haya Ali, M. Shehzaib, Ahmed Farooq, Abdurehman,

Maryam Razzaque, M. Hamza Reg. No: 220613, 220619, 220624,

220634, 220644, 220666

Objective: To study the turning ON and OFF methods of an SCR.

To implement the circuit on PROTEUS software.
To analyze TRAIC as a AC voltage Controller
LAB ASSESSMENT:
Excellent Good Average Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Attributes (5) (4) (3) (2) (1)

Ability to Conduct
Experiment
Ability to assimilate the
results
Effective use of lab
equipment and follows the
lab safety rules
Total Marks: Obtained Marks:

LAB REPORT ASSESSMENT:

Excellent Good Average Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Attributes
(5) (4) (3) (2) (1)

Data presentation

Experimental results

Conclusion
Total Marks: Obtained Marks:

Date: Signature:
 LABORATORY
EXPERIMENT
NO. 08

AC CONTROL USING TRIAC

OBJECTIVE
1. To study the turning ON and OFF methods of an SCR.
2. To implement the circuit on PROTEUS software.
3. To analyze TRAIC as a AC voltage Controller.

DISCUSSION
It is a multi-layer semiconductor device, hence the “silicon” part of its name. It requires a gate
signal to turn it “ON”, the “controlled” part of the name and once “ON” it behaves like a
rectifying diode, the “rectifier” part of the name. In fact the circuit symbol for the thyristor
suggests that this device acts like a controlled rectifying diode.
However, unlike the junction diode which is a two layer ( P-N )
semiconductor device, or the commonly used bipolar transistor which
is a
three layer ( P-N-P, or N-P-N ) switching device, the Thyristor is a
four layer ( P-N-P-N ) semiconductor device that contains three PN
junctions in series, and is represented by the symbol as shown.
Like the diode, the Thyristor is a unidirectional device, that is it will
only conduct current in one direction only, but unlike a diode, the
thyristor can be made to operate as either an open-circuit switch or as
a
rectifying diode depending upon how the thyristors gate is triggered. In other words, thyristors
can operate only in the switching mode and cannot be used for amplification.
The silicon controlled rectifier SCR, is one of several power semiconductor devices along with
Triacs (Triode AC’s), Diacs (Diode AC’s) and UJT’s (Unijunction Transistor) that are all capable
of acting like very fast solid state AC switches for controlling large AC voltages and currents.
Thyristor I-V Characteristics Curves
The operating voltage-current I-V characteristics curves for the operation of a Silicon Controlled
Rectifier are given as:
Once the thyristor has been turned “ON” and is passing current in the forward direction (anode
positive), the gate signal looses all control due to the regenerative latching action of the two internal
transistors. The application of any gate signals or pulses after regeneration is initiated will have no
effect at all because the thyristor is already conducting and fully-ON.
So how do we turn “OFF” the thyristor?. Once the thyristor has self-latched into its “ON” state
and passing a current, it can only be turned “OFF” again by either removing the supply voltage
and therefore the Anode (IA) current completely, or by reducing its Anode to Cathode current by
some external means (the opening of a switch for example) to below a value commonly called the
“minimum holding current”, IH.
Since the thyristor has the ability to turn “OFF” whenever the Anode current is reduced below this
minimum holding value, it follows then that when used on a sinusoidal AC supply the SCR will
automatically turn itself “OFF” at some value near to the cross over point of each half cycle, and
as we now know, will remain “OFF” until the application of the next Gate trigger pulse.
Since an AC sinusoidal voltage continually reverses in polarity from positive to negative on every
half-cycle, this allows the thyristor to turn “OFF” at the 180o zero point of the positive waveform.
This effect is known as “natural commutation” and is a very important characteristic of the silicon
controlled rectifier.
Thyristors used in circuits fed from DC supplies, this natural commutation condition cannot occur
as the DC supply voltage is continuous so some other way to turn “OFF” the thyristor must be
provided at the appropriate time because once triggered it will remain conducting.
Thyristor Phase Control
However in AC sinusoidal circuits natural commutation occurs every half cycle. Then during the
positive half cycle of an AC sinusoidal waveform, the thyristor is forward biased (anode positive)
and a can be triggered “ON” using a Gate signal or pulse. During the negative half cycle, the Anode
becomes negative while the Cathode is positive. The thyristor is reverse biased by this voltage and
cannot conduct even if a Gate signal is present.

At the start of each positive half-cycle the

SCR is “OFF”. On the application of the gate
pulse triggers the SCR into conduction and
remains fully latched “ON” for the duration
of the positive cycle. If the thyristor is
triggered at the beginning of the half-cycle (
θ = 0o ), the load (a lamp) will be “ON” for
the full positive cycle of the AC waveform
(half-wave rectified AC) at a high average
voltage of 0.318 x Vp.
As the application of the gate trigger pulse
increases along the half cycle
( θ = 0 to 90 ), the lamp is illuminated for
o o

less time and the average voltage delivered to

the lamp will also be proportionally less
reducing its brightness.
Then we can use a silicon controlled rectifier as an AC light dimmer as well as in a variety of other
AC power applications such as: AC motor-speed control, temperature control systems and power
regulator circuits, etc.
Thus far we have seen that a thyristor is essentially a half-wave device that conducts in only the
positive half of the cycle when the Anode is positive and blocks current flow like a diode when
the Anode is negative, irrespective of the Gate signal.
But there are more semiconductor devices available which come under the banner of “Thyristor”
that can conduct in both directions, full-wave devices, or can be turned “OFF” by the Gate signal.
Such devices include “Gate Turn-OFF Thyristors” (GTO), “Static Induction Thyristors” (SITH),
“MOS Controlled Thyristors” (MCT), “Silicon Controlled Switch” (SCS), “Triode Thyristors”
(TRIAC) and “Light Activated Thyristors” (LASCR) to name a few, with all these devices
available in a variety of voltage and current ratings making
them attractive for use in applications at very high power
levels.
TRIAC
It is a bidirectional device that can pass the current in both
forward and reverse biased conditions and hence it is an AC
control device. The triac is equivalent to two back to back SCRs connected with one gate
terminal as shown in figure.
Phase control for AC can be achieved using TRIACs more effectively.

Procedure:
CAUTION!
High voltages are present in this laboratory exercise! Do not make
or modify any banana jack connections with the power on unless
otherwise specified!

1. Install the Power Supply, the Enclosure / Power Supply, the Synchronization Module, the Data
Acquisition, and the Power Thyristors Unit in the Mobile Workstation.

2. Install the Thyristor Firing Unit in the Enclosure.

 Note: Before installing the Thyristor Firing Unit, make sure that
switches SW1 and SW2 (located on the printed circuit board) are
in the 0 position.
3. Make sure that the main power switch of the Power Supply is set to the o (OFF) position. Set the
voltage control knob to O. Connect the Power Supply to a three-phase wall receptacle.
4. Make sure that the toggle switches on the Power Thyristors are all set to the 0 (open) position.
5. Set up the circuit given in the figure.
6. Make the following settings: On the Power Supply
Voltage Selector …………………………………….. 4-N
On the Thyristor Firing Unit
Angle Control COMPLEMENT ………………………….. O
Angle Control ARC COSINE …………………………….. O
Firing Control Mode ……………………………………… 3~
DC Source ……………………………………… min position
On the Power Thyristors Module
S1 …………………………………………….……………. O
S2 …………………………………………….…………….. I
Firing Control ………………………………. 1&4, 2&5, 3&6
On the Synchronization Module
S1 ……………………………………………………….…. O
7. On the Thyristor firing unit, slowly turn the DC SOURCE control and observe the change in
firing angle and the respective change in the output voltage leading to change in brightness of the
lamps on the synchronization module.

Firing Angle 45 90 121

Lamp Intensity dim bright Fully bright
Output Voltage 100V 140V 170V

Explain the change in brightness of the lamp module?

The brightness of lamp module was seen dependent on the firing angle when we are increasing the firing
angle the brightness was increasing. This was acting as a dimmer circuit. The brightness can be controlled
by varying firing angle.

Paste Output Results for all three firing angles below

R Load with 110 angle

With angle 90
 With angle 45

With angle 60
With Lamp module
Conclusion:

The lab experiment on AC Control Using TRIAC effectively achieved its objectives by
exploring the operational principles of SCRs and TRIACs in AC voltage control
applications. The study of turning ON and OFF methods of SCRs provided valuable
insights into their functionality, highlighting the importance of gate triggering and
commutation techniques in power electronics. The circuit implementation in PROTEUS
software enabled a detailed simulation and analysis of the AC control system. It
demonstrated how a TRIAC operates as an AC voltage controller by adjusting the
conduction angle, allowing for precise regulation of power delivery. This practical exercise
emphasized the versatility of TRIACs in real-world applications, such as dimming lights,
speed control of motors, and temperature regulation.