Comparative Analysis: Electrical Switches for High Voltage Control

This report explores the selection of electrical switches, specifically Thyristors, IGBTs, and MOSFETs, for controlling high voltage during electric power generation and distribution. It investigates the parameters, applications, and differences between these switches to determine the most suitable option. The research considers factors such as voltage handling capacity, switching speed, cost, equipment efficiency, and safety measures. The report reviews existing literature, outlines the research plan, including methodology, methods for data collection and analysis, and validation techniques. The expected outcomes include identifying the most appropriate electrical switch based on its performance characteristics and benefits for the electric power system, contributing to improved power system efficiency and energy savings. This student-contributed assignment is available on Desklib, a platform offering various study resources.

Running head: - SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Executive Summary
The research proposal deals with the different semiconductor switches. The study of different
parameters of the semiconductor switches will be performed in the research proposal. The
main objective of the research is to find the most preferable electrical switch for controlling
high voltage during the generation or during the distribution of electric power. In the research
proposal, there are certain methods that are used for the collection and analysis purpose. The
research will study the characteristics of IGBT, MOSFET and Thyristor. However, after
performing different steps that are involved in the research a conclusion will be drawn from
it. The research will be helpful in finding the most preferred electric switch.

2SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Background of the Research......................................................................................................4
Aim of the Research...................................................................................................................5
Research Questions....................................................................................................................5
Problem Related to the Research...............................................................................................6
Scope of the Research................................................................................................................6
Expected Outcomes and Benefits...............................................................................................7
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................7
Research Plan...........................................................................................................................10
Methodology............................................................................................................................10
Methods................................................................................................................................11
Analysis................................................................................................................................11
Validation.................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion................................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13

3SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Introduction
The technology is progressing rapidly. The progress is taking place in the field of
power electronics. The progress and the advancement achieved is due to the improvement in
the power of the semiconductor. Several number of electrical switches available out of which
only one is preferred for controlling high voltage during the generation of the electric power.
Thyristor comprises of different layers. There are four different layers, which are present
there in the Thyristor. It comprises of different PN junctions. The device is unidirectional.
The Thyristor is also known as bistable latch consisting of two stable states. The Thyristor
can be operated in the switching mode. It is capable of conducting currents only when it is in
forward biased. It is a switch with high speed. The switch is used for replacing the
electromechanical relays present in different circuits (Astigarraga et al., 2015). The insulated
gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a cross between the field effect transistor and the bipolar
junction transistor. The switching speed of the IGBT is very high. Both the IGBT and the
MOSFET can be used for controlling the voltage. When the frequency is, consider it can be
stated that the MOSFET has a higher switching frequencies. The power handling capacity of
the IG BT is better than the MOSFET. IGBT consists of the p-n junction which is absent in
case of the MOSFET. The IGBT comprises of different layers. The IGBT can be used to do
the turn on and off process. The reason helps the IGBT to synthesize different complex
waveforms (Oswald et al., 2013). The IGBT consists of three terminals. The IGBT is used for
at a much faster rate. The power application, which varies from medium to high. The large
combination of the IGBT consists of several number of devices that can handle high current.
However, this research proposal deals with the identification of the electrical switch suitable
for controlling high voltage during the process of distribution of electric power

4SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Background of the Research
The different electrical switches are made of the solid material. It is a type of solid-
state devices. In the research process, three different switches will be studied. The MOSFET
is related with the voltage-controlled carrier. The MOSFET is used for the low power signals.
The structure of the MOSFET is different. The MOSFET comprises of different vertical
channel structure (Akca and Selamogullari 2013,). The source and the gate of the MOSFET is
situated opposite to each other. The structure of the MOSFET helps it in increasing its
capability to handle the large power.
The research will study the electrical switch known as the IGBT. The IGBT is an
insulate gate bipolar transistor which is a semiconductor consisting of three different
terminals. . The IGBT uses different switch, which is used to create the pulse width
modulation. The IGBT is one of the key element in the variable frequency drive. The pulsing
of the voltage in the IGBT is at a much faster rate. The IGBT is also stated as the gatekeepers
of the circuit. It is important to understand that the IGBT works on a small scale (Ji et al.,
2013). The IGBT can be operated as the switch, which is used for the creation of the pulse
width modulation. The IGBT switches the current on and off at a much faster rate. The pulse
that is generated per second by the IGBT is known as the carrier frequency. When the carrier
frequency is, set too high it is observed that the noise level is reduced. The IGBT is one of the
most used electrical appliances that is used in power electronics. The new introduced IGBT is
more advanced than its old model. It is observed that with the up gradation in the model the
IGBT is improved every time. However, the IGBT is one of the reliable devices (SU, LIU
and HE 2013).

5SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
The Thyristor is also known as the silicon-controlled rectifier, which contains
different electronic elements. The elements are the gate, the anode and the cathode. It can be
stated that the Thyristors are the extension of the diodes and transistors. Thyristor as a diode
comprises of two different layers and produces the junction. With a positive connection, it is
known to be in forward biased (Ziaee and Choobineh 2014). When the connection is
reversed, it is known to be in reverse biased. When it is a transistor, it works like a p-n-p and
n-p-n transistors. The Thyristors work in the forward, reverse blocking process and in
forward conducting process. There are different types of Thyristors, which are used for work.
Different type of variations is also included in the structure of the Thyristors. However, the
Thyristor can work in different ways and consists of the gate trips which trips on each other
(Wu et al., 2014). With the rapid increase in the field of the electric energy sector. The
electricity is high in all the different sectors. The comparative study of the performance is
done to analyse the different parameters of the electric switches.
Aim of the Research
The main of the research is identification of the most preferred electrical switches
among insulated gate bipolar transistor, MOSFET and Thyristor, which can be used for
controlling high voltage during the generation or the distribution of the electric power. The
different parameters of the switches will be studied to identify the most preferable switch.
The objective of the research are as follows:-
 Identification of the different parameters of the electrical switches.
 To study the application of the electric switches
 To identify the switch, which will be suitable for controlling high voltage, which is
generated during the generation or distribution of electric power.

6SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Research Questions
Q1. What are the different parameters of the electrical switches used for voltage control?
Q2. How can the parameters be used for the identification of the suitable switch?
Q3. What are the different application or devices in which the electrical switches can be
used?
Q4. What are the difference between the three electrical switches?
Problem Related to the Research
There can be certain problems in the collection of the data while performing the
research. There can be error in the collected data as the equipment error will be present in the
collection of data. The power generated and distribution process need to be monitored
carefully as it can involve some danger. There can be problems related with the availability of
the proper device for the measurement of the voltage and the electric power (Castellazzi et
al., 2016). There is problem related with the connection of the different wires that need to be
avoided. The problems is also related with the maintenance of all the different factors on
which the parameters of the electrical switches depends.
Scope of the Research
The research will help in the identification of the different new technology based on
the suitable electronic devices. The voltage at the time of generation and distribution of the
electric power is controlled. The research will help in improving the power system and more
energy will be saved. The stored energy can be used for different work and the output will be
more efficient. The research will help in finding out the in-depth knowledge about the
different parameters of the electrical switches (Kumar, Gupta and Chaujar 2016). The

7SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
research will help the future researches to discover or rather introduce new technologies and
methods for improving the power system. However, the research will help in controlling the
high-generated voltage in the electric power.
Expected Outcomes and Benefits
The research will be performed and it is expected that the different result of the
research match with the result from the theoretical method. It is expected that the result will
help in identifying the most suitable electric switch. The benefit is that the different factors of
the MOSFET, IBGT and the Thyristor can be easily determined (Song et al., 2015). The
research will help the system in using the best possible switch for the system. However, the
research will be beneficial for the electric power system.
Literature Review
The researchers can perform the research in various ways. When the research is
taking place in the field of power electronics, various methods can help in the identification
of the most appropriate electrical switches for controlling high voltage during the generation
or rather distribution of the electric power. There are different factors in which the electrical
switches depend and the research can be made by studying factors associated with it. There
are different factors that can help in the process of research. Factors such as the cost, the
speed of the switch, the capacity of handling voltage, equipment efficiency and associated
safety methods.
According to Baliga (2015), IGBT contains minority carrier, which has high
capability of carrying current. The input impedance level of the IGBT is high compared to the
MOSFET. When it comes to voltage, drop both the Thyristor and the IGBT experiences the
same change in the voltage. When the characteristics of the switches were studied carefully, it
was observed that the Thyristor has the potential to control high voltage and power in

8SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
comparison with the IGBT (Mojab et al., 2014). The IGBT can control less voltage compared
to other electrical switches, as its forward voltage drop is weak.
The MOSFET are more vulnerable to the electrostatic discharge. The reason is the
high input impedance that help in the dissipation of the charge. The IGBT is capable of
tolerating the hike in the voltage and the overloads. The voltage tolerance level is more
compared to the MOSFET. When the Thyristor is operated during the power failure, it can
damage the components connected with it (Panda, Mishra and Palai 2016). The damage is
maximum when it is used for the digital circuits. The IGBT is the combination of the low on-
resistance ability of the bipolar junction transistor. However, it can be stated that IGBT is
reliable for controlling the high voltage compared to the Thyristor and MOSFET.
The IGBT is a bipolar element that helps in controlling the voltage of the device. It
becomes easy to control the device. The protection lever of the IGBT is greater than that of
the MOSFET and the Thyristor. Practically, it is easy to control a device with the high current
than a device with no current input. The MOSFET is resistive at the terminal in the gate, as it
comprises of different layer of isolation in between the gate and the channel (Ainla et al.,
2017).
The IGBT also has some drawbacks. In IGBT, there is the presence of the holes in the
different layers. The holes are there in the n-layer of the IGBT. The hole helps in increasing
the conductivity. In case of the on state of the IGBT, it is observed that the switching is slow.
However, this case cannot be solved by the IGBT. In the MOSFET, this drawback is easily
overcome by stopping the flow of the electron (Li et al., 2013). The flow is stopped with the
help of the voltage emitted from the gate emitter. The emitted voltage is minimized below the
threshold voltage. However, the Thyristor contains the capability of operating at a very high

9SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
plasma density. Moreover, there are certain unique factors related with the IGBT that makes
it better than the MOSFET and the Thyristor.
According to Pesic et al., (2015) the switch needs to function efficiently and give an
effective outcome. The switches are designed to perform the ON and OFF operation. In
IGBT, the designed is done in such a way that the frequency generated lies in the ultrasonic
range. On the other hand, the MOSFET give different function that it helps in the
communication and is not suitable for the controlling process compared to the Thyristor and
MOSFET.
When it comes to cost it is preferred that the product or the device with low cost will
be preferred the most. After analysing the market, it is observed that the cost of IGBT is less.
It is one of the cheapest electrical switch compared to the Thyristor and MOSFET. However,
from the different researches the IGBT is preferred the most (Dimitriadis et al., 2015). The
electric switches are generally used in different switching applications. The IGBT is the
combination of the gate drive characteristics. The IGBT is for the medium to high power
applications. In the normal state, the device is restricted to the current and the leakage
breakdown is obtained. It is observed from the different research that the holding current is
kept below the holding current. The IGBT comprises of the different IGBT modules, which
are large. All the devices are in parallel. The state of the device will be remain in the off state.
This research proposal will do more research so that a conclusion can be made in identifying
the preferable electrical switches for the high voltage, which is produced during the
generation or during the distribution process (Kim et al., 2016).

10SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Research Plan
The research plan will help in the identification of the different steps, which will be required
for the research.
ID Outline
Number
Task
Mode
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
0 0 Electrical switching for
controlling high voltage
81 days Mon
10-06-19
Mon
30-09-19
1 1 Project Initation and
Planning
21 days Mon
10-06-19
Mon
08-07-19
2 1.1 Selection of the topic 6 days Mon
10-06-19
Mon
17-06-19
3 1.2 Submission of the
topic
4 days Tue
18-06-19
Fri 21-06-19 2
4 1.3 Background Research 6 days Mon
24-06-19
Mon
01-07-19
3
5 1.4 Studying of the
problems
5 days Tue
02-07-19
Mon
08-07-19
4
6 2 Quantitative Research 39 days Tue
09-07-19
Fri 30-08-19
7 2.1 Data collection 15 days Tue 09-07-19Mon 29-07-195
8 2.2 Sampling of the Data 4 days Tue
30-07-19
Fri 02-08-19 7
9 2.3 Analysis of the data 5 days Mon
05-08-19
Fri 09-08-19 8
10 2.4 Validation 5 days Mon 12-08-19Fri 16-08-19 9
11 2.5 Evaluation of the data 10 days Mon
19-08-19
Fri 30-08-19 10
12 3 Expected findings and
outcomes
21 days Mon
02-09-19
Mon
30-09-19
13 3.1 Results 11 days Mon
02-09-19
Mon
16-09-19
11
14 3.2 Finding of Benefits 5 days Tue
17-09-19
Mon
23-09-19
13
15 3.3 Future Scope 5 days Tue
24-09-19
Mon
30-09-19
14
16 3.4 End of Research
Project
0 days Mon
30-09-19
Mon
30-09-19
15 30-09
M F T S W S T M F T S W S
03 Jun '19 01 Jul '19 29 Jul '19 26 Aug '19 23 Sep '19 21 Oct '19
(Figure 1: Gantt chart of the Research Proposal)
(Source: As created by the author)
Methodology
Different methods can be adopted for performing the research. The research can be
performed in different ways. The research method can be both quantitative and qualitative.
The data collected will be from the primary sources. The quality of the different product will
also be studied for the research (Kim et al., 2014).

11SELECTION OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES
Methods
There are different parameters of the electrical switches. The parameters will help in
the identification of the best switch for controlling the electric power. The data will be
collected from different switching components. The data can also be collected from the
laboratory related with the controlling of the voltage. The data will be collected in different
times and with different methods. The research will be carried out with series of experiments
that will make the result more generalized and the result can be evaluated easily. After the
gathering of the different data with respect to different switches, a comparative study will be
performed based on the collection (Othman et al., 2013). However, the outcome will be
represented in tabular form stating the comparison between the different electrical switches.
It can be stated that the research method will be based completely on the quantitative method.
The qualitative approach is not required for the particular research. The research will involve
the study of the different current and drain characteristics of the different electric switches.
The characteristics of the curve of the drain voltage will help in identification. The curve will
be drawn based on the calculated result (Renteria et al., 2014).
Analysis
All the collected information, which is stored from the primary sources, is collected.
The data are observed carefully so that the different parameters can be evaluated from it.
There are two different methods of the analysis. The qualitative analysis and the quantitative
analysis. However, the data analysis, which will be performed for the research, will depend
on different factors of analysis. The analysis will be on the quantitative methods as it will
help in the evaluation in a more detail way. The sampling of the data is done. Based on the
sampling the data is examine to study the different parameters related to the electrical
switches. The evaluation is done and transferred into different graphs (Vechalapu et al.,