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4–20mA sensor transmitters are very common in industries to measure physical parameters such as pressure, temperature, flow, etc. Based on how they are connected to the process control and automation systems, they are classified into 2-wire, 3-wire, and 4-wire signal transmitters. This article will help you understand the underlying concepts and the difference between 2-wire, … Read more
Sourcing and sinking are the core terms of PLC wiring and can greatly affect the reliability and functionality of your control system. In this article, we will explore these fundamental concepts and ensure the success in design and installation of a PLC system. What is sinking and sourcing? Sinking and sourcing refer to two distinct … Read more
Gate turn-off thyristors (GTO) and Silicon controlled rectifiers (SCR) are semiconductor switching devices used in converters, rectifiers, charging circuits, etc. in order to control the current flow. This article illustrates the key differences between GTO and SCR. What is an SCR? An SCR is a unidirectional semiconductor device that can be triggered into conduction by … Read more
A gate turn-off thyristor (GTO) is three terminal semiconductor device – made up of four layers of alternating P-type and N-type material. Just like a conventional thyristor, it is also a current controlled, minority carrier device. The gate turn-off thyristor was invented with the purpose to address the difficulties in the turn OFF mechanism of … Read more
An MCT or a MOS-controlled Thyristor is a semiconductor device with the combined capabilities of a thyristor and a MOSFET. It was introduced in the year 1992. It comes with several advantages when compared to other semiconductor devices. Its vertical structure allows low conduction loss and high voltage capabilities. The silicon-controlled rectifiers have a very … Read more
MTO stands for MOS turn-off thyristor. It is a high-power bipolar MOS thyristor that constitutes both MOSFET and Gate Turn-off thyristor (GTO). It was developed as a replacement for GTO. It is a latching device that outperforms MCT and IGBT when it comes to power and blocking voltages. It was developed by Silicon Power Company (SPCO) … Read more
A TRIAC or TRIode for Alternating Current is a three-terminal bidirectional thyristor, meaning that can conduct current in both directions when activated properly. It is used in AC switching applications. It can be considered as two SCRs connected in antiparallel. Unlike a silicon-controlled rectifier, it is capable of conducting positive and negative cycles of electric … Read more
Thyristors are high-speed semiconductor switching devices that are made up of four layers of alternating p and n-type materials. They are used in AC/DC switching and AC power control applications. The thyristor symbol is a diode symbol that has three terminals, the gate, anode, and cathode. Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) is … Read more
A Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR) is a unidirectional semiconductor device that can be triggered into conduction by applying a positive gate current. It led to tremendous advancements in power semiconductor devices. They are also known as phase-control thyristors. They are high-speed semiconductor switching devices, similar to Shockley diodes but with an extra terminal. They generally … Read more
An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) is a type of bipolar transistor that has an insulated gate terminal. The structure of the IGBT includes an input MOSFET which consists of the gate terminal and the output BJT consists of the collector and emitter terminals. The collector and emitter are the conduction terminals and the gate is … Read more
