Switching characteristics of MCT in resonant DC link soft-switching power converters

Simulations and experiments were performed using a MOS-controlled thyristor (MCT) in both zero voltage switching and zero current switching resonant power converters. A computer model was used to simulate the turn-on and turn-off dynamics of the MCT device in the resonant DC link (RDCL) voltage and current source converters, and the performances were compared. A laboratory experiment was designed and constructed to test the switching behavior of the MCT in two different RDCL topologies. The experimental results are presented and compared to those from the simulation. It was shown that the MCT device would perform well in either type of circuit. For the simple circuits tested, both simulations and experiments showed higher losses in the zero current switching. For more practical circuits it is believed that these losses would be more equal