Using Snubber Circuits in a Brushless Exciter Will Reduce Voltage Commutation Spikes
Keywords:
Brushless exciter, diode, rectifier, commutation spike, forward biased, reversed biased, P-N junction, cathode, forward voltage, repetitive peak reverse voltage, fuse, reverse recovery time, capacitorAbstract
In a brushless exciter with a multi-phase bridge rectification system, diodes open and close periodically. When a diode turns off, a commutation voltage spike is generated by the internal AC winding inductance of the machine. Voltage spikes can be detrimental to the health of the diodes that are operating in the machine. A diode can fail short in the reverse direction if its reverse recovery voltage is exceeded, or it can fail open due to excessive current in the forward direction. Voltage commutation spikes are known to occur with various amplitude in shaft voltage to ground with static excitation systems and exciter field voltage to ground in brushless excitation systems. This paper evaluates the phenomena of voltage commutation spikes and presents a snubber circuit as a robust solution that can reduce the amplitude of the spikes. Consequently, prolonging the life of the diode and allows it to function as designed at optimal level.
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