Thyristor Lab Device Project

Rob Smethers

Thyristors (e.g., SCRs, triacs) are used in a wide variety of applications to control AC power. These devices are covered in our Consumer Power Electronics course, ECET257, and supported by a lab exercise.

Rob Smethers did an excellent job on this project. Starting with a previous design, he made several safety and usability enhancements to create a very practical device that we now use in our labs at Purdue-South Bend.

We (Rob and Professor Harding) published a paper describing the project in the Technology Interface Journal. The paper is titled A Cost-effective Lab Device for Studying Thyristors. It begins with a brief overview of the relevant course goals and some background about the lab, then describes the lab device in detail, including the circuit schematic and design decisions, the enclosure layout, and a complete parts list with suppliers. A pair of close-up photos of the device are shown below.


Thyristor Lab Device

Feedback or questions about the project are welcome. Please direct them to Professor Harding.