MOC3071M, MOC3072M, MOC3073M
www.onsemi.com
6
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Basic Triac Driver Circuit
The random phase triac drivers MOC3071M, MOC3072M
and MOC3073M can allow snubberless operations in
applications where load is resistive and the external
generated noise in the AC line is below its guaranteed
dv/dt withstand capability. For these applications, a
snubber circuit is not necessary when a noise insensitive
power triac is used. Figure 7 shows the circuit diagram.
The triac driver is directly connected to the triac main
terminal 2 and a series resistor R which limits the current
to the triac driver. Current limiting resistor R must have a
minimum value which restricts the current into the driver
to maximum 1 A.
The power dissipation of this current limiting resistor and
the triac driver is very small because the power triac
carries the load current as soon as the current through
driver and current limiting resistor reaches the trigger
current of the power triac. The switching transition times
for the driver is only one micro second and for power
triacs typical four micro seconds.
Triac Driver Circuit for Noisy Environments
When the transient rate of rise and amplitude are expected
to exceed the power triacs and triac drivers maximum
ratings a snubber circuit as shown in Figure 8 is
recommended. Fast transients are slowed by the R-C
snubber and excessive amplitudes are clipped by the Metal
Oxide Varistor MOV.
Triac Driver Circuit for Extremely Noisy Environments
As specified in the noise standards IEEE472 and IEC255-
4.
Industrial control applications do specify a maximum
transient noise dv/dt and peak voltage which is super-
imposed onto the AC line voltage. In order to pass this
environment noise test a modified snubber network as
shown in Figure 9 is recommended.
LED Trigger Current versus Temperature
Recommended operating LED control current IF lies
between the guaranteed IFT and absolute maximum IF.
Figure 3 shows the increase of the trigger current when the
device is expected to operate at an ambient temperature
below 25°C. Multiply the datasheet guaranteed IFT with
the normalized IFT shown on this graph and an allowance
for LED degradation over time.
Example:
IFT = 10 mA, LED degradation factor = 20%
IF at -40°C = 10 mA x 1.25 x 120% = 15 mA
LED Trigger Current vs. Pulse Width
Random phase triac drivers are designed to be phase
controllable. They may be triggered at any phase angle
within the AC sine wave. Phase control may be
accomplished by an AC line zero cross detector and a
variable pulse delay generator which is synchronized to
the zero cross detector. The same task can be
accomplished by a microprocessor which is synchronized
to the AC zero crossing. The phase controlled trigger
current may be a very short pulse which saves energy
delivered to the input LED. LED trigger pulse currents
shorter than 100 µs must have increased amplitude as
shown on Figure 4. This graph shows the dependency of
the trigger current IFT versus the pulse width. IFT in this
graph is normalized in respect to the minimum specified
IFT for static condition, which is specified in the device
characteristic. The normalized IFT has to be multiplied
with the devices guaranteed static trigger current.
Example:
IFT = 10 mA, Trigger PW = 4 µs
IF (pulsed) = 10 mA x 3 = 30 mA
Minimum LED Off Time in Phase Control Applications
In phase control applications, one intends to be able to
control each AC sine half wave from 0° to 180°. Turn on
at 0° means full power and turn on at 180° means zero
power. This is not quite possible in reality because triac
driver and triac have a fixed turn on time when activated
at zero degrees. At a phase control angle close to 180°the
driver’s turn on pulse at the trailing edge of the AC sine
wave must be limited to end 200 µs before AC zero cross
as shown in Figure 10. This assures that the triac driver has
time to switch off. Shorter times may cause loss of control
at the following half cycle.
Static dv/dt
Critical rate of rise of off-state voltage or static dv/dt is a
triac characteristic that rates its ability to prevent false
triggering in the event of fast rising line voltage transients
when it is in the off-state. When driving a discrete power
triac, the triac driver optocoupler switches back to off-
state once the power triac is triggered. However, during
the commutation of the power triac in application where
the load is inductive, both triacs are subjected to fast rising
voltages. The static dv/dt rating of the triac driver
optocoupler and the commutating dv/dt rating of the
power triac must be taken into consideration in snubber
circuit design to prevent false triggering and commutation
failure.