A thyristor- and thermistor-based inrush current limiter for DC-link start-up

Large inrush currents can be harmful to equipment subjected to it and can also disturb other devices through voltage dips. Traditional ways of dealing with large inrush currents include the usage of parasitic elements in the supply, negative temperature coefficient (NTC) resistances and start-up relays. These solutions have several disadvantages among which are a non-negligible standby consumption, using a relay or a compromise between inrush current and load losses using an NTC. This paper proposes a solution which solves these disadvantages. The proposed circuit uses a semi-controlled bridge rectifier requiring a very low standby power consumption and is capable of withstanding grid interruptions. Moreover, it is designed to power on only when the load is not too heavy. This is accomplished by the use of positive temperature coefficient thermistors. The presented solution can be used for DC-link start-up circuits in applications with a power range from several watts up to a few kilowatts and it is particularly suitable for on-board battery chargers designed for electrical vehicles.