Dynex Semiconductor - Power Electronics Sub-Assemblies, Thyristors and GTOs

Dynex Semiconductor is one of the world's leading designers and manufacturers of high-power silicon products. Our components and power assemblies deliver and manage electric power on land, sea and air.

Dynex Semiconductor has been manufacturing high-reliability power semiconductor products in Lincoln, UK, for more than 50 years, trading under the more familiar names of AEI Semiconductors, Marconi Electronics Devices (MEDL) and GEC Plessey Semiconductors.

Many of our products are still operating worldwide after more than 30 years in a wide variety of applications, including excitation, HVDC, PFC, tap changers, SVC and FACTS, traction drive systems and high-power inverter and converter products utilising Dynex rectifier diodes, thyristors, GTOs, and of course, IGBTs.

Thyristor, GTO and IGBT power assemblies

Dynex Semiconductor has many years of applications experience, developed from working very closely with our customers' broad field base. This has provided the knowledge required for Dynex to manufacture engineered custom solutions for major power semiconductor sub-assemblies, which are integrated into equipment built by many of our customers.

Procuring power sub-assemblies from Dynex solves a lot of problems for our customers and as we are independent, there is flexibility in the selection of components used. We will select the most appropriate semiconductor device for the application and define the thermal management requirements as well as provide complete solutions for electromechanical clamping and power connections. There is a selection of isolated drive and trigger circuits to choose from with the option for customisation.

Our experience in the high-voltage power quality and transmission business means that we are conversant with the isolation required for very-high-voltage operation.

Sub-assemblies for the power industry

Previous Dynex projects include:

• GTO and thyristor assemblies for large SVC units
• HVDC thyristors and assemblies
• On-board GTO drive chopper assemblies for various traction applications
• Trackside rectifiers
• Inverter / converter power assemblies for wind farms
• Excitation systems
• IGBT-based drives for very large machines
• Single and multiple-shot pulsed power systems

Standard and custom-made power assemblies

Dynex can offer standard power assemblies such as SCR and diode rectifiers, as well as a high degree of customisation where there are specific requirements to be met; for example, restricted space, high-voltage isolation, partial discharge, sea water / DI cooling or phase change cooling. We also have a range of standard thyristor driver boards, which we can customise for special requirements such as fast switching speeds in pulsed power switches.

Semiconductors for distributed generation systems

With an increase in distributed generation systems such as wind farms, tidal and wave power, there is growing interest in DC link rectifiers, as well as medium-voltage grid connection systems. With our emphasis on high-voltage, high-power semiconductors, we at Dynex are well-positioned to design and supply assemblies into these markets.

In addition, we have been producing excitation power supplies for hydro and conventional generation systems for many years. We also work with large machine drive companies, providing components and assemblies for air-cooled and water-cooled machines.

Specialist high-power test equipment

To ensure high reliability of our products, we have also developed the capability to construct custom test equipment to verify the correct operation of high-power systems.

Where there is a requirement for routine high-power testing, or even type testing, we can offer the option of using our facilities to test on our customers' behalf or supply bespoke test equipment directly. These systems will range from device parametric testers to system simulators, which operate within customer-defined specifications.