Welding Diodes 5000A - 18000A – Series Overview, Specifications, Datasheets

What is a Welding Diode?

Welding diodes are diodes designed for use in medium and high frequency industrial welding equipment and optimized for high current rectifiers. Since the diode voltage in welding equipment is quite low (200V - 600V), to ensure high power and high current density, semiconductor elements of minimum thickness are used in welding diodes, manufactured using alloying technology. Besides, the low thickness of the welding diodes housing ensures low thermal resistance Rth.

AS ENERGI^TM manufactures both normal housed welding diodes and housing-less welding diodes. The latter is becoming more and more important in high current welding applications for joining of high refractory materials.

Welding diodes product line includes diodes with such parameters: the forward current rating I_FAV ranges is 5000A, 6000A, 6300A, 7100A, 9000A, 10000A, 11000A, 12000A, 16000A housing type welding diodes and 7500A, 9500A, 10500A, 12500A, 13500A, 18000A housing-less type welding diodes; range of reverse blocking voltage V_RRM is 200V, 400V, 600V.

Welding diodes are available in medium frequency (up to 2 kHz) and high frequency (up to 10 kHz).

Welding diodes show extremely stable on-state behavior over life-time, low static losses and very low thermal resistance, and therefore can also perfectly be used for surge protection applications.

See also articles: Standard Rectifier Diodes, Avalanche Diodes, Phase Control Thyristors (PCT), Fast Thyristors, Fast Switching Thyristors, High Voltage SCR Thyristors 6500V, Power Thyristor Modules.

Series of Welding Diodes:

Welding Diodes D series AS ENERGI^TM

Welding Diodes D series AS ENERGI^TM are available with forward current I_FAV of 7100A, 9500A, 11500A, 12500A and reverse blocking voltages V_RRM of 200V, 400V.

Features of welding diodes: high forward current capability, low forward losses, low thermal resistance, high load cycle capability.

Type	IF(AV)M (Tcase)	VRRM	IFRSM	IFSM	I2t	VF(T0)	rT	Tvj max	Rth(j-c)	Fm	W	Outline, Dimensions ØDxØdxH	Data sheet
	A (°C)	V	A	kA	kA2·s	V	mΩ	ºC	ºC/W	kN	kg	mm	PDF
D053-7100	7100 (90) 7402 (85)	200-400	11147	55	15125	0.75	0.029	170	0.0090	30-36	0.14	61x44x8
D056-9500	9500 (112) 11814 (85)	200-400	14915	70	24500	0.74	0.030	180	0.0050	45-50	0.11	56x50x5
D063-11500	11500 (82) 11300 (85)	200-400	18055	85	36125	0.73	0.026	180	0.0058	60-70	0.22	76x57x8
D066-12500	12500 (106) 14703 (85)	200-400	19625	85	36125	0.72	0.026	180	0.0039	60-70	0.155	65x58x5

Welding Diodes ZP series AS ENERGI^TM

Welding Diodes ZP series AS ENERGI^TM are available with forward current I_FAV ratings from 4000A to 18000A and reverse blocking voltages V_RRM from 200V to 600V.

Welding Diodes ABB Power Grids (Hitachi Energy)

Welding Diodes 5SDD and 5SDF series ABB Power Grids (Hitachi Energy) and its replacements are available in medium frequency (up to 2 kHz) and high frequency (up to 10 kHz). Forward current I_FAV ratings from 6300A to 13500A. They all feature very low on-state voltage – V_RRM of 200-400V, low static losses and very low thermal resistance.

Welding Diodes Medium Frequency (up to 2 kHz)

Type	IF(AV)M (TC=85°C)	VRRM	VFMAX	IFSM	VF0	rF	Tvj max	Rth (j-c)	Rth (c-h)	Fm ±10%	Package	Replacement AS ENERGITM	Data sheet
	A	V	V	kA	V	mΩ	ºC	K/kW	K/kW	kN			PDF
5SDD 71X0200	7110	200	1.05*	55	0.74	0.026	170	10.0	5.0	22	X	ADD 7100-02-X-00
5SDD 71B0200	7110	200	1.05*	55	0.74	0.026	170	10.0	5.0	22	B	ADD 7100-02-B-00
5SDD 71X0400	7110	400	1.00*	55	0.74	0.026	170	10.0	5.0	22	X	ADD 7100-04-X-00
5SDD 71B0400	7110	400	1.05*	55	0.74	0.026	170	10.0	5.0	22	B	ADD 7100-04-B-00
5SDD 92Z0401	9244	400	1.03**	60	0.78	0.031	180	5.6	3.6	36	Z1	ADD 9200-04-Z-01
5SDD 0105Z0401	10502	400	1.01**	70	0.812	0.026	180	5.0	2.5	40	Z2	ADD 10500-04-Z-01
5SDD 0120C0200	11000	200	0.92**	85	0.75	0.020	170	6.0	3.0	37.5	C	ADD 12000-02-C-00
5SDD 0120C0400	11350	400	0.88**	85	0.74	0.018	170	6.0	3.0	37.5	C	ADD 12000-04-C-00
5SDD 0135Z0401	13526	400	0.92**	85	0.758	0.021	180	3.9	2.6	52.5	Z3	ADD 13500-04-Z-01

* – at I_F=5000A, T_j=25°C
** – at I_F=8000A, T_{vj max}

Welding Diodes High Frequency (up to 10 kHz)

Type	IF(AV)M (TC=85°C)	VRRM	VFMAX	IFSM	VF0	rF	Qrr	Tvj max	Rth (j-c)	Rth (c-h)	Fm ±10%	Package	Replacement AS ENERGITM	Data sheet
	A	V	V	kA	V	mΩ	μC	ºC	K/kW	K/kW	kN			PDF
5SDF 63B0400	6266	400	1.14*	44	0.962	0.036	180	190	10.0	5.0	22	B	ADF 6300-04-B-00
5SDF 63X0400	6266	400	1.14*	44	0.962	0.036	180	190	10.0	5.0	22	X	ADF 6300-04-X-00
5SDF 90Z0401	9041	400	1.13*	48	0.979	0.032	200	190	5.6	3.6	36.0	Z1	ADF 9000-04-Z-01
5SDF 0102C0400	10159	400	1.14**	70	0.977	0.022	300	190	6.0	3.0	37.5	C	ADF 10200-04-C-00
5SDF 0103Z0401	10266	400	1.20**	54	0.998	0.027	230	190	5.0	2.5	40.0	Z2	ADF 10300-04-Z-01
5SDF 0131Z0401	13058	400	1.14**	70	0.977	0.022	300	190	3.9	2.6	52.5	Z3	ADF 13100-04-Z-01

* – at I_F=5000A, T_{vj max}
** – at I_F=8000A, T_{vj max}

Welding Diodes Infineon Technologies

Welding Diodes Infineon Technologies is designed with improved losses for medium frequency resistance welding and high current rectifier applications. Forward current I_FAV ratings from 5800A to 12800A. They all feature low on-state voltage – V_RRM of 600V that delivers an exceptionally high forward current, low static losses and very low thermal resistance.

Type	IF(AV)M (TC=100°C)	VRRM	IFSM	I2t	VT0	rT	Tvj max	Rth(j-c)	Fm	Dimensions ØDxØdxH	Replacement AS ENERGITM	Data sheet
	A	V	A	kA2·s	V	mΩ	ºC	K/kW	kN	mm		PDF
38DN06B02	5800	600	32300	5200	0.74	0.049	180	9.6	15-30	38x34x4	ADW38DN06B02
46DN06B02	7640	600	48000	11520	0.78	0.034	180	7.2	25-45	46x43x4	ADW46DN06B02
56DN06B02	10300	600	70000	24500	0.73	0.024	180	5.8	30-45	56x50x5	ADW56DN06B02
65DN06B02	12810	600	95000	45100	0.76	0.018	180	4.7	40-80	65x58x5	ADW65DN06B02

Welding Diodes Semikron

Welding Diodes SKN6000 and SKN7500/06 Semikron are available with forward current I_FAV ratings from 6000A to 7500A and reverse blocking voltages V_RRM from 200V to 600V.

Features of welding diodes: capsule type metal-ceramic package with pressure contacts or slim package without external case, medium voltage, high current rectifier diode with slim package for lowest thermal resistance, low power dissipation and low thermal resistance, especially suited for water cooling, forward selections for paralleling available.

Type	IF(AV)M (TC=85°C)	VRRM	IFSM	I2t	VF(T0)	rT	Tvj max	Rth (j-c)	Fm	W	Package	Replacement AS ENERGITM	Data sheet
	A	V	kA	kA2·s	V	mΩ	ºC	K/kW	kN	kg			PDF
SKN 6000/02	6000	200	50	12500	0.70	0.04	180	0.012	24-30	0.13	E35	ADWN 6000-02
SKN 6000/04	6000	400	50	12500	0.70	0.04	180	0.012	24-30	0.13	E35	ADWN 6000-04
SKN 6000/06	6000	600	50	12500	0.70	0.04	180	0.012	24-30	0.13	E35	ADWN 6000-06
SKN 7500/06	7500	600	50	12500	0.70	0.038	180	0.009	24-30	0.08	E28	ADWN 7500-06

Welding Diodes Techsem

Welding Diodes Y50ZPA series Techsem and its replacements are available in hermetic metal-ceramic case with pressure contacts, forward current I_FAV is 6360A, reverse blocking voltages V_RRM is 200V-400V.

Type	IF(AV)M (Tcase)	VRRM	IFSM	I2t	VF(T0)	rF	Tvj max	Rth (j-c)	Fm	W	Outline, Dimensions ØDxØdxH	Replacement AS ENERGITM	Data sheet
	A (ºC)	V	kA	kA2·s	V	mΩ	ºC	ºC/W	kN	kg	mm		PDF
Y50ZPA-63-04	5400 (85) 6360 (55)	200-400	55	15125	0.75	0.052	190	0.0135	19-26	0.14	62x44x8	ADWY50A-63-04

Air-cooled and Water-cooled heat-sinks for disc type rectifier diodes

The operation of semiconductor devices at high currents and high reverse voltages is accompanied by high power in the p-n junction of the silicon chip.

Air and water heat sinks are used for cooling power rectifier diodes.

The heat sink is characterized by the value of power dissipation and the area of the cooling surface and is selected on the basis of the required heat dissipation at the operating power of the diode.

In disk-type rectifier diodes, the necessary compression of the press contacts is provided only if they are assembled with heatsinks.

To keep electrical losses to a minimum and heat dissipation to a maximum, the necessary clamping force Fm must be provided during assembly.

Range of values of axial force on diode Fm, i.e. diode compression force, is from 10 to 100 kN depending on package diameter (housing type) and is specified in datasheet.

Heatsinks are used for disc (tablet type) semiconductors with сontact surface diameter from Ø19 mm to Ø100 mm.

See for more information about heatsinks for disc type rectifier diodes:
"Air-cooled heatsinks O series", "Air heatsink SF series", "Water heatsink SS series".

Installation recommendations for disc type power rectifier diodes:

The reliability of heat transfer and electrical contact between the mating surfaces of the diode and the cooler over the entire temperature range is ensured by appropriate torque (clamping force).

Before assembly you should perform visual inspection (1) contact surfaces for mechanical damages and wipe (2), soaked with alcohol (toluene, gasoline, acetone).

After inspection, fix the current contacts (leads), install a pin to fix the alignment of the structure.

To improve the parameters of heat transfer it is recommended to lubricate (3) a thin layer of silicone thermal conductive paste before the assembly, which is not a mandatory condition for installation.

Install the diode (3), the second part of the cooler, the fiberglass insulator and the thrust washer.

To thread the traverse (4) and evenly tighten the nuts. Make sure no misalignment and evenness of the contact surfaces.

When the parts are sufficiently clamped but moveable, we recommend placing the cooler on a flat surface and checking the tolerance for parallelism of the overall adjacent plane of the surfaces (5).

Clamp each nut in turn (about a quarter turn) to the stop (6). The amount of deflection of the traverse determines whether the achieved clamping force corresponds to the required one.

After installation, the fasteners (nuts and washers) must be additionally secured against corrosion.

Tips and recommendations for power diodes:

The power diodes should not be operated for long periods of time at their limit load for all parameters. In this case, the safety factor is determined by the required degree of reliability of the device.

Replace a failed power diode with a diode that matches the parameters of the one being replaced.

Supercooling must be provided when operating in an environment with an elevated ambient temperature.

Periodic cleaning of power diodes and coolers to remove dust and contaminants is recommended to ensure proper heat dissipation.

Inductive current dividers (often twisted toroidal wire) should be used to equalize currents between power diodes connected in parallel. The most popular connection methods are closed circuit, common coil circuit, or power diode. The efficiency of current dividers in this case is determined by the cross section of the magnetic wire.

Prevention of voltage unbalance when power diodes are connected in series is achieved by using shunt resistors connected in parallel with each diode. Voltage equalization in transient conditions is provided by connecting capacitors in parallel to each diode.

It is strictly forbidden to touch power diodes under high voltage during operation.