Diodes - High voltage

High voltage diodes from 1kV to 30KV; Standard Recovery to Ultra Fast Recovery

HV diodes for rectifiers and voltage multipliers (cascades)

Current:

• Current specification is DC forward current in flow direction

Blocking voltage:

• The voltage specification is the DC withstand voltage of the diode in the reverse direction
• If the voltage value of the transformer is specified in AC RMS (usually for 50Hz mains transformers), this value must be multiplied by at least 4 in order to arrive at the required DC dielectric strength of the diodes (e.g.: microwave transformer 2.5 kV --> it is at least a 10kV diode is required - in practice 12kV diodes are used)
• If the voltage rating of the transformer is given in AC Vpp (usually for HF transformers), the value corresponds to the minimum DC blocking voltage of the diode. In practice, a diode with a reverse voltage that is twice as high is usually used.

Recovery time:

• Standard recovery diodes: For use with 50 Hz or 60 Hz mains transformers - diodes usually only work up to a few 100 Hz
• Fast Recovery: For use with HF transformers (typ: 500 Hz - 100 kHz)
• Ultra Fast Recovery: For use with HF transformers (typ: from 50 kHz)

Installation type:

• operation in air - diode with big package (typical > 2mm case length per kV)
• operation only with encapsulation / or in oil - Many HV diodes in small package can only reach the maximum blocking voltage with encapsulation or operation in oil.