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This paper is about the development and demonstration of a motor drive for e-transport applications based on an innovative hybrid Si-SiC dual switching frequency interleaved buck–boost Y-inverter and a single-rotor Halbach machine. In particular, the focus is the implementation of the required discontinuous inverter modulation scheme, input voltage feed-forward and motor currents feedback control loops, as well as over-voltage, over-current, and over-temperature protections, using an off-the-shelf commercial hardware platform enabling straightforward Simulink-environment programming of all parts, while ensuring the high switching frequency capability required by wide-band-gap semiconductors. Experimental results showed good inverter efficiency, transient dynamic response to load changes, input voltage regulation, and fully functional protection capability, validating the proposed approach as a powerful option for reducing system development time and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a state-of-the-art inverter–machine codesign methodology for achieving an energy-efficient electric drive system. The methodology is applied in an optimal design case study with the context of the latest trend in the 800 V system. To reduce the voltage rating, a three-level active neutral point clamped topology is utilized in the inverter design, incorporating silicon carbide technology for high-speed operation. This combination allows for efficient power conversion with reduced losses. In the machine design, the increased number of poles that can be achieved in the design phase, along with the utilization of high-speed switching frequencies, enables the development of more efficient machines. Based on the design of the experiment method, by optimizing the parameters of both the inverter and machine simultaneously, using a cosimulation model, the 7.7% of total energy loss during drive cycle operation can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a performance comparison has been conducted between Si MOSFETs, SiC MOSFETs, and Gallium nitride (GaN) GITs in single phase BSNPC inverter. The PSpice study shows that the All GaN GITs BSNPC inverter has the highest efficiency of 98.97% compared to all other power devices used in the simulations. Due to a low dead time of 50 ns, the THD in output voltage for the All GaN GITs BSNPC inverter has decreased by 10% compared to the All Si MOSFETs BSNPC inverter and by 0.5% compared to the All SiC MOSFETs BSNPC inverter. The operation of GaN GITs at 200 kHz resulted in a 63% reduction in output filter size compared to the operation at 10 kHz. The Gate Drive circuit for GaN GITs and its complete design is presented. The All GaN GITs BSNPC inverter laboratory prototype study shows that at 16 kHz, 700 W the maximum efficiency of 99.4% is achieved whereas at 64 kHz, 350 W the lowest efficiency of 98.7% is achieved. The performance of the two GaN GITs connected in series to make a single series bidirectional switch is very reliable and robust. When the switching frequency is increased from 16 kHz to 64 kHz at 700 W output power, the reduction in the output filter size is 35%. The reduction in THD in the output voltage is 8.3% for the GaN GITs when operated at 150 ns dead time compared to 1 μs dead time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the detailed thermal analysis and modeling of multichip power modules (PMs). For the first time, a fair thermal comparison between the widespread single-sided cooled (SSC) technology and the innovative double-sided cooled (DSC) one is presented. The latter solution emerges among all packaging techniques due to its improved electrical performances and mechanical reliability. The investigation is carried out using 3-D finite-element method thermal simulations automated by an in-house routine. The PMs under test are thoroughly studied in a wide range of boundary conditions (BCs) in order to support the choice of an appropriate cooling strategy and the comprehension of the heat spreading (HS) effect occurring in such domains. In addition, attention is paid to dynamic behavior. Thermal modeling strategies are then proposed and discussed. As the main finding, no relevant thermal discrepancies were observed in the two PM technologies. In most of the BCs, the SSC PM enjoys an enhanced HS effect leading to a better thermal behavior with respect to the DSC counterpart, the adoption of which is justified only in the presence of excellent cooling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-frequency-link power-conversion is gaining popularity in recent days due to reduction of the size and weight of the converters for various applications. The performance of the dual active bridge heavily depends on the nature of modulation strategy used and on the loading conditions. Look-up table (LUT) based output power and output voltage dependent modulation strategies to investigate the peak current stress and harmonics in high-frequency link current is proposed in this article. The modulator is, thus, simple to implement. The peak stress, the harmonics (total demand distortion) in link current, and associated losses due to the proposed techniques are compared in four main cases, namely, first, single-phase shift, second, dual-phase shift, third, triple phase shift, and, fourth, modified phase shift (MPS)-I, -II, and -III. In MPS-I, weighted aggregate of harmonic currents minimization including fundamental component is carried out to achieve the minimum conduction losses in the magnetic elements. The same method is extended for minimizing the peak-to-peak ripple in the link current as MPS-II. In MPS-III, the desired total demand distortion in the ac-link current is enforced. The variation of voltage transfer ratio between input and output is taken into consideration using two-dimensional (2-D) LUT. Moreover, the requirement of 2-D LUTs are eliminated by using suitable curve-fitting exercise for the output load voltage variation and 1-D LUTs of coefficients. A detailed simulation study, associated mathematical analysis of the methods adopted and experimental verification are presented from 1 kW prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel implementation of an isolated gate driver for power switches is proposed in this study. The driver is bespoke designed for SiC power mosfets. The proposal achieves the main driver characteristics—isolation capability, gate switching command, and power transfer to the secondary side by using a unique magnetic transformer. The resulting simple circuitry enables the integration of the driver into the power cell, achieving theoretical higher power density values of the final system. The principle of operation of the driver is described in detail. The original pulsewidth modulation signal is modulated with a pure ac square waveform under a two-level modulation scheme, that guarantees no saturation of the magnetic core. The signal is then magnetically coupled to the secondary side, where it is rectified and reconstructed to effectively drive the target device. In addition, the steps needed to provide a suitable design taking into account the parameters of the target power switch are also detailed. The resulting driver is characterized and a prototype of the driver is built and tested. The main results of the driver performance on a SiC mosfet-based prototype are presented. Based on the analysis of these results, this study experimentally demonstrates the feasibility of the proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the tradeoff study of heat sink and output filter volume of a GaN HEMT based single-phase inverter. The selected topology is three-level active neutral point clamped (ANPC) inverter, and the main aim is to explore the benefits of the GaN HEMTs at 600 V blocking class on the system level efficiency, and power density under the wide range of operating conditions. The paper starts by introducing the inverter topology, selected pulse width modulation scheme and followed by the device features, static, and dynamic characterization and continues with presenting and discussing the results of extensive experimental and analytical characterization. After this, the impact of GaN HEMTs on inverter volume is discussed in terms of heat sink and output filter volume analysis under different switching frequency and heat sink temperature conditions. The calculation of heat sink volume and single stage LC output filter volume are presented with respect to experimental results of the single phase prototype. The findings from static, dynamic characterization, and single phase prototype results clearly show that GaN HEMT has excellent switching performance under wide load current and heat sink temperature conditions. The high performance of the inverter leads to reduction of the combined total volume, including output filter and heat sink volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the thermal models which can physically reflect the heat-flow paths in a lightweight three-phase half-bridge two-level SiC power module with six MOSFETs and can be used for coupled electrothermal simulation. The finite-element (FE) model was first evaluated and calibrated to provide the raw data for establishing the physical resistor–capacitor (RC) network model. It was experimentally verified that the cooling condition of the module mounted on a water cooler can be satisfactorily described by assuming the water cooler as a heat exchange boundary in the FE model. The compact RC network consisting of 115 R and C parameters to predict the transient junction temperatures of the six MOSFETS was constructed, where cross-heating effects between the MOSFETs are represented with lateral thermal resistors. A three-step curve fitting method was especially developed to overcome the challenge for extracting the R and C values of the RC network from the selected FE simulation results. The established compact RC network model can physically be correlated with the structure and heat-flow paths in the power module, and was evaluated using the FE simulation results from the power module under realistic switching conditions. It was also integrated into the LTspice model to perform the coupled electrothermal simulation to predict the power losses and junction temperatures of the six MOSFETs under switching frequencies from 5 to 100 kHz which demonstrate the good electrothermal performance of the designed power module. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, an ultralow inductance power cell is designed for a three-level active neutral point clamped (3L-ANPC) based on 650-V gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices. The 3L-ANPC topology with GaN HEMT devices and the selected modulation scheme suitable for wide-bandgap devices are presented. The commutation loops, which mainly contribute to voltage overshoots and increase of switching losses, are discussed. The ultralow inductance power cell design based on a four-layer printed circuit board with the aim to maximize the switching performance of GaN HEMTs is explained. The design of gate drivers for the GaN HEMT devices is presented. Parasitic inductance and resistance of the proposed design are extracted with finite-element analysis and is discussed. Common-mode behaviors based on the simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis (SPICE) model of the converter are analyzed. Experimental results on the designed 3L-ANPC with output power of up to 1 kW are presented, which verifies the performance of the proposed design in terms of ultralow inductance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an on-board methodology for monitoring the health of power converter modules in drive systems, using vector control heating and structure function to check for degradation. It puts forward a system that is used on-board to measure the cooling curve and derive the structure function during idle times for maintenance purposes. The structure function is a good tool for tracking the magnitude and location of degradation in power modules. The ability to keep regular track of the actual degradation level of the modules enables the adoption of preventive maintenance, reducing or even eliminating altogether the appearance of failures during operation, significantly improving the availability of the power devices. The novelty in this work is the complete system that is used to achieve degradation monitoring, combining the heating technique and the measurement without additional power components except the measurement circuit which can be integrated into the gate drive board and the challenges encountered. Experimental results obtained from this show that it is possible to implement an on-board health monitoring system in converters which measures the degradation on power modules. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an original modular plug-in-type assembly approach for a single-phase inverter. The main focus here is, indicatively, on the power range 1–20 kW, but the methodology can be transferred to higher power levels too. At the core of the inverter lies a power-dense double-sided-cooled half-bridge power switch architecture with integrated cooler, which is interconnected to filter elements, gate driver, and control circuitry by means of compact flat connectors. The integration exercise targets, on the one hand, the optimization of the power switch performance and reliability, as well as the reduction of circuit parasitic elements; on the other, the production of a system compatible with maintenance and repairing, featuring minimized impact of single component failure on the system maintenance and repair cost, and, thus, on its availability. Preliminary experimental tests demonstrate the nominal functionality of the inverter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The thermomechanical reliability of SiC power devices and modules is increasingly becoming of interest especially for high-power applications, where power cycling performance is critical. Press-pack assemblies are a trusted and reliable packaging solution that has traditionally been used for high-power thyristor-based applications in FACTS/HVDC, although press-pack IGBTs have become commercially available more recently. These press-pack IGBTs require antiparallel PiN diodes for enabling reverse conduction capability. In these high-power applications, paralleling chips for high current conduction capability is a requirement, hence, electrothermal stability during current sharing is critical. SiC Schottky diodes not only exhibit the advantages of wide bandgap technology compared to silicon PiN diodes, but they have significantly lower zero temperature coefficient (ZTC), meaning they are more electrothermally stable. The lower ZTC is due to the unipolar nature of SiC Schottky diodes as opposed to the bipolar nature of PiN diodes. This paper investigates the implementation and reliability of SiC Schottky diodes in press-pack assemblies. The impact of pressure loss on the electrothermal stability of parallel devices is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Circuit breakers (CBs) are the main protection devices for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) power systems, ranging from tens of watts up to megawatts. This paper reviews the current status for solid-state circuit breakers (SSCBs) as well as hybrid circuit breakers (HCBs) with semiconductor power devices. A few novel SSCB and HCB concepts are described in this paper, including advantage and limitation discussions of wide-band-gap (WBG) devices in basic SSCB/HCB configuration by simulation and 360 V/150 A experimental verifications. Novel SSCB/HCB configurations combining ultra-fast switching and high efficiency at normal operation are proposed. Different types of power devices are installed in these circuit breakers to achieve adequate performance. Challenges and future trends of semiconductor power devices in SSCB/HCB with different voltage/power levels and special performance requirements are clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an in-depth investigation into the avalanche breakdown robustness of commercial state-of-the-art silicon carbide (SiC) power MOSFETs comprising of functional as well as structural characterization and the corresponding underlying physical mechanisms responsible for device failure. One aspect of robustness for power MOSFETs is determined by its ability to withstand energy during avalanche breakdown. Avalanche energy (EAV) is an important figure of merit for all applications requiring load dumping and/or to benefit from snubber-less converter design. 2D TCAD electro-thermal simulations were performed to get important insight into the failure mechanism of SiC power MOSFETs during avalanche breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, benchmark of Si IGBT, SiC MOSFET, and Gallium nitride (GaN) HEMT power switches at 600-V class is conducted in single-phase T-type inverter. Gate driver requirements, switching performance, inverter efficiency performance, heat sink volume, output filter volume, and dead-time effect for each technology is evaluated. Gate driver study shows that GaN has the lowest gate driver losses above 100 kHz and below 100 kHz, SiC has lowest gate losses. GaN has the best switching performance among three technologies that allows high efficiency at high-frequency applications. GaN-based inverter operated at 160-kHz switching frequency with 97.3% efficiency at 2.5-kW output power. Performance of three device technologies at different temperature, switching frequency, and load conditions shows that heat sink volume of the converter can be reduced by 2.5 times by switching from Si to GaN solution at 60 ^\circ C case temperature, and for SiC and GaN, heat sink volume can be reduced by 2.36 and 4.92 times, respectively, by increasing heat sink temperature to 100 ^\circ C. Output filter volume can be reduced by 43% with 24, 26, and 61 W increase in device power loss for GaN-, SiC-, and Si-based converters, respectively. WBG devices allow reduction of harmonic distortion at output current from 3.5% to 1.5% at 100 kHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented compact model of SiC power MOSFETs is based on a thorough consideration of the physical phenomena which are important for the device characteristics and its electrothermal behavior. The model includes descriptions of the dependence of channel charge and electron mobility on the charge of interface traps and a simple but effective calculation of the voltage-dependent drain resistance. Comparisons with both physical 2-D device simulations and experiments validate the correctness of the modeling approach and the accuracy of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion has been on the spotlight of scientific research on renewable energy for several years. In recent years, the bulk of the research on PV has focused on transformerless grid-connected inverters, more efficient than traditional line transformer-based ones, but more critical from a power quality point of view, especially in terms of ground leakage current. Neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverters have recently gained interest due to their intrinsically low ground leakage current and high efficiency, especially for MOSFET-based topologies. This paper presents an active NPC (ANPC) topology equipped with 650-V silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, with a new modulation strategy that allows to reap the benefits of the wide-bandgap devices. An efficiency improvement is obtained due to the parallel operation of two devices during the freewheeling intervals. Simulations and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The need for multidisciplinary virtual prototyping in power electronics has been well established, however, design tools capable of facilitating a rapid iterative virtual design process do not exist. A key challenge in developing such tools is identifying and developing modeling techniques which can account for 3-D geometrical design choices without unduly affecting simulation speed. This challenge has been addressed in this paper using model order reduction techniques and a prototype power electronic design tool incorporating these techniques is presented. A relevant electrothermal power module design example is then used to demonstrate the performance of the software and model order reduction techniques. Five design iterations can be evaluated, using 3-D inductive and thermal models, under typical operating and start-up conditions on a desktop PC in less than 15 min. The results are validated experimentally for both thermal and electrical domains. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The future development of high-performance power electronics will rely increasingly on system-level integration, where semiconductor devices are co-packaged with other active and passive components (e.g., gate drivers, filter capacitors, and inductors) into a power module. In view of the widespread electrification of pivotal elements of the energy generation and distribution infrastructure (e.g., smart grids, electric aircraft, electric vehicles), modularity is also increasingly gaining importance as a means of enhancing overall system performance and reducing long-term maintenance costs. This paper focuses on the development of a highly integrated three-to-one phase matrix converter for avionic applications. It proposes an integration approach that enhances the volumetric and gravimetric power handling capability, with enhanced electromagnetic and electrothermal performance as compared to established solutions. Maintenance is also simplified by the modular assembly approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stacked substrate-chip-bump-chip-substrate assembly has been demonstrated in the construction of power switch modules with high power density and good electrical performance. In this paper, special effort has been devoted to material selection and geometric shape of the bumps in the design for improving the thermomechanical reliability of a highly integrated bidirectional switch. Results from 3-D finite-element simulation indicate that for all design cases the maximum von Mises stresses and creep strain accumulations occur in the solder joints used to join bumps on IGBTs during a realistic mission profile, but occur in the solder joints used to join bumps on DBC substrates during accelerated thermal cycling. The results from both the simulation and the accelerated thermal cycling experiments reveal that selection of Cu/Mo/Cu composite brick bumps in the stacked assembly can significantly improve the thermomechanical reliability of both the solder joints and the DBC substrates when compared to Cu cylinder bumps and Cu hollow cylinder bumps reported in previous work. Such results can be attributed to the effective reduction in the extent of mismatch of coefficients of thermal expansion between the different components in the assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]