Abstract
Voltage sourced converters (VSCs) in electric vehicle (EV) drive-trains are conventionally implemented by silicon Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) and p-i-n diodes. The emergence of SiC unipolar technologies opens up new avenues for power integration and energy conversion efficiency. This paper presents a comparative analysis between 1.2-kV SiC MOSFET/Schottky diodes and silicon IGBT/p-i-n diode technologies for EV drive-train performance. The switching performances of devices have been tested between -75 °C and 175 °C at different switching speeds modulated by a range of gate resistances. The temperature impact on the electromagnetic oscillations in SiC technologies and reverse recovery in silicon bipolar technologies is analyzed, showing improvements with increasing temperature in SiC unipolar devices whereas those of the silicon-bipolar technologies deteriorate. The measurements are used in an EV drive-train model as a three-level neutral point clamped VSC connected to an electric machine where the temperature performance, conversion efficiency and the total harmonic distortion is studied. At a given switching frequency, the SiC unipolar technologies outperform silicon bipolar technologies showing an average of 80% reduction in switching losses, 70% reduction in operating temperature and enhanced conversion efficiency. These performance enhancements can enable lighter cooling and more compact vehicle systems.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.