Abstract
Wide bandgap (WBG) power modules able to tolerate high voltages and currents are the most promising solution to reduce the size and weight of the power management and conversion systems. These systems are envisioned to be widely used in the power grid and the next generation of more (and possibly all) electric aircraft, ships, and vehicles. However, accelerated aging of silicone gel when being exposed to high frequency causes fast rise-time voltage pulses that can offset or even be an obstacle for using WBG-based systems. Silicone gel is used to insulate conductor parts in the module and encapsulate the module. It has less electrical insulation strength than the substrate and is susceptible to partial discharges (PDs). PDs often occur in the cavities located close to high electric field regions around the sharp edges of metallization in the gel. The vulnerability of silicone gel to PDs occurred in the cavities under repetitive pulses with a high slew rate investigated in this paper. The objective mentioned above is achieved by developing a Finite-Element Analysis (FEA) PD model for fast, repetitive voltage pulses, which have been done for the first time to the best of our knowledge. By using the model, the influence of frequency and slew rate on the magnitude and rate of PD events is studied.
Highlights
The growing trend toward electrification has led to a rapid-growing penetration of power electronics into various residential, industrial, and commercial levels
Two common insulation materials used in power modules are ceramic substrate and silicone gel
Using Finite-Element Analysis (FEA), the charge magnitude at each the FEA model is run to enable the assessment of the two partial discharges (PDs) requirements
Summary
The growing trend toward electrification has led to a rapid-growing penetration of power electronics into various residential, industrial, and commercial levels. In this regard, WBG power modules, which can tolerate higher voltages and currents than silicon (Si)-based modules, are the most promising solution for reducing the size and weight of power electronics systems. While the blocking voltage of this 15-kV SiC-IGBT is 2.3 times higher than the Si-IGBT, its volume is one-third that for the Si-IGBT [1] This translates into higher electric stress within the module. Two common insulation materials used in power modules are ceramic substrate and silicone gel. One of the weakest points inside the power electronics module, in terms of resistance against PD, is the region
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