Power Switching Components Research Articles

Optimizing New Power Switch Technology

Power switches are critical components in power conversion for a wide variety of applications, including DC-AC inverters for electric vehicles (EVs), solid state breakers, and energy storage devices. Improving the efficiency and performance of semiconductor power switch components can have wide benefits, improving the efficiency and accelerating deployment of these applications. Compared to conventional power switches, such as insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), the B-TRAN™ bidirectional power switch from Ideal Power offers significant improvements in efficiency, reducing power losses by 50% or more depending on the application. With its higher efficiency, B-TRAN results in less heat being generated and thus has significantly lower thermal management requirements. In addition, a single B-TRAN™ replaces multiple conventional power switches for bidirectional applications. Beginning in mid-2020, Ideal Power teamed with QP Technologies, a leading provider of microelectronic packaging and assembly services, to package their B-TRAN switches in various TO packages (a wide range of small-pin-count packages often used for discrete parts such as transistors or diodes). The development work started with TO-247, then moved TO-264 packages, and finally transitioned to a custom direct-bond copper (DBC) solution. To achieve a high-reliability design, QP Technologies and Ideal Power focused on developing die and packaging designs based on flip-chip technology in lieu of wirebonding to maximize the life cycle of the product. This paper investigates the challenges, solutions and finally the fabrication of the first double-sided B-TRAN device.

The Performance Multilevel Inverter 5 Level 1 Phase by Reducing Power Switch Components

Multilevel Inverter (MLI) is a converter that converts DC power source into AC power source with voltage output more than 2 levels. The conventional 5-level Multilevel Inverter Topology that is developing today generally uses eight power switch components. In this paper, research Topology multilevel inverter 5 levels was conducted by reducing the power switch components into four pieces and assisted by two diode clamps and capacitor as voltage coupling. PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) technique used to utilize multicarrier modulation. Simulation testing with MATLAB conducted has been verified with the results of hardware tests where the output voltage shows similarity of shape at the output voltage MLI 5 levels. The results and discussion of the proposed topology can provide economic benefits from the use of the number of power switch components (MOSFET) compared to conventional 5-level MLI topology. Keywords : Multilevel Inverter, PWM, 5 Level

Research on Efficiency Improvement of High Frequency Transformer in UPS based on Maxwell

On-line UPS occupies a large proportion in today's standby power market due to its rapid dynamic response and clean power output. The bi-directional DC-DC converter can replace the directional DC-DC in both commercial mode and battery mode of UPS, and realize the sharing of power transformer, inductor and power switch components in two DC-DC circuits, so as to achieve the goal of large charging current, high power density and low cost. In UPS, the loss of magnetic components is the main factor affecting the efficiency of bi-directional converter. In order to improve the efficiency of bidirectional DC-DC, a high frequency transformer is designed. Maxwell software is used in this paper to simulate the transformer losses in different winding arrangements, so as to select the optimal winding arrangements, reducing the transformer winding losses and improving the converter efficiency. Finally, the prototype is made and debugged to verify the feasibility of the design.

A New Concept for Deeper Integration of Converters and Drives in Electrical Machines: Simulation and Experimental Investigations

Abstract This paper introduces a new concept for integrated electrical motor drives (IEMD) with the aim of minimizing the number of inverter’s power switching components. The latter is switched reluctance motor (SRM) based. The control strategy is jointly designed, inspired by Flyback power supplies operating at very high frequencies. A simple case study on an 8/6 SRM has been carried out. The study enables to highlight most challenging problems that have to be overcome in future works: overvoltages during switching due to the flux leakage, and the efficiency of the magnetic material constituting the machine at high switching frequencies. This concept turns out to be an interesting basis for a very advanced integration of the switching structure within electrical machines.

Research on Topology and Modulation Control Method of a Novel Three-Level Current-Fed DCDC Converter

Multilevel current source converter has the benefits of high output capacity, low current switching stress and low harmonic or ripple content. This paper presents a new topology of three-level current-fed DC/DC converter for superconducting magnetic energy storage application. In this topology, a superconducting inductance acting as a constant current source and a shunt inductance acts as current divider ensure current flows through the power switch components equally to generate immediate level of current. A novel kind of pulse width modulation (PWM) switching strategy for the current instantaneous control of the current source converter was proposed. The modulation switching strategy proposed is able to effectively control the DC current output of the converter. Also, due to the both of proposed topology and control method are quite a simple, it can be easily realized in the practice. Simulation results prove the feasibility and validity of the proposed topology and modulation strategy

A Novel Fault-Tolerant Control Technique for an Inverter With Hysteresis Current

The instability of the switching frequency in an inverter with hysteresis current results in a high failure rate of the power switching components of the inverter. To address this hurdle, a low-cost fault-tolerant control strategy is proposed in this paper to effectively correct the faults.

PMSM Servo-Drive Fed by SiC MOSFETs Based VSI

Abstract The article presents modern PMSM servo-drive with SiC MOSFETs power devices and microprocessor with ARM Cortex core. The high switching frequency is obtained due to the application of high efficient power switching components and powerful microprocessor. It allows to achieve good dynamical properties of current control loop, proper disturbance compensation and silent operation of servo-drive. Experimental tests results obtained for two different control schemes (i.e., cascade control structure and state feedback position control) are presented.

Thermal Performance and Reliability Analysis of Single-Phase PV Inverters With Reactive Power Injection Outside Feed-In Operating Hours

Reactive power support by photovoltaic (PV) systems is of increasing interest, when compared with the conventional reactive power compensation devices. The PV inverters can exchange reactive power with the utility grid in a decentralized manner even outside feed-in operation, especially at night when there is no solar irradiance. However, reactive power injection causes additional power losses in the switching components leading to a temperature rise in the devices. Thus, this paper analyzes the impact of reactive power injection by PV inverters outside feed-in operation on the thermal performance of their power switching components. A thermal analysis based on the mission profile (i.e., solar irradiance and ambient temperature) has been incorporated, so as to determine the additional temperature rise in the components induced by the operation outside feed-in hours. An analytical lifetime model has been used. The damage produced on the transistors has been quantified using the Palmgren–Miner rule. A reliability analysis has been carried out on a PV inverter with and without the injection of reactive power into the utility grid at night. Economic impacts of injecting reactive power from PV inverters outside feed-in operating hours have been analyzed thereafter. This analysis can be helpful to make a better choice while choosing between conventional reactive power devices or PV inverters for injecting reactive power to the grid.

A New Technology of Pulse by Pulse for NPC Three-Level Inverters

When Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) three-level photovoltaic grid-connected inverter is overloaded or in short state, the control by software could not judge immediately, but the power switch components of the inverter would be broken. The technology of Pulse by Pulse is an important method to protect the power switch components. This paper studies the principle of traditional technology of Pulse by Pulse, then analyzes a new technology of Pulse by Pulse based on Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), finally a 3KW NPC three-level grid-connected inverter is set up with the new technology of Pulse by Pulse and the feasibility is demonstrated through the experiments.

A 5kW Zero Voltage Switch Space Vector Modulation (ZVS-SVM) Controlled Three-Phase Boost Converter

This paper proposes a 5kW zero voltage switch space vector modulation (ZVS-SVM) controlled three-phase boost converter. A power circuit of this converter is modified from the conventional three phase boost rectify by combine the active clamp branch. A branch composed of an active switch, a resonant inductor and a clamping capacitor. By used the control techniques to active clamp, the ZVS are occurring at the power switching components. The simulation results can confirm the superiority of this topology to increase the system efficiency up 98 percent. The system has fast response, low total harmonic distortion and steady state error with unity power factor. Moreover, both the main and the auxiliary switches have the same and fixed switching frequency.

Dual-Bridge DC–DC Converter: A New Topology Characterized With No Deadtime Operation

Two new topologies characterized by no deadtime and small valued filter inductor, the Dual-Bridge dc-dc converter and the Dual-Bridge dc-dc converter with ZVS, are presented and analyzed. Compared to the conventional Full-Bridge converter, the dc-dc converters with the proposed topologies have lower input current ripple, less stress on power switching components and smaller output filter inductor. Simple self-driven synchronous rectification can be used in the new topologies for high efficiency implementation. Prototype dc-dc converters have been tested for the verification of the principles. Both simulations and experiments verify the feasibility and advantages of the new topologies. The advantages and disadvantages of the topologies are discussed.

Thermal component model for electrothermal analysis of IGBT module systems

The insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules are getting more accepted and increasingly used in power electronic systems as high power and high voltage switching components. However, IGBT technology with high speed and greater packaging density leads to higher power densities on the chips and increases higher operating temperatures. These operating temperatures in turn lead to an increase of the failure rate and a reduction of the reliability. In this paper, the static and dynamic thermal behavior of IGBT module system mounted on a water-cooled heat sink is analyzed. Although three-dimensional finite element method (3-D FEM) delivers very accurate results, its usage is limited by an imposed computation time in arbitrary load cycles. Therefore, an RC component model (RCCM) is investigated to extract thermal resistances and time constants for a thermal network. The uniqueness of the RCCM is an introduction of the time constants based on the Elmore delay, which represents the propagation delay of the heat flux through the physical geometry of each layer. The dynamic behavior predicted by the thermal network is equivalent to numerical solutions of the 3-D FEM. The RCCM quickly offers insight into the physical layers of the components and provides useful information in a few minutes for the arbitrary or periodic power waveforms. This approach enables a system designer to couple the thermal prediction with a circuit simulator to analyze the electrothermal behavior of IGBT module system, simultaneously.

The electrical simulation of a gas discharge excited copper laser

A circuit model of a gas laser discharge is described for use with simulator packages such as SPICE to describe the behavior of the combined circuit representing a copper vapor laser with its modulator drive. The study treats the laser tube and discharge combination as a transmission line with time-varying impedance elements for which the time variation is achieved by the introduction of controlled voltage and current sources. Theoretical and experimental results are compared. The model has been used on a day-to-day basis to assist in interpreting the circuit behavior of laboratory lasers during their operation so as to reduce stress on the power switch (thyratron) and other components.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Impact of Winding Inductances and Other Parameters on The Design and Performance of Brushless DC Motors

The computer aided design process of two electronically operated brushless dc motors intended for use in electric vehicle propulsion is described. The components of this process are a time domain dynamic simulation model of the brushless dc motor system in which the machine paramenters, inductances and emfs, are obtained entirely from finite element field analysis of the magnetic circuit arrived at by the designer. This computer aided design process is used to determine the correct winding configurations for two machines, the permanent magnet rotor one of which is of samarium cobalt, and of ferrite for the other. Both machines are required to achieve 15 hp continuous and 35 hp peak ratings as motors, subject to the constraints of a maximum dc supply voltage of 120 V and a maximum current of 400 A due to limitations on the available power switching components. In addition, the effects of changes in the firing angle of the inverter transistors, with respect to the induced winding emf's, are examined. The results of this work demonstrate that the performance of such systems is inductance limited especially in high speed (frequency) applications. The two machine designs selected as a result of this analysis were fabricated and subsequently tested in the laboratory. Both machines met the desired performance goals as predicted by the computer aided design process.