scholarly journals Low-Voltage GaN FETs in Motor Control Application; Issues and Advantages: A Review

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 6378
Author(s):  
Salvatore Musumeci ◽  
Fabio Mandrile ◽  
Vincenzo Barba ◽  
Marco Palma
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Motion Control ◽  
Dead Time ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Switching Converters ◽  
Power Switching ◽  
Pure Silicon ◽  
Silicon Devices ◽  
High Switching Frequency

The efficiency and power density improvement of power switching converters play a crucial role in energy conversion. In the field of motor control, this requires an increase in the converter switching frequency together with a reduction in the switching legs’ dead time. This target turns out to be complex when using pure silicon switch technologies. Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices have appeared in the switching device arena in recent years and feature much more favorable static and dynamic characteristics compared to pure silicon devices. In the field of motion control, there is a growing use of GaN devices, especially in low voltage applications. This paper provides guidelines for designers on the optimal use of GaN FETs in motor control applications, identifying the advantages and discussing the main issues. In this work, primarily an experimental evaluation of GaN FETs in a low voltage electrical drive is carried out. The experimental investigation is obtained through two different experimental boards to highlight the switching legs’ behavior in several operative conditions and different implementations. In this evaluative approach, the main GaN FETs’ technological aspects and issues are recalled and consequently linked to motion control requirements. The device’s fast switching transients combined with reduced direct resistance contribute to decreased power losses. Thus, in GaN FETs, a high switching frequency with a strong decrease in dead time is achievable. The reduced dead time impact on power loss management and improvement of output waveforms quality is analyzed and discussed in this paper. Furthermore, input filter capacitor design matters correlated with increasing switching frequency are pointed out. Finally, the voltage transients slope effect (dv/dt) is considered and correlated with low voltage motor drives requirements.

scholarly journals Insulation Life Span of Low-Voltage Electric Motors—A Survey

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1738
Author(s):  
Vanessa Neves Höpner ◽  
Volmir Eugênio Wilhelm
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Electric Motor ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Frequency Converter ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Electric Motors ◽  
Frequency Converters ◽  
High Switching Frequency

The use of static frequency converters, which have a high switching frequency, generates voltage pulses with a high rate of change over time. In combination with cable and motor impedance, this generates repetitive overvoltage at the motor terminals, influencing the occurrence of partial discharges between conductors, causing degradation of the insulation of electric motors. Understanding the effects resulting from the frequency converter–electric motor interaction is essential for developing and implementing insulation systems with characteristics that support the most diverse applications, have an operating life under economically viable conditions, and promote energy efficiency. With this objective, a search was carried out in three recognized databases. Duplicate articles were eliminated, resulting in 1069 articles, which were systematically categorized and reviewed, resulting in 481 articles discussing the causes of degradation in the insulation of electric motors powered by frequency converters. A bibliographic portfolio was built and evaluated, with 230 articles that present results on the factors that can be used in estimating the life span of electric motor insulation. In this structure, the historical evolution of the collected information, the authors who conducted the most research on the theme, and the relevance of the knowledge presented in the works were considered.

scholarly journals Design of Three Phase Solid State Transformer Deployed within Multi-Stage Power Switching Converters

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (17) ◽  
pp. 3545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umair Tahir ◽  
Ghulam Abbas ◽  
Dan Glavan ◽  
Valentina Balas ◽  
Umar Farooq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Power Flow ◽  
Harmonic Distortion ◽  
Iron Core ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Switching Converters ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Solid State Transformer ◽  
Power Switching ◽  
Bidirectional Power Flow

This paper presents a symmetrical topology for the design of solid-state transformer; made up of power switching converters; to replace conventional bulky transformers. The proposed circuitry not only reduces the overall size but also provides power flow control with the ability to be interfaced with renewable energy resources (RESs) to fulfill the future grid requirements at consumer end. The proposed solid-state transformer provides bidirectional power flow with variable voltage and frequency operation and has the ability to maintain unity power factor; and total harmonic distortion (THD) of current for any type of load within defined limits of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard. Solid state transformer offers much smaller size compared to the conventional iron core transformer. MATLAB/Simulink platform is adopted to test the validity of the proposed circuit for different scenarios by providing the simulation results evaluated at 25 kHz switching frequency.

scholarly journals Software Based Programmable IGBT IPM Dead-Time Insertion Module Using 16-bit Micro Controller for BLDC Motor Control Application with 3-Phase Sinusoidal and Trapezoidal Drive

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Hastanto SM Widodo ◽  
Suryadi Harmanto ◽  
Sarifuddin Madenda ◽  
Lingga Hermanto
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Dead Time ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Torque Ripple ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Power Module ◽  
Power Switching ◽  
Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor ◽  
Controller Board ◽  
Control Application

Motor control application, especially for medium to high power implementation, will benefit the most with the compactness and robustness of an Integrated Power Module of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor also known as IGBT IPM. Nevertheless, implementation motor control with a general purpose micro-processor without any advance timer functionality with IGBT IPM will be challenged by the Dead-Time switching requirement in its power switching implementation. Further, a combined sinusoidal and trapezoidal drive of a motor control is also believed will provides a better control performance in term of lower torque ripple and higher motor top speed. This paper proposed a low-cost alternative to address the requirement by implementing a software based dead time functionality using the low cost 16-bit micro controller board with capability of serving up sinusoidal drive as well as trapezoidal drive for motor control application.

Optically Triggered Power Switch Based on 4H-SiC Vertical JFET

2011 ◽  
Vol 679-680 ◽  
pp. 625-628
Author(s):  
Petre Alexandrov ◽  
Xue Qing Li ◽  
Jian Hui Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Light Source ◽  
High Power ◽  
System Performance ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Proper Choice ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Power Switching ◽  
System Parameters ◽  
Power Switch

An optically controlled power switch based on 4H-SiC Trenched and Implanted Vertical JFETs (TIVJFET) was developed that comprises three parts: an LED light-source driver, light-triggered integrated gate buffer driver, and vertical high power normally-off switch. The light-triggered integrated gate buffer driver includes a photodiode and four stages of low voltage 4H-SiC TIVJFETs, which are hybrid integrated. Optically gated power switching was experimentally demonstrated with a maximum switching frequency of about 50 kHz, the system performance limiting factors were clearly identified and experimentally confirmed, and ways to substantially increase the switching frequency were shown. From calculations, based on realistically possible system parameters values, it could be seen that a maximum switching frequency around 1 MHz is theoretically possible with a proper choice of light source, detector, and buffer transistor parameters.

scholarly journals Modeling of high frequency high voltage of waveforms on life of enamel insulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 1331
Author(s):  
S. Narasimha Rao ◽  
Elanseralathan Kasinathan
Keyword(s):  
Low Voltage ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Insulation System ◽  
Twisted Pair ◽  
Insulation Failure ◽  
High Switching Frequency ◽  
Electrical Motors ◽  
Winding Insulation ◽  
Spike Waveforms

<p>In recent years it has been observed that insulation failure in electrical motors is caused by adjustable speed drives fed by power electronic converters. These converters produce impulse waveforms having a high slew rate generated by the high switching frequency of IGBTs. This paper focuses on high switching frequency stress in low voltage electrical motors for adjustable speeds. To examine the motor winding insulation under such stress twisted-pair samples were developed from enameled wires. A single-coated polyester of enamel with a thickness of 40 microns is used for this work. High-frequencies, high voltages of Square, and Square-rising, Square-spike waveforms of 10-30 kHz are used here. The test results show that the insulation fails earlier for the Square waveform compared to the Square-spike and Square-rising waveforms. In a nutshell, there is an analysis of PD formation in the insulation system at a higher switching frequency is analyzed. Electric field distributions between twisted pairs with various air gaps of the insulation system stressed by the Square and Square-rising waveforms up to 30 kHz are modeled using COMSOL software.</p>

A Highly Integrated GaAs-based Module for DC-DC Regulators

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 (1) ◽  
pp. 000604-000610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg J. Miller
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
High Current ◽  
High Switching Frequency ◽  
Gate Driver ◽  
High Level

There is a need and desire to push low voltage point-of-load voltage regulators (POL VRs) to higher switching frequencies. The main reason for this is to increase power density. Silicon MOSFET-based solutions are rapidly approaching their technology limits and are not capable of providing multi-MHz switching frequency for high current (&gt;10A) applications. Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) field effect transistors (FETs) can switch much faster, enabling cost-effective, high-current, high switching frequency POL VRs. Recent advances in GaAs technologies have enabled the demonstration of 5MHz VRs and provide a path to even higher frequency (&gt;50MHz) Power Supply in Package (PSiP) solutions. The high-speed GaAs power FETs are the “engine” to enable efficient high switching frequency POL VRs, but certain key elements must be designed appropriately to realize the desired performance. The gate driver and power path impedances must be minimized. To do this, a high level of integration is required, thus packaging is a critical element. New embedded die packaging solutions enable this high level of integration, dramatically reducing key parasitic impedances that can otherwise throttle performance, while also facilitating very compact multi-chip modules.

scholarly journals A Review of Modular Multilevel Converters for Stationary Applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (21) ◽  
pp. 7719
Author(s):  
Yang Wang ◽  
Ahmet Aksoz ◽  
Thomas Geury ◽  
Salih Baris Ozturk ◽  
Omer Cihan Kivanc ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulse Width ◽  
Pulse Width Modulation ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Current Control ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Power Losses ◽  
Circulating Current ◽  
High Switching Frequency ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Balancing Control

A modular multilevel converter (MMC) is an advanced voltage source converter applicable to a wide range of medium and high-voltage applications. It has competitive advantages such as quality output performance, high modularity, simple scalability, and low voltage and current rating demand for the power switches. Remarkable studies have been carried out regarding its topology, control, and operation. The main purpose of this review is to present the current state of the art of the MMC technology and to offer a better understanding of its operation and control for stationary applications. In this study, the MMC configuration is presented regarding its conventional and advanced submodule (SM) and overall topologies. The mathematical modeling, output voltage, and current control under different grid conditions, submodule balancing control, circulating current control, and modulation methods are discussed to provide the state of the MMC technology. The challenges linked to the MMC are associated with submodule balancing control, circulating current control, control complexity, and transient performance. Advanced nonlinear and predictable control strategies are expected to improve the MMC control and performance in comparison with conventional control methods. Finally, the power losses associated with the advanced wide bandgap (WBG) power devices (such as SiC, GaN) are explored by using different modulation schemes and switching frequencies. The results indicate that although the phase-shifted carrier-based pulse width modulation (PSC-PWM) has higher power losses, it outputs a better quality voltage with lower total harmonic distortion (THD) in comparison with phase-disposition pulse width modulation (PD-PWM) and sampled average modulation pulse width modulation (SAM-PWM). In addition, WBG switches such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) devices have lower power losses and higher efficiency, especially at high switching frequency in the MMC applications.

scholarly journals A Comparative Study on the Switching Performance of GaN and Si Power Devices for Bipolar Complementary Modulated Converter Legs

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baochao Wang ◽  
Shili Dong ◽  
Shanlin Jiang ◽  
Chun He ◽  
Jianhui Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Dead Time ◽  
High Electron Mobility Transistors ◽  
Buck Converter ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
High Electron ◽  
Switching Loss ◽  
Gan Hemt ◽  
Switching Losses ◽  
High Switching Frequency

The commercial mature gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors (GaN HEMT) technology has drawn much attention for its great potential in industrial power electronic applications. GaN HEMT is known for low on-state resistance, high withstand voltage, and high switching frequency. This paper presents comparative experimental evaluations of GaN HEMT and conventional Si insulated gate bipolar transistors (Si IGBTs) of similar power rating. The comparative study is carried out on both the element and converter level. Firstly, on the discrete element level, the steady and dynamic characteristics of GaN HEMT are compared with Si-IGBT, including forward and reverse conducting character, and switching time. Then, the elemental switching losses are analyzed based on measured data. Finally, on a complementary buck converter level, the overall efficiency and EMI-related common-mode currents are compared. For the tested conditions, it is found that the GaN HEMT switching loss is much less than for the same power class IGBT. However, it is worth noting that special attention should be paid to reverse conduction losses in the PWM dead time (or dead band) of complementary-modulated converter legs. When migrating from IGBT to GaN, choosing a dead-time and negative gate drive voltage in conventional IGBT manner can make GaN reverse conducting losses high. It is suggested to use 0 V turn-off gate voltage and minimize the GaN dead time in order to make full use of the GaN advantages.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Medium Voltage Network for Propagation of Supraharmonics Resonance

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1093
Author(s):  
Shimi Sudha Letha ◽  
Angela Espin Delgado ◽  
Sarah K. Rönnberg ◽  
Math H. J. Bollen
Keyword(s):  
Wind Farm ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Electrical Network ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Transfer Impedance ◽  
Medium Voltage ◽  
High Switching Frequency ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Power converters with high switching frequency used to integrate renewable power sources to medium and low voltage networks are sources of emission in the supraharmonic range (2 to 150 kHz). When such converters are connected to a medium voltage (MV) network these supraharmonics propagate through the MV network and can impact network and customer equipment over a wide range. This paper evaluates an existing Swedish MV electrical network and studies the pattern of supraharmonic resonance and the propagation of supraharmonics. The MV network consists of eight feeders including a small wind farm. Simulations reveal that, the bigger the MV network, the more resonant frequencies, but also the lower the amplitude of the resonance peaks in the driving point impedance. It was also identified that for short feeders as length increases, the magnitude of the transfer impedance at supraharmonic frequency decreases. For further increment in feeder length, the magnitude increases or becomes almost constant. For very long feeders, the transfer impedance further starts decreasing. The eight feeders in the network under study are similar but show completely different impedance versus frequency characteristics. Measurements at the MV side of the wind farm show time varying emissions in the supraharmonic range during low power production. The impact of these emissions coupled with system resonance is examined.

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