1200V SiC JFET in Cascode Light Configuration: Comparison versus Si and SiC Based Switches

2011 ◽  
Vol 679-680 ◽  
pp. 587-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanny Björk ◽  
Michael Treu ◽  
Jochen Hilsenbeck ◽  
M.A. Kutschak ◽  
Daniel Domes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Voltage ◽  
Cost Optimization ◽  
Process Window ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Monolithically Integrated ◽  
Switching Losses ◽  
Industrial Grade ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Failure Conditions ◽  
Output Characteristics

A 1200 V SiC JFET has been demonstrated to achieve ultra-low switching losses ten times lower than for industrial grade 1200V Si IGBT. The low switching losses are also shown to compete with the fastest 600V class MOSFET in the market, yielding 1.1% higher PFC stage efficiency for 340 kHz switching frequency, when same device on-resistances were measured. The proposed normally-on JFET also differentiates over the IGBT by its purely Ohmic output characteristics without any voltage threshold, and by a monolithically integrated body diode with practically zero reverse recovery. In this paper we outline as well how the other pre-requisites for a 1200 V SiC switch in applications such as photovoltaic systems and UPS can be fulfilled by the proposed JFET solution: long-term reliability, product cost optimization by low specific on-resistance combined with reasonable process window expectations. Finally, a normally-off like safe operation behavior is ensured by a dedicated driving scheme utilizing a low-voltage Si MOSFET as protection device at system start-up and for system failure conditions.

SiC JFET: Currently the Best Solution for an Unipolar SiC High Power Switch

2008 ◽  
Vol 600-603 ◽  
pp. 901-906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin Rueschenschmidt ◽  
Michael Treu ◽  
Roland Rupp ◽  
Peter Friedrichs ◽  
Rudolf Elpelt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Device Simulation ◽  
Gate Oxide ◽  
Process Window ◽  
Market Opportunity ◽  
Switching Losses ◽  
Power Switch ◽  
Good Accordance ◽  
Gate Charge

Today a main focus in high efficiency power electronics based on silicon carbide (SiC) lies on the development of an unipolar SiC switch. This paper comments on the advantages of SiC switching devices in comparison to silicon (Si) switches, the decision for the SiC JFET against the SiC MOSFET, and will show new experimental results on SiC JFETs with focus on the production related topics like process window and parameter homogeneity which can be achieved with the presented device concept. Due to material properties unipolar SiC switches have, other than their Si high voltage counterparts, very low gate charge, good body diode performance, and reduced switching losses because of the potential of lower in- and output capacitances. The most common unipolar switch is the MOSFET. However, the big challenge in the case of a SiC MOSFET is the gate oxide. A gate oxide on SiC that provides adequate performance and reliability is missing until now. An alternative unipolar switching device is a normally-on JFET. The normally-on behavior is a benefit for current driven applications. If a normally-off behavior is necessary the JFET can be used together with a low voltage Si MOSFET in a cascode arrangement. Recently manufactured SiC JFETs show results in very good accordance to device simulation and demonstrate the possibility to fabricate a SiC JFET within a mass production. A growing market opportunity for such a SiC switch becomes visible.

scholarly journals DESIGN OF UNIVERSAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOR H-BRIDGE MULTILEVEL CONVERTER

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrey Chepiga ◽  
Aleksey Anuchin
Keyword(s):  
Response Time ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Current Loop ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
Medium Voltage ◽  
Frequency Converters ◽  
Switching Losses ◽  
Cell Topology

The medium voltage frequency converters mostly utilize the low-voltage multi-cell topology. However, available PWM techniques have some drawbacks, such as time delayed operation, which limits current loop response time, need reinitialization of the PWM carriers in case of cell failure, or have unequal distribution of losses. To solve the set of these problems the PWM strategy, which utilize PWM in a single cell with sequential cell switching, was introduced. This PWM strategy can operate in case of partial inverter failures, provides maximum available voltage to the load and has low response time due to operation at high PWM frequency of a single cell, while the average switching frequency is limited. The proposed PWM technique was examined using a model, where the switching losses distribution and high quality of the output voltage were confirmed.

scholarly journals Reliability-Oriented Design of Inverter-Fed Low-Voltage Electrical Machines: Potential Solutions

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4144
Author(s):  
Yatai Ji ◽  
Paolo Giangrande ◽  
Vincenzo Madonna ◽  
Weiduo Zhao ◽  
Michael Galea
Keyword(s):  
Power Density ◽  
High Speed ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Electrical Machines ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Electrical Machine ◽  
Engineering Approach

Transportation electrification has kept pushing low-voltage inverter-fed electrical machines to reach a higher power density while guaranteeing appropriate reliability levels. Methods commonly adopted to boost power density (i.e., higher current density, faster switching frequency for high speed, and higher DC link voltage) will unavoidably increase the stress to the insulation system which leads to a decrease in reliability. Thus, a trade-off is required between power density and reliability during the machine design. Currently, it is a challenging task to evaluate reliability during the design stage and the over-engineering approach is applied. To solve this problem, physics of failure (POF) is introduced and its feasibility for electrical machine (EM) design is discussed through reviewing past work on insulation investigation. Then the special focus is given to partial discharge (PD) whose occurrence means the end-of-life of low-voltage EMs. The PD-free design methodology based on understanding the physics of PD is presented to substitute the over-engineering approach. Finally, a comprehensive reliability-oriented design (ROD) approach adopting POF and PD-free design strategy is given as a potential solution for reliable and high-performance inverter-fed low-voltage EM design.

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 The Low Voltage Start-up Test of Induction Motor for the Detection of Broken Bars

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Asad ◽  
T. Vaimann ◽  
A. Belahcen ◽  
A. Kallaste ◽  
A. Rassolkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Induction Motor ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Start Up

Comparison of Total Losses of 1.2 kV SiC JFET and BJT in DC-DC Converter Including Gate Driver

2011 ◽  
Vol 679-680 ◽  
pp. 649-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jang Kwon Lim ◽  
Georg Tolstoy ◽  
Dimosthenis Peftitsis ◽  
Jacek Rabkowski ◽  
Mietek Bakowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Threshold Voltage ◽  
Surface Recombination ◽  
Current Gain ◽  
Surface Recombination Velocity ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Switching Losses ◽  
Insulator Interface ◽  
Gate Driver ◽  
Recombination Velocity ◽  
Emitter Junction

The 1.2 kV SiC JFET and BJT devices have been investigated and compared with respect to total losses including the gate driver losses in a DC-DC converter configuration. The buried grid, Normally-on JFET devices with threshold voltage of -50 V and -10V are compared to BJT devices with ideal semiconductor and passivating insulator interface and an interface with surface recombination velocity of 4.5•104 cm/s yielding agreement to the reported experimental current gain values. The conduction losses of both types of devices are independent of the switching frequency while the switching losses are proportional to the switching frequency. The driver losses are proportional to the switching frequency in the JFET case but to a large extent independent of the switching frequency in the BJT case. The passivation of the emitter junction modeled here by surface recombination velocity has a significant impact on conduction losses and gate driver losses in the investigated BJT devices.

Research on Multi-Mode Controller of Switching Power Supply

2014 ◽  
Vol 568-570 ◽  
pp. 1217-1220
Author(s):  
Shu Lin Liu ◽  
Li Li Qi
Keyword(s):  
Power Supply ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Switching Power Supply ◽  
Load Range ◽  
Heavy Load ◽  
Operating Modes ◽  
Switching Power ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Switching Losses ◽  
Light Load

In order to improve the efficiency of the switching power supply in whole load range, the controller with PWM, PFM and BURST operating modes is designed in this paper, which changes the operation mode automatically according to the load. The operating principle and the advantages and disadvantages of the three operating modes are analyzed and compared. PWM mode is used in heavy load; PFM mode is used in light load to reduce switching losses by reducing the switching frequency and BURST mode is used at the standby time to further reduce switching losses. The main control module is designed and simulation results verify the feasibility of the designed circuit.

scholarly journals Series Active Filter Design Based on Asymmetric Hybrid Modular Multilevel Converter for Traction System

Electronics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ali ◽  
Muhammad Khan ◽  
Jianming Xu ◽  
Muhammad Faiz ◽  
Yaqoob Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Voltage ◽  
Filter Design ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Modular Multilevel Converter ◽  
Multilevel Converter ◽  
Medium Voltage ◽  
Converter Topologies ◽  
Asymmetric Hybrid ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Traction System

This paper presents a comparative analysis of a new topology based on an asymmetric hybrid modular multilevel converter (AHMMC) with recently proposed multilevel converter topologies. The analysis is based on various parameters for medium voltage-high power electric traction system. Among recently proposed topologies, few converters have been analysed through simulation results. In addition, the study investigates AHMMC converter which is a cascade arrangement of H-bridge with five-level cascaded converter module (FCCM) in more detail. The key features of the proposed AHMMC includes: reduced switch losses by minimizing the switching frequency as well as the components count, and improved power factor with minimum harmonic distortion. Extensive simulation results and low voltage laboratory prototype validates the working principle of the proposed converter topology. Furthermore, the paper concludes with the comparison factors evaluation of the discussed converter topologies for medium voltage traction applications.

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