IGBTs are one of the most sophisticated solutions, boasting wide energy band gaps and being capable of switching at high speeds while simultaneously reducing power losses and saving space.
IGBT SiC’s efficiency is continuously growing and its switching losses have become much lower. It can be used in numerous applications including traction inverters and EV charging stations.
Cost
At present, among all technologies used for power conversion, insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) stands out as being particularly mature. When compared with silicon carbide (SiC), this solution offers several advantages like increased reliability and lower switching losses; however it still suffers from some drawbacks regarding cost efficiency and switching dynamics. To address these concerns, experimental systems using single phase Si-IGBT devices and three phase SiC-IGBT devices were utilized – using siC devices led to an efficiency gain of around 4% while lower switching losses of nearly zero; hence energy savings across both phases compared with its counterpart.
Efficiency
Wide-bandgap (WBG) transistor efficiency is rapidly rising and could soon overtake designs based on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). Wide-bandgap transistors have rapidly become a staple in power electronics due to their fast switching times and outstanding performance at higher temperatures and voltages; furthermore they boast lower gate currents and reduced parasitic inductance than Si-IGBTs.
To assess the efficacy of SiC-IGBTs, we compared their efficiency against that of Si-IGBTs when used in three-phase inverter-based systems with RL loads. To do so, we measured and compared switching durations and current waveforms from both types of switches; to do this using our MICsig handheld multifunctional oscilloscope and Hantek clamp meter to measure voltage and current of devices.
Compare two values of external gate on and off resistances (Rg,on and Rg,off) to achieve maximum switching speed. Experiments conducted under these circumstances showed that Si-IGBT converter at 30kHz had greater efficiency compared to 3kHz version; cost and volume difference was smaller than expected as grid-side and inverter-side inductor volumes were comparable while capacitor volume was negligible.
Performance
SiC-IGBT performance was evaluated using three experimental systems: two three-phase inverter systems and a single pulse test system (SPT). The SPT is used to compare hard switching behaviors among switches; it consists of a power module and an RL load for accurate measurements of switching transients and efficiency; power losses were then compared under identical conditions using an MICsig portable multifunctional oscilloscope and UT201 clamp multimeter; conduction losses, switching losses, gate driver losses, and diode losses were taken into consideration; gate driver and diode losses were disregarded.
SiC-IGBTs feature a wider energy band gap than traditional IGBTs, allowing them to operate at higher frequencies than their counterparts and withstanding high temperatures better than others. As a result, their overall power losses are lower, saving space in circuit designs while decreasing stray inductance which boosts current capability of an IGBT.
At the Switching Performance Test Center (SPT), IGBT switching transients were examined under different loading conditions. The results demonstrated that IGBTs in the SPT were more energy-efficient than their counterparts found in conventional AGPU systems; additionally, switch-off losses were significantly reduced compared with IGBTs used within AGPU systems.
Tillämpningar
Igbt (insulated-gate bipolar transistor) technology has proven itself as one of the more mature power semiconductor technologies available, offering reliable performance at reasonable costs and excellent voltage and current management capabilities. But its limitations in certain areas, including limited switching speed and long-term operating temperatures, hinder its widespread adoption. To overcome these hurdles, researchers are working on new innovations which increase switching speeds while permitting higher temperatures operating temperatures for IGBTs.
To meet these goals, a new technology capable of producing more than 300 V with a high switching frequency was developed. The SiC-IGBTs employed can withstand higher voltages than traditional IGBTs while simultaneously reducing power losses for improved performance and lower costs.
SiC-IGBTs were tested against traditional IGBTs in both single-pulse tests and three-phase inverter systems, and their experimental results demonstrated greater efficiency of SiC-IGBTs than of IGBTs in both environments. They also had shorter switching times due to reduced turn-on gate resistance and stray inductance; these reductions allowed faster switching and increased energy efficiency resulting in 86% efficiency for single pulse test applications and 92% for six switch three phase inverters respectively.
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