How Eliminating Flying Lead IGBT Driver Interconnect Improves Performance and Reliability

How Eliminating Flying Lead IGBT Driver
Interconnect
Improves Performance and Reliability

CONFIDENTIAL (c) 2012 AgileSwitch, LLC 1

Renewable Energy Trends

• Solar/PV installations to reach 24 GW, up from 19
GW in 2010. (IMS Research)
• Wind power installations will increase from 236 GW
in 2011 to 563 GW in 2017. (Pike Research, 2011)
• 5 million cars manufactured in 2016 will be full
HEV, plug-in HEV or EV. (Yole Développement, 2011)


Renewable Energy Applications Have Increased
Performance Requirements For IGBTs
• Decreased $/Watt
• Higher current and voltage requirements
• Faster switching speeds
• Increased heat sensitivity
• Higher efficiencies
• Reducing switching
losses


“Tuning” Drivers To IGBTs Help Address These
Requirements
• IGBT Driver requirements will vary across IGBT
manufacturers and within their product line.
• Optimizing driver design includes adjusting:
– Gate resistor values
– Desat requirements
– Cross over timing
– Soft turn off and/or Active HV Clamping


Increasing Fault Detection Further Enables Safe
And Secure Operation
• Increased requirements to continuously monitor the
performance and functionality of the driver and
overall system
• IGBT driver designs should account for monitoring
the following fault scenarios and conditions:
– Separate Hi/Lo fault signals
– Desat timing and levels
– UVLO
– IGBT temperature
– Ambient temperature

Plug And Play Improves Manufacturability

• A much more efficient mechanical footprint
• Integrating the IGBT module and driver into a
single subassembly
– Dramatic increase in producibility and
serviceability
• Combined offering allows a more compact and
robust design


Direct Connection To The IGBT Lowers
Inductance And Improves Overall Performance
Measurable benefits include:
– Higher frequency operation
– Faster driver transitions
– Reduced Heat
– Improved lifetime reliability


Plug and Play vs. Flying Lead: Direct
Gate Drive with 1.8 Ohm Resistor - Direct Connection; 1700V/1000A Fuji PrimePack

Note: 1.0 usec turn on after rising edge


Plug and Play vs. Flying Lead: Flying Lead
Gate Drive with 1.8 Ohm Resistor - 6 inch lead; 1700V/1000A Fuji PrimePACK

Note: 1.1 usec turn on after rising edge


Plug and Play vs. Flying Lead: Direct
Gate Drive with 1.8 Ohm Resistor - Direct Connection; 1700V/1000A Fuji PrimePack

Note: IGBT turns off 4.15 us after the falling edge.

Plug and Play vs. Flying Lead: Flying Lead
Gate Drive with 1.8 Ohm Resistor - 6 inch lead; 1700V/1000A Fuji PrimePACK

Note: IGBT turns off 4.3 us after the falling edge.

Lead Length Correlation to Gate Resistors

The previous slides indicate that flying leads have a
real effect on the switching speed of the IGBT.

This slowing is the equivalent of increasing the Gate
Resistor from 1.8 Ohms to 3.0 Ohms in a direct
connect system using the same gate driver.

How does this affect performance?


Power Dissipation of the IGBT: Direct Connection

Note: Tj ave is 107.7 C . Inverter loss is 184W and 304W ON/OFF.

Power Dissipation of the IGBT: Flying Lead

Note Tj ave is 113.4 C. (+6C) Inverter loss is 277W (+93W) and 322W (+18W) ON/OFF
(111W total).

Direct Connect = Increased Efficiency

This indicates that there is additional wattage lost in
the slower turn on/off times and reflected in higher
junction temperature.
This translates to better performance with
improved Long Term Life and Reliability.


Future: Increasing Fault Detection Further
Enables Safe And Secure Operation
• Increased monitoring of the performance and
functionality of the driver and IGBT can lead to
better reliability.
• Next generation IGBT driver designs should account
for monitoring the following fault scenarios and
conditions:
– Separate Hi/Lo fault signals
– Desat timing and levels
– UVLO
– High Voltage monitoring
– IGBT temperature
– Ambient temperature


Designing for Plug And Play is Challenging,
But Worth It
• The electrical performance and isolation
requirements for a gate driver are the same for a
plug and play design and a flying lead design.
• However, Plug and play design is more
demanding since the ambient temperature of the
Driver may be higher due to the close proximity
to the IGBT.
• And, additional mechanical requirements and a
smaller PCB footprint can make it longer to
design and more costly to manufacture.


How to Reach Us

Rob Weber
Albert Charpentier
1650 Arch Street
Suite 1905
Philadelphia, PA 19103
info@AgileSwitch.com
484-483-3256


How Eliminating Flying Lead IGBT Driver Interconnect Improves Performance and Reliability

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