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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Comparison between 1.7 kV SiC SJT and MOSFET Power Modules

Abstract— In this paper, a comprehensive evaluation work on 1.7 kV SiC Super Junction Transistor (SJT) power module and 1.7 kV SiC MOSFET power modules is presented. Both device static and dynamic performance is extracted and compared at wide device current range and temperature range. The data presented in this paper can be used as input for medium voltage power conversion system power transistor selection, gate drive design and system level thermal management design. Since the SiC SJT is a new power transistor with unique current driven mechanism. A dedicated section discusses the SiC SJT power module gate drive configuration and device false turn on suppress as well. In a summary, 1.7 kV SiC SJT shows superior on state conductivity, but similar switching performance compared to 1.7 kV SiC MOSFET power modules.

gate drive↗
DOE OSTI2014

A High Temperature Silicon Carbide mosfet Power Module With Integrated Silicon-On-Insulator-Based Gate Drive

Here we present a board-level integrated silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET power module for high temperature and high power density application. Specifically, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based gate driver capable of operating at 200°C ambient temperature is designed and fabricated. The sourcing and sinking current capability of the gate driver are tested under various ambient temperatures. Also, a 1200 V/100 A SiC MOSFET phase-leg power module is developed utilizing high temperature packaging technologies. The static characteristics, switching performance, and short-circuit behavior of the fabricated power module are fully evaluated at different temperatures. Moreover, a buck converter prototype composed of the SOI gate driver and SiC power module is built for high temperature continuous operation. The converter is operated at different switching frequencies up to 100 kHz, with its junction temperature monitored by a thermosensitive electrical parameter and compared with thermal simulation results. The experimental results from the continuous operation demonstrate the high temperature capability of the power module at a junction temperature greater than 225°C.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Design of 1500V/200kW 99.6% Efficiency Dual Active Bridge Converters Based on 1700V SiC Power MOSFET Module

High efficiency, high density and galvanically isolated power converters are attractive for medium voltage high power applications. This paper presents a 1.5kV/200kW bidirectional Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter using a newly developed 1.7kV SiC MOSFET module. The intended application is megawatt scale solid state transformer (SST) and 1500V PV inverter application using modular architecture. One novel model to estimate the turn-off loss using snubber capacitors is proposed and experimentally verified. An optimized PCB-based busbar design is introduced to reduce the voltage overshoot across the SiC device, making the design suitable for 1.5kVdc applications. The mechanism of how the optimized PCB-based busbar can reduce the voltage overshoot is quantitatively interpreted and experimentally verified. The DAB converter achieved an efficiency of 98.85% at 200kW and a maximum of 99.53% at 60kW. The maximum efficiency for series-resonant mode is 99.6% at 85kW and 99.3% at 200kW. The power density is 26W/inch3 (1.6MW/m3) which is much higher than traditional industry products.

Xu, Wei↗
DOE OSTI2018

Development of a low-inductance SiC trench MOSFET power module for high-frequency application

This paper deals with the development of a low-inductance multiple-chip power module with state-of-art 1200 V SiC Trench MOSFETs for high-frequency application. Specifically, a phase-leg power module package with integrated decoupling capacitance is fabricated based on P-cell/N-cell concept, and the packaging design is discussed in detail. Dedicated double pulse test is built, and a gate driver with cross-talk suppression function is designed to support the fast switching speed operation of SiC Trench MOSFETs. The parasitic inductance and current density distribution of the power module are simulated and extracted for the purpose of voltage spike limiting. The temperature dependent static and switching characteristics of the developed module are evaluated as well, and the key differences from traditional SiC double-diffused MOS (DMOS) are identified and discussed. Based on the turn-off switching characterization results, a lumped equivalent power-loop parasitic inductance of ~6 nH is achieved for the designed power module.

Wang, Zhiqiang↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Multi-Metrics In Situ Aging Detector for SiC Power MOSFET Modules with Full Driver-Integration Capability

In this paper, the concept and prototype of an aging detector for silicon carbide (SiC) power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) are proposed and described. It leverages the resonant peak values of gate-source voltage at different instants during the switching transients to decode the change of multiple aging indicators, such as the increases of on-state resistance and threshold voltage. Modeling-based analysis is conducted to support the idea. The detector can be fully integrated into gate drivers without any additional connection to the power stage and is functional during normal power stage operation. A prototype unit was built, and preliminary tests were conducted to validate the idea and the practicality of the detector.

aging↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Double-side Cooled SiC MOSFET Power Module with Sintered-silver Interposers: I. Design, Simulation, Fabrication, and Performance Characterization

Planar, double-side cooled power modules are emerging in electric-drive inverters because of their low profile, better heat extraction, and lower package parasitic inductances. However, there is still concern about their reliability due to the rigid interconnection between the device chips and two substrates of the power module. In this paper, a porous interposer made of low-temperature sintered silver is introduced to reduce the thermo-mechanical stresses in the module. A double-side cooled half-bridge module consisting of two 1200 V, 149 A SiC MOSFETs was designed, fabricated, and characterized. By using the sintered-Ag instead of solid copper interposers, our simulation results showed that at a total power loss of 200 W, the thermo-mechanical stress at the most vulnerable interfaces (interposer-attach layer) was reduced by 42 % and in the SiC MOSFET by 50 % with a trade-off of only 3.6 % increase in junction temperature. The sintered-Ag interposers were readily fabricated into desired dimensions without post-machining and did not require any surface finishing for die-bonding and substrate interconnection by silver sintering. Here, the porous interposers were also deformable under a low force or pressure, which helped to accommodate chip thickness and/or substrate-to-substrate gap variations in the planar module structure, thus simplifying module fabrication. Experimental results on the electrical performance of the fabricated SiC modules validated the success of using the porous silver interposers for fabricating planar, double-side cooled power modules.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2018

SiC MOSFET Based Power Module Design and Analysis for EV Traction Systems

Wide bandgap (WBG) power semiconductor devices, specifically silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) have gained attention from electric vehicle (EV) system developers due to well-known superior properties in comparison to industry standard silicon (Si) based MOSFETs and insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). In this work, a power module design based on SiC MOSFETs in a segmented two-level, three-phase inverter topology with 125 kW peak output power and 30 kHz switching frequency is presented. Three different SiC MOSFET die options are analyzed according to experimentally obtained operating conditions of a commercial EV traction system. Substrate design of the power module for multi-die layout, heat sink design, and integration of a segmented phase leg module are presented. Finite-element electrical and thermal analysis of the proposed system are presented and discussed.

Gurpinar, Emre↗
DOE OSTI2019

Self-Powering High Frequency Modulated SiC Power MOSFET Isolated Gate Driver

A novel implementation of an isolated gate driver for power switches is proposed in this study. The driver is bespoke designed for SiC power mosfet s. The proposal achieves the main driver characteristics—isolation capability, gate switching command, and power transfer to the secondary side by using a unique magnetic transformer. The resulting simple circuitry enables the integration of the driver into the power cell, achieving theoretical higher power density values of the final system. The principle of operation of the driver is described in detail. The original pulsewidth modulation signal is modulated with a pure ac square waveform under a two-level modulation scheme, that guarantees no saturation of the magnetic core. Here, the signal is then magnetically coupled to the secondary side, where it is rectified and reconstructed to effectively drive the target device. In addition, the steps needed to provide a suitable design taking into account the parameters of the target power switch are also detailed. The resulting driver is characterized and a prototype of the driver is built and tested. The main results of the driver performance on a SiC mosfet -based prototype are presented. Based on the analysis of these results, this study experimentally demonstrates the feasibility of the proposal.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Power Module Precursors and Prognostics

The ongoing work involves 1) the identification and evaluation of various electric signals as indicators to module failure and precursors to aging, and 2) the development of corresponding detection techniques. In the current phase, 1) the increase of on-state resistance is selected as the precursor to the power cycle aging of silicon carbide power MOSFET modules based on review and rest data. 2) A detection method leveraging the gate voltage fluctuations magnitude during commutation transients to inform the on-state resistance increase is investigated which has the benefit of being able to be integrated into the gate driver. A dedicated detection circuit for implementation is designed and simulated and is currently in fabrication.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Smart Silicon Carbide Power Module With Pulse Width Modulation Over Wi-Fi and Wireless Power Transfer-Enabled Gate Driver, Featuring Onboard State of Health Estimator and High-Voltage Scaling Capabilities: Preprint

A wide range of utility applications require controllable switches with features such as high-voltage (HV) blocking and high-current carrying capacity especially at high pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. Low and medium voltage utility applications such as motor drives and flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) as well as solid state transformers (SST) could also benefit from a low-cost HV switching module. Wide band gap (WBG) semiconductors such as SiC and GaN MOSFETs are considered to be the present and next generation device choices, although they have their own limitations. For relatively HV applications with demanding thermal management, SiC is still the only choice, and GaN dominates the low voltage regime. This manuscript proposes a new half bridge power MOSFET module that is suitable for conventional H-bridge of multilevel configurations used in HV applications. Constructed from bare SiC dies, this half bridge module takes advantage of (1) optimized MOSFET placement inside the module, (2) customized heat exchanger, manifold and cooling, (3) integrated gate driver module with PWM over wi-fi to eliminate the need for low voltage signals, (4) wireless power transfer (WPT) enabled gate driver and other ancillary circuits, (5) and the option to incorporate an onboard state of health (SOH) estimator module onboard. The entire architecture has been designed and built at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.

baseplate design↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Smart Silicon Carbide Power Module With Pulse Width Modulation Over Wi-Fi and Wireless Power Transfer-Enabled Gate Driver, Featuring Onboard State of Health Estimator and High-Voltage Scaling Capabilities

A wide range of utility applications require controllable switches with features such as high-voltage blocking and high-current carrying capacity, especially at high pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. Low- and medium-voltage utility applications such as motor drives and flexible AC transmission systems as well as solid state transformers could also benefit from a low-cost high-voltage switching module. Wide-bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are considered to be the present and next-generation device choices, although they have limitations. For relatively high-voltage applications with demanding thermal management, SiC is still the only choice, and GaN dominates the low-voltage regime. This manuscript proposes a new half-bridge power MOSFET module that is suitable for conventional H-bridge of multilevel configurations used in high-voltage applications. Constructed from bare SiC dies, this half-bridge module takes advantage of (1) optimized MOSFET placement inside the module, (2) customized heat exchanger, manifold, and cooling, (3) integrated gate driver module with pulse width modulation (PWM) over wi-fi to eliminate the need for low-voltage signals, (4) wireless power transfer (WPT)-enabled gate driver and other ancillary circuits, (5) and the option to incorporate an onboard state-of-health (SOH) estimator module. The entire architecture has been designed and built at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO.

Ga2O3 devices↗
DOE OSTI2018

50-kW 1kV DC bus air-cooled inverter with 1.7 kV SiC MOSFETs and 3D-printed novel power module packaging structure for grid applications

The traditional heatsink design technologies for forced air-cooling and power semiconductors with low junction temperatures have constrained the converters to be designed with massive heatsinks. The low power losses of WBG device technology and higher junction temperature operation over a wide operating range of power have not been fully utilized with liquid-cooled systems. The other major limitation has also been the traditional power module packaging “stack” approach with baseplate. This paper presents a novel power stage design which involves 1.7 kV silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, a heatsink design with Genetic Algorithm (GA) and built using 3D printing technology, and a novel integrated modular power module for high power density. The air-cooled module assembly has a SiC MOSFET phase leg module with split high-side and low-side switches and a gate driver with cross-talk and short circuit protection functions. The heatsink design was modeled using a co-simulation environment with finite element analysis software and GA in MATLAB and COMSOL. The proposed concepts were verified and validated through experiments at each stage of development. The power stage was evaluated at 800V, 900 V, and 1kV for 20 kHz switching frequency and 50-kW load. The experimental results show that the CEC efficiency is 98.4 %. In addition to the efficiency, a power density of 75 W/in 3 was also achieved.

Chinthavali, Madhu Sudhan↗
DOE OSTI2023

An Effective Current Balancing Method for Inverters With Paralleled Silicon Carbide Power Modules

Silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET has many superior characteristics in high power applications. Paralleling the SiC devices is an effective approach to increase the current capacity of the system, which also leads to current sharing issues. In this article, both transient and steady-state current sharing issues are studied for the high-power grid-tied inverters with paralleled SiC modules with an effective current balancing strategy proposed to address both issues simultaneously. The steady-state imbalance current due to the parameter mismatch is suppressed by the self-inductance of power cables used for paralleling connection. With the elimination of steady-state imbalance current, the transient imbalance current sensing is much simplified and can be realized by using low-cost current sensors. With the sensed imbalance current, a closed-loop control approach is proposed to adjust the modulation reference signal for each module to mitigate the remaining transient imbalance current. Furthermore, the proposed method is straightforward to implement with enhanced compatibility and flexibility compared to existing methods. Experimental studies are performed using inverters with 2 and 4 power modules paralleled in each phase to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

Design, Analysis and Comparison of Insulated Metal Substrates for High Power Wide-Bandgap Power Modules

In this technical paper, design, analysis and comparison of insulated metal substrates for high power wide-bandgap semiconductor-based power modules is discussed. The paper starts with technical description and discussion of state-of-the-art direct bonded copper substrates with different ceramic insulators such as AlN, Al2O3 and Si3N4. This is followed by introduction of insulated metal substrates, material properties and options on each layer, and design approach for high power applications. The properties of dielectric thickness, and impact on power handling capability of the substrate are discussed. Insulated metal substrate design approach for SiC MOSFET based power modules is presented. Finite element analysis-based characterization and comparison of different designs including steady-state and transient thermal response is presented. The results show that IMS is a promising alternative to DBC in high power modules with improved transient thermal performance. IMS provides flexible building structure with multi-layer stacking options and variable thicknesses at different layers.

Gurpinar, Emre↗
DOE OSTI2023

A High-Power Density Segmented Traction Drive Inverter

High power density is one of the requirements for traction drive inverters for meeting increasing demand for higher power and performance electrical vehicles (EV). This paper presents design and preliminary experimental results for a 100 kW high-power density inverter for EV traction drive applications. The inverter design was based on the segmented inverter topology that can significantly reduce the inverter DC filter capacitor and employs low-profile planar double-sided cooled SiC MOSFET-based power modules, compact mini-channel heat sinks with fin-profile optimized using genetic-algorithms, and high-ripple current capacitors. The design produced a compact inverter package with a total volume less than 1 litter, exceeding the power density goal of 100 kW/L. Experimental results are included to demonstrate the cooling and electrical performance.

Su, Gui-Jia↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparison and Discussion on Shortcircuit Protections for Silicon-Carbide MOSFET Modules: Desaturation Versus Rogowski Switch-Current Sensor

Survivability of silicon-carbide (SiC) mosfet modules during short circuit (SC) is essential for modern power electronics systems due to large economic implications. SiC mosfet modules exhibit narrow SC withstand times and generally much lower SC robustness than silicon (Si) insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). This puts a critical concern on their utilization, further stressing the importance of reliable protection. This article presents a comprehensive analysis and discussion on the SiC mosfet module SC protection and performance comparison between conventional desaturation detection, previously used for Si IGBT protection, and Rogowski switch-current sensor (RSCS) detection. In addition, this article presents the experimental design for soft turn-off as a reaction to the SC detection to avoid excessive overshoots during the abrupt turn-off of the SC current. To perform different types of SC with various fault inductances on different temperatures, and for the sake of fair comparison under the same conditions, a gate-driver unit for 1.2 kV SiC mosfet half-bridge modules is developed containing both detection methods. The results demonstrate that both methods are successful in protecting the module in all SC types, with superiority of the RSCS detection and concerns for desaturation detection in high-inductance and high dc-bus voltage SC events.

42 ENGINEERING↗