IXYS Expands High Power Rectifiers for Rail, Traction and Marine Drive Applications

IXYS Corp. announced that its wholly owned UK subsidiary, Westcode Semiconductors Ltd., expanded the 50mm pole rectifier product range with improved power density and efficiency. The introduction of four new devices expands the voltage range to include products from 300V to 6kV.

According to the company, the average current rating represents a 50% increase over present products of the same voltage and overall package size. Improved performance is achieved by maximizing the active silicon area and an improved vertical structure. The pole rectifier design allows for double sided cooling thus offering what is described as best in class thermal and electrical efficiencies. In addition to the increased average current rating, the device also offers enhanced surge ratings and can be supplied to special order in an extended case rupture current housing for advanced system safety. The new introductions are available in four voltage classes; 300 to 600V, 1.2 to 1.5kV, 1.8 to 2.2kV and 5.2kV – complementing the five devices already introduced.

Frank Wakeman, Westcode’s Marketing & Technical Support Manager, commented, "Increasing the ratio of power per weight of these rectifier diodes facilitates the design of smaller and lighter power systems in mobile applications such as the front-end rectifiers in Traction main drives, plus Marine and off-shore applications. Additionally the devices are suitable for all front-end and general rectification applications, such as track-side substations and power conversion, offering a highly competitive cost per ampere ratio."