Infineon, Avago and InPower Systems were some of the companies demonstrating advances related to IGBT applications during the opening day of this year’s PCIM Europe in Nuremberg.
Infineon Technologies AG announced an innovative IGBT internal packaging technology, which significantly increases the lifetime of IGBT modules. The new XT technology optimizes all interconnections within an IGBT module in regard of lifetime. With these new packaging technologies Infineon has addressed the requirement of emerging applications with regard to higher power cycling capabilities and the desire to increase power densities and raise junction operation temperatures.
"By introducing the new XT technology Infineon is setting a new benchmark in power cycling capability and as a key enabler for higher junction temperature operation", said Martin Hierholzer, Vice President and General Manager Industrial Power at Infineon Technologies. "Based on these new technologies high demanding applications can be addressed like commercial, construction and agriculture vehicles or wind power."
According to the company, the new XT technology increases the lifetime of IGBT modules by a factor of 10 compared to existing technologies. Alternatively the output power can be increased by 25.
To support advanced IGBT applications, Avago Technologies announced the release of a 10 MBd digital optocoupler with high insulation voltage ratings for power supply and high-power motor control application.
The ACNV2601 single channel, 10 MBd digital optocoupler addresses growing market segments that need high data communication rates along with high insulation voltage performance. Avago’s ACNV2601 is the industry-first optocoupler that combines 10 MBd data rates while maintaining or increasing insulating voltage ratings.
ACNV2601 is designed to provide 7,500 Vrms/1 minute isolation voltage, 1,768 Vpeak continuous working insulation voltage and 12,000 Vpeak transient over voltage. The ACNV2601 is pending IEC/UL/CSA regulatory certification for reinforced insulation against electric shock applications. The new technology supports junction temperatures up to 200°C.
InPower demonstrated the smart IPS-drivers which provide reliable protection of IGBT-modules by digital multi-level desaturation and di/dt protection, feedback clamping and digitally controlled soft shut down. They are designed for use in both in dual- and multilevel topologies and in parallel operation.
Key features are controlled by the software and guarantee protection of the IGBT-modules. Based on the variable gate resistors, IPS gate drivers reduce the switch-on losses by up to 20% and, therefore, improve the efficiency of the entire system.
These drivers may be used in transportation, industrial drives, renewable energies and induction heating. They can be suitably adapted to special applications. Customers are not required to have either programming skills or additional equipment as the IPS drivers are supplied "plug-and-play" and optimized for the IGBT module used.
