Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society  2024, Vol. 39 Issue (15): 4682-4696    DOI: 10.19595/j.cnki.1000-6753.tces.232160
Current Issue| Next Issue| Archive| Adv Search |
A Junction Temperature Monitoring Method for Power Devices Based on Turn-on Collector-Emitter Voltage Drop Platform
Wang Huimin, Xu Zhiliang, Ding Juxia, Ge Xinglai, Wang Yi
Key Laboratory of Magnetic Suspension Technology and Maglev Vehicle Ministry of Education Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu 610031 China

Download: PDF (3719 KB)   HTML (1 KB) 
Export: BibTeX | EndNote (RIS)      
Abstract  Insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules for energy conversion are the core components of the traction converters. However, under the harsh environment and complex conditions, IGBT modules suffer from high failure rates caused by junction temperature swings in traction converters. Thus, high-performance junction temperature monitoring methods are attractive in traction converters. The existing methods are challenging in addressing the load current dependence issue, and the accuracy is degraded. This paper proposes a junction temperature monitoring method based on the turn-on collector-emitter voltage drop platform (Vce-drop), which can solve the load current dependence and achieve a high sensitivity.
Firstly, with the equivalent circuit model of the IGBT module, the characterization behaviors of the IGBT module during turn-on transient processes are detailed. The relationship between the Vce-drop and the junction temperature is analyzed. The Vce-drop is not affected by the load current variations, but its width undergoes obvious variations with the load current variations. Then, compared to the equivalent circuit model and the structure of the IGBT module, a positioning method of the Vce-drop is provided. It is found that when the Vce-drop appears in the turn-on collector-emitter voltage, the maximum voltage of the equivalent inductance LeE exists. Thus, the Vce-drop is accordingly positioned by introducing the maximum change rate of the collector-emitter current (dICE/dt).
Then, the double-pulse tests are conducted to verify the proposed method under different operation conditions. The effects of load current variations on the Vce-drop are investigated. The double-pulse test results show that the height of the Vce-drop is constant with different load currents. That means the performance of the proposed method is not affected by load current variations. The sensitivity of the proposed method from 20 A to 40 A is 0.33 V/℃, 0.34 V/℃, 0.35 V/℃, and 0.29 V/℃, respectively, exhibiting a high sensitivity.
Finally, experimental tests based on a single-phase pulse-width modulation (PWM) rectifier are carried out. Compared with the turn-off delay time method and the threshold voltage method, the proposed method provides a satisfactory performance under different load currents. According to the performance comparison between the proposed method and the other junction temperature monitoring methods, the maximum junction temperature estimation errors of the proposed method and the threshold voltage method are within the range of 3℃, and the maximum junction temperature estimation error of the turn-off delay time method is 5.7℃.
The following conclusions can be drawn. (1) The characterization behaviors of the Vce-drop during turn-on transient processes are detailed, and the relationship between the Vce-drop and the junction temperature is analyzed. (2) The position of the Vce-drop is achieved using the maximum value of the parasitic inductance voltage, and the proposed method is extensively investigated by double-pulse tests. The load current variations have a negligible effect on the Vce-drop. (3) The performance of the proposed method is verified. The experimental results suggest that the proposed method achieves interesting benefits regarding load current independence and high sensitivity.
Key wordsJunction temperature monitoring      turn-on collector-emitter voltage drop platform      power devices      reliability evaluation     
Received: 25 December 2023     
PACS: TM921.2  
Service
E-mail this article
Add to my bookshelf
Add to citation manager
E-mail Alert
RSS
Articles by authors
Wang Huimin
Xu Zhiliang
Ding Juxia
Ge Xinglai
Wang Yi
Cite this article:   
Wang Huimin,Xu Zhiliang,Ding Juxia等. A Junction Temperature Monitoring Method for Power Devices Based on Turn-on Collector-Emitter Voltage Drop Platform[J]. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2024, 39(15): 4682-4696.
URL:  
https://dgjsxb.ces-transaction.com/EN/10.19595/j.cnki.1000-6753.tces.232160     OR     https://dgjsxb.ces-transaction.com/EN/Y2024/V39/I15/4682
Copyright © Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society
Supported by: Beijing Magtech