As an increasing attention towards sustainable development of energy and environment, the power electronics (PEs) are gaining more and more attraction on various energy systems. The insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), as one of the PEs with numerous advantages and potentials for development of higher voltage and current ratings, has been used in a board range of applications. However, the continuing miniaturization and rapid increasing power ratings of IGBTs have remarkable high heat flux, which requires complex thermal management. In this paper, studies of the thermal management on IGBTs are generally reviewed including analyzing, comparing, and classifying the results originating from these researches. The thermal models to accurately calculate the dynamic heat dissipation are divided into analytical models, numerical models, and thermal network models, respectively. The thermal resistances of current IGBT modules are also studied. According to the current products on a number of IGBTs, we observe that the junction-to-case thermal resistance generally decreases inversely in terms of the total thermal power. In addition, the cooling solutions of IGBTs are reviewed and the performance of the various solutions are studied and compared. At last, we have proposed a quick and efficient evaluation judgment for the thermal management of the IGBTs depended on the requirements on the junction-to-case thermal resistance and equivalent heat transfer coefficient of the test samples.

Thermal Management on IGBT Power Electronic Devices and Modules

GaN based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have demonstrated extraordinary features in the applications of high power and high frequency devices. In this paper, we review recent progress in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, including the following sections. First, challenges in device fabrication and optimizations will be discussed. Then, the latest progress in device fabrication technologies will be presented. Finally, some promising device structures from simulation studies will be discussed.

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/7/12/377/pdf

A Comprehensive Review of Recent Progress on GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors: Devices, Fabrication and Reliability

This paper is concerned with the thermal models which can physically reflect the heat-flow paths in a lightweight three-phase half-bridge two-level SiC power module with six MOSFETs and can be used for coupled electrothermal simulation. The finite-element (FE) model was first evaluated and calibrated to provide the raw data for establishing the physical resistor–capacitor (RC) network model. It was experimentally verified that the cooling condition of the module mounted on a water cooler can be satisfactorily described by assuming the water cooler as a heat exchange boundary in the FE model. The compact RC network consisting of 115 R and C parameters to predict the transient junction temperatures of the six MOSFETS was constructed, where cross-heating effects between the MOSFETs are represented with lateral thermal resistors. A three-step curve fitting method was especially developed to overcome the challenge for extracting the R and C values of the RC network from the selected FE simulation results. The established compact RC network model can physically be correlated with the structure and heat-flow paths in the power module, and was evaluated using the FE simulation results from the power module under realistic switching conditions. It was also integrated into the LTspice model to perform the coupled electrothermal simulation to predict the power losses and junction temperatures of the six MOSFETs under switching frequencies from 5 to 100 kHz which demonstrate the good electrothermal performance of the designed power module.

/pdf/a-physical-rc-network-model-for-electrothermal-analysis-of-a-10lap3xfax.pdf

A Physical RC Network Model for Electrothermal Analysis of a Multichip SiC Power Module

Integrated power electronics modules (IPEMs) represent an innovative typology of power electronics assemblies able to guarantee several advantages such as increasing of power density, better management of the thermal flows, and a significant reduction of the package sizes. Their characteristics make them suitable for applications like motor drives or power conditioning. IPEM usage in emerging fields like hybrid automotive traction and electric generation from renewable energy sources is continuously increasing. In this paper, we describe the implementation of a devised flow to generate the layer-based electrothermal PSpice model of an IPEM and the simulation flow of the model. The proposed modeling methodology allows reducing an electrothermal multidomain problem to an electrical single one. The general PSpice-like nature of the proposed model makes it suitable for a wide range of simulation frameworks where the integration of heterogeneous multiphysics models could be a difficult task. The outlining of both electrical and thermal PSpice layers is discussed, and the implementation into the final model, by the assistance of custom electronic-design-automation flow, is presented. Moreover, we describe the validation procedure of the proposed approach, and the results are compared with the ones obtained by a commercial finite-element-based package used as a benchmark. Two simulation approaches related to specific conversion systems, and related issues, are presented and discussed.

Electrothermal PSpice Modeling and Simulation of Power Modules

Recent growth of power semiconductor device market has been driven largely by the growing demand for an efficient way to convert and distribute energy in the field of renewable energy, electrical vehicles, aerospace, marine and applications. For safety, critical applications, temperature management and control are the most important functions. Therefore, estimating or measuring the junction temperature of the power semiconductor device is useful to perform thermal management and converter control. Several methods have been published to measure the junction temperature of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). This paper attempts to summarize the past developments and recent advances in measuring junction temperature of power semiconductor device is presented. Finally, the promising methods are recommended for future work.

Comparison of IGBT junction temperature measurement and estimation methods-a review

In recent years, the development of electronic systems that make use of high-rate power circuitry is increasingly frequent also for markets going beyond the typical industrial sector. So, the implementation of efficient electronic modules aimed at converting power, in ambits such as renewable energy equipment or hybrid-electric vehicle motor drives, represents a new challenge for designers. Often, the amount of power to be managed is very significant and no rarely it exceeds tens of kW. In this context, new concepts for manufacturing power converters are emerging and Integrated Power Electronics Modules (IPEM) represent a solution which guarantees better performances. The design of applications exploiting IPEM concept requires multi-domains simulation models able to predict the thermal behaviour of the module according to its electrical performances. In this work, a new methodology aimed at automatizing the synthesis of PSpice-like models able to reproduce both electrical and thermal dynamics is discussed. The model, generated by starting with a series of data retrieved by FEM simulations, exploits a mapping between electrical and thermal quantities and allows reproducing the characteristics of the module in a pure PSpice simulation environment. After a description of the electro-thermal model and the related developed EDA synthesis environment, a series of simulation issues are discussed.

Generation of electro-thermal models of integrated power electronics modules using a novel synthesis technique

In this work, the implementation flow of an electro-thermal model of an Integrated Power Electronics Module is presented. The methodology is based on an innovative layered approach where the whole system is devised as composed by two distinct layers, an electrical and a thermal one, linked together through the active model of a discrete power MOSFET device. We describe an original methodology aimed at reducing an electro-thermal multi-domain problem to an electrical single-domain one thanks to a mapping between thermal and electrical quantities. The strong point of the proposed approach relies on the fact that layers, generated independently with the aid of FEM simulations, are then melted together in a spice-like macro model that could be used, by engineers, in a pure spice-like design environment without the aid of external mathematical solver engines. Finally, a series of simulation issues are discussed.

Electro-thermal model of Integrated Power Electronics Modules based on an innovative layered approach

Integrated Power Electronics Modules (IPEMs) have been developed to relieve the converter manufacturers of the burden of several discrete power devices integration. With respect to generic assemblies, modern high-end IPEMs guarantee several advantages such as high power density, low profiles and an optimal management of the wasted heat. An available model able to reproduce both electrical and thermal behavior is helpful to save designers' time and to avoid the application failure due to overheating. In this paper, a layered-approach methodology aimed at generating an IPEM model featuring six IGBT devices connected in a three-phase bridge topology is described. The approach relies on a strategy that implies the definition of an electrical and thermal layer in a segregate way and has as main objective the generation of a full-PSpice model of the IPEM able to take into account both the electrical and thermal behavior. The layers are then linked together by an IGBT self-heating model. The thermal layer, which poses many difficulties for its implementation, is automatically synthetized by using a custom Electric Design Automation (EDA) flow developed within the context of this work. A series of comparison between FEM simulations and the final PSpice model demonstrates the validity of the proposed approach.

Layered electro-thermal model of high-end integrated power electronics modules with IGBTs

In recent years, power electronics solutions spread through fields ever less tied to a pure industrial context for embracing on-coming applications in consumer, automotive and renewable energy markets. In all those contexts several requirements drive engineers in implementing assemblies having increasingly strict constraints as high power density, optimal management of temperature, and a more and more compact and mechanically robust structure, so to guarantee a good degree of integration in the host system. In applications where the power to be managed is significant (tens to hundreds of kW), Integrated Power Electronics Modules (IPEMs) play a major role. These solutions, already extensively industrialized, well satisfy the above mentioned integration requirements, and allow the final customer to reduce power-management costs. In order to design an IPEM able to satisfy all the requirements it is necessary to have preliminary CAD models able to predict its behavior from several points of view. In this work, a layered modeling flow able to take into account both the electrical and thermal behavior is detailed. Moreover, a series of issues able to produce prospective mechanical stresses and related failure conditions are discussed.

Giovanni Vinci

Papers

Electrothermal PSpice Modeling and Simulation of Power Modules

Generation of electro-thermal models of integrated power electronics modules using a novel synthesis technique

Electro-thermal model of Integrated Power Electronics Modules based on an innovative layered approach

Layered electro-thermal model of high-end integrated power electronics modules with IGBTs

Integrated power electronics modules: Electro-thermal modeling flow and stress conditions overview