IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE), Phoenix, AZ, USA, 2024, pp. 4207-4212, doi.org/10.1109/ECCE55643.2024.10861730

Lifetime Prediction of Electrothermally-Stressed Semiconductor Devices in Si/SiC H-ANPC Inverter

Nanditha Gajanur¹, Mohammad A. Abbaszada¹, Sudip K. Mazumder¹, Matt Ursino², and Patrick McCluskey^3
1 Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, USA
² Yaskawa Solectria Solar, USA
³ Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, Maryland, USA

For more information about this article and related research, please contact Prof. Patrick McCluskey.

Abstract:

The hybrid-active-neutral-point-clamped (H-ANPC) inverter, which integrates Si and SiC devices, outperforms the traditional Si NPC inverter without incurring the higher cost of a SiC NPC inverter. Nevertheless, the SiC MOSFETs in the Si/SiC H-ANPC experience higher power losses than the Si IGBTs, potentially impacting their reliability. Through accelerated electrothermal power-cycling tests (PCTs) and statistical lifetime assessments based on inverter mission profiles, this paper investigates the lifetimes of these semiconductor devices. The study further explores semiconductor device-placement strategies on heatsinks with the goal of extending the lifetime of SiC MOSFETs in the Si/SiC H-ANPC inverter to closely match that of SiC MOSFETs in the SiC NPC inverter. The implication of using non-monolithic heatsinks, with decisions informed by unique device material properties and asymmetric heat loading, are analyzed. Additionally, the placement of forced cooling to enhance inverter reliability without affecting the size and cost of the inverter is discussed.

This article is available online here and to CALCE Consortium Members for personal review.