Study on the Effects of Burst Pulse Magnetic Field Interference in IGBT Switching Circuit for High Power Application

Abstract

It is well known that insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) are often operated in complex electromagnetic environments, however, there are few researches on magnetic field interference (MFI) effects on their performance, as well as reliability for high power applications. Here, we present one hybrid approach that integrates computational magnetics method and circuit modeling technique to investigate the burst pulse MFI on the IGBT module. Such IGBT module is at first represented by an equivalent circuit model, enabling subsequent magnetic field simulations targeting at its susceptible regions. The simulated magnetic field distribution at different time steps, the distribution of eddy current, flux density and temperature rise in the IGBT module induced by the MFI source are all predicted. Further, experimental validation is conducted to verify the accuracy of the simulation and modeling analyses. It is believed that this research will be very useful for understanding the MFI mechanism in the IGBT module, enhancing their reliability and performance in particular for high-power applications.