TY - GEN
T1 - A fast overcurrent protection scheme for IGBT modules through dynamic fault current evaluation
AU - Wang, Zhiqiang
AU - Shi, Xiaojie
AU - Tolbert, Leon M.
AU - Blalock, Benjamin J.
AU - Chinthavali, Madhu
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - This paper presents a new active overcurrent protection scheme for IGBT modules based on the evaluation of fault current level by measuring the induced voltage across the stray inductance between the Kelvin emitter and power emitter of IGBT modules. Compared with the commonly used desaturation protection, it provides a fast and reliable detection of fault current without any blanking time. Once a short circuit is detected, a current limiting and clamping function is activated to dynamically suppress the transient peak current, thus reducing the considerable energetic and thermal stresses induced upon the power device. Subsequently, a soft turn-off mechanism is employed aiming to reduce surge voltages induced by stray inductance under high current falling rate. Moreover, the proposed method provides flexible protection modes, which overcome the interruption of converter operation in the event of momentary short circuits. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach have been validated by simulation results with real component models in Saber. A Double Pulse Tester (DPT) based experimental test setup further verifies the proposed protection scheme.
AB - This paper presents a new active overcurrent protection scheme for IGBT modules based on the evaluation of fault current level by measuring the induced voltage across the stray inductance between the Kelvin emitter and power emitter of IGBT modules. Compared with the commonly used desaturation protection, it provides a fast and reliable detection of fault current without any blanking time. Once a short circuit is detected, a current limiting and clamping function is activated to dynamically suppress the transient peak current, thus reducing the considerable energetic and thermal stresses induced upon the power device. Subsequently, a soft turn-off mechanism is employed aiming to reduce surge voltages induced by stray inductance under high current falling rate. Moreover, the proposed method provides flexible protection modes, which overcome the interruption of converter operation in the event of momentary short circuits. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach have been validated by simulation results with real component models in Saber. A Double Pulse Tester (DPT) based experimental test setup further verifies the proposed protection scheme.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879375276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/APEC.2013.6520268
DO - 10.1109/APEC.2013.6520268
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84879375276
SN - 9781467343541
T3 - Conference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC
SP - 577
EP - 583
BT - 2013 28th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2013
T2 - 28th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2013
Y2 - 17 March 2013 through 21 March 2013
ER -