Development and Performance Evaluation of Integrated Hybrid Power Module for Three-Phase Servo Motor Applications

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Power Electronics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are crucial for industrial motor control.
• Traditional power modules face limitations in efficiency and dynamic performance.
• Silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon (Si) integration offers potential for improved power module capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess a 30 kHz/12 kW SiC/Si integrated hybrid power module (iHPM).
• To evaluate the dynamic characteristics and operational efficiency of the iHPM for industrial servo motor control.
• To compare the performance of the SiC MOSFET inverter against a commercial Si IGBT inverter.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a brake circuit, Si rectifier, and SiC inverter within a single package.
• Implementation of an inductance cancellation design to minimize parasitic inductance and power loss.
• Utilizing space-vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) for inverter control.
• Employing electromagnetic-circuit co-simulation for assessing switching transients and estimating power loss/efficiency.
• Experimental validation through double pulse tests and open-loop inverter operation.

Main Results:

• The developed iHPM integrates key components for minimal current paths.
• Simulations and experiments confirmed the effectiveness of the inductance cancellation design.
• Switching transients and parasitic effects were accurately modeled and experimentally verified.
• The SiC MOSFET inverter demonstrated superior efficiency compared to the Si IGBT inverter.

Conclusions:

• The SiC/Si iHPM is a viable solution for high-performance VFD applications.
• The integrated design and inductance cancellation contribute to enhanced efficiency and dynamic performance.
• SiC technology offers significant advantages over Si IGBTs in terms of power loss and efficiency for motor control.