IGBT-Based Motor Drives in Public Transports

The IGBT has a major impact on the transportation sector in all over the world. It enabled the introduction of cost-effective and reliable electronic ignition systems that have improved gasoline fuel efficiency by at least 10 percent. They have also been critical elements in the improvement of mass transit systems and the deployment of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Modern mass transit systems rely upon electric trains where the propulsion is derived from supplying AC power to motors. High-speed rail, such as the European TGV and the Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains allows travel by large numbers of people while avoiding fossil fuel consumption experienced with gasoline-powered automobiles and aircraft. Until the 1990s, the silicon GTO was the only available power semiconductor switching device with the power handling capability suitable for this application. In the 1990s, the ratings of IGBTs had sufficiently advanced, to exceed one Mega-Watt allowing penetration of the IGBT into this traction market. 

The availability of the IGBT allowed significant improvements in the motor drive technology due to the elimination of snubber circuits and an increase in the operating frequency of the inverter circuit used to deliver power to the motors. Mass transit systems within cities must rely upon busses, trams, and underground trains. Many cities have been replacing gasoline-powered buses with electric buses and trams to reduce urban pollution. All of these below requirements were met by using the IGBT-based motor drive in control system for the electric transit bus: (a) wide range of speed including high operating speed; (b) large startup torque for good acceleration; (c) high efficiency; and (d) regenerative braking to increase utilization of batteries. In Europe and Japan, electric tram transit systems have been modernized by using IGBT-based motor drives. According to AEG-Westinghouse Transport Systeme, Germany, the low floor concept is becoming a standard customer prerequisite. This has been enabled by today’s IGBT modules.

IGBT Motor Drives in the Hybrid & Electric Vehicles

The automotive industry, the largest in the world, is fast-growing and diverse, with a wide range of customer preferences for design, comfort, and technology. It is well recognized that gasoline power vehicles produce significant urban pollution while consuming a dwindling fossil fuel resource. A solution to this problem is the deployment of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. The global goals to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, with pioneering efforts in developing electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), bring significant technology challenges. 

All hybrid-electric and electric cars that have been introduced into the market so far have relied upon IGBT-based motor drives. In new powertrain generations such as EVs and HEVs, IGBTs play a key role in order to drive the electric motor or store the energy. IGBTs run at very high frequencies and under high power which makes them vulnerable to thermal problems. Thermal characterization helps to optimize the IGBTs layout, structure and mounting to optimize its performance. After all, we can say, the availableness of IGBTs has been diametrical to the advancement of hybrid vehicles and to the expansion of the charging substructure for electric vehicles. IGBTs will carry on playing a significant part in the availableness of expense reducing technology for the whole hybrid and electric vehicle business.

Rotor position sensor system for brushless motor control in IGBTS

Brushless motors are frequently used in (H) EV applications. These highly efficient motors are based on fast and precise rotor position sensors for switching, since these sensor parameters have a significant impact on starting behavior, dynamics, torque undulation, and efficiency. There are different principles to detect the position of the rotor: electromechanical (inductive) and magnetic resolution. Sensor systems based on solving the problems of transistors have some limitations (analog output, complex circuit, high system costs, space limitations, sensitivity to lost fields and positioning tolerances, etc.). 

The 32-bit AURIX microcontroller family, With its delta-sigma ADC to perform carrier signal generation and software-based coding, it already helps save the external resolution IC and, therefore, the system cost by 20%. On the other hand, magneto-resistant angle sensors (xMR) with AMR (Anisotropic-Magneto-Resistance) or GMR (Giant-Magneto-Resistance) technology offer high precision accuracy, combined with low sensitivity to the tolerances of position.

FZ1600R12KF4 Best IGBT for Motor Drives

Capable of generating power up to 1200V and 1600A with a light weight of 2.20lbs, Infineon IGBT FZ1600R12KF4 is a perfect fit for various motor drives. Its easy construction aspect even makes its usage more convenient to users compared to the conventional semiconductors.

Eupec Infineon FZ1600R12KF4 has a high surge current reaching up to 2500A or 60Hz. It’s a non-isolated type composed of a mounting base serving as an anode terminal, making it suitable for low voltage with 3-phase rectifier applications.

This lead-free IGBT transistor module is so powerful and durable that it can last and maintain its efficiency for many years. Highly versatile, FZ1600R12KF4 can be used on other applications, such as DC motor controls, AC motor controls and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvnefN9zDXo

IGBT in Refrigerator Compressors

Refrigerators have become essential appliances in society for the preservation of food and beverages. The quality of life for people has been greatly enhanced with the availability of affordable refrigerators for homes. Most household refrigerators utilize the vapor compression cycle with a circulating refrigerant used to cool the refrigerator compartment. Household refrigerators originally used an on/off controlled, constant-speed, single-phase induction motor to drive the compressor. The poor efficiency of this approach made the refrigerator one of the highest power consumption appliances in the home. In order to improve the efficiency, modern refrigerators with the Energy star rating utilize variable-speed, three-phase induction motor drives. Current models that are Energy Star qualified use 50 percent less energy than the average models made in 1974. The variable speed drive to the induction motor is provided using the six IGBTs in the inverter stage. The author’s state: “The total energy savings was about 40%. The system is very quiet and maintains a constant temperature within 0.1 degree Celsius which improves the quality and shelf life of food stored in the refrigerator.” Many companies have optimized IGBTs for use in refrigerator compressor drives due to the large market opportunity. Some companies have developed intelligent power modules, which combine the IGBTs, fly-back rectifiers, and the drive circuits into a single module. This provides a very compact and low cost motor drive option that can be easily adopted for the manufacturing of refrigerators.