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IXYS UK Westcode have today introduced the maximal true current rating press-pack IGBT available that is set to break new ground in power handling capability of an individual device. The latest symmetric blocking device with a incessant DC rating of 2.8Kv has a unprecedented DC current of 6000A. The latest device has been aided by IXYS UK’s comprehensive expertise in making and understanding the principles of very big press-pack IGBTs with more than one parallel die. The recently developed 4.5Kv devices include vindicated SPT plus die technology and are built using 52 parallel connected IGBT die, 10 more than the biggest established part with a current rating of 2400A at the same 4.5Kv blocking voltage. Every die is 14.3mm square with an active area of nearly one centimetre squared. The latest device encapsulated in completely sealed 26mm thick with a 132mm electrode diameter, bigger than the traditional 2400A device, but keep up the similar 170mm in-total diameter as the 42 die design; this provides an effective 25% more current rating in the same package. The sturdy internal development is without bond with the single die straight away pressure contacted through metallic pressure plates to the outside copper electrodes. The outright bond free contact confirms maximum reliability and unparalleled thermal cycling properties, far exceeding those of a conventionally packaged plastic package module. In particular, the short circuit failure mode makes these devices the obvious choice for applications requiring series operation, such is the case in utilities, HVDC and very large medium voltage drives. The unrivalled current rating can also reduce the number of parallel paths required in very high current applications in the multi megawatts range. Generally, these devices are well suited to harsh environments and where maintenance access is difficult such as off-shore marine and wind. The hermetic structure and high rupture resistance are properties which are particularly relevant in harsh environments where explosive failure and plasma leak are unacceptable, such as mining, gas and oil instillation. The package design is based on IXYS UK’s proven technology, with the same conveniences of enhanced rupture capability, resisting more than ten times the short circuit energy of a conventional plastic packaged module device and the additional advantage that the device is virtually guaranteed to fail to a stable short circuit. These unique properties make the new device an ideal solution where high reliability, maximum power density and predictable failure are important. To facilitate the application of this new higher rated press-pack IGBT, IXYS UK Westcode has also launched a new complementary diode in its range of very high di/dt HP Sonic FRDs. This new diode is constructed using a new die bonding technology to maximize reliableness. Packaged in an 85mm electrode 26mm thick package the diode is pressure compatible with the press-pack IGBT so it can be mounted in the same series string for compact three level inverter configurations. Part number designations for this reverse conduction press-pack IGBTs is T2960BB45E & the compatible HP Sonic FRD is part number E3000TC45E. Typical applications for these devices include: utilities and HVDC applications such as, flexible AC transition systems, HVDC transition, Statcoms, VSC SVC etc; medium voltage AC drives for harsh environments and ultra-high power, such as mining, marine and off shore g, gas and oil installations; renewable energy for wind turbines, hydro generation, wave generation and solar; plus, any application where high power density and reliableness is necessary. Read more >>

Prior to the evolution of the IGBT, power electronics engineers had two kinds of devices for fast and higher frequency switching – the Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) and the Metal Oxide Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET). Both could switch at higher frequencies than Thyristors (or SCRs). However, either had some limits. MOSFETS provided high switching speeds, yet high voltage and high current plans were comparatively steep, while BJTs were available in high voltage and high current designs, however offered lower exchanging speeds to some extent. Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) are switching devices with three terminals, which could successfully be deliberated to consist of an insulated gate N-channel MOSFET associated with a PNP Bipolar Junction Transistor. The IGBT unites the high voltage and current capacity of the BJT with the voltage control attributes of a MOSFET which allow higher frequency switching. The IGBT has three connections, Emitter, Gate and Collector. The conduction path is through the Collector and Emitter. Identical to a Thyristor, the IGBT allows controlled current to go through when a signal is recognized at the Gate. A thyristor is “current” and switches “ON” when a pulse is given to the Gate. The IGBT is controlled by voltage, allowing conduction when a positive voltage is there on the Gate, and only switching “OFF” when the voltage is reduced to zero, or ideally, driven negative. The output current and voltage attributes are same to the BJT, but driving the device using the voltage control of the MOSFET facilitates the switching. Another significant convenience over normal MOSFET operation is lower on-state voltage. The resistance provided by the conducting channel in an IGBT is too much smaller, leading to much higher current ratings than for an similar power MOSFET. IGBTs are the best choice for switching current on and off in high power applications. IGBTs are made for use in power applications above 1kW, the point at which BJTs and standard MOSFETs reach their limits, switching at frequencies between 1kHz and 20 kHz. Low voltage applications (<600V) tend to be high volume consumer oriented, for example to control motor drives for washing machines. Key applications include automotive (electric vehicles), rail traction equipment and industrial motor drives, where operating voltages are higher – 1200V or 1700V are typical of the standard ranges available. In numerous applications, rather than using more than one discrete devices, IGBTs are associated into modules, to provide full circuits for particular power control. Read more >>

IXYS Corporation, a leading maker of power semiconductors and ICs for power management, energy efficiency and motor control applications announced the 1700V and 2500V XPT™ IGBTs for power management applications. The current ratings of the new devices range from 26A to 178A and these are perfect for high-voltage (“HV”), high-speed power conversion applications. Devices which are packed together with anti-parallel fast diodes are also available. IXYS has an enriched history of presenting cutting edge, state-of-the-art IGBTs and had introduced the HV IGBT outline and applications in power management particularly in the transportation, medical and manufacturing markets. Designed by utilizing the patented IXYS Extreme-Light Punch-Through (XPT™) technology and the leading edge IGBT processes, these latest devices characteristics such as lessened thermal resistance, little tail current, little energy loss, and fast switching capacity. Also, the positive temperature coefficient of their on-state voltage gets credit, the latest high-voltage IGBTs can be used in parallel, which provides cost-efficient solutions compared to series-connected, lower-voltage device ones. This therefore results in diminishing in the related gate drive circuitry, simplicity in design, and advancement in the reliableness of the overall system. The non-compulsory co-packed fast recovery diodes have less reverse recovery time and are designed to generate smooth switching waveforms and notably lower electromagnetic interference (EMI). A significant number of high-voltage (“HV”), high-speed power management applications that can get advantage from using these IGBTs. Among them are HV converters, inverters, power pulse circuits, laser and X-ray generators, HV power supplies, HV test equipment, capacitor discharge circuits, medical switching applications, HV circuit protection, and HV AC switches. The new XPT™ IGBTs are found in the following international standard size packages: SOT-227, TO-247, PLUS247, ISOPLUS i5-Pak™, TO-247HV, TO-247PLUS-HV, and TO-268HV. The latter three have increased creepage distances between leads, making them sturdy against provoked voltages. Some example part numbers include IXYH24N170C, IXYN30N170CV1, IXYH30N170C, and IXYH25N250CHV, with collector current ratings of 58A, 88A, 108A, and 95A, respectively. Read more >>

Wolfspeed introduces SiC technology to outdoor systems in transportation and renewable energy. Wolfspeed has stretched its SiC power devices with the launch at PCIM 2017 of the industry’s inaugural power module that overcomes the tough environment qualification test for concurrent high-humidity, high-temperature and high-voltage situations. This reliableness benchmark allows system designers to utilize this device in outdoor applications such as transportation, wind, solar and other renewables where ultimate environmental conditions have traditionally challenged secure device operation. The latest all-SiC module, rated for 300 A and 1.2 kV blocking, was strained in an 85% relative humidity, 85 degree celsius ambient while biased at 80% of rated voltage (960V). Accomplishment in tough situation testing under bias provides further confidence in the overall robustness of SiC device technology for all applications. “SiC components enable the design of compact, lightweight, low–loss converters required for railway transport applications,” said Michel Piton, semiconductor master expert at Alstom, a leading global supplier of systems, equipments and services for the railway market. “Achieving March 2017 the benchmark for temperature and humidity under high bias voltage is a key milestone for SiC devices in its adoption into our demanding market.” Powered by new Wolfspeed MOSFETs (CPM2-1200-0025A) and Gen5 Schottky diodes that also pass the tough environment test at the die level, the latest module retains the low 4.2 mΩ on-resistance and more than five times lower switching losses than similarly rated, latest generation IGBT modules. Module construction uses high thermal conductivity aluminum nitride substrates and optimised assembly methods to meet industry thermal and power cycling requirements. “This device is yet another industry-first driven by Wolfspeed,” said John Palmour, Wolfspeed’s chief technology officer. “The latest 1200V module demonstrates our commitment to enabling markets and applications by meeting the anticipated system requirements for 2020 and beyond.” Available under part number WAS300M12BM2, the latest module can be driven using existing Wolfspeed gate drivers for 62mm modules. Read more >>

Las regulaciones sobre seguridad y emisión impulsarán el mercado de los componentes y dispositivos conectados en el vehículo para asegurar el monitoreo y la notificación de la emisión de vehículos cumpliendo con las regulaciones establecidas por el gobierno. Requieren semiconductores cada vez más potentes para garantizar que el rendimiento de los vehículos está en conformidad. Por lo tanto, la razón anterior a su vez está ayudando al mercado de semiconductores automotrices para crecer durante el período previsto de 2016-2024. Además, los estándares de vehículos como el programa de evaluación de vehículos nuevos (NCAP), que otorga calificaciones de seguridad a los nuevos vehículos fabricados como estrellas, están impulsando a los fabricantes de automóviles a proporcionar más y más componentes electrónicos para proporcionar más seguridad y sistemas de seguridad para el vehículo. Obtener el nivel más alto de cinco estrellas puede actuar como un punto de venta fuerte para los vehículos. Su logro se basa en complejos y sofisticados sistemas de conducción asistida que requieren un contenido significativo de semiconductores para que estos sistemas funcionen. Read more >>

On last April 28th, Infineon Technologies AG commenced the latest 600 V TRENCHSTOP™ Performance IGBT offering the next level of competency. The state-of-the-art discrete IGBT delivers high energy efficiency and reliabeness at an aggressive price point for applications like air conditioning, solar PV inverters, drives and uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Based on Infineon’s TRENCHSTOP technology,the latest IGBT is optimized for hard switching topologies working at frequencies of up to 30 kHz. The latest TRENCHSTOP Performance IGBT series incorporates the best trade-off between conduction and switch-off energy losses with exceptional toughness. 5 µsec short circuit capacity and fantastic electromagnetic interference (EMI) behaviour. The 600 V TRENCHSTOP Performance is a great alternative to the predecessor TRENCHSTOP IGBT from Infineon as well as to contending products. In a plug-and-play replacement the new TRENCHSTOP Performance IGBT yields lessened losses of 7 percent at switching frequency of 8 kHz. A matchless 11 percent lower aggregate loss is delivered for switching frequency of 15 kHz. Making use of the same packages, redesigns for higher efficiency and competitive cost can be realized simply, fast and with less efforts. The 600 V TRENCHSTOP Performance IGBT contributes to more energy efficient power consumption, higher reliability and longer operational lifetime of the application. For end consumers this translates into a lower electricity bill, sustainability and environmental protection. Read more >>

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is considered as one of the best ways to save electrical equipments from power problems. It is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source, typically mains power fails. At home we need UPS when we use our PC. Others areas that need UPS are data centre, process backup, military operation etc. There are several varieties of UPS: online UPS, offline UPS and line interactive UPS. Online UPS is inverter supply directly to load; offline UPS is the inverter starts only when utility is not present, line interactive UPS is an offline UPS with an AVR / line conditioner. There is an inverter which converts DC current (Battery power) to AC current is called UPS inverter. IGBT rectifier technology is the latest and most effective technology in the UPS industry. It uses the high frequency to rectify the AC to DC. IGBT rectifier reduces harmonics substantially and reduces the upsize of upstream components. Hence, reduce initial cost and operation cost. Read more >>

Modern train traction systems use high-speed switching IGBTs in main circuits. High-speed switching reduces electromagnetic noise generated by the main motor and improves the efficiency of energy conversion. For the inverter control system, vector control is employed to control the torque current component and the exciting current component separately, which are output to the induction motor. Since vector control ensures high-speed torque control, it is also applied to slip-slide control to improve adhesion force. The maintenance work for contacts and pneumatic parts can be eliminated by replacing mechanical contacts in each unit with electronic contacts and by changing the pneumatic operation system to an electromagnetic one. The numerous advantages of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power modules and their ongoing development for higher voltage and current ratings make them interesting for traction applications. These applications imply high reliability requirements. One important requirement is the ability to withstand power cycles. Power cycles cause temperature changes which lead to a mechanical stress that can result in a failure. Lifting of bond wires is thereby the predominant failure mechanism. A fast power cycling test method activating the main failure mechanism has been developed which allows reproduction of millions of temperature changes in a short time. The applicability of fast testing is supported by a mechanical analysis. Read more >>

The inductive cook top creates a flat smooth surface that is easier to clean making it attractive to consumers. An induction cooker transfers electrical energy by induction from a coil of wire into any pot made of material which is electrically conductive and ferromagnetic. A coil of wire is mounted under the cooking surface and a large alternating current is passed through it to transfer power to the pot. When an electrically conductive pot is brought close to the cooking surface, the magnetic field induces an electrical current in the pot. The current flowing through the electrical resistance in the pot causes electrical power to be dissipated as heat. The heating of the pot can be used for cooking the food. Induction cook tops have become very popular displacing most resistive heated cook tops. The power circuit used to deliver power to the pot via the coil must operate at a relatively high frequency of 25-50 kHz when compared with motor drive inverters. In order to reduce the switching losses in the IGBTs, the typical circuit topology is based up on resonant converters. Soft-switching circuit operation greatly reduces power losses during the switching transient in IGBTs providing high efficiency circuit operation. Many companies have developed optimized IGBT structures for this application due to the large market size. Read more >>

The automotive industry, largest in the world, is fast-growing and diverse, with a wide range in 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 up on IGBT-based motor drives. In new powertrain generations such as EVs and HEVs, IGBTs play the 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 the hybrid vehicles and to the expansion of the charging substructure for the 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. Read more >>

The best way to protect electronic equipments from power problems is using UPS. UPS units have different sizes, from little desktop system that shields an individual PC to massive UPS that can supply power to a whole building. Nearly every organization has a power safeguard necessity, ranging from companies with computer UPS provides power to your equipment in the case of an entire power collapse, giving you opportunity to save data and close files. At a more commencing level, the UPS conditions and filters networks to hospitals, airports, oil rigs and anywhere where uninterrupted power is must. Today maximum industries are using UPSs to save their core business against mains failures, mains supply fluctuations, power surges, and other troubles in the electrical supply. The option of picking a Rotary or Static UPS for industrial applications has become contentious and the myths require rectification. Over recent years, Static UPSs have captured a large share of the UPS market when compared to the Rotary type, although Rotary UPSs still sustain popularity in industrial environments where ratings are in excess of 800kVA. The drawback is however, that Rotary technology is usually 30% more costly than the substitute Static offerings. Now-a-days, Static UPSs are a major rival for industrial installations, and the conveniences and benefits they offer, have seen consultants considering their design criteria from Rotary to Static technology. Outward appearances and inverters of Static UPS have changed amazingly in modern years with thyristor technology being replaced with IGBT technology. This recent technology has assisted notably to enhance the potency and managing of non-linear loads (computers and SMP type loads) with excessively low voltage distortion. With thyristor technology, peaks of the voltage wave form were frequently flattened, whereas this does not happen with the more recent IGBT technology. A moreover advantage of IGBT is that it minimizes the size of the inverter stacks and makes allowance for repairs to be done more effortlessly. And, owing to digitally controlled UPS design and growth in the IT arena, it is now very simple to monitor UPSs remotely from a different site or even from another country. Read more >>

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 ignitions 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 up on 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 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 a busses, trams, and underground trains. Many cities have been replacing gasoline powered busses with electric busses 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. Read more >>

State-of-the-art medical diagnostic equipment has transformed the quality of care for our society. Non-invasive imaging of the interior of the body enables the surgeon to perform operations while minimizing damage to adjacent tissue and organs. The IGBT has been used since the early deployment of CT scanners for the control of the gantry on which the patient is reclining as described below. It is also used in the power supply for X-ray and Ultrasound machines. In addition, hundreds of thousands of lives are being saved due to the availability of portable defibrillators which require IGBTs for delivering the controlled shock to the patient of cardiac arrest as discussed below. Computed tomography (CT) generates a three dimensional image of a patient using a large series of two dimensional images taken around a single axis of rotation. The image is generated by viewing the patient using x-ray imaging from numerous angles. A single plane of a patient is scanned from various angles in order to provide a cross-sectional image of the internal structure of that plane. A three-dimensional view can then be created by mathematical analysis that combines the images. The gantry on which the patient is reclining is positioned using closed loop feedback control of motors in order to accurately move and position the patient. An IGBT-based motor drive is employed by all manufacturers, such as GE, Philips, and Siemens, for precise and controlled movement of the gantry. The CT scanner contains an X-ray tube with detectors located diametrically opposite the X-ray source which are rotated around the patient to generate a section image. CT scanners can provide detailed cross-sectional images of nearly every part of the human body including the brain, neck, shoulders, cervical spine, heart, lungs, abdomen, liver, kidney, pelvis, etc. Read more >>

Plasma cutting involves cutting a material using a plasma torch. It is commonly used to cut steel and other metals, but can be used on a variety of materials. In this process, gas (such as compressed air) is blown at high speed out of a nozzle; at the same time an electrical arc is formed through that gas from the nozzle to the surface being cut, turning some of that gas to plasma. The plasma is sufficiently hot to melt the material being cut and moves sufficiently fast to blow molten metal away from the cut. The transistors used in plasma cutting were initially MOSFETs, but are now increasingly using IGBTs. With paralleled MOSFETs, if one of the transistors activates prematurely it can lead to a cascading failure of one quarter of the inverter. A later invention, IGBTs, is not as subject to this failure mode. IGBTs can be generally found in high current machines where it is not possible to parallel sufficient MOSFET transistors. Read more >>

The most effective way to save electronic equipments from power problems is using UPS. UPS units have different sizes, from little desktop system that shields an individual PC to massive UPS that can supply power to a whole building. Nearly every organization has a power safeguard necessity, ranging from companies with computer UPS provides power to your equipment in the case of a entire power collapse, giving you opportunity to save data and close files. At a more commencing level, the UPS conditions and filters networks to hospitals, airports, oil rigs and anywhere where uninterrupted power is must. Today maximum industries are using UPSs to save their core business against mains failures, mains supply fluctuations, power surges, and other troubles in the electrical supply. Spontaneous control, outstanding switching features and excellent reliability make IGBTs the perfect option today for medium and high-power UPS. These modules greatly enhance UPS performance, specifically in terms of proficiency, acoustic noise, shaped and weight. In high capacity UPS where the inverter functions between 2 and 4 kHz, the prime benefit of the IGBT is simplification of transistor control (better reliableness). IGBT is comparable to the bipolar transistors in terms of efficiency. Read more >>

The fixing system for the toner in copy machines, laser printers, facsimile machines, data recorders, and scanners needs transfer of toner from the rolling drum to the printing paper with heat and pressure. Radiant heating with halogen lamps was used for this process in the past. However, nearly 90 percent of the printing energy is consumed by this operation. The efficiency can be improved by using the induction heating approach leading to reduction of the size of the printing devices. The induction heating coil is installed concentrically inside the fixing roller. The high frequency inverter required to feed the inductive energy into the heating coil is built using IGBTs. The actual high efficiency of more than 94 percent of the series resonant ZCS-PDM high frequency inverter for IH roller in copy and printing machines has been observed for all the output AC power regulation ranges from 50 to 1200 W. Read more >>

PWM VFD operations need great switching speed which can be attained by using IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistor). Switching on and off several thousand times a second is one of the main attributes of IGBTs. A VFD IGBT can turn on in less than 400 nanoseconds and off in about 500 nanoseconds. It is composed of a gate, collector and an emitter. When a positive voltage (typically +15 VDC) is applied to the gate the IGBT will turn on. This is same to closing a switch. Current will flow between the collector and emitter. A VFD IGBT is turned off by removing the positive voltage from the gate. During the off state the IGBT gate voltage is generally held at a small negative voltage (-15 VDC) to restrain the device from turning on. IGBTs are used as power devices by all recent VFDs. These devices make it possible to reduce annoying audible noise by using switching frequencies beyond the audible range. Unfortunately, VFDs using IGBTs, present a high potential for generating RFI - Radio Frequency Interference. Fast switching in these devices generates sharp-edged waveforms with high frequency components that generate more RFI. The most probable complaint is interference with AM band radios 500-1600 kHz. However, sensitive computers, medical equipment and other interference-sensitive devices sharing the same power buss could experience significant interference. In extreme conditions, the VFD itself can experience electrical noise interference. If elevator machine room equipment is not properly laid out and correctly wired, the electrical noise propagated by the elevator VFD system can intervene with the elevator controller. The switching speed, simple control and overload withstand of the IGBT currently make it a component of considerable interest. Read more >>

Heart specialists, neonatologists, obstetricians, urologists, gastroenterologists use ultrasound based imaging extensively for diagnosis and treatment of patients. Sound waves above the audible range of humans are called ultrasound. The choice of the ultrasound frequency for diagnostic purposes is a trade-off between image resolution and special depth. Due to the longer wavelength of the sound wave, lower ultrasound frequencies produce images with less resolution, although these penetrate deeper into the body. Normal ultrasound frequencies range from 2 to 18 MHz. A hand-held probe is used to perform Sonography that is placed and moved over the patient while viewing the image in real time. A piezoelectric transducer with a phased array is contained in the probe, which allows altering the direction and depth of the sound wave. The sound wave is reverberated from the organs inside the body at different intensities depending upon their composition and the time taken for the echo to return to the transducer specifies the distance travelled by the wave. For diagnostic purposes, this information is converted to an image. The application of a high voltage pulse to the piezoelectric medium produces the sound wave from the ultrasound transducer. The pulse must have amplitude of over 1000 volts with a current of 20-50 amperes. Because of the short duration of the pulse, generally 0.5 microseconds, with a less operating frequency of 200-Hz, the best approach is to slowly charge a capacitor through a diode when the IGBT is off and then turn-on the IGBT for the short pulse duration to discharge the capacitor through the transducer. Read more >>

Rice is the first & foremost food for billions of people around the world, especially in Asian countries such as China, India, and Japan, with mass populations. According to Asian Rice Foundation, “Rice is arguably the world’s most important food. It is the second most widely cultivated cereal in the world, after wheat, and is a staple food of over half the world’s population. Rice can be cooked in a variety of ways, including boiling, baking, roasting, frying, and pressure-cooking. Cooking rice in an automatic rice cooker is becoming very popular, as it ensures consistent results and cooking instruction is much simpler to follow”. Many Asian companies have developed rice cookers based up on the induction heating principle. The induction heating can be accomplished by using an induction cooking plate or preferably by using an induction rice cooker. Two types of circuit topologies have been explored for the induction rice cooker. First one is the half-bridge series resonant converter and another is the quasi-resonant converter. The series resonant converter has the advantages of stable switching, low cost, and streamline design. The quasi-resonant converter has the advantage of a smaller design with reduced heat sink. The quasi-resonant converter is more widely used. Due to the large market for these appliances, some semiconductor companies have developed IGBT products optimized for this market for the quasi-resonant converter topology. IGBTs feature a robust and cost effective Field Stop (FS) trench construction, and provide superior performance in demanding switching applications, offering both low on-state voltage and minimal switching loss. IGBTs are well suited for this type of resonant or soft switching applications. Read more >>

In the highly emulative UPS market, every renowned UPS manufacturer is trying to ameliorate their UPS performance and reliability steadily. This increasing demand will only be satisfied if the components used can keep pace. IGBTs are considered as one of the best choices for medium and high-power UPS because of their simple control, great switching characteristics and excellent reliability. Especially in terms of efficiency, acoustic noise, size and weight, they remarkably uplift UPS performance. In high power UPS where the inverter operates between 2 and 4 kHz, the main benefit of the IGBT is simplification of transistor control (increased reliability). Its efficiency is equal to that of bipolar transistors. In medium power UPS often installed in computer rooms, the acoustic noise criterion makes it necessary to remove the 50 or 60 Hz transformer and to add an inverter operating at a frequency of 16 kHz, thus making the IGBT absolutely indispensable both due to the lessening in number of components required to control it and due to the gain in weight and in total dimensions. Production of new products calls for a prudent, meticulous choice of new components. We are frequently informed about the announcements of new elements as the IGBT is still in the growth stage. Present studies should not be questioned as authorized approval of a power semiconductor is long and expensive. Read more >>

In a typical HVDC power transmission system, the power is transmitted at very high voltages (above 100-kV) in order to reduce the current on the cables. Large currents in cables require more copper which adds to the cost and weight. Since power semiconductor devices are unable to withstand such high voltages, it is necessary to connect many devices in series to satisfy the system requirements. In addition, for higher power levels, many devices may have to be connected in parallel as well. The series and parallel combination of power devices comprises an HVDC valve. The most common configuration for modern overhead HVDC transmission lines is bipolar because it provides two independent DC circuits each capable of operating at half capacity. Two basic converters topologies are used in modern HVDC transmission systems: conventional line-commutated, current-source converters (CSC) based up on thyristor-valves and self-commutated, voltage-sourced converters (VSC) based up on IGBT-valves. Each valve consists of a large number of series connected thyristors or IGBTs to sustain the desired DC voltage rating. In the case of current source converters with thyristor valves, a Graetz bridge configuration is used allowing six commutations or switching operations per period. Self-commutated, voltage-source converters using IGBTs are preferred because they allow independent rapid control of both active and reactive power. Reactive power can also be controlled at each end of the transmission line providing total flexibility in network design. The self-commutated, voltage source converters can be constructed using IGBTs without the snubbers required for GTOs. The rate of rise of the current in the IGBT can be controlled by tailoring the gate drive voltage waveform without any ancillary components. This allows controlling the reverse recovery of the anti-parallel rectifiers without the snubbers. The reduced passive components in the IGBT-based VSC inverters reduce system cost. Read more >>

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. Read more >>

A vacuum cleaner is an appliance that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt from floors, and other surfaces. The dirt is collected by a dust-bag for future disposal. Hubert Cecil Booth invented the motorized vacuum cleaner in 1901. Since then, their use has proliferated and vacuum cleaners are now very commonly used in homes on a regular basis to maintain a healthy living environment. Manufacturers of vacuum cleaners include Eureca, Hoover, Bissell, and Dyson. In the past, universal motors were mostly used for vacuum cleaners due to high operating speed with low cost. However, these motors use a mechanical brush which wears out at high speeds limiting the performance. Modern vacuum cleaners with higher output power (suction) are designed using switched reluctance motors. The power circuits used for operation of the switched reluctance motor in vacuum cleaners. These circuits utilize IGBTs to overcome the difficult start-up problem for switched reluctance motors and for maintaining a high operating speed. The author’s state: “Its lifetime is extended 4 times than that of conventional motor and its suction power is increased 20% at the same volume of conventional universal motor”. Read more >>

Microwave ovens are used to heat foods quickly and conveniently and it has become an inseparable part of our kitchens and offices now-a-days. It is also used for used for stewing, frying, baking, steaming, and fermenting foods. Microwave ovens are designed for tabletop use or for mounting above the range. Microwave ovens heat food by following the principle of dielectric heating using microwave radiation, usually at a frequency of 2.45 GHz, through the food. Water, fat, and other substances in the food, absorb energy from the microwaves resulting in heating. The microwaves interact with the food in a uniform fashion leading to food being more evenly heated throughout. Prior the availableness of the IGBT, the traditional power supply for the magnetron was a ferro-resonant circuit. Although simple in construction, this power supply was heavy and bulky because of the large size and weight of the low-frequency (50-60 Hz) step-up transformer. After the availability of the IGBT, a magnetron power supply based up on using a high frequency inverter was developed. In this new power supply the anode voltage of the Magnetron rises above 3500 volts when the IGBT is turned on allowing it to generate microwave energy. The power delivered by the magnetron can therefore be precisely controlled using the on-time for the IGBT. Using the IGBT-based inverter circuit, the weight of the transformer could be lessened by more than 10-times. Read more >>

Nearly 20 years ago, IGBT modules were first commenced to be used mainly in industrial equipments, and are now being utilized in electric power conversion systems for controlling motors in a wide range of fields, ranging from household appliances such as air conditioners to applications in the railroad industry. In recent years, the extent of automotive applications has been expanded and improvement is aiming to realize IGBT modules having even higher levels of performance. A hybrid vehicle system consists of an electric motor, a battery and an inverter. An electric power conversion system is needed to supply electrical energy from the battery to the motor, and to store energy generated by the motor in the battery. The inverter is used as that power conversion system. IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistor) are one of the most common modules to use as the main switching device in this electric power conversion system. Hybrid systems can be broadly categorized as either a dual-motor system (traction motor and generation motor) focused on travel performance or a single motor system that combines traction and generation functions and that is focused on miniaturization. The single-motor hybrid system, known as a parallel hybrid system (hereafter referred to as a parallel hybrid), is expected to increase in popularity with application to small vehicles where the parallel hybrid advantages of small size and light weight can be fully appreciated. Read more >>

For locomotives, which are driven by diesel or electricity, EMU and DEMU vehicles with AC Traction Motors, new microprocessor based AC-AC Traction System (MAS) offers the latest in technology combining IGBT based Traction Converter with DSP and microprocessor based embedded controls. Microprocessor based Locomotive Control system is used in conjunction with IGBT based traction converter to implement this solution. Every traction converter can be configured to have single or multiple inverters. Each Inverter can be further configured to drive single traction motor (independent axle control) or multiple traction motors (bogie control). Existing product offering ranges from 650kW per Inverter for bogie control to 550kW per Inverter for independent axle control. Anywhere between 2 to 6 such inverters are packaged into one traction converter depending on application with total power rating in the range of 1.3MW to 3MW. Last solution can be scaled or optimized for specific application requirement. Typically heat pipe depended heat sinks are used with forced air cooling to cool down the IGBT switching devices. Both on-board as well as under frame options are available depending on space, weight constraints and cooling air availability. The blowers for cooling air are controllable at different speeds or can be turned off depending on heat sink temperatures, so as to enhance the blower life. Read more >>

Repletion and dependability of the forklift are very important for your activities and your lifts are only as powerful as your charged batteries allow them to be. If your facility uses Ferro resonant or SCR battery chargers, you may want to consider the benefits of the high frequency opportunity chargers. You will no longer be suffered from the equipment downtime if you utilize opportunity charging. You’ll be able to utilize idle periods to charge batteries by its charging profile. Not only you will maximize the use of the truck idle time, you may eliminate the need to change batteries, reduce accidents changing batteries, eliminate the need for required battery-changing equipment and battery storage space, and reduce the number of batteries you’ll need to buy. Opportunity charging with high-frequency opportunity chargers also increases productivity by eliminating the need for an operator to leave the work area, travel to the battery room to change batteries, and then travel back to the work area. You will be able to eliminate your battery change room/area, as well as all its hotspots: charging and changing equipment and associated maintenance; a power-hungry ventilation system and its required service calls; and any upgrades to maintain OSHA standards. You can do all these things by simply switching to high frequency opportunity chargers. A full bridge IGBT switch mechanism is utilized by the high frequency charger to produce the cleanest DC output achievable from an industrial battery charger today. Your overall operating costs will go down by this excellent switching mode circuitry which gives you with the best of both worlds: lessened costs and onward productivity. Read more >>

Market research analysts at Technavio predict that the global IGBT market will grow steadily at a CAGR of around 12% by 2021. The rising demand for electric (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) is identified as one of the primary growth factors for this market. Government initiatives for controlling the rising environmental concerns and oil prices are driving the shift to electric vehicles. It is estimated that EVs and HEVs can lower the oil consumption by more than one-third by 2020 as electricity is cheap and provides a big cost advantage over gasoline and petroleum. Moreover, electric vehicles are more energy-efficient as they convert about 60% of the electrical energy from the grid to power wheels, whereas their conventional vehicles convert only about 20% of the electrical energy. Electric motors provide quiet, smooth operations and require less maintenance than combustion engines. IGBT is a vital component that is needed to minimize switching loss and maximize the thermal efficiency. IGBTs play a significant role in the smooth operations of electric vehicles in transferring power to the grid at a steady rate. With the increase in adoption of EVs and HEVs around the globe, the IGBT market will witness significant growth in the forthcoming years. In terms of geographic regions, APAC will be the major revenue contributor to the IGBT market throughout the forecast period. Rapid industrialization in the developing countries of the region and the increasing adoption of renewable energy and electric vehicles drive the growth of the IGBT market. Additionally, the growing demand for energy-efficient solutions at the industrial and consumer industries is also contributing to the growth of the IGBT market in APAC. Read more >>

SCALE-2 IGBT gate drivers from Power Integrations include galvanic isolation, protection, and DC/DC conversion in a single module, and are suitable for driving power mosfets and devices based on new materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) operating at switching frequencies up to 500kHz. each type is based on an asic chip-set that integrates the full functionality of a dual-channel gate driver core in a primary-side chip logic-to-driver interface and a secondary-side chip intelligent gate driver. They are available with blocking voltage capabilities from 600V to 6,500V and from 1W to 20W per channel drive. To ensure optimum performance for direct driving of external n-type DMOS elements, the pre-driver stages of each of the modules incorporate separate gate resistors for independent control of on/off functionality. There are single- and dual-channel options, and applications are expected in industrial, motor control, power transmission, traction, solar, wind and automotive. Read more >>

A 48kW resonated converter involves four power modules, per module contains two paralleled IGBTs and ant parallel diodes. They are arranged in a half-bridge or push-pull configuration depending on the input, at 400Vac or 200Vac. At maximum power, peak load current is 550A at 50 kHz, or 275A per module for 48kW out. The generator is zero-voltage switched to create a continuous series resonant output current that's transformer-isolated stepped up and rectified to the desired output level. The output voltage is regulated by a DSP based frequency modulated controller, with dual loop feedback on resonant current and load kV. For a range of output power, the system operates from 48 kHz up to 68 kHz with a resonant LC shunt across the load transformer. With fundamental series resonance at 48 kHz, the shunt resonates at 68 kHz. At low frequencies, the generator functions near resonance, with high power throughput. As frequency increases, the impedance rises the load being shorted by the resonant shunt. At 68 kHz, power is zero. Minimum size is important for state of the art X-ray equipment. In this version of the converter, the four ZVS modules with their tightly packed IGBT and FRED chips require only ¼ of the surface area formerly used. Integration of drivers, isolation, and ZVS logic circuitry further shrinks the footprint. Control signals have less distance to travel, which improves noise immunity and mechanical Read more >>

In the western countries, it is now very common to have a food processor on the kitchen counter for the preparation of food. In contrast to blenders, food processors use interchangeable blades and disks instead of a fixed blade and their bowls are designed wider and shorter for the solid or semi-solid foods usually worked in a food processor. The use of a food processor reduces the large amount of time spent in the kitchen with chopping, shredding and mixing of ingredients. Cuisineart, KitchenAid, Hamilton Beach etc are the manufacturers of food processors. Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors are employed in the power circuits used for the operation of the food processor. The AC input power is first rectified by a diode bridge to create a DC bus with a capacitor. The permanent magnet DC motor used in the food processor is then driven by an IGBT controlled chopper. The high input impedance of the IGBT allows its control with a microprocessor that can be programmed to perform various functions. This creates a compact, low-cost design suitable for the consumer market. Home appliances were an early adopter of the IGBT technology because it enhanced the simplicity and flexibility of design while deriving more functionality. Read more >>

Plasma cutting is a procedure for cutting metal (mainly steel) of various sizes and thickness using the plasma torch. This plasma torch is adequately hot to melt the metal that is cut and it also moves quickly to blow the metal far from the present cut. Plasma arc cutters deploy the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) plasma cutting technology to provide more commercial plasma cutting equipment. The IGBT plasma cutters take up a different method to start the pilot arc and are better suited for professional environments. Many IGBT plasma metal cutters often deploy high frequency starting technology, high voltage circuit just for the starting process while others use Pilot Arc starting technology, where the torch enables a constant arc without touching the work piece. The Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) versus the Metal Oxide Semi-conductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) has been a controversial subject ever since the IGBT technology came into being in the 1980s. IGBT technology for welding applications has certainly proved to more effectively handle the rigorous demands the high duty cycles welders as it offers higher voltage capacities and heat tolerances than the earlier MOSFET. Read more >>

Solar power has a large potential to provide the electricity needs of the world’s burgeoning population. However, in 2008, solar-power supplied less than 0.02% of the total energy supply in the world. In a solar or photovoltaic cell, the incident sunlight is converted into an electrical current using the photoelectric effect within semiconductor. The typical silicon P-N junction produces the current at a DC voltage of about 0.8 volts. Many such junctions must be placed in series and parallel to create a solar panel with sufficient power generation capability for use in homes or power delivery systems. Typical solar panels may produce hundreds of watts of power at a DC voltage of about 300 volts. The DC voltage produced by the solar array must be converted into a desired well regulated AC power by using an IGBT-based inverter. IGBTs deliver low conduction and switching losses resulting in high inverter efficiency. Many companies have developed IGBT products specifically targeted for the solar inverter application. Some examples of IGBT products tailored for solar inverter applications are the Microsemi ‘APTGV30H60T3G’, International Rectifier ‘IRG4PC40UDBF’, Infineon ‘EconoDual IGBT’ etc. Read more >>

It is now well-known that the IGBT enabled introduction of cost effective and reliable compact fluorescent lamps. This allowed the replacement of incandescent bulbs to provide a typical power savings of 45 watts for a 60 watt bulb. Based upon this power savings, the total reduction of electricity power consumption in the U.S. and the world between 1990 and 2010 is very noticeable. The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in pounds per year due to this reduced electricity power consumption can be computed by multiplying the data in these figures by rate of carbon dioxide emission per kWh of electricity generated by typical power plants. The Environmental Protection Agency has analyzed the carbon dioxide emission from various types of power plants. Electricity is generated mostly (51 percent) from Coal-fired power plants in the United States. Unfortunately, the carbon dioxide emission from coal-fired power plants is the highest among the power generation options. The average carbon dioxide emission per kWh generated in the U.S. is 1.350 pounds. This value will therefore be used in the computation of carbon dioxide emission reductions resulting from IGBT-enabled compact fluorescent lamps. The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions due to the availability of IGBT-based compact fluorescent lamps obtained by multiplying the energy savings per year in kWh by 1.35 pounds/kWh. Read more >>

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important diagnostic tool commonly used in hospitals to determine the nature of injuries and status of organs in patients. Unlike CT scans, no radiation occurs when using an MRI procedure. In an MRI machine, a powerful magnetic field is used to align the magnetization of some atoms in the body, and radio frequency fields are used to systematically alter the alignment of this magnetization. The nuclei in selected atoms produce a rotating magnetic field detectable by the scanner which is used to construct an image of the scanned area of the body. MRI is especially useful in imaging the brain, muscles, heart, and cancers compared with other medical imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or X-rays. It can detect aneurysms, damage to the heart or blood vessels, torn ligaments, and to find tumors. Commencing medical diagnostic equipments has revolutionized the quality of care for mankind. Non-invasive imaging of the interior of the body enables the surgeon to perform operations while minimizing damage to adjacent tissue and organs. The IGBT has been used since the early deployment of MRI scanners for the control of the gantry on which the patient is reclining as described below. In addition, hundreds of thousands of lives are being saved due to the availability of portable defibrillators which require IGBTs for delivering the controlled shock to the patient of cardiac arrest. Read more >>

Electric automatic washing machines are now common in homes for the cleaning of daily household laundry. Washing machines were developed to eliminate the drudgery of scrubbing and rubbing to remove dirt from clothes. Electric washing machines were advertised and discussed in newspapers as early as 1904. The first automatic washing machine was introduced by Bendix in 1937. Sixty percent of the 25 Million wired homes in the United States had an electric washing machine by 1940. The annual sales for washing machines have grown to more than 58 million units worldwide by 2003. Many of these units are front loaders. Early automatic washing machines utilized mechanical means for making any changes in impeller/drum speed. Since the 1970s, electronic control of motor speed has become a common feature of most washing machines. Modern automatic washing machines provide many sophisticated features to handle the safe cleaning of a wide range of fabrics with a variety of soil removal requirements. The soil removal in an automatic electric washing machine is performed by a process of agitation of the clothes. The agitator is controlled using IGBT-based motor control modules. The direction of rotation of the motor and its speed can be regulated by using the power delivered via the IGBTs. Inverter control with IGBTs reduces wash/spin noise and vibration, and enables adjustment of the amount of water and motor torque to suit the washing load. Read more >>

Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) and Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) are the two most popular versions among various types of switch-mode power supply (SMPS) transistors are available today. It has been observed that MOSFETs are suitable for low-voltage, low-current and high switching frequencies. On the other hand, IGBTs are favorable for high-voltage, high-current and low switching frequencies. There may be an argument that on which device works better in SMPS applications, the fact is this: there’s no common norm to specify which device performs better in a particular category of circuit. It differs from application to application, and a wide range of factors, such as speed, size, and cost, all play a role to ordain the exact choice. Now we are going to enlighten on the differences between these two transistors rather than say that one is better than the other straight away. The MOSFET is a three-terminal fully-controlled switch. Gate, drain and source are its three terminals. The gate/control signal occurs between the gate and source, and its switch terminals are the drain and source. The gate itself is made of metal. A metal oxide separates it from the source and drain. This grants for reduced power draining and makes MOSFET an excellent option to use as an electronic switch or common-source amplifier. To operate satisfactorily, a positive temperature coefficient has to be sustained by MOSFETs. As a result of this, there’s little-to-no chance of thermal runaway. On-state losses are lower because the transistor’s on-state-resistance, theoretically speaking, has no limit. Also, MOSFETs can carry through fast switching applications with little turn-off losses because they can function at high frequencies. The IGBT is also a three terminal (gate, collector, and emitter) full-controlled switch. Its gate/control signal takes place between the gate and emitter, and its switch terminals are the drain and emitter. The IGBT puts the common gate-drive feature found in the MOSFET with the high-current and low-saturation-voltage capability of a bipolar transistor at the same time. It does this by utilizing an isolated gate field effect transistor for the control input, and a bipolar power transistor as a switch. Turning on and off rapidly are the specific characteristics of IGBT. Actually its pulse repetition frequency really gets into the ultrasonic extent. This identical ability is why IGBTs are frequently implemented in amplifiers to synthesize complex waveforms with pulse width modulation and low-pass filters. IGBTs are also used to yield big power pulses in fields like particle and plasma physics, and have set up a role in modern appliances like electric cars, trains, elevators, refrigerators, vacuum cleaner etc. These transistors are very similar in terms of structures. When it comes to electron current flow, a significant difference is the addition of a p-substrate layer beneath the n-substrate layer in the IGBT. In this extra layer, holes are injected into the highly-resistive n-layer, generating a carrier overflow. This increment in conductivity within the n-layer assists to lessen the total on-state voltage of the IGBT. Unfortunately, it also obstructs reverse current flow. As a result, an extra diode (often referred to as a “freewheeling” diode) gets placed parallel with the IGBT to conduct the current in an inverse direction. Read more >>

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 ignitions 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 up on 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 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 a busses, trams, and underground trains. Many cities have been replacing gasoline powered busses with electric busses 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. Read more >>

One of the every four deaths in the advanced world takes place because of cardiac arrest. Eighty-five percent of deaths from sudden cardiac arrest occur due to ventricular fibrillation. Without synchronization of heart muscles, blood flow through the body is interrupted leading to starving oxygen from organs. The victim will almost certainly die within 10 minutes unless aid is provided. A defibrillator applies a dose of electrical energy to the heart muscles which depolarizes a critical mass of the heart muscle, terminates the arrhythmia, and allows normal heart rhythm to be re-established. It is essential that the defibrillator be located close to the victim and be easily operated to provide the life-saving response within 10 minutes. Automated external defibrillators (AED) are now widely deployed in places such as corporate and government offices, shopping centers, airplanes, airports, restaurants, hotels, sports stadiums, schools and universities with a high density of aging populations. The automated external defibrillator is designed to provide simple voice commands to prompt the administration of the live-saving electrical jolt to the victim. According to USA Today, about 450,000 people die each year in the U.S. from sudden cardiac arrest. Among these victims, the American Medical Association (AMA) estimates that more than 100,000 lives can be saved by the availability of modern AEDs enabled by IGBTs. Many companies have made IGBT particularly customized for the implantable defibrillator market. Read more >>

Tesla Roadster is the first high-performance electric car in the world. It is very speedy, unprecedented; handles like a dream and goes like a bullet. But it doesn’t consume a single drop of gasoline and practically noiseless. Traditional gasoline-powered car contain hundreds of moving parts. But the Roadster is powered by just four main systems. These are: The Energy Storage System (ESS), The Power Electronics Module (PEM), an electric motor and a sequential manual transmission. We will talk about the power electronics module below. The Roadster battery, as with all batteries, stores electricity at a DC voltage. The motor uses energy in the form of an AC voltage. The Power Electronics Module functions as a bridge for energy between the charge port, battery, and motor. Every electron ever used in a Roadster, from the motor drive to the dome light, flows through the Power Electronics Module. It is a power inverter and charging system that converts AC voltage from the grid at between 90V and 265V, into DC voltages between 250V and 425V using 72 insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). This lead a significant increase in power output likened to first-generation electric cars. Under peak acceleration, the batteries can provide 200 kW of energy -- sufficient to power 2,000 incandescent light bulbs. Along with controlling charge and discharge rates, the Power Electronics Module controls voltage levels, the motor RPM (revolutions per minute), torque and the regenerative braking system. Read more >>

Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) is a relatively new device which is noted for its high efficiency and fast switching, making it ideal for applications where saving energy and protecting the environment are important factors. Consequently, IGBTs are found in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, in wind turbines and solar installations, as well as in smart grids and modern household appliances, such as refrigerators and air-conditioning systems. Although the automotive market is relatively small, the number of electronic components in automobiles is steadily rising. Hybrid and electric vehicles have the highest share of electronic devices. They need IGBTs for power control. The power control unit (PCU) in these cars regulates the transfer of energy between the battery and electric motor. Such PCUs can contain up to 20 IGBTs. IGBT usage in the car industry is expected to grow around 70 percent in 2015. When a hybrid-electric car is operated on highways, it operates with power delivered from both the gasoline-powered Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and the battery-powered electric motor. In this case, IGBTs are needed to operate the ignition system of the ICE and to drive the motor. The battery in the hybrid-electric car must be recharged to renew the stored energy. This is also performed using IGBT-based circuitry in the power electronics module. In conclusion, the availability of IGBTs has been crucial to the success the hybrid electric car and to the deployment of the charging infrastructure for the plug-in electric vehicles. The IGBT will continue to play an important role in the availability of cost effective technology for the entire electric vehicle industry. Read more >>

Numerical control (NC) is the mechanization of machine tools that are functioned by accurately programmed commands encoded on a storage mean, as against to run manually via hand wheels or levers, or mechanically automated via cams alone. Most NCs today are computer numerical control (CNC), in which computers play an integral part of the control. Fuji Electric delivers high-performance power semiconductors for energy, automotive, information technology, and industrial applications. IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) made my Fuji is used widely in CNC plasma cutters and welding machines. Plasma cutting involves cutting a material using a plasma torch. It is commonly used to cut steel and other metals, but can be used on a variety of materials. In this process, gas (such as compressed air) is blown at high speed out of a nozzle; at the same time an electrical arc is formed through that gas from the nozzle to the surface being cut, turning some of that gas to plasma. The plasma is enough heated to melt the material being cut and moves pretty fast to blow molten metal away from the cut. Arc and tube welding machines are mostly used in industrial setting for building and repair of the infrastructure. Welding power supplies are required to create an electric arc between an electrode and the base material to melt the metals at the welding point. The arc can be created by either DC or AC current with consumable or non-consumable electrodes. The welding region is sometimes protected by some type of inert or semi-inert gas. Arc welding is popular due to low capital and running costs. For arc welding, the voltage is directly related to the length of the arc, and the current is related to the amount of heat input with typical currents of 50 to 500 amps depending on the size of weld. For arc welding with low voltages and large currents, a soft switching PWM DC-DC power converter with Fuji IGBT switches in the primary side of a high frequency transformer is considered to be the most suitable topology for the welding power supply110, 111. Power losses in the Fuji IGBTs are reduced by using soft switching resulting in a volume reduction of 59% and weight reduction of 47% compared with the hard-switching approach. Dynamic welding performance is improved due to operation at 40-kHz when compared with 13-kHz with hard-switching. We have been selling IGBT power transistor modules since 2001. Thyssen Krupp, OTIS, IXYS, SONY DADC, General Motors, Hongkong Electric Holdings Limited, Singapore Mass Rapid Transit Trains LTD, Verkehrsbetriebe Zurich, Czech Airlines, Molex, Cisco, Omron, Good Year Tires, Thai Airasia, Boeing, Xilinx, LEAR SIEGLER, and General Electric. We have a Quality Control Team like no other. This means that we know how to work hard in order to ensure to make sure that the quality of all of the parts we’re selling is high. Because we only sell new and original electronic parts, we provide our customers with a 30-day warranty. And because we have connections with IGBT power transistor modules manufacturers, OEMs and distributors, we’re able to pass any savings on to our customers, giving them a lower price while still providing them with the quality products they deserve. Our inventory is carefully managed and held to the highest standards, and stored in a controlled environment warehousing facility. Read more >>

IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) are widely used now-a-days in the transportation, renewable power generation, consumer, aircrafts, medical, industrial and financial sectors all over the world. As a result, billions of people from around the globe are enjoying enhanced comfort, convenience, and quality of life. IGBTs are known for their fantastic efficiency and speedy switching characteristics. These qualities make IGBTs very suitable for applications where saving energy and protecting the environment are very important. What would happen if all the IGBT were removed from the applications that they serve today?” The answer is quite revealing: Our new solar and wind based renewable energy sources would not be able to deliver power to the grid because the inverters would stop functioning. Our gasoline power cars would stop running because the electronic ignition systems would no longer function. Our hybrid electric and electric cars would stop running because the inverters used to deliver power from the batteries to the motors would no longer function. Our electric mass-transit systems would come to a standstill because the inverters used to deliver power from the power-grid to the motors would no longer function. Our air-conditioning systems in homes and offices would stop working because the inverters used to deliver power from the utility company to the heat-pumps and compressors would no longer function. Our refrigerators and vending machines would no longer function making the delivery and storage of perishable products impossible. Our factories would come to a grinding halt because the numerical controls use to run the robots would cease to function. Our new low-energy compact fluorescent bulbs would stop functioning limiting our activities to the daytime. Our portable defibrillators recently deployed in emergency vehicles, on-board airplanes, and in office buildings would no longer be operational putting over 100,000 people at the risk of death from cardiac failure. In one statement, the quality of life in our society would be greatly deteriorated if the IGBT is no longer available. It is a blessing of modern science. Read more >>

IGBTs are state-of-the-art power electronics for the traction system of electric and diesel-electric rail vehicles. The main benefit of IGBT is that it reduces the requirement for current, minimizing heat and traction noise while also making the acceleration process efficient. Automations solutions provider Siemens Limited has bagged the contract to install state-of-the-art IGBT technology for Indian Railways. The company will be designing, supplying and installing alternating current (AC) traction systems for dual cab high horsepower diesel engine locomotive for diesel locomotive works (DLW). "The systems have been developed based on the state-of-the-art insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) technology. The AC traction systems will be produced at its factory at Nashik, Maharashtra, India" the company said. Read more >>

For a power semiconductor device, usually widely used as a switch or rectifier in power supply applications, one of its particularly important requirements relates to the characteristic of breakdown voltage to endure high voltage. As devices in such applications evolve, a great deal of efforts has been paid to boast the breakdown voltage. The fruit of such efforts is an IGBT, gradually gaining wider applications for modern devices and appliances due to its various advantages. The IGBT is an element combining advantages of MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) structure as well as advantages of BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor) structure. Combined with fast switching characteristic of the MOSFET along with high-current and low-saturation-voltage capability of the BJT, the IGBT expands its scope of applications such as display, automobile, motor and household appliances. Breakdown voltage under the high voltage environment is a key characteristic required in the IGBT, which is therefore designed by implementing an edge-termination structure — called edge termination region — in the lateral side of its junction so as to alleviate the electric field in the junction edge. Read more >>

Thyristor and IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) are two types of semiconductor devices with three terminals and both of them are used to control currents. Both devices have a controlling terminal called ‘gate’, but have different principals of operation. Thyristor is made of four alternating semiconductor layers (in the form of P-N-P-N), therefore, consists of three PN junctions. In analysis, this is considered as a tightly coupled pair of transistors (one PNP and other in NPN configuration). The outermost P and N type semiconductor layers are called anode and cathode respectively. Electrode connected to inner P type semiconductor layer is known as the ‘gate’. In operation, thyristor acts conducting when a pulse is provided to the gate. It has three modes of operation known as ‘reverse blocking mode’, ‘forward blocking mode’ and ‘forward conducting mode’. Once the gate is triggered with the pulse, thyristor goes to the ‘forward conducting mode’ and keep conducting until the forward current become less than the threshold ‘holding current’. Thyristors are power devices and most of the times they are used in applications where high currents and voltages are involved. The most used thyristor application is controlling alternating currents. IGBT is a semiconductor device with three terminals known as ‘Emitter’, ‘Collector’ and ‘Gate’. It is a type of transistor, which can handle a higher amount of power and has a higher switching speed making it high efficient. IGBT has been introduced to the market in 1980s. IGBT is has the combined features of both MOSFET and bipolar junction transistor (BJT). It is gate driven like MOSFET and has current voltage characteristics like BJTs. Therefore, it has the advantages of both high current handling capability and ease of control. IGBT modules (consists of a number of devices) handle kilowatts of power. Read more >>

IGBTs are a crucial part in high-efficiency electrical power transformation systems used in variable-speed motor drives, uninterruptible power supplies, power grids, trains, renewable power plants and electric and hybrid electric vehicles. A $240m IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) manufacture plant has been established by Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric Co, a semiconductor maker from China. The company has done this by comprising technology enhanced by Dynex Semiconductor, its supplementary in the United Kingdom. This plant is mentioned to be the first of its category in China and the second all over the world. Using eight-inch silicon wafers, high performance IGBT modules and chips are produced in this factory which is located in Zhuzhou. Output is 120,000 wafers and 1 million IGBT modules every year in the first stage of the operation. Over two years were needed by the latest production line to be built. Technical advice, support, staff training were provided by Dynex throughout this process, both in China and in Lincoln. Read more >>

For locomotives, which are driven by diesel or electricity, EMU and DEMU vehicles with AC Traction Motors, new microprocessor based AC-AC Traction System (MAS) offers the latest in technology combining IGBT based Traction Converter with DSP and microprocessor based embedded controls. Microprocessor based Locomotive Control system is used in conjunction with IGBT based traction converter to implement this solution. Federal Railway of Switzerland has granted ABB Switzerland an agreement valued approximately SFr 69.2m ($US 75.4m) to provide latest traction apparatuses for its convoy of 119 Re460 electric locomotives as a section of a SFr 230m middle-life renovation program. According to this contract, 202 IGBT traction converters will be supplied by ABB with an option for 38 additional units which are water-cooled. As per SSB’s opinion, it will be possible to reduce traction power consumption by 27GWh per year by converting the convoy to IGBT which is sufficient electricity to power 6750 homes. Read more >>

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