Semikron Elektronik Gmbh

Thomson-Csf

Ecpe Engineering Center for Power Electronics Gmbh

Semikron Elektronic Gmbh

Semikron International

Ernst Schimanek

Dieter Brunner

Martin März

Andreas Schletz

Markus Billmann

Wolfram Dietze

Alain Levy

Juergen Masannek

The invention concerns a power electronic arrangement comprising an insulating substrate, a cooling element arranged beneath the insulating substrate and one or more power electronic components disposed on a respective metallization surface of the insulating substrate. Disposed on the surface of the insulating substrate is a metal layer portion which projects beyond the insulating substrate at all sides. The region of the metal layer portion, that projects beyond the insulating substrate, forms a metal flange which borders the insulating substrate. The cooling element, on its side towards the insulating substrate, beneath the insulating substrate, has one or more recesses, whereby a cavity delimited by the insulating substrate and wall surfaces of the one or more recesses is formed beneath the insulating substrate for receiving a liquid cooling agent. The metal flange is further connected to the cooling element.

Power electronics assembly with cooling element

Dynamic thresholds for power circuit switch operation are calculated in real-time using instantaneous operating parameter measurements. The dynamic thresholds are self-adapting and are used to provide shutdown criteria independent of switch control systems. A characteristics field containing information related to operation parameters is used to make overload evaluations in real-time. These dynamic overload evaluations allow complete protection against thermal overload for entire power circuits in addition to power components. Reserve load capacity can also be determined based on well known component characteristics, which permits the power circuit to be driven at optimal efficiency. The power circuit output profile can also be modified in response to dynamic overload evaluation, thus preventing overload shutdown or damage to components, while operating at optimal efficiency.

Method and circuit arrangement with adaptive overload protection for power switching devices

A contact sleeve passing through a central region of a capacitor provides a low-inductance connection between a lower contact surface of a capacitor and a first outer port. The sleeve is separated from the windings of the capacitor by an insulative layer. A second outer port is formed in close proximity to and insulated from the first outer port so that arcing between the outer ports is prevented. The resulting capacitor has a low inductance and is useful in, for example, the intermediate circuit design of converters, resulting in a compact and reliable configuration.

Capacitor for intermediate-circuit assemblies of low inductance

Capacitors and power electronic components, such as power switches of hybrid configuration, are positioned with low inductance and in close proximity to each other on one said of an intermediate-circuit assembly, below a flat intermediate-circuit bus. The bus and the capacitors and power electronic components are electrically and conductively connected. An electrically insulated and heat-dissipating cooling body is positioned on the other side of the intermediate-circuit assembly. At least a portion of the converter circuitry or the entire converter is arranged in a single housing. The result is a compact and reliable electronic circuit arrangement for a converter.

Converter with low-inductance capacitor in an intermediate-circuit

Disclosed is a dc/ac inverter for the supply of alternating current to the windings of a synchronous electrical motor, especially for the traction of an electrical vehicle. During each half-wave of the alternating current, the dc/ac inverter with solid-state switches delivers steady levels of constant intensity. During each steady level, the intensity of the current is determined by the cyclical ratio of a chopping signal that controls the conduction of the transistor-based or thyristor-based switches. At zero speed of the rotor, the frequency f of the chopping signal has a value (f', 1 khz) smaller than the chopping frequency (8 kHz) for a speed different from zero. Thus the starting losses or the losses with the rotor off are minimized.

DC/AC inverter for power supply to an electrical motor for the traction

An overcurrent and short circuit protection device for a power semiconductor component is responsive to output current signals representing the actual output current(s) of the semiconductor component. A short-circuit window comparator receives the output current signals and produces an error signal when the sum of all output current signals is less than a minimum allowable value or more than a maximum allowable value. An overcurrent window comparator receives the same output current signals, determines a positive maximum instantaneous value and a negative maximum instantaneous value, and produces an error signal when either one of these exceeds a maximum allowable value. An error signal from either window comparator interrupts operation of the power semiconductor component and locks out all higher level control signals to the power semiconductor component.

Growing community of inventors

Nuremberg, Germany

Ernst Schimanek