Silicon Carbide specific components for power electronics system protection

J.-P Chante (1, 2) , Dominique Planson (1, 2) , Christophe Raynaud (1, 2) , Marie-Laure Locatelli (1) , M. Lazar (1, 2) , Dominique Tournier (1, 2) , Pierre Brosselard (1, 2)

1 CEGELY - Centre de génie électrique de Lyon
2 INSA Lyon - Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon

The paper addresses the potentialities of silicon carbide as the material for protection components in Power Electronics. It may be a series protection and its operation is then to limit the current. It may be a parallel protection clamping over-voltages. In any case, the protection component must sustain large power densities when operating. Silicon components are available but they can not dispose of the overload energy alone. They require an association with other components as discharge tubes for example. Indeed Silicon Carbide features characteristics adequate with the realization of protection components. A brief introduction lists different types of protection devices. The specifications of a current limiter are then detailed. Following these specifications, a controlable and a non-controlable device have been manufactured and tested. The measured ratings meet the specifications and thus they enlighten the potentialities for SiC with regard to protection components. Particularly it has been verified that power densities larger than 100 kW per cm2 are sustained over more than minutes, under 320 V of operating voltage and with a package temperature less than 200°C.

Domaines: Energie électrique

J.-P Chante, Dominique Planson, Christophe Raynaud, Marie-Laure Locatelli, M. Lazar, et al.. Silicon Carbide specific components for power electronics system protection. International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM'2003), Oct 2003, Lyon, France. ⟨hal-02503449⟩