Implementation of direct Chip junction temperature measurement in high power IGBT module in operation - Railway traction converter

摘要

Reliability and lifetime of high power IGBT multichip modules used in railway traction converters is key for traction manufacturers to meet operators requirements. High power IGBT multichip modules used today in railway traction are (sub) systems containing a (large) number of paralleled chips. Temperature distribution between paralleled chips in the module may induce predominant effects on performances and operational reliability. This paper presents an experimental set-up based on optical fibers to measure individual chip temperatures of a 6500 V – 750 A IGBT module during converter operation in real conditions of power and voltage. This set-up was used to study chip temperature distribution within high power IGBT multichip modules during different phases of converter operation and cooling conditions. It is also used to evaluate and validate different approaches of condition and health monitoring advanced functions based on indirect temperature measurements coupled with electro-thermal models.