Design Optimization of Hybrid-Switch Soft-Switching Inverters using Multi-Scale Electro-Thermal Simulation

Published

February 16, 2016

Author(s)

Jose M. Ortiz, Tam H. Duong, Allen R. Hefner Jr., Jih-Sheng Lai

Abstract

A multi-scale electro-thermal simulation approach is presented to optimize the design of a hybrid switch soft-switching inverter using a library of dynamic electro-thermal component models parameterized in terms of electrical, structural and material properties. Individual device area, snubber capacitor, and gate drive timing are used to minimize the total loss of the soft switching inverter module subject to the design constraints including total device area and minimum on-time consideration. The proposed multi-scale electro-thermal simulation approach allows for a large number of parametric studies involving multiple design variables to be considered, drastically reducing simulation time. The optimized design is then compared and contrasted with an already existing design from the Virginia Tech freedom car project using the generation II module. It will be shown that the proposed tool improves the baseline design by 16% in loss and reduces the cooling requirements by 42%. Validation of the electrical and thermal device models against measured data is also provided.

Citation

IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics

Volume

32

Issue

1

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1109/TPEL.2016.2528264

Keywords

Optimization, Electro-thermal, Power electronics, Silicon Carbide, Soft-Switching, Electric vehicle

Citation

Ortiz, J. , Duong, T. , Hefner, A. and Lai, J. (2016), Design Optimization of Hybrid-Switch Soft-Switching Inverters using Multi-Scale Electro-Thermal Simulation, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, [online], https://doi.org/10.1109/TPEL.2016.2528264 (Accessed October 14, 2025)