Choose Your IGBTs Correctly for Solar Inverter Applications

Focus:

Solar power inverters commonly use a full-bridge topology consisting of four IGBTs (two high-side and two low-side transistors). These high-side and low-side IGBTs have different operating requirements. So, to minimize their power losses and optimize inverter efficiency, different types of IGBTs should be selected for high- and low-side operation. Tradeoffs between IGBT turn-off time and voltage drop (VCEon) play a role when choosing between ultra-fast and standard-speed IGBTs, and between planar and trench IGBTs, for the high- and low-side devices in the full bridge. The rational for IGBT selection is illustrated with a solar inverter design example.

What you’ll learn:

• How to select the high-side and low-side IGBTs for the full-bridge topology used in solar power inverters

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Author & Publication:

Wibawa Chou, Application Engineer, International Rectifier, El Segundo, Calif. , Power Electronics Technology, Aug 01 2008

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