Plasma-induced Diode Short-Circuit in Neutral-Point-Clamped Converters

Conference: PCIM Europe 2018 - International Exhibition and Conference for Power Electronics, Intelligent Motion, Renewable Energy and Energy Management
06/05/2018 - 06/07/2018 at Nürnberg, Deutschland

Proceedings: PCIM Europe 2018

Pages: 8Language: englishTyp: PDF

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Authors:
Hammes, David; Fuhrmann, Jan; Schrader, Robin; Gierschner, Sidney; Eckel, Hans-Guenter (University of Rostock, Germany)
Krug, Dietmar (Siemens AG, Germany)

Abstract:
Some HV-IGBTs or diodes in a Diode-Point-Clamped converter can be switched OFF without taking blocking voltage after conducting current. Therefore, plasma remains inside these semi-conductors and will be removed via charge car-rier recombination, taking over blocking voltage or a short-circuit event. The last one is yet de-scribed for the IGBT as short-circuit type five, but not for the diode. The presented investigations within this paper examine the origin, the possible influences and secondary failure cases of this new kind of short circuit for diodes.