Impact of Deadtime and Modulation Schemes on 800 V / 40 kW IMS-based 3L-ANPC Inverter

Abstract:
This study explores the application of 650 V / 60 A GaN HEMTs in 40 kW automotive inverters with an 800 V DC bus, utilizing a three-level Active Neutral-Point Clamped (ANPC) topology. It addresses challenges in loss balancing and evaluates the effects of full-mode and short-mode modulation schemes on inverter efficiency and thermal performance. Electrothermal simulations in MATLAB-SIMULINK evaluate power losses and junction temperatures, demonstrating that conduction losses dominate, with full-mode modulation achieving the highest efficiency. The impact of dead time is assessed through simulations, while experimental validation is performed on a single-phase inverter leg operating at 150 V DC voltage and 4 kHz switching frequency under different modulation schemes. The study also highlights the ben-efits of insulated metal substrates (IMS) in enhancing thermal management.