Active Short Circuit Capability of HalfBridge Power Modules Towards EMobility Applications

Abstract:
In this paper, a methodology to characterize active short circuit (ASC) in half-bridge power modules is demonstrated and utilized to determine the capability of the RoadPak module towards this failure mode in e-mobility applications. First, a surge current test with increasing current, until the failure occurs, is performed on the modules and then replicated in a simulation environment to calculate which maximum junction temperature the chips inside the module can withstand. Then, an ASC event is simulated using a developed PLECS model to calculate the maximum temperature of the chips during the event, thus obtaining a pass-fail criterion for any specified currents.