A 6kW, 200kHz boost converter with parallel-connected SiC bipolar transistors

• Published in: 2013 Twenty-Eighth Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC) pp. 1991 - 1998
• Main Authors: Rabkowski, J., Peftitsis, D., Zdanowski, M., Nee, H.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-03-2013
• Subjects: Loss measurement; Performance evaluation; Power generation; Silicon carbide; Switches; Switching frequency; Transistors
• ISBN: 1467343544; 9781467343541
• ISSN: 1048-2334; 2470-6647
• DOI: 10.1109/APEC.2013.6520568

This paper describes issues related to design, construction and experimental verification of a 6 kW, 200 kHz boost converter (300 V/600 V) built with four parallel-connected SiC bipolar transistors. The main focus is on parallel-connection of the SiC BJTs: crucial device parameters and influence of the parasitics are discussed. A special solution for the base-drive unit, based on the dual-source driver concept, is also presented in this paper. Experimental verification of the boost converter with special attention to power loss measurement and thermal performance of the parallel-connected transistors is also shown. The peak efficiency measured at nominal conditions was approximately 98.5% where the base-drive unit causes around 10% of the total losses.