System and methods for improving power handling of an electronic device

• US 8,674,651 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ioannidis, Dimitrios
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US13/037,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20120218027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/254, 318/432, 318/471, 318/400.08, 318/801, 361/25, 361/93.2, 361/100, 327/108, 327/513
• US Class Current: 318/801
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/327 against abnormal temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/68 based on the temperature of a drive component or a semiconductor component
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

There is provided an electronic device that includes a heatsink and a set of IGBTs coupled to the heatsink and configured to deliver power to a field exciter and a battery. The electronic device also includes a temperature sensor disposed in the heatsink and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a temperature reading from the temperature sensor and, based on the temperature reading, determine a junction temperature for at least one of the IGBTs of the set of IGBTs. The controller is also configured to de-rate an output power provided by each of the IGBTs based, at least in part, on the junction temperature.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a heatsink;

a set of IGBTs coupled to the heatsink, and configured to deliver power to a field exciter and a battery, wherein the set of IGBTs comprises a first dual IGBT configured to provide electrical power to the field exciter, a second dual IGBT configured to provide electrical power to the battery, and a third dual IGBT common to the field exciter and the battery;

a single temperature sensor disposed between the second dual IGBT and the third dual IGBT in the heatsink; and

a controller configured to;

receive a temperature reading from the single temperature sensor and, based on the temperature reading, determine a first junction temperature for the second dual IGBT and determine a second junction temperature for the third dual IGBT; and

de-rate an output power provided by each of the IGBTs if the first junction temperature or the second junction temperature exceeds a specified threshold temperature.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the specified threshold temperature is approximately 137 degrees celsius.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a temperature of ambient air and de-rate the output power based, at least in part, on a temperature difference between the first junction temperature and the temperature of the ambient air.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to de-rate the output power if the temperature difference is greater than approximately 76 degrees celsius.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller receives an IGBT command from a system controller and wherein de-rating the output power comprises generating a new IGBT command based, at least in part, on the IGBT command from the system controller and the first junction temperature or the second junction temperature.

6. A power system for a vehicle comprising:

a heatsink;

a set of IGBTs coupled to the heatsink and configured to deliver power to a field exciter and a battery, wherein the set of IGBTs comprises a first dual IGBT configured to provide electrical power to the field exciter, a second dual IGBT configured to provide electrical power to the battery, and a third dual IGBT common to the field exciter and the battery;

a single temperature sensor disposed in the heatsink between the second dual IGBT and the third dual IGBT; and

a controller configured to;

receive a temperature reading from the single temperature sensor and, based on the temperature reading, determine a first junction temperature for the second dual IGBT and determine a second junction temperature for the third dual IGBT; and

de-rate an output power provided by each of the IGBTs if the first junction temperature or the second junction temperature exceeds a specified threshold temperature.

7. The power system of claim 6, wherein the specified threshold temperature is approximately 137 degrees celsius.

8. The power system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to determine a temperature of ambient air and de-rate the output power based, at least in part, on a temperature difference between the first junction temperature and the temperature of the ambient air.

9. The power system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to de-rate the output power if the temperature difference is greater than approximately 76 degrees celsius.

10. The power system of claim 6, wherein the controller receives an IGBT command from a system controller and wherein de-rating the output power comprises generating a new IGBT command based, at least in part, on the IGBT command from the system controller and the first junction temperature.

11. A method of reducing thermal cycling in an electronic device comprising a first dual IGBT, a second dual IGBT, and a third dual IGBT, the method comprising:

receiving a temperature reading from a single temperature sensor disposed in a heatsink between the second dual IGBT and the third dual IGBT;

based on the temperature reading, determining a junction temperature of at least the second dual IGBT and the third dual IGBT, wherein the first dual IGBT is configured to provide electrical power to a field exciter, the second dual IGBT is configured to provide electrical power to a battery, and the third dual IGBT is common to the field exciter and the battery; and

de-rating an output power provided by each of the IGBTs if the junction temperature of the second dual IGBT or the third dual IGBT exceeds a specified threshold temperature.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising determining a temperature of ambient air, and de-rating the output power based, at least in part, on a temperature difference between the junction temperature and the temperature of the ambient air.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising receiving an IGBT command from a system controller, wherein de-rating the output power comprises generating a new IGBT command based, at least in part, on the IGBT command from the system controller and the junction temperature.