Hard switched MOSFET inverter for elevated temperature applications

The ability to operate power electronic systems without the need for active cooling is seen as a critical technology in many applications, and is the subject of this paper. The widespread use of silicon carbide (SiC) power devices can bridge this technology gap, however, their delayed market entry has created an industry need. This is addressed through the feasibility study of an elevated temperature inverter. The work starts with an assessment of the basic device choices and their applicability for operation at elevated temperatures. The interaction of the selected devices under different operating conditions is then addressed. A simple solution to one of the failure modes noticed from the device interaction is then presented. Simple equivalent circuit models are derived to corroborate the results. ©2008 IEEE.