source: Electronics weekly news
Infineon has integrated shunt resistors into its EconoDUAL3 modules for current monitoring in the AC path.
Implementing these devices helps inverter manufacturers to reduce cost, improve performance and simplify the inverter designs.
The EconoDUAL 3 with integrated shunts can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as general purpose motor drives, uninterruptable power supplies, and solar. It is also a perfect fit for agricultural and commercial vehicles as well as for busses.
New inverter generations aim at cost reduction and increased power density at high lifetime levels. So far, constant improvements in this regard were restricted to the electrical performance of IGBTs, diodes, and the interconnection technologies.
Integrating functionality into the IGBT module, the EconoDUAL 3 enables further cost reduction. With its integrated shunts, external current sensors are no longer needed.
This saves space in the system, reduces material costs and manufacturing efforts.
In addition, the integration results in high current measurement accuracy across a wide temperature range leading to a very precise motor control.
The new EconoDUAL 3 shunt module family supports current ranges from 300 A to 600 A at 1200 V. It features the proven IGBT4 with Infineon’s trench/fieldstop technology.
The modules are available with pre-applied Thermal Interface Material (TIM) for lowest thermal resistance and longest lifetime.
In addition, the housing with PressFIT pins enables a fast and cost efficient assembly.
The 450 and 600 A EconoDUAL 3 modules are already available. An additional variant with 300 A is planned to be released in March 2018. All three current classes are supported with an evaluation board which will be launched around mid of 2018.