In this paper, the problem of how to describe the thermal properties of the insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module with the use of the compact thermal model is considered. This model makes it possible to calculate internal temperature of every semiconductor device included in this module with self-heating phenomena and mutual thermal couplings between these devices taken into account. A new method of measuring parameters of the thermal model of devices contained in the considered module is proposed, and the accuracy of this method is discussed. Some results of measurements of the considered parameters are presented, and uneven distribution of temperature in the investigated module in selected conditions of its power supply is evaluated. Differences between the measured waveforms of the internal temperature of components of the IGBT module and its casings are discussed.

In this paper the problem of modelling thermal properties of the IGBT using a non-linear compact thermal model is considered. This model has the form of an electrical network. In the proposed model influence of internal temperature of this transistor on efficiency of heat dissipation is taken into account. The elaborated model form is presented and the estimation method of this model parameters is described. Correctness of the new model is verified experimentally for different cooling conditions and different values of ambient temperature. Additionally, some results of calculations are compared to the results of calculations performed using selected models given in literature.

In the article, a new method to improve the accuracy of the insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) junction temperature computations in the piecewise linear electrical circuit simulation (PLECS) software is proposed and described in detail. This method allows computing the IGBT junction temperature using a nonlinear compact thermal model of this device in PLECS. In the method, a nonlinear compact thermal model of the IGBT is used, which considers the dependence of thermal resistance on the junction temperature. The usefulness of the method is experimentally verified, and it is confirmed that it increases the accuracy of the computations and shortens their time. The differences between the measured and computed characteristics are discussed. The application of the developed method for computations resulted in a significant reduction of their error to only a few percent. The developed method can be applied in the system-level simulations of the power electronics converters.

The paper discusses the methods of fast analysis of DC–DC converters dedicated to computer programmes. Literature methods of such an analysis are presented, which enable determination of the characteristics of the considered converters in the steady state and in the transient states. The simplifications adopted at the stage of developing these methods are discussed, and their influence on the accuracy of computations is indicated. Particular attention is paid to the methods of fast analysis of DC–DC converters, taking into account thermal phenomena in semiconductor devices. The sample results of computations of the DC–DC boost type converter obtained with the use of the selected methods are presented. The scope of application of particular computation methods and their duration times are discussed. Computations were performed with the use of SPICE and PLECS.

This article proposes effective methods of measurements and computations of internal temperature of the dies of the Insulted Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and the diode mounted in the common case. The nonlinear compact thermal model of the considered device is proposed. This model takes into account both self-heating phenomena in both dies and mutual thermal couplings between them. In the proposed model, the influence of the device internal temperature on self and transfer thermal resistances is taken into account. Methods of measurements of each self and transfer transient thermal impedances occurring in this model are described and factors influencing the measurement error of these methods are analysed. Some results illustrating thermal properties of the investigated devices including the IGBT and the antiparallel diode in the common case are shown and discussed. Computations illustrating the usefulness of the proposed compact thermal model are presented and compared to the results of measurements. It is proved that differences between internal temperature of both dies included in the TO-247 case can exceed even 15 K.

In this article, an electrothermal model of a diode–insulated gate bipolar transistor switch for modeling dc–dc converters is proposed. The formulated model has the form of a subcircuit for the simulation program with integrated circuits emphasis (SPICE) program and enables computations of both electrical characteristics of the converter and junction temperatures of the semiconductor devices. The equations used in the formulated model allow modeling the operation of the converter in both continuous conduction mode and discontinuous conduction mode. The correctness of the formulated model is experimentally verified for the boost converter. Good accuracy of modeling the characteristics of the converter is obtained. A .cir file based on the formulated model for an analysis in the SPICE program is attached to the article as the active content.