Hi, Does ST provide a ready to drive power electronic solution? I am looking for 3 Phase inverters with only power stage. I want to be able to use it with my control board. Regards

[Sumedh]

Alternatively single phase inverters will also work. Only power board with gate drivers and switch protection is needed.

around 300Vdc link 5KW is sufficient.

[Cristiana SCARAMEL · Accepted solution]

Hi @Sumedh​ welcome to the ST community.

I can suggest the EVALSTDRIVE601 demonstration board. The high voltage rail is up to 600V (driver supply input voltage range 9V-20V).

The power stage features STGD6M65DF2 IGBTs, but can be populated with any IGBT or power MOSFET in DPAK or powerFLAT 8x8 HV package.

The board is designed to support a three shunt or a single shunt current sensing topology, sensored or sensorless BEMF detection, FOC or 6-Step algorithm.

You can find all details and useful information at the above link.

Let me know if this board fit your requirements.

[Sumedh]

Thank you very much Christina,

As per the datasheet, I chose the switch: STGB40V60F. Please comment if you see any compatibility issue.

Also, can I provide the gating signals from external hardware?

I am planning to use 2 such boards to drive a switched reluctance machine. So I will need independent control over switches in a phase leg. Ideally high side switches in one inverters will always be off while low side switches will realize PWM switching. Opposite of this structure will be used for the other inverter. Please let me know if this can be done.

Regards,

Sumedh Dhale

[Cristiana SCARAMEL]

Hi @Sumedh​ 

I do not understand if your control board integrates the gate drivers or not.

Anyway, the above mentioned board EVALSTDRIVE601 mount also the triple half-bridge high-voltage gate driver STDRIVE601.

You can provide to the driving signal to the logic inputs (LIN and HIN for each half bridge, active low).

Pay attention that this device (and most of half bridge gate driver) use a bootstrap technique to generates the voltage to drive the high side gate.

To charge the bootstrap capacitor it is necessary turn the low side, at power up and during the normal working.

Concerning the IGBT STGB40V60F I checked in the datasheet and it is not available in DPAK or powerFLAT package that fit the EVALSTDRIVE601 layout.

Another option is to use the EVALSTDRV600HB8. It is a demonstration board kit for half-bridge gate drivers, it is compatible with MOSFETs/IGBTs in DPAK, D2PAK, TO-220, TO-220FP (it is ok for you part number).

The kit also includes samples of each compatible gate driver in SO8 package: L6385E, L6387E, L6388E, L6389E, L6395, L6398, L6399.

[Sumedh]

Hi Cristina,

My apologies, there was a mistake in my previous question. I want to provide the PWM signals from an external micro-controller. I still want to use gate drivers available on the EVALSTDRIVE601. I checked the schematic of the board and could not figure out how to achieve independent control over each switch in a phase leg.

In fact I am looking for a half / full bridge option where it is possible,

Meanwhile I will also look into the other option you suggested,

Thank you for your help.

Sumedh

[Cristiana SCARAMEL]

>> I checked the schematic of the board and could not figure out how to achieve independent control over each switch in a phase leg.

Refer to datasheet of STDRIVE601 at page 14, you can find the "Inputs truth table" (you cannot turn on both switches of same leg at the same time).

In the board you can use the J5 connector to apply the PWM signals (PhaseU_H drive the HIN1, PhaseU_L drive the LIN1; PhaseV for half-bridge 2 and PhaseW half-bridge 3).

Let me know if you need more info.

[Sumedh]

Any recommendations for Cooling? Does the board sustain 4 KW power transfer for 10 minutes?

[Cristiana SCARAMEL]

The EVALSTDRIVE601 board as it is (with the STGD6M65DF2 IGBTs) has been tested in application up to 300W (230 Vac).

The power ratings depends on the POWER stage characteristics (voltage and current) and the PCB layout.

In particular for so high power rating the PCB must be designed to maximize the power dissipation adding large copper area for each power switch and additional heatsink.

[Sumedh]

I agree,

I assumed that since the evaluation board is designed to drive all the DPAK and Power flat 8x8 devices, it may be capable of sustaining large current. The switch I am about to drive is rated at 30A peak and is a DPACK.

Looking at the layout, I think it should be possible to install heat-sinks externally. Please let me know if I am correct.

[Cristiana SCARAMEL]

The above mentioned 300W are not the limit of power dissipation, it is the value of our tests.

In general the actual limit of power switch (and application) is not the peak current but the power dissipation.

Unfortunately the board is not designed to support the heatsink mounting.

The low side switch have a good area to apply an heatsink, on the other hand the high side have not space and should also be isolated.

It is not recommended to dissipate asymmetrically on power stage.