WP4: Accelerated lifetime experiments

Objective: To support the development of improved lifetime models for IGBT devices by accomplishing a power cycling lifetime test program applying representative commercial high power IGBT test objects. Furthermore, to adapt the models for representing the new and more rugged components coming into the market.

WP highlights (May 2017):

• Power cycling of 1800A/4500V commercial press-pack type IGBTs
  • • Accomplished test to clarify root cause for the early failures experienced with these test objects in the previous OPE project 
• Test program for validation of power cycling lifetime formulas
  • • A number of 50 1000A/3300V IGBT modules provided for the first phase of the power cycling test program.
    • 1st test run (ΔT=70, Tjmin=60) completed
    • 2nd test run (ΔT=40, Tjmin=60) started March 2017
• Thermal impedance (Z_th) characterization of the 1000A/3300V test objects for input to WP1
  • • Including thermal crosstalk between IGBT and free-wheeling diodes chips
    • A separate control and monitoring hw/sw for the Zth validation under construction