Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure Condition
Many sectors, such as transportation systems, are undergoing rapid electrification due to the need for the mitigation of CO2 emissions. To ensure safe and reliable operation, the electrical equipment must be able to work under various environmental conditions. At high altitudes, the low pressure can...
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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Series: | Energies |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/17/5394 |
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author | Moein Borghei Mona Ghassemi |
author_facet | Moein Borghei Mona Ghassemi |
author_sort | Moein Borghei |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Many sectors, such as transportation systems, are undergoing rapid electrification due to the need for the mitigation of CO2 emissions. To ensure safe and reliable operation, the electrical equipment must be able to work under various environmental conditions. At high altitudes, the low pressure can adversely affect the health of insulating materials of electrical systems in electric aircraft. A well-known, primary aging mechanism in dielectrics is partial discharge (PD). This study targets internal PD evaluation in an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module under low-pressure conditions. The estimation of electric field distribution is conducted through 3D finite element analysis (FEA) using COMSOL Multiphysics®. The procedure of PD detection and transient modeling is performed in MATLAB for two pressure levels (atmospheric and half-atmospheric). The case study is the IGBT module with a void or two voids in the proximity of triple joints. The single-void case demonstrates that at half-atmospheric pressure, the intensity of discharges per voltage cycle increases by more than 40% compared to atmospheric pressure. The double-void case further shows that a void that is harmless at sea level can turn into an additional source of aging and couple with the other voids to escalate PD intensity by a factor of two or more. |
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id | doaj.art-e92853c4d2094706b2cdf5d26dc8ccae |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1996-1073 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:13:10Z |
publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
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series | Energies |
spelling | doaj.art-e92853c4d2094706b2cdf5d26dc8ccae2023-11-22T10:33:59ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-08-011417539410.3390/en14175394Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure ConditionMoein Borghei0Mona Ghassemi1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USADepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USAMany sectors, such as transportation systems, are undergoing rapid electrification due to the need for the mitigation of CO2 emissions. To ensure safe and reliable operation, the electrical equipment must be able to work under various environmental conditions. At high altitudes, the low pressure can adversely affect the health of insulating materials of electrical systems in electric aircraft. A well-known, primary aging mechanism in dielectrics is partial discharge (PD). This study targets internal PD evaluation in an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module under low-pressure conditions. The estimation of electric field distribution is conducted through 3D finite element analysis (FEA) using COMSOL Multiphysics®. The procedure of PD detection and transient modeling is performed in MATLAB for two pressure levels (atmospheric and half-atmospheric). The case study is the IGBT module with a void or two voids in the proximity of triple joints. The single-void case demonstrates that at half-atmospheric pressure, the intensity of discharges per voltage cycle increases by more than 40% compared to atmospheric pressure. The double-void case further shows that a void that is harmless at sea level can turn into an additional source of aging and couple with the other voids to escalate PD intensity by a factor of two or more.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/17/5394finite element analysis (FEA)high voltage systemsinsulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)insulation systemslow-pressure conditionsmore-electric aircraft |
spellingShingle | Moein Borghei Mona Ghassemi Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure Condition Energies finite element analysis (FEA) high voltage systems insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) insulation systems low-pressure conditions more-electric aircraft |
title | Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure Condition |
title_full | Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure Condition |
title_fullStr | Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure Condition |
title_full_unstemmed | Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure Condition |
title_short | Characterization of Partial Discharge Activities in WBG Power Converters under Low-Pressure Condition |
title_sort | characterization of partial discharge activities in wbg power converters under low pressure condition |
topic | finite element analysis (FEA) high voltage systems insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) insulation systems low-pressure conditions more-electric aircraft |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/17/5394 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT moeinborghei characterizationofpartialdischargeactivitiesinwbgpowerconvertersunderlowpressurecondition AT monaghassemi characterizationofpartialdischargeactivitiesinwbgpowerconvertersunderlowpressurecondition |