- Italy
Salvatore Musumeci
Università di Catania, DIEEI, Department Member
In recent years the increase of portable devices has led to the need for supply systems from several energy sources. In some case, it is necessary to manage very low input voltage values (below 1V). The conversion of the energy from these... more
In recent years the increase of portable devices has led to the need for supply systems from several energy sources. In some case, it is necessary to manage very low input voltage values (below 1V). The conversion of the energy from these very low voltage sources requires special design because topologies capable of raising the voltage in an appropriate mode with high efficiency are necessary. In these kinds of electronic consumer applications, the increase of the autonomy is the one of the main objectives to reach. The aim of this paper is the investigation of a synchronous boost converter with coupled inductors to adapt the voltage level from very low voltage sources. High performance low voltage MOSFETs are applied with an optimized figure of merit. Simulation and experimental results are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed circuit solution.
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Nowadays, the light-emitting diode (LED) bulb is one of the preferred choice in lighting system design. Electrical models of the LED lamps have to consider their nonlinear behavior involving current distortion on the mains. With this... more
Nowadays, the light-emitting diode (LED) bulb is one of the preferred choice in lighting system design. Electrical models of the LED lamps have to consider their nonlinear behavior involving current distortion on the mains. With this purpose, an equivalent electrical circuit emulating the current drawn by a LED Bulbs is carried out. In this work, different lamps have been tested under variable supply voltage. The comparison between the simulations performed by means of PSpice and the experimental measurements has highlighted that linear interpolation for the amplitude of each harmonic current, as function of the voltage on the main, provides a good estimation of the total current waveform.
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The progressive reduction of global oil reserves and the issues related to the emission of air pollutions have spotlighted the urgent need for the production of vehicles enabling the reduction of both the fuel consumption and pollution.... more
The progressive reduction of global oil reserves and the issues related to the emission of air pollutions have spotlighted the urgent need for the production of vehicles enabling the reduction of both the fuel consumption and pollution. Nowadays, the hybrid electric vehicles are a viable option to guarantee reduction of both oil consumption and emissions. In the last decade, it is also appearing the diffusion of vehicles having photovoltaic (PV) panels: the hybrid solar vehicle (HSV). This survey deepens and reviews the actual state-of-the-art of the HSV, the improvements and the issues related to them, the latest development in the related technologies and the future trend. Finally, the outlook of the main themes of research, useful for a wider diffusion of HSV, are highlighted. From the review, it come to light a lack of a depth studies of HSVs considering the interaction and impact on the grid and the need for high efficiency PV panels.
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For a decade to now, lighting with LED lamp technology has rapidly established itself in the market, both for domestic use and for industrial use, becoming in fact a viable alternative to fluorescent lamp technology. Industrial research... more
For a decade to now, lighting with LED lamp technology has rapidly established itself in the market, both for domestic use and for industrial use, becoming in fact a viable alternative to fluorescent lamp technology. Industrial research interests focus on this LED lamp technology, which is steadily in development, presenting continuous improvements and considerable advantages compared to the fluorescent lamps. It should be noted that both technologies introduce a high harmonic content in the power supply network, and therefore represent a non-linear load for the mains. The present work aims to analyze and study the electrical and photometric characteristics of the two technologies. For this purpose eight lamp types, four CFL and four LED lamps are tested, through laboratory measurements and detailed analyses. The photometric and electrical quantities of the lamps are then detected, and subsequently the variations undergone by these quantities with the aging of the lamps are verified and discussed. The measurements of the photometric quantities are performed according to the EN 13032–1: 2004 standard, and the tests on the electrical quantities aim to evaluate the harmonic content, and check if it meets the IEC 61000–3-2 standard.
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Today, the technology regarding the bulb lamps is composed by the compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps. The LED lamps represent the new entry as alternative to the CFLs, and offer a different solution to... more
Today, the technology regarding the bulb lamps is composed by the compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps. The LED lamps represent the new entry as alternative to the CFLs, and offer a different solution to the direct conversion of electrical energy into visible light. Industrial and academic research interests focus on their development due to their good performances, enhanced energy savings in comparison to incandescent lamps, easy control of both brightness and color, and a long lifetime. This work aims to compare the technical parameters and performances of the two different technologies through laboratory measurements and a detailed analysis carried out on several lamps. Moreover, the analysis of some photometric quantities of the lamps during aging tests is given. Finally, the study of the electrical quantities with reference to the power quality on the mains, due to the power absorbed by the lamps, is performed in accordance with the Standard IEEE 1459-2010.
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Research teams from industry and academia have highlighted the advantages obtained from the introduction of Silicon Carbide (SiC) traction inverter power modules. Similarly, commercial solutions already benefit from SiC traction inverter... more
Research teams from industry and academia have highlighted the advantages obtained from the introduction of Silicon Carbide (SiC) traction inverter power modules. Similarly, commercial solutions already benefit from SiC traction inverter in terms of performance as well as in terms of economical investment. Notwithstanding, the good features there are some issues due to the fast switching ability of SiC MOSFET. In such a contest, is the fine-tuning of a proper simulation tool is the first for an optimal design of the conversion systems, especially, the snubbers necessary to mitigate turn-off overvoltage and ringing of SiC MOSFET devices. In this perspective, this paper combines Ansys Q3D analysis and Spice simulations to foresee the SiC MOSFET Power Module waveforms. The experimental results have highlighted a good accuracy of the tool at predicting the performance of the module and the boundary operating conditions.
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Series connection of IGBT devices is a standard solution in high voltage power conversion applications, such as color TV deflections, inverters for medium voltage lines or modern railway traction drives. In serial connections of IGBTs, a... more
Series connection of IGBT devices is a standard solution in high voltage power conversion applications, such as color TV deflections, inverters for medium voltage lines or modern railway traction drives. In serial connections of IGBTs, a suitable voltage balance must be guaranteed either at steady state or during switching transients in order to avoid damaging overvoltages. In the present paper, a new approach is proposed in order to equalize the voltage distribution between series connected IGBTs during turn-off transients by controlling the gate capacitance charge profile. The main advantages of such an approach consist in avoiding the use of passive components on the power side and in working exclusively on the gate driving signals. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified by simulation and experimental tests
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Super junction (SJ) MOSFET is a well-established device in high-density and high frequency power conversion. Soft-switching techniques are usually adopted at high frequency to reduce the power losses into the power devices. However, new... more
Super junction (SJ) MOSFET is a well-established device in high-density and high frequency power conversion. Soft-switching techniques are usually adopted at high frequency to reduce the power losses into the power devices. However, new challenging issues appear always when the paradigm changes. In fact, unexpected heating and efficiency reduction due to $\boldsymbol{C}_{\mathbf{oss}}$ related phenomena are key issues to be faced when SJ MOSFETs are adopted in high-frequency soft-switching applications. The phenomenon appears when large voltage transients are applied to the drain-source terminals as in the case of soft-switching applications. This paper provides analysis of the electrical hysteresis, and proposes an equivalent circuit that may model such a behavior in case of SJ MOSFETs. The loss model of $\boldsymbol{C}_{\mathbf{oss}}$ has been validated by comparing the measurements with the simulation runs performed by means of the Simulink package.
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Switching mode power supplies are significant sources of electromagnetic disturbances, especially conducted EMI, due to the high current and voltage derivatives caused by the high frequencies used today in order to reduce the size of... more
Switching mode power supplies are significant sources of electromagnetic disturbances, especially conducted EMI, due to the high current and voltage derivatives caused by the high frequencies used today in order to reduce the size of electromagnetic and capacitive elements. The present paper deals with a specific design technique aimed to reduce conducted EMI in Cuk power converters using power MOSFETs.
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Page 1. Soft-Switching High Quality Rectifier Employing a Novel Control Scheme C. Licitra, S. Musuineci, A. Testa, A. Consoli Departnient of Electric Electronic and System Engineering University of Catania - Italy ... fr = fs max / fmax... more
Page 1. Soft-Switching High Quality Rectifier Employing a Novel Control Scheme C. Licitra, S. Musuineci, A. Testa, A. Consoli Departnient of Electric Electronic and System Engineering University of Catania - Italy ... fr = fs max / fmax (7) ...
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... 87 Comparative Investigation on Power Losses in Soft-Switching Insulated Gate Devices. A. Consoli, C. Licitra, S. Musumeci, A. Testa Dipartimento Elettrico Elettronico e Sistemistico, Universita' di Catania, Italy. ... 15 ZC QRC... more
... 87 Comparative Investigation on Power Losses in Soft-Switching Insulated Gate Devices. A. Consoli, C. Licitra, S. Musumeci, A. Testa Dipartimento Elettrico Elettronico e Sistemistico, Universita' di Catania, Italy. ... 15 ZC QRC MAX OUTPUT POWER ...
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Research Interests: Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Photovoltaics, Power Electronics, Automotive, and 15 moreGaN, Battery charger, SIC, Energy Storage, Converters, Network Topology, Power Converter, High Efficiency, Dc DC converters, Bidirectional Converter, buck boost converter, Circuit Modelling, Fast Charging, Phase shift modulation, and Bidirectional
High-electron-mobility transistors based on gallium nitride technology are the most recently developed power electronics devices involved in power electronics applications. This article critically overviews the advantages and drawbacks of... more
High-electron-mobility transistors based on gallium nitride technology are the most recently developed power electronics devices involved in power electronics applications. This article critically overviews the advantages and drawbacks of these enhanced, wide-bandgap devices compared with the silicon and silicon carbide MOSFETs used in power converters. High-voltage and low-voltage device applications are discussed to indicate the most suitable area of use for these innovative power switches and to provide perspective for the future. A general survey on the applications of gallium nitride technology in DC-DC and DC-AC converters is carried out, considering the improvements and the issues expected for the higher switching transient speed achievable.
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Maximum power-point tracking (MPPT) is applied to enable effective operation of photovoltaic (PV) systems under different external conditions. MPPT is based on a control system that aims at maintaining the PV system operation in the most... more
Maximum power-point tracking (MPPT) is applied to enable effective operation of photovoltaic (PV) systems under different external conditions. MPPT is based on a control system that aims at maintaining the PV system operation in the most effective conditions of maximum power output. This paper demonstrates the effective application of a novel adaptive control approach developed to be used in the field of power electronics. The application to MPPT is developed by using a non-inverted Buck-Boost converter applied to the PV system. The novel control methodology is based on the application of the Lyapunov stability concepts. The strength of this novel control technique is confirmed by the accurate comparison among the results obtained by using the proposed solution and some controllers proposed in the literature.
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ABSTRACT In this paper several driving circuits allowing the optimal feeding of the base of a cascode device are presented. More traditional driving circuits suitable for a cascode device are efficient as long as the collector current is... more
ABSTRACT In this paper several driving circuits allowing the optimal feeding of the base of a cascode device are presented. More traditional driving circuits suitable for a cascode device are efficient as long as the collector current is high and quasi constant. However in certain applications such as PFCs. where the collector current changes between zero and higher values, these driving circuits show a considerable drawback, which namely is the over-saturation of the cascode at low values of the collector current. In turn, this means a large charge in the collector and base regions of the cascode that consequently determines an increase of the device storage time. Aiming to face such a problem, a driving circuit that ensures proportional base-voltage has been proposed in order to avoid unsuitable increase of the device storage time. In other words the circuit guarantees an adequate saturation of the cascode in on-state condition and performs an excellent rejection of the voltage supply disturbances along with a high insensitivity to the parametric spreads of the drive components. The new driving circuit that implements a linear control of the base-voltage is suitable for integration.
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The main aim of this work is the study and comparative analysis of electric motors for small vehicles. The utilization of these motors is devoted to the application in hybrid vehicles and, in particular, for the series connected... more
The main aim of this work is the study and comparative analysis of electric motors for small vehicles. The utilization of these motors is devoted to the application in hybrid vehicles and, in particular, for the series connected configuration. Three feasible solutions of permanent magnet machines are proposed and discussed. In particular, the machines are permanent magnet motors with radial
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ABSTRACT The paper deals with the experimental evaluation of the electrical and thermal behaviors of punch-through IGBT in parallel connections. The influences of the electrical parameters on the current sharing are evaluated and... more
ABSTRACT The paper deals with the experimental evaluation of the electrical and thermal behaviors of punch-through IGBT in parallel connections. The influences of the electrical parameters on the current sharing are evaluated and discussed. The thermal behavior of several ICBT devices in parallel connections in different experimental conditions are evaluated and discussed. Furthermore some issues on the negative feedback contribution coming from the heat sink looking for the reduction of the current imbalance are analyzed in loaded conditions.
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Nowadays, energy conversion plays a crucial role in sustainable growth and development [...]
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This paper proposes a two-dimensional model of low-voltage power MOSFETs, which are suitable for synchronous rectifier applications. First of all, the device has been characterized by measuring the output (I-V) and transfer... more
This paper proposes a two-dimensional model of low-voltage power MOSFETs, which are suitable for synchronous rectifier applications. First of all, the device has been characterized by measuring the output (I-V) and transfer characteristics, the capacitance curves (C-V), the breakdown voltage, the body-drain diode characteristic (I-V) and the reverse recovery performance. Hence, a device model was derived through a two-dimensional (2D) process simulator. Finally, advanced 2D mixed device and circuit simulations have been carried out finding a good agreement with the experimental results. The aim of this work is to give a contribution to the analysis and design of such devices, looking for the actual power converter applications, by exploiting the enormous potential of modern CAD tools. Simulation runs relative to a synchronous-rectifier buck-converter have been performed too, in order to verify the correctness and validity of the MOSFET model, and also to investigate the internal dynamics of the main switch and the synchronous rectifier during the behavior on the application.
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ABSTRACT This paper deals with a novel short circuit protection technique that is applied during fault under load (FUL) conditions occurring on IGBT devices. An experimental analysis of rugged IGBTs, which are submitted to FUL transients,... more
ABSTRACT This paper deals with a novel short circuit protection technique that is applied during fault under load (FUL) conditions occurring on IGBT devices. An experimental analysis of rugged IGBTs, which are submitted to FUL transients, has been performed dwelling upon the main stresses associated with the fault. In particular, the issues pertinent to the current transient are analysed, and the state-of-the-art regarding the protection circuit as appearing in literature is recalled and discussed. A novel circuitry is proposed aiming to strongly limit the peak of current deriving from a FUL transient, thus limiting the considerable energetic and thermal stresses onto the device. Besides, a theoretical analysis explaining the working mechanism of the proposed circuit has been carried out. Finally, the experimental results, which have been obtained by exploiting a suitable breadboard able to create FUL transients, confirm the validity and correctness of the proposed approach.
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ABSTRACT The paper deals with a new concept applied in designing low-voltage power MOSFETs, which are suitable for high-current low-voltage converter applications, The layout of the proposed device family overcomes the traditional cell... more
ABSTRACT The paper deals with a new concept applied in designing low-voltage power MOSFETs, which are suitable for high-current low-voltage converter applications, The layout of the proposed device family overcomes the traditional cell structure by a new strip-based geometry. The authors present interesting characteristics due to the advanced design rules typical of VLSI processes and strong reduction of the on state resistance. Further, the technology process allows a significant simplification of the silicon fabrication steps, thus allowing enhancing of the device ruggedness. The high current handling in switching conditions (up to 150 A) with a breakdown voltage in the range between 20-50 V in a convenient package solutions allow to give the correct answers to the low-voltage range switch applications. The paper starts with the description of the main technology issues in comparison with that of standard devices, particularly focusing on the innovations and the improved performances. Moreover a detailed characterization of the MOSFET behavior in traditional test circuit as well as in an actual AC motor drive for wheelchair applications is presented and discussed.
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The main purpose of this work has been to carry out a complete analysis by simulation of the behavior of low- voltage power MOSFETs accounting for the effect of the gate parasitic-RC distribution. The use of a low-gate mesh resistance has... more
The main purpose of this work has been to carry out a complete analysis by simulation of the behavior of low- voltage power MOSFETs accounting for the effect of the gate parasitic-RC distribution. The use of a low-gate mesh resistance has been analyzed as an overall alternative to more traditional materials. Moreover, a design using mixed materials (poly-silicon material and low resistivity one) has been also investigated. The contribution of the gate metal resistivity has been accounted for with modeling and simulations. This study is devoted to the decrease of the switching speed, thus allows obtaining advantageous performances in terms of power losses. Moreover good results are shown that can be achieved in terms of robustness due to a more uniform switching within the device structure. The analysis has been realized building a complete model of the device for behavioral circuit simulators based on a preliminary discretization into elementary cells of the geometry. The results can be exploited to improve the device design especially from the point of view of a continuous scaling process. The increase of the switching speed allows managing both higher powers and operative frequency as it is required by new converters and more demanding applications. Seven different layouts are investigated.
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... Input Voltage S. Buonomo**, C. Cavallaro*, F. Chimento*, S. Musumeci*, A. Raciti*, R. Scollo** *DIEES - ARIEL Department of Electrical Electronics and Systems Engineering University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6 - 95125, Catania,... more
... Input Voltage S. Buonomo**, C. Cavallaro*, F. Chimento*, S. Musumeci*, A. Raciti*, R. Scollo** *DIEES - ARIEL Department of Electrical Electronics and Systems Engineering University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6 - 95125, Catania, Italy ...
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In this paper standard-cell Schottky rectifiers along with silicon-based merged PiN Schottky (MPS) and PiN diodes, which are realized using a super junction technology, have been analyzed by conducting extensive device and mixed-mode... more
In this paper standard-cell Schottky rectifiers along with silicon-based merged PiN Schottky (MPS) and PiN diodes, which are realized using a super junction technology, have been analyzed by conducting extensive device and mixed-mode simulations through two-dimensional finite-element grid. The main issues of concern with these devices such as the forward voltage-drop, the leakage characteristic and the reverse recovery are dealt with, by highlighting the superior performances exhibited by the MPS rectifier in respect to the PiN diodes. Basics on the used technology are also reported, by focusing on the high voltage capability obtainable along with the low forward voltage-drop during the on-state conduction. The reverse recovery behavior pertaining to the MPS diode has been analyzed by resorting to several simulations of the internal plasma dynamics.
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The main purpose of this work has been to carry out a complete analysis by simulation of the behavior of low-voltage power MOSFETs accounting for the effects of the gate parasitic-RC distribution. The use of a gate-mesh low resistance has... more
The main purpose of this work has been to carry out a complete analysis by simulation of the behavior of low-voltage power MOSFETs accounting for the effects of the gate parasitic-RC distribution. The use of a gate-mesh low resistance has been analyzed as an overall alternative to more traditional materials. Moreover, a design using mixed materials (poly-silicon material and low resistivity one) has been also investigated. The contribution of the gate metal resistivity has been accounted for through modeling and simulation runs. This study is devoted to the decrease of the switching speed, thus allows obtaining advantageous performances in terms of power losses. Moreover good results are shown that can be achieved in terms of robustness due to a more uniform distribution of the current in switching condition within the device structure. The analysis has been realized by building a complete model of the device useful for behavioral simulations based on a preliminary discretization of...
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This paper deals with the design optimization of a strip-based low-voltage power MOSFET devoted to synchronous rectifier applications. By performing exhaustive characterizations and accurate process simulations based on a two-dimensional... more
This paper deals with the design optimization of a strip-based low-voltage power MOSFET devoted to synchronous rectifier applications. By performing exhaustive characterizations and accurate process simulations based on a two-dimensional model of the power MOSFET structure, optimization of the main electrical static and dynamic characteristics has been achieved in order to satisfy the application requirements. The MOSFET structure is based
Research Interests: Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Psychology, Physics, Process Simulation, and 14 moreMixed Mode, Performance Improvement, Design optimization, MOSFET, Dc-Dc Boost Converter, Converters, Boolean Satisfiability, Optimal Design, Physically Based Simulation, Experimental Analysis, power MOSFET, Power Semiconductor Device, Low voltage, and Structure Optimization
ABSTRACT A forward converter for switched mode power supply (SMPS) applications has been designed and realized, with a monolithic cascode device as active switch, looking for the performance enhancement. The operation of this device in a... more
ABSTRACT A forward converter for switched mode power supply (SMPS) applications has been designed and realized, with a monolithic cascode device as active switch, looking for the performance enhancement. The operation of this device in a SMPS application is shown in detail, and results regarding electrical and thermal characteristics in comparison to the power MOSFET device solution are discussed. The experimental tests that have been carried out are targeted to show the suitability of this device when a 1000-1500 V operation is required and a single switch topology is the most appropriate. Some remarks about the driving circuit adopted for the cascode are also reported.
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... F. Chimento, S. Musumeci, A. Raciti, C. Sapuppo DIEES-ARIEL, University of Catania Viale A. Doria, 6 – 95125 Catania, Italy e-mail: araciti ... Analyses of the electric behavior of the photovoltaic modules have been performed looking... more
... F. Chimento, S. Musumeci, A. Raciti, C. Sapuppo DIEES-ARIEL, University of Catania Viale A. Doria, 6 – 95125 Catania, Italy e-mail: araciti ... Analyses of the electric behavior of the photovoltaic modules have been performed looking to create a mathematical model that has been ...
Research Interests: Engineering, Computer Science, Power Electronics, Digital Control, Algorithm, and 13 moreWorking Conditions, Microcontroller, Low Power, Mathematical Model, Converters, Power Converter, Maximum Power Point Tracking, Photovoltaic system, Performance Comparison, Amorphous Silicon, High Efficiency, Control Algorithm, and Software Package
ABSTRACT The paper deals with the comparison of the on-state resistances of low-voltage power MOSFETs belonging to different technologies. The main structural characteristics of two families of MOSFETs (strip-based layout and trench-gate)... more
ABSTRACT The paper deals with the comparison of the on-state resistances of low-voltage power MOSFETs belonging to different technologies. The main structural characteristics of two families of MOSFETs (strip-based layout and trench-gate) are compared and discussed in order to understand the advantages, drawbacks, and the impact on converter applications. First of all the main aspects regarding the composition of the whole on-state resistance in both the types of devices are faced. An experimental evaluation of the on-state resistance in several devices belonging to the two families is carried out. Finally the figure of merit obtained as the product of the gate charge versus the on-state resistance of the devices is discussed in order to evaluate the impact on both the switching performances and the efficiency in the case of converter applications.
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A new PSpice model of power MOSFETs has been recently developed aiming to account for the parameter variations with temperature. The present paper discusses the new model in detail and reports static and dynamic validation tests at... more
A new PSpice model of power MOSFETs has been recently developed aiming to account for the parameter variations with temperature. The present paper discusses the new model in detail and reports static and dynamic validation tests at different working temperatures in the range 25-150°C on actual devices. Finally, the model is tested in applications where the power devices are connected
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ABSTRACT The proposed paper deals with the investigation of the electrical field distribution on an actual 36 kV gas insulated three phase load break switch application. The proposed medium voltage switch characteristics and applications... more
ABSTRACT The proposed paper deals with the investigation of the electrical field distribution on an actual 36 kV gas insulated three phase load break switch application. The proposed medium voltage switch characteristics and applications are described and evaluated. In particular the switchgear characteristics and performances are focused. An accurate static analysis of the electrical field distribution in both the switchgear and the stainless steel tank will be carried out by several simulations on a suitable model through a finite element method (FEM). The numerical analysis is applied with two dimensional dedicated software tools. The simulation results allow the correct design of the distances for both the fixed and the rotary electrical contacts. The information on the electrical field distribution allows fitting the distances of the electrical contact and pressure value of the insulation gas (SF6) injected in both the switchgear and the stainless steel tank
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ABSTRACT The paper deals with an innovative system achieving an auxiliary source of energy supply from photovoltaic solar system, which operates in case of blackouts by providing a set of loads determined by the continuity of service... more
ABSTRACT The paper deals with an innovative system achieving an auxiliary source of energy supply from photovoltaic solar system, which operates in case of blackouts by providing a set of loads determined by the continuity of service during the absence of power supply by the network. The system is designed mainly suitable for use in the field of home appliances. It also finds additional possible uses in medical and/or in industries where the continuity of service plays a fundamental role for safety. The proposed solution is based on a photovoltaic system for stand-alone coupled with a conventional UPS (uninterruptible power supply). A key role is played by an intelligent control that handles both the charge of a suitable stack of batteries, and the electrical loads connected to UPS. UPS enables loads to be supplied by assigning them an index of priority established by the operator depending on its importance or safety.
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ABSTRACT The paper deals with a smart load priority control strategy for Photovoltaic Uninterruptible Power Supply (PV-UPS) system. This hybrid uninterruptible power supply system achieves an auxiliary source of energy supply from... more
ABSTRACT The paper deals with a smart load priority control strategy for Photovoltaic Uninterruptible Power Supply (PV-UPS) system. This hybrid uninterruptible power supply system achieves an auxiliary source of energy supply from photovoltaic modules, which operates in case of blackouts by providing a set of loads determined by the continuity of service during the absence of power supplied by the AC network. The proposed system is mainly designed for the field of home appliances. The proposed solution is based on a stand-alone photovoltaic system with a conventional UPS. A key role is played by an intelligent control strategy that handles both the charge of a suitable stack of batteries and the electrical loads connected to UPS. UPS enables loads to be supplied by assigning them an index of priority established by the operator, depending on their importance or safety.
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... 9) is due to the positive temperature coefficient of the current (Fig 2 b) exhibited by the device when the gate voltage is 15V for any value of the collector voltage. Fig. 7. Short circuit test (FUL) @ Tj=125°C, RG=100Ω, VGE=20V/div,... more
... 9) is due to the positive temperature coefficient of the current (Fig 2 b) exhibited by the device when the gate voltage is 15V for any value of the collector voltage. Fig. 7. Short circuit test (FUL) @ Tj=125°C, RG=100Ω, VGE=20V/div, VCE =100V/div, IC=50A/div, t=2µs/div. Fig. ...
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This paper deals with the use of the last generation of super-junction (SJ) power MOSFET devices together with silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diodes in an actual converter application. The main technological issues on the used devices are... more
This paper deals with the use of the last generation of super-junction (SJ) power MOSFET devices together with silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diodes in an actual converter application. The main technological issues on the used devices are described and discussed. The impact of the particular features of the devices are analyzed and quantified in a case study regarding a DC-DC
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This paper deals with the performance evaluation of low-voltage power MOSFETs having integrated Schottky diodes into the same die. The combined MOSFET-Schottky diode structure has been realized in order to improve both the efficiency and... more
This paper deals with the performance evaluation of low-voltage power MOSFETs having integrated Schottky diodes into the same die. The combined MOSFET-Schottky diode structure has been realized in order to improve both the efficiency and the performances of low power synchronous-rectifier buck converters in the field of mobile applications. The main technology issues are shortly recalled and the focus is on the innovations and the advantages deriving from the new device. The behavior in DC-DC converters such as Voltage Regulator Modules (VRMs) has been evaluated in order to give evidence to the significant improvements that may be achieved by using combined MOSFET-Schottky diode structure. The DC-DC converter efficiency improvement has been evaluated by comparing the single chip device performances with a standard MOSFET in VRM applications.
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This paper deals with the performance evaluation of low-voltage power MOSFETs as low side switches in synchronous rectifier buck converter applications. The MOSFET technological structure is based on a strip geometry layout, which allows... more
This paper deals with the performance evaluation of low-voltage power MOSFETs as low side switches in synchronous rectifier buck converter applications. The MOSFET technological structure is based on a strip geometry layout, which allows an excellent trade-off between the on-resistance and the gate charge in comparison with other technologies. The paper starts with the description of the main technology issues focusing on the innovations and the advantages. Furthermore, a new high current device with an optimized gate charge profile is introduced. The switching behavior of the tested devices in DC-DC converter applications (voltage regulator modules) has been experimentally analyzed, in detail, placing attention on the on-state power losses of the low-side switch, on the spurious turn-on phenomenon that can occur during the switching transients, on the gate driving conditions, and on the extension of load current range through the use of multiphase converters. The efficiency of the converter has been evaluated in order to put in prominence the significant improvement obtained by using the new generation of high-current, low-voltage MOSFETs.
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In this paper, standard-cell Schottky rectifiers along with silicon-based merged p-i-n-Schottky (MPS) and p-i-n diodes, which are realized using a super junction technology, have been analyzed and compared by conducting extensive device... more
In this paper, standard-cell Schottky rectifiers along with silicon-based merged p-i-n-Schottky (MPS) and p-i-n diodes, which are realized using a super junction technology, have been analyzed and compared by conducting extensive device and mixed-mode simulations through a 2-D finite-element grid. The main issues that concern these devices, such as the forward voltage drop, the leakage characteristic, and the reverse recovery,
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... 3 the schematic of the proposed converter solution is depicted. ... into account the peculiarity of fast convergence to the maximum power working point of the proposed algorithm. The control system, as previously shown, has a time... more
... 3 the schematic of the proposed converter solution is depicted. ... into account the peculiarity of fast convergence to the maximum power working point of the proposed algorithm. The control system, as previously shown, has a time response of about 100ms when a power variation ...
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In this paper, the failure modes of power module IGBTs have been experimentally studied by focusing on the short-circuit behaviour of the devices, with reference to the hard switching fault (HSF) and fault under load (FUL) types of fault.... more
In this paper, the failure modes of power module IGBTs have been experimentally studied by focusing on the short-circuit behaviour of the devices, with reference to the hard switching fault (HSF) and fault under load (FUL) types of fault. In particular, the current ringing phenomenon, having an important influence on the short circuit behaviour of the IGBTs, has been investigated
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In the field of power electronics the use of series connected insulated gate devices, such as IGBTs or power MOSFETs, is interesting in order to obtain fast and efficient power switches in medium range power converters. In this kind of... more
In the field of power electronics the use of series connected insulated gate devices, such as IGBTs or power MOSFETs, is interesting in order to obtain fast and efficient power switches in medium range power converters. In this kind of application, the control of the voltage sharing across the series strings of devices is an important aspect worth considering. The
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The series connection of insulated gate devices, such as MOSFETs or IGBTs, is increasingly used in high-voltage power converters where the demand for fast power switches is growing. The main problem in such an application is to guarantee... more
The series connection of insulated gate devices, such as MOSFETs or IGBTs, is increasingly used in high-voltage power converters where the demand for fast power switches is growing. The main problem in such an application is to guarantee the voltage balance across the devices both at steady-state and during switching transients, in order to avoid damaging overvoltages. In this paper,
Research Interests:
A novel IGBT model developed for the circuit simulator PSpice is tested in applications where the power devices are connected in parallel or in series, in order to carry out specific information during critical behaviors such as turn-on... more
A novel IGBT model developed for the circuit simulator PSpice is tested in applications where the power devices are connected in parallel or in series, in order to carry out specific information during critical behaviors such as turn-on and turn-off transients. Static and dynamic characteristics with different working conditions are investigated keeping into account the spread of the internal parameters and also lay-out related problems. Several simulation runs are performed and thc relevant traces are compared with the expenmental ones in order to demonstrate the validity and accuracy of the proposed model.