IGBT IPMs reduce power consumption in industrial equipment
Four 600V IGBT intelligent power modules (IPMs) from Rohm are claimed to deliver best in class low noise characteristics and low loss, making them suitable for power conversion in inverters.
The BM6437x series of IPMs are for compact industrial equipment, such as small capacity motors for robots, as well as home appliances, including air conditioners and washing machines.
IGBT IPMs are used to reduce power consumption in the IoT, and as automation levels increase in industrial equipment and home appliances. When developing IGBT IPMs, however, the noise characteristics often deteriorate as priority is placed on low loss to reduce power consumption, which means noise performance has to be improved.
The IPMs in the BM6437x series simultaneously reduce both radiated noise and power loss. Optimising the built-in IGBT’s characteristics and soft recovery characteristics of the internal fast recovery diode (FSD) allows the IPMs to decrease radiated noise by more than 6dB (at peak comparison) over standard products, reports Rohm.
The IPMs use low-loss IGBTs to reduce power consumption compared with Rohm’s conventional IPMs by six per cent (fc=15kHz), which reduces loss and contributes to the reduction power consumption in equipment. The integral temperature monitoring function has been improved, resulting in high ± two per cent accuracy (equivalent to two degrees C), says Rohm. As a result, the external thermistor conventionally required with existing high accuracy temperature monitors can be eliminated. There is also an error identification mode to identify the cause of the failure (i.e. short current protection, under voltage protection or thermal shutdown protection).
Rohm Semiconductor develops and manufactures a large product range from SiC diodes and MOSFETs, analogue ICs such as gate drivers and power management ICs to power transistors and diodes to passive components.
The company has manufacturing plants in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and China.
Lapis Technology and Lapis Semiconductor (former OKI Semiconductor), SiCrystal and Kionix are companies in the Rohm Semiconductor Group.
Rohm Semiconductor Europe has its head office near Dusseldorf, Germany, serving the EMEA region.
