High-power semiconductor module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9490621-B2
Application number	US-201414328848-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2014
Priority date	Jul 12, 2013
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

A high-power semiconductor module is disclosed, which can include a high-power semiconductor device mounted on the module and at least two electrical connections. The module can include a short-circuit device mounted on the module. The short-circuit device can generate a persistent electrically conducting path between the two electrical connections upon receiving a trigger signal by electrically destroying a semiconductor of the high-power semiconductor module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A high-power semiconductor module, comprising:
a high-power semiconductor device mounted on a module housing and having at least two electrical connections and a semiconductor arranged between the at least two electrical connections; and
a short-circuit device mounted on the module housing and configured to generate a persistent electrically conducting path between the at least two electrical connections upon receiving a trigger signal to electrically destroy the semiconductor of the high-power semiconductor module.

2. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 1 ,
wherein at least a part of a high-power semiconductor of the high-power semiconductor device will be destroyed to generate the persistent electrically conducting path; and/or
wherein at least a part of a short-circuit semiconductor of the short-circuit device will be destroyed to generate the persistent electrically conducting path.

3. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the short-circuit device comprises:
a thyristor as a short-circuit semiconductor; and/or wherein the high-power semiconductor device comprises:
a thyristor, GTO, IGCT, IGBT and/or a diode as high-power semiconductor.

4. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the short-circuit device comprises:
a short-circuit semiconductor which provides a sacrificial region, which is configured for being destroyed by a current pulse triggered by the trigger signal.

5. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the high-power semiconductor device comprises:
a high-power semiconductor, and the short-circuit device includes a short-circuit semiconductor, which are arranged in a common substrate.

6. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 5 ,
wherein the short-circuit semiconductor is completely surrounded by the high-power semiconductor.

7. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 5 , comprising:
a pole piece attached to a side of the high-power semiconductor;
wherein the pole piece includes a hole with an insulated mount for a spring-loaded contact pin for transmitting the trigger signal to the short-circuit semiconductor; and/or
wherein the pole piece includes a trench with a control lead insulated mounted to the pole piece.

8. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 5 , wherein the high-power semiconductor device comprises:
a free-wheeling diode arranged in the common substrate.

9. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 5 , wherein the high-power semiconductor device and the short-circuit semiconductor device are arranged in a disk of a common substrate; and wherein the disk comprises:
a middle region including the short-circuit semiconductor, a first annular region surrounding the middle region and including a free-wheeling diode, and a second annular region surrounding the first annular region and including the high-power semiconductor.

10. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the short-circuit device comprises:
a capacitor for providing electrical energy for destroying of a semiconductor such that the electrically conducting path will be generated and/or for triggering the short-circuit device.

11. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 10 , wherein the capacitor of the short-circuit device is connected to a capacitor of the high-power semiconductor device via a diode for preventing an unloading of the capacitor of the short-circuit device, when the capacitor of the high-power semiconductor device unloads.

12. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the short-circuit device comprises:
a fibre-optic connection, and a control circuitry for converting a trigger signal from the fibre-optic connection into an electrical trigger signal.

13. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 1 , wherein the high-power semiconductor device comprises:
a fibre-optic connection, and a control circuitry for processing control signals from the fibre-optic connection.

14. A modular multilevel converter system, comprising:
a plurality of high-power semiconductor modules according to claim 1 ; and
a controller for controlling the high-power semiconductor devices of the high-power semiconductor modules, wherein the controller is configured for detecting a failure of a high-power semiconductor device and for providing a trigger signal to a short-circuit device for bypassing a failed high-power semiconductor device.

15. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 2 , wherein the short-circuit device comprises:
a thyristor as a short-circuit semiconductor; and/or wherein the high-power semiconductor device comprises:
a thyristor, GTO, IGCT, IGBT and/or a diode as high-power semiconductor.

16. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 15 , wherein the short-circuit device comprises:
a short-circuit semiconductor which provides a sacrificial region, which is configured for being destroyed by a current pulse triggered by the trigger signal.

17. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 16 , wherein the high-power semiconductor device comprises:
a high-power semiconductor, and the short-circuit device includes a short-circuit semiconductor, which are arranged in a common substrate.

18. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 17 , comprising:
a pole piece attached to a side of the high-power semiconductor;
wherein the pole piece includes a hole with an insulated mount for a spring-loaded contact pin for transmitting the trigger signal to the short-circuit semiconductor; and/or
wherein the pole piece includes a trench with a control lead insulated mounted to the pole piece.

19. The high-power semiconductor module of claim 18 , wherein the high-power semiconductor device comprises:
a free-wheeling diode arranged in the common substrate.

Assignees

• Abb Technology Ag
• Abb Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Wikström Tobias
• Setz Thomas

Classifications

• H02H3/023 Primary

  by short-circuiting · CPC title

• H02M7/49 Primary

  Combination of the output voltage waveforms of a plurality of converters · CPC title

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10W42/80

  protecting against overcurrent or overload, e.g. fuses or shunts (integrated devices comprising arrangements for electrical protection H10D89/60) · CPC title

• H01L2924/00

  Electricity · mapped topic