EP3949097A1

EP3949097A1 - Controller for determining dead times for power electronics half-bridges

Info

Publication number: EP3949097A1
Application number: EP20706485.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andreas Schmid
Original assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Current assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Priority date: 2019-03-27
Filing date: 2020-02-21
Publication date: 2022-02-09
Also published as: US20210249948A1; CN113615061A; US11462993B2; DE102019204280A1; JP2022524722A; WO2020193026A1

Abstract

A controller (10) for actuating a bridge circuit (30) of a vehicle power module, comprising - an input interface (12) for receiving an output current from the bridge circuit (30); an evaluation unit (14) for determining an adaptive dead time on the basis of the received output current, wherein the adaptive dead time is coupled to a predetermined switching time of the bridge circuit (30) and is delimited by a predetermined minimum value; and a signal unit (16) for generating a control signal in order to impress the adaptive dead time into the bridge circuit (30).

Description

CONTROL UNIT FOR DETERMINING DEAD TIMES FOR POWER ELECTRONIC

HALF BRIDGES

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor-based power modules. In particular, the present invention relates to a control device for determining a dead time for power electronic switches, such as a converter for an electric and / or hybrid vehicle.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Power electronic switches or circuits are used nowadays for a large number of applications. Power electronics play a key role in the advancing electromobility. With the increasing number of functions integrated in the vehicle, the number and complexity of the power electronics installed there also increases.

In many power electronic circuits such as power supplies and converters who use the bridge circuits, which typically consists of an upper (high-side) switch and a lower (low-side) switch. The highside switch (HS switch) can comprise a transistor, such as a field effect transistor (FET), which connects a load to a supply voltage. The low-side switch (LS switch) can also comprise a transistor, something an FET, which switches a load to the ground (or earth).

Such a bridge circuit is known, for example, from EP1230734B1.

The two switches are to be controlled inverted to each other during operation. When switching on and off there is a time delay in both an HS and an LS switch. This is due to the fact that after applying a gate-source voltage (VGS), the drain-source voltage (VDS) reacts to the latter with a delay. However, the two switches have different delay times due to the different reaction speed of the Drain-source voltage to the gate-source voltage, as well as rise and fall times of different lengths when switching on and off. The rise and fall times relate to the time it takes for the drain-source voltage to reach the final value. This means that the two switches switch on and off at different speeds. As a result, the HS and LS switches cannot easily be controlled inverted to one another. Otherwise, it would lead to an overlap phase during which both switches are conductive at the same time, which in turn would result in a high cross current that flows from one of the two switches to the other switch and resembles a short circuit that destroys the entire power switch.

In addition, with more modern power switches, which for example include a metal oxide semiconductor FET (MOSFET) or a galium nitride (GaN) -based high electron mobility transistor (GaN-HEMT), the delay time when switching off is usually much longer than when switching on is.

Various solutions have been proposed in the past to attempt to remedy the above problem. For example, a so-called "dead time" (or locking time) is introduced, which is defined as the time span in which neither the HS switch nor the LS switch is closed. This prevents short-circuiting of the supply voltage and thus a cross line.

However, the power electronic circuits known from the prior art have a high conduction loss. This is due to the fact that the dead time is not selected appropriately, and in many cases too large. Power arresters that enable reverse conduction have a significantly increased forward voltage when they are switched off. As a result, a long dead time leads to an increase in the conduction losses in the reverse line.

The invention is therefore based on the object of optimizing the dead time in power electronic circuits so that the conduction losses in the reverse line are reduced. The object is achieved by a control device, a control method, an optimization method, a computer program product, a computer-readable one

Storage medium and a data carrier signal according to the independent patent claims solved.

The vehicle power module comprises at least one reverse switchable power semiconductor. For example, semiconductors with large band gaps (English: Wide Bandgap Semiconductors) such as gallium nitride (GaN) or silicon carbide (SiC) come into consideration. The vehicle power module may include one or more metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), one or more high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs).

The bridge circuit can be a half bridge comprising an HS switch and an LS switch. Alternatively, the bridge circuit can be a so-called multilevel half-bridge. The input interface can be designed, for example, as an analog-digital converter or as an interface of a data line (e.g. serial peripheral interface, SPI).

The output current can be obtained from a current transformer, an ammeter or a data line. The evaluation unit comprises, for example, a microcontroller or a field-programmable gate arrangement (FPGA), or is part of the microcontroller which reads out the output current and determines the adaptive dead time as a function thereof. This can be understood as three determination variants: according to a first determination variant, the evaluation unit measures the commutation time and the minimum value of the dead time of the bridge circuit by means of a measurement module integrated in the latter or connected to the latter. The evaluation unit then uses the commutation time and the minimum value to determine the adaptive dead time by combining these two measured variables. In this case, the word “predetermined” in connection with the commutation time and the minimum value refers to the fact that these were determined for the measured variables by the evaluation unit itself before they were combined. According to a second determination variant, the evaluation unit uses a commutation time and a minimum value, these two measured variables being obtained by characterizing the bridge circuit or another bridge circuit (for example on a prototype). The evaluation unit then uses the commutation time and the minimum value to determine the adaptive dead time by combining these two measured variables. In this case, the word “predetermined” in connection with the commutation time and the minimum value, analogously to the first determination variant, refers to the fact that these two measured variables were determined by means of the characterization (on the prototype) before they were combined.

According to a third determination variant, the evaluation unit uses a commutation time and a minimum value, with these two measured variables being obtained and combined by characterizing the or another bridge circuit (e.g. on the prototype). In this case, the word “predetermined” in connection with the commutation time and the minimum value refers to the fact that these two measured variables were determined and combined before the point in time at which they are fed to the evaluation unit for the purpose of determining the adaptive dead time. For example, the control device can have a storage medium for storing the predetermined and combined commutation time / minimum value of the dead time as a function of the output current of the bridge circuit characterized (prototype).

According to a preferred embodiment, the commutation time is defined as a period of time within which a drain-source voltage (VDS) of the bridge circuit from an initial value to 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 1 0%, 5% or 0% of the initial value drops.

Based on the adaptive dead time, a control signal is generated by means of the signal unit, the control signal serving to impress the adaptive dead time of the bridge circuit. The control signal can for example be a first pulse duration modulation signal (eg PWM signal) for an upper switch (HS switch) of the bridge circuit and a second pulse duration modulation signal (eg PWM signal) for one include the lower switch (LS switch) of the bridge circuit. The signal unit can be part of a microcontroller.

The control device and control method according to the invention are advantageous due to the adaptive dead time compared to the solutions known from the prior art. By limiting the adaptive dead time to the predetermined minimum value, the cross line mentioned at the beginning can be avoided or reduced. This prevents a short-circuit current and the associated destruction of the power semiconductors due to their overheating. Limiting the dead time to the minimum value means that the dead time is greater than or equal to the minimum value.

In addition, because the dead time is coupled to the predetermined commutation time, so-called "double switching" is avoided. In the case of power semiconductors, the commutation times increase sharply as the load current decreases, because the switch, which acts as a capacitor at the current output, is reloaded comparatively slowly with an output capacitance. If the dead time is shorter than the commutation time, the output capacitor of the respective circuit breaker is not yet fully discharged when it is switched on. This results in double switching or a hard-switching transient in which the voltage applied to the switch and the current applied to the switch are not equal to zero at the same time. This leads to additional losses, which can be prevented if the dead time is selected to be greater than or equal to the commutation time. Coupling the dead time to the commutation time of the bridge circuit means that the dead time is set equal to the commutation time or is related to the commutation time using a fixed arithmetic relationship (e.g. with a fixed difference and / or a fixed multiplication factor).

Furthermore, this results in an improved control of the bridge circuit compared to the solutions known from the prior art, in which the bridge circuit does not necessarily have to be examined for its switching behavior during operation and has to be corrected if an incorrect behavior occurs (e.g. loss of conduction or double switching) . In contrast to this, (e.g. by means of characterization of a prototype), predetermined commutation times and minimum values of the dead time are used as existing data in order to determine the dead time, which is to be impressed on the bridge circuit in the form of a control signal, as a function of the output current. This enables the bridge circuit to be controlled easily by means of the optimized, adaptive dead time.

Advantageous refinements and developments are given in the subclaims.

According to a further embodiment, the predetermined minimum value depends on a switch-on delay time of the bridge circuit when switching on, a switch-on control delay time of gate control of the bridge circuit when switching on, a switch-off delay time of the bridge circuit when switching off, and / or a switch-off control delay time of gate control of the bridge circuit when Switch off.

By limiting the dead time to this minimum value, the cross line can effectively be avoided. In particular, in addition to the delay times relating to the reaction of the drain-source voltage to the gate voltage, delay times of the gate control itself can also be taken into account when switching on or off. As an alternative or in addition, the minimum value of the dead time determined in this way can be increased by a reserve value in order to prevent cross-conduction under as many operating conditions as possible (e.g. thermal influences that can greatly change the switching behavior of the power semiconductors).

According to a further embodiment, the evaluation unit is designed to equate the adaptive dead time to the minimum value for a first range of the output current above a predefined threshold value and / or the predetermined commutation time for a second range of the output current below the threshold value.

The threshold value can be established on the basis of the predetermined commutation time and / or the predetermined minimum value of the dead time. For example is the threshold value of the current value at the point of intersection between the course of the commutation time as a function of the output current (load current) of the characterized bridge circuit (prototype) and the straight line of the constant minimum value of the dead time in a diagram in which the time (commutation time or dead time) versus the load current is applied. This is particularly advantageous in the case of power semiconductors, the commutation time of which decreases with increasing load current.

According to a further embodiment, the evaluation unit is designed to select the predetermined commutation time and / or the predetermined minimum value from a table or a variable field as a function of the output current.

The table (e.g. a look-up table) or the variable field (e.g. an array) are preferably obtained by means of the above-mentioned characterization of the bridge circuit or the prototype. Several values of the output current of the bridge circuit are stored in a first column of the table or the variable field. In a second column of the table or the variable field, values of the dead time are stored which are determined for the multiple values of the output current and also coupled to the predetermined commutation time and limited to the predetermined minimum value. Thus, the evaluation unit can easily access data of the optimized, adaptive dead time obtained in advance by means of a prototype characterization, in order to control the bridge circuit based thereon.

Instead of the table or the variable field, the evaluation unit can access an approximation formula that is obtained, for example, based on the above-mentioned data of the optimized, adaptive dead time obtained in advance by means of the prototype characterization. The approximation formula thus describes the mathematical dependence of the adaptive dead time obtained by combining the predetermined commutation time and the predetermined minimum value on the load or output current of the bridge circuit characterized (prototype). This enables improved control, since the adaptive dead time can be established over a comparatively expanded and continuous range instead of just discrete values of the load current of the bridge circuit. The computer program product according to the invention is designed to be loaded into a memory of a computer and comprises software code sections with which the method steps of the method according to the invention are carried out when the computer program product is running on the computer.

A program is part of the software of a data processing system, for example an evaluation device or a computer. Software is a collective term for programs and associated data. The complement to software is hardware. Hardware describes the mechanical and electronic alignment of a data processing system. A computer is an evaluation device.

Computer program products generally comprise a sequence of instructions which, when the program is loaded, cause the hardware to carry out a specific method that leads to a specific result. When the program in question is used on a computer, the computer program product causes the inventive technical effect described above.

The computer program product according to the invention is platform independent. That means it can run on any computing platform. The computer program product is preferably executed on an evaluation device according to the invention for detecting the surroundings of the vehicle.

The software code sections are written in any programming language, for example in Python, Java, JavaScript, C, C ++, C #, Matlab, LabView, Objective C. Alternatively or additionally, a hardware description language (e.g. VHDL) can be used.

The computer-readable storage medium is, for example, an electronic, magnetic, optical or magneto-optical storage medium.

The data carrier signal is a signal that the computer program product is transferred from a storage medium on which the computer program product is stored. to another entity, for example another storage medium, a server, a cloud system, a wireless communication system of the 4G / 5G or a data processing device.

Embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a control device according to an imple mentation form;

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a bridge circuit, which by the

Control unit is activated; and

3 shows a schematic representation of a method for optimizing a

Dead time for the bridge circuit

In the figures, the same reference symbols relate to the same or functionally similar reference parts. The relevant reference parts are identified in the individual figures.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a control device 10 according to one embodiment. The control device 10 comprises an input interface 12, an evaluation unit 14 and a signal unit 16. Via the input interface 12, an output current is obtained which is measured at an output of a bridge circuit 30, for example by means of an ammeter 40 (FIG. 2). The evaluation unit 14 evaluates the output current and determines an adaptive dead time as a function thereof. As shown by way of example in FIG. 2, the evaluation unit 14 uses a table 142 in which data of the adaptive dead time tü as a function of the load current I is stored. 3 shows schematically the method for determining the adaptive dead time, by means of which the data in table 142 are obtained: in a step S1 the minimal dead time (minimum value) is measured on a bridge circuit prototype. In a further step S2, the commutation time tc is measured on the same or a different bridge circuit prototype as a function of the load current I. In a further step, the measurement results from steps S1 and S2 are combined in order to obtain the adaptive dead time tü as a function of the load current I. As shown by way of example in FIG. 3, the adaptive dead time can be stored in a table together with the associated load current values. Alternatively or additionally, an approximation formula (shown in Fig. 3 as a curve in the diagram) can be determined based on the value pairs in which each value pair includes the adaptive dead time on the one hand and the associated load current on the other hand: t _D = a1 ^{~ b} . Here a and b are approximate parameters.

The evaluation unit 14 uses the table 142 to determine the adaptive dead time tü. Based on this, the signal unit 16 generates a control signal which is impressed on the bridge circuit 30. In FIG. 2, the control of the bridge circuit 30 by means of the control device 10 from FIG. 1 is also shown schematically. A first control signal 144 for controlling the gate of the HS switch 32 is shown schematically as a rectangular PWM signal. A second control signal 146 for driving the gate of the LS switch 34 is also shown schematically as a rectangular PWM signal, the adaptive dead time tü determined by the evaluation unit 14 being taken into account. As shown by way of example in FIG. 2, the two drive signals are generated inverted to one another, there being a phase for the duration of the dead time during which neither of the two switches is controlled. In the second PWM signal for the LS switch 34, the signal edge is shifted in time by tü compared to the signal edge in the first PWM signal for the HS switch. At the same time, the signal edge in the first PWM signal for the HS switch 32 is also shifted by tü compared to the signal edge in the second PWM signal for the LS switch 34. Bezuaszeichen

10 control unit

12 input interface

14 Evaluation unit

142 table

144 first control signal

146 second control signal

16 signal unit

30 bridge circuit

32 highside switches

34 Lowside Switch

36 first gate control

38 second gate drive

40 Current measuring device

S1 -S3 process steps

Claims

1. Control unit (10) for controlling a bridge circuit (30) of a vehicle power module, comprising:

an input interface (12) for receiving an output current of the bridge circuit (30);

an evaluation unit (14) for determining an adaptive dead time as a function of the output current obtained, the adaptive dead time being coupled to a predetermined commutation time of the bridge circuit (30) and limited by a predetermined minimum value; and

a signal unit (16) for generating a control signal for impressing the adaptive dead time in the bridge circuit (30).

2. Control device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the commutation time is defined as a time duration within which a drain-source voltage (VDS) of the bridge circuit (30) from an initial value to 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5% or 0% of the initial value drops.

3. Control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the input interface (12) is further designed to receive the predetermined commutation time and the predetermined minimum value.

4. Control device (10) according to claim 3, wherein the evaluation unit (12) is formed from the adaptive dead time to the minimum value for a first range of the output current above a predefined threshold value and / or the predetermined commutation time for a second range of the output current equate below half the threshold.

5. Control device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluation unit (14) is designed to select the adaptive dead time from a table or egg nem variable field depending on the output current.

6. Control device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the evaluation unit (14) is designed to select the adaptive dead time according to an approximation formula depending on the output current.

7. Control method for controlling a bridge circuit (30) of a vehicle power module, comprising:

Obtaining an output current of the bridge circuit (30);

Determining an adaptive dead time as a function of the output current obtained, the adaptive dead time being coupled to a predetermined commutation time of the bridge circuit (30) and limited by a predetermined minimum value; and

Generating a control signal for impressing the adaptive dead time in the bridge circuit (30).

8. A method for determining an adaptive dead time of a bridge circuit (30), comprising:

Measuring a minimum value of the dead time of the bridge circuit (30);

Measuring a commutation time of the bridge circuit (30) as a function of an output current of the bridge circuit (30);

Combine the measured commutation time with the determined minimum value in order to obtain an adaptive dead time as a function of the output current, which is coupled to the measured commutation time and limited by the determined minimum value.

9. Computer program product, comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to claim 7 or 8.

10. Computer-readable storage medium on which the computer program product according to claim 9 is stored.

11. Data carrier signal which the computer program product according to claim 9 transmits.