There are many types of power sources that are used for many different applications. In this thesis, a programmable source is designed, built and tested. The programmable source is able to generate three-phase output signals from three different input voltage signals using the ADMC401 DSP board. The programmable source is unique in that it can reproduce any input signal and amplify the input signal. This is done by pulse-width modulation (PWM). The programmable source was designed with gate driver circuits, a motor controller, switches, filters, comparators and other electronic components. Thermal protection and applications for this programmable source are presented in this thesis. Also, test data taken when a squirrel cage induction motor was powered by the programmable source is presented.

For decades, the Silicon-based semiconductors have been the solution for power electronics applications. However, these semiconductors have approached their limits of operation in blocking voltage, working temperature and switching frequency. Due to material superiority, the relatively-new wide-bandgap semiconductors such as Silicon-Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs enable higher voltages, switching frequencies and operating temperatures when compared to Silicon technology, resulting in improved converter specifications. The current study tries to investigate the impact of emerging medium-voltage SiC MOSFETs on industrial motor drive application, where over a quarter of the total electricity in the world is being consumed. Firstly, non-commercial SiC MOSFETs at 3.3 kV and 400 A rating are characterized to enable converter design and simulation based on them. In order to feature the best performance out of the devices under test, an intelligent high-performance gate driver is designed embedding required functionalities and protections. Secondly, total of three converters are targeted for industrial motor drive application at medium-voltage and high-power range. For this purpose the cascaded H-bridge, the modular multilevel converter and the 5-L active neutral point clamped converters are designed at 4.16-, 6.9- and 13.8 kV voltage ratings and 3- and 5 MVA power ratings. Selection of different voltage and power levels is done to elucidate variation of different parameters within the converters versus operating point. Later, comparisons are done between the surveyed topologies designed at different operating points based on Si IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs. The comparison includes different aspects such as efficiency, power density, semiconductor utilization, energy stored in converter structure, fault containment, low-speed operation capability and parts count (for a measure of reliability). Having the comparisons done based on simulation data, an H-bridge cell is implemented using 3.3 kV 400 A SiC MOSFETs to evaluate validity of the conducted simulations. Finally, a novel method is proposed for series-connecting individual SiC MOSFETs to reach higher voltage devices. Considering the fact that currently the SiC MOSFETs are not commercially available at voltages higher above 1.7 kV, this will enable implementation of converters using medium-voltage SiC MOSFETs that are achieved by stacking commercially-available 1.7 kV MOSFETs. The proposed method is specifically developed for SiC MOSFETs with high dv/dt rates, while majority of the existing solutions could only work merely with slow Si-based semiconductors. / Ph. D.

Les travaux développés durant cette thèse concernent la détection et l'identification des défauts simples et multiples d'ouverture des transistors dans un convertisseur statique associé à une machine asynchrone. Pour aborder cette problématique, nous avons commencé par l'analyse des potentialités, des faiblesses et des incertitudes des techniques qui ont initiés notre démarche. Ensuite, nous avons présenté deux méthodologies permettant d'analyser les performances du moteur asynchrone en présence des défauts dans une ou plusieurs cellules de commutation. Cette étude préliminaire nous a permis ainsi de proposer deux nouvelles stratégies de diagnostic sans référence basées sur l'approche signal. Les signaux électriques (courants ou tensions) disponibles à la sortie du convertisseur statique sont utilisés pour alimenter le processus de diagnostic. La première stratégie retenue est basée sur l'analyse qualitative des tensions de sortie entre phases du convertisseur et des signaux de commande appliqués aux transistors pendant les instants de commutation. Grâce à une représentation instantanée de ces grandeurs, à l'échelle de la période de découpage, nous avons pu mettre en évidence des caractéristiques favorables à la détection des défauts simples et multiples d'ouverture des transistors. L'implémentation pratique de cette première approche a été réalisée au moyen d'une technologie analogique permettant ainsi de minimiser le temps de retard à la détection jusqu'à quelques dizaines de microsecondes. / The main goal of this thesis concerns the detection and identification of simple and multiple open-circuit faults in voltage source inverters (VSIs)-fed induction motor drives. In first step, the potentialities, the weaknesses as well as the uncertainties of the previously published works have been discussed. The second step was dedicated to the study of the inverter faults impact on the induction motor. For this purpose, we have proposed two methodologies permitting the characterization of the electromagnetic torque behaviour as well as the electric variables of the induction motor under the open- and short-circuit faults. These preliminary studies allowed to propose two novel signal-based approaches for open-circuit fault diagnosis in voltage source inverter. The measured outputs inverter voltages and currents have been used as the input quantities for the fault detection and identification (FDI) process. The first approach consists in analyzing the pulse-width modulation (PWM) switching signals and the line-to-line voltage levels during the switching times, under both healthy and faulty operating conditions. For this purpose, we have adopted an instantaneous representation of these variables, which permits their analysis over one switching period. The fault diagnosis scheme is achieved using simple analog device. This circuit allows an accurate single and multiple faults diagnosis, and a minimization of the fault detection time which becomes about a few tens of microseconds.

This work presents different novel gate drive unit (GDU) concepts for IGBT and reverse conducting IGBT (RC-IGBT). They have been experimentally tested with medium voltage class IGBT modules (1200...1700V/650…1400A) and a RC-IGBT module (1200V/200A). The switching behaviour of the RC-IGBT was investigated, and a new trigger pulse pattern to drive the RC-IGBT was developed, designed and implemented. The experimental results showed that the switching losses were reduced by 20% in the RC-IGBT compared to the switching losses of a standard diode. Two novel schemes are introduced to estimate the collector current through the IGBT, based on the measurement of the voltage across the internal stray inductance of the IGBT module. Furthermore, a GDU concept was derived to balance the on-state collector currents of parallel-connected IGBTs, reducing the current imbalance to 5%. Also, a new fast short circuit protection method (FSCP) for IGBT modules was developed, designed and implemented in another GDU, allowing turning-off the considered IGBT in less than 1μs, reducing the IGBT stress. Another scheme implemented in a GDU features an improved gate current switching profile of the IGBT, which reduces the switching losses by 25% compared to the standard switching method. In order to reduce the conduction losses, a GDU with an increased turn-on gate-emitter voltage (larger than 20 V) was investigated. In the investigated IGBT, the on-state losses were reduced by 18% when a gate-emitter voltage of 35V is used compared to when a gate-emitter voltage of 15V is used. All these new GDU concepts have been implemented with a simple and inexpensive electronic circuitry, which is an important feature for a possible industrial implementation.

This work presents different novel gate drive unit (GDU) concepts for IGBT and reverse conducting IGBT (RC-IGBT). They have been experimentally tested with medium voltage class IGBT modules (1200...1700V/650…1400A) and a RC-IGBT module (1200V/200A). The switching behaviour of the RC-IGBT was investigated, and a new trigger pulse pattern to drive the RC-IGBT was developed, designed and implemented. The experimental results showed that the switching losses were reduced by 20% in the RC-IGBT compared to the switching losses of a standard diode. Two novel schemes are introduced to estimate the collector current through the IGBT, based on the measurement of the voltage across the internal stray inductance of the IGBT module. Furthermore, a GDU concept was derived to balance the on-state collector currents of parallel-connected IGBTs, reducing the current imbalance to 5%. Also, a new fast short circuit protection method (FSCP) for IGBT modules was developed, designed and implemented in another GDU, allowing turning-off the considered IGBT in less than 1μs, reducing the IGBT stress. Another scheme implemented in a GDU features an improved gate current switching profile of the IGBT, which reduces the switching losses by 25% compared to the standard switching method. In order to reduce the conduction losses, a GDU with an increased turn-on gate-emitter voltage (larger than 20 V) was investigated. In the investigated IGBT, the on-state losses were reduced by 18% when a gate-emitter voltage of 35V is used compared to when a gate-emitter voltage of 15V is used. All these new GDU concepts have been implemented with a simple and inexpensive electronic circuitry, which is an important feature for a possible industrial implementation.