A multilevel inverter (MLI) is a power electronic device designed to generate a stepped ac voltage level at its output by combining multiple lower-level dc voltages as inputs. This FAQ will cover the three basic MLI topologies: diode-clamped MLI, capacitor-clamped MLI, and cascaded H-Bridge MLI. Conventional two-level inverter and MLI A conventional two-level inverter (Figure […]
inverters
150 V GaN-based inverter optimized for industrial and battery-powered systems
Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) announces the release of the EPC91200, a motor drive inverter reference design for three-phase brushless DC (BLDC) motor applications. This reference design integrates the EPC2305, a 150 V, 3.0 mΩ RDS(on) enhancement-mode GaN FET, and is designed to support voltage ranges from 30 V to 130 V. These voltage capabilities […]
Reference design bridges micro and string inverter gap
Efficient Power Conversion Corporation (EPC) has introduced the EPC9178 reference design for photovoltaic (PV) optimizers. The design aims to improve reliability while reducing passive components in solar energy systems, advancing GaN technology applications in renewable energy. The EPC9178 features a back-to-back buck-boost converter topology that helps optimize energy harvesting for individual solar panels during conditions […]
1200V, 40A IGBT powers solar inverters
Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation announced the completion of the development of its 1200V 75A Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) in a TO-247PLUS package, designed for solar inverters. The Company plans to start mass production in October this year. Magnachip entered the solar inverter market in 2020 by introducing the 1200V 40A IGBT (MBQ40T120QFS) and began offering […]
Dual-channel gate drivers offer thermal management for inverter modules
Power Integrations has announced the launch of the SCALE-iFlex XLT family of dual-channel plug-and-play gate drivers. These drivers are designed for the operation of single LV100 (Mitsubishi), XHP 2 (Infineon), HPnC (Fuji Electric), and equivalent semiconductor modules up to 2300 V blocking voltage. The new gate drivers are suitable for wind, energy storage, and solar […]
High-voltage SiC inverter control modules accelerate e-mobility designs and development
At the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC), CISSOID released its new series of SiC Inverter Control Modules (ICMs) dedicated to the E-mobility market. These software-powered SiC Inverter Control Modules are designed to help engineers create functionally safe, robust, and modular E-motor drives while dramatically shortening time-to-market. The new CXT-ICM3SA series offers optimal hardware and software […]
Chips provide input/output isolation for -60 to 60 V conversion to logic signals
NOVOSENSE Microelectronics has introduced two new isolated digital input (DI) chips suitable for 24V digital signal input in industrial control applications such as PLCs, servos, and inverters. The 4-channel NSI8604 and the 8-channel NSI8608 provide input/output isolation when converting voltages in the range of -60V to 60V to logic signals. Both devices support bi-directional digital […]
100 kHz reference inverter is 98.5% efficient at 5% load
Pre-Switch, Inc. has announced new data proving the efficiency of the company’s architecture at low load as well as a full load. Tests performed on Pre-Switch’s CleanWave2 reference inverter at 100kHz switching speed show the system is 98.5% efficient at 5% load. Peak efficiency is 99.57%. Pre-Switch eliminates switching losses, enabling 10X higher switching frequencies, […]
GaN 3-phase BLDC motor drive delivers 20 A
EPC announces the availability of the EPC9176, a 3-phase BLDC motor drive inverter using the EPC23102 ePower Stage GaN IC with embedded gate driver function and two GaN FET with 5.2 mΩ typical RDS(on). The EPC9176 operates from an input supply voltage between 20 V and 80 V and can deliver up to 28 Apk […]
Power module pair simplify SiC inverter designs
STMicroelectronics has released two STPOWER modules that contain 1200V silicon-carbide (SiC) MOSFETs in popular configurations. Each uses ST’s ACEPACK[1] 2 package technology to ensure high power density and simplified assembly. The first of the new modules, the A2F12M12W2-F1, is a four-pack module that provides a convenient and compact full-bridge solution for circuits such as DC/DC converters. […]
