METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTIMATING THE TEMPERATURE OF A SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP

摘要

The invention regards a method for estimating the temperature of a semiconductor chip accommodated in a power semiconductor device in operation, such as an IGBT power module, the method comprising the steps of; while the power semiconductor device is in operation determining a voltage drop over the power semiconductor device for a value of applied load current and; estimating the temperature of the semiconductor chip by evaluating the relationship between the determined voltage drop and the value of applied load current on the basis of a semiconductor chip temperature model. The invention also regards the corresponding apparatus for estimating the temperature of a semiconductor chip, as well as a wind turbine comprising such an apparatus.

主权项

1. Method for estimating the temperature of a semiconductor chip accommodated in a power semiconductor device in operation, such as an IGBT power module, the method comprising the steps of
while the power semiconductor device is in operation, by means of a measuring circuit, determining a voltage drop over the semiconductor chip for a value of applied load current and estimating the temperature of the semiconductor chip by evaluating the relationship between the determined voltage drop and the value of applied load current on the basis of a temperature model,wherein the temperature model comprising parameters of at least the semiconductor chip and the measuring circuit, andwherein the parameters, for the relationship between the determined voltage drop and the determined applied load current, are established by
establishing a temperature of the power semiconductor device when the power semiconductor device is not in operation, and determining a voltage drop over the semiconductor chip for at least one predetermined current applied.