Transient electrothermal simulation of power semiconductor devices

In this paper, a new thermal model based on the Fourier series solution of heat conduction equation has been introduced in detail. 1-D and 2-D Fourier series thermal models have been programmed in MATLAB/Simulink. Compared with the traditional finite-difference thermal model and equivalent RC thermal network, the new thermal model can provide high simulation speed with high accuracy, which has been proved to be more favorable in dynamic thermal characterization on power semiconductor switches. The complete electrothermal simulation models of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and power diodes under inductive load switching condition have been successfully implemented in MATLAB/Simulink. The experimental results on IGBT and power diodes with clamped inductive load switching tests have verified the new electrothermal simulation model. The advantage of Fourier series thermal model over widely used equivalent RC thermal network in dynamic thermal characterization has also been validated by the measured junction temperature

Development of diagnostic and prognostic algorithms for SF6 puffer circuit breakers from transient waveforms: a validation proposal

- This paper presents a validation proposal for development of diagnostic and prognostic algorithms for SF6 puffer circuit-breakers reproduced from actual site waveforms. The re-ignition/restriking rates are duplicated in given circuits and the cumulative energy dissipated in interrupters by the restriking currents. The targeted objective is to provide a simulated database for diagnosis of re-ignition/restrikes relating to the phase to earth voltage and the number of re-ignition/restrikes as well as estimating the remaining life of SF6 circuit-breakers. The model-based diagnosis of a tool will be useful in monitoring re-ignition/restrikes as well as predicting a nozzle’s lifetime. This will help ATP users with practical study cases and component data compilation for shunt reactor switching and capacitor switching. This method can be easily applied with different data for the different dielectric curves of circuit breakers and networks. This paper presents modelling details and some of the available cases, required project support, the validation proposal, the specific plan for implementation and the propsed main contributions

Physical Simulation of Si-Based Resistive Random-Access Memory Devices

We present a newly-developed three-dimensional (3D) physical simulator suitable for the study of resistive random-access memory (RRAM) devices. We explore the switching behavior of Si-rich silica (SiOx) RRAM structures, whose operation has been successfully demonstrated experimentally at ambient conditions [1]. The simulator couples self-consistently a simulation of oxygen ion and electron transport to a self-heating model and the `atomistic' simulator GARAND. The electro-thermal simulation model provides many advantages compared to the classical phenomenological models based on the resistor breaker network. The simulator is validated with respect to experimental data and captures successfully the memristive behavior of the simulated SiOx RRAMs, by reconstructing the conductive filament formation and destruction phenomena in the 3D space. The simulation framework is useful for exploring the little-known physics of SiOx RRAMs, and providing efficient designs, in terms of performance, variability and reliability, for both memory devices and circuits