To meet global climate goals, transport must switch to greener vehicles, such as electrified and energy-efficient trains. Trains, however, have demanding operational profiles, with frequent acceleration and braking, although they are expected to operate reliably over a long service life. Consequently, energy-efficient traction applications with high power density, reliability and quality are required for implementation.
Infineon Technologies is meeting these requirements by adding two new products to its CoolSiC power module portfolio: the FF2000UXTR33T2M1 and the FF2600UXTR33T2M1.
The power modules use newly developed 3.3 kV CoolSiC MOSFETs and Infineon's .XT interconnect technology. The modules come in the XHP 2 package and have been specifically adapted for traction applications.
Designed for demanding applications such as traction, these devices will be presented at this year's PCIM conference in Nuremberg, Germany. “For environmentally friendly mobility, rail technology requires innovative semiconductor solutions designed specifically for these applications,” said Dr. Peter Wawer, President of Infineon's Green Industrial Energy Division. “With low switching losses and the ability to enable higher switching frequencies, Infineon’s new silicon carbide products contribute to greener, quieter trains, which are critically important features for tomorrow’s rail traffic.”
In addition to an efficient and robust silicon carbide (SiC) chip, power modules for traction drives require packaging that allows fast switching, along with interconnect technologies that enable long service life. Infineon's new power modules offer exactly these features: CoolSiC MOSFET chips with integrated body diodes in Infineon's XHP 2 package enable low switching losses while maintaining high reliability and power density.
The XHP 2 packaging also features low parasitic inductance, a symmetric, scalable design, and high current-carrying capacity. The FF2000UXTR33T2M1 module provides an on-state source drain resistance of 2.0 mΩ, while the FF2600UXTR33T2M1 features an on-state source drain resistance of 2.6 mΩ. Despite the trains' demanding operating profiles, Infineon's .XT interconnect technology improves power cycling capabilities.
Compared to conventional solutions, Infineon's CoolSiC power modules enable overall power consumption in the train's motor and converter to be reduced by ten percent.
Additionally, train operators benefit from a more compact and lighter converter along with simplified cooling systems. While this is contributing to the decarbonization efforts of Infineon, traction manufacturers and rail service operators, citizens also benefit from lower noise levels when trains pass through a neighborhood.
A SiC-based XHP 2 power module from Infineon was proven in a joint field test with trams conducted by Siemens Mobility and Stadtwerke München (SWM) in 2022. The test showed that SiC-based power semiconductors significantly reduce engine noise. engine during operation.
