HV Reinforced Insulation Intro
HV Reinforced Insulation Intro
HV Reinforced Insulation Intro
Anant S Kamath
Systems Engineer, Isolation, Interface Group
Texas Instruments
Kannan Soundarapandian
Product Line Manager, Isolation, Interface Group
Texas Instruments
Understanding the definitions of high-voltage isolation
parameters, their relevance to real applications, and
the methodologies used to test them, allows systems
engineers to pick the right isolator for their design need.
Designing systems involving high voltage and high-voltage isolation is complicated.
How much isolation do I need in my system? What system level isolation standards
apply to my product or end equipment? Are there component-level standards that help
me compare between isolators, and choose the one that best fits my system level need?
Which parameters or metrics should I compare – there seem to be many? What are the
test procedures that isolation components go through to support the parameters in their
datasheets? And foremost, how do I make sure that I am building a system that ensures
reliable operation throughout my product’s lifetime? These are questions faced by many
systems engineers dealing with high voltage and high-voltage isolation.
Isolation is a means of preventing DC and unwanted
AC currents between two parts of a system, while
allowing signal and power transfer between those
two parts. Electronic devices and semiconductor
ICs used for isolation are called isolators. Isolation
is required in modern electrical systems for a
variety of reasons. Some examples are to prevent
electrical shock to human operators and preventing
damage to expensive processors, ASICs or FPGAs
in high-voltage systems, breaking the ground loop
in communication networks and communication to
high-side devices in motor drive or power converter if the first barrier fails. This is called double isolation.
systems. Examples of applications that need To make systems compact and save cost, it is
isolation include industrial automation systems, desirable to have only one level of isolation that has
motor drives, medical equipment, solar inverters, the required electrical strength, reliability and shock
power supplies and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). protection of two levels of basic isolation.
This is called reinforced isolation.
When isolation is used to enable the system to
function properly, but not necessarily to serve as a High-voltage isolation performance of an isolator
barrier against shock, it is called functional isolation. is quantified at the component level by parameters
Where isolation provides sufficient protection against such as maximum repetitive peak voltage (VIORM),
electrical shock as long as the insulation barrier is working voltage (VIOWM), maximum transient
intact, it is called basic isolation. Safety regulations isolation voltage (VIOTM), isolation withstand voltage
require basic isolation to be supplemented with a (VISO), maximum surge isolation voltage (VIOSM)
secondary isolation barrier for redundancy, so that and comparative tracking index (CTI) among
the additional barrier provides shock protection, even others. These parameters represent the isolator’s
capability to handle high-voltage stresses of
VISO is defined per UL 1577 as the rms value It must be noted that ISO7842 easily meets the
of voltage that the isolator can handle without 4400 Vrms requirement for temporary overvoltage
breakdown for 60 seconds. It is tested during required for reinforced isolation as per IEC 60664-1
certification by applying a sinusoidal stress of VISO for for line voltages up to 1000 Vrms.
60 seconds. In production VISO is tested by stressing
every device for 1.2 times VISO for one second. For Maximum repetitive peak voltage
sinusoidal stress VIOTM and VISO are equivalent. and working voltage
TI tests its digital isolators to comply with UL, Maximum repetitive (VIORM) and working voltage
IEC and VDE requirements. To perform testing (VIOWM) are both intended to quantify the ability of an
for VIOTM or VISO, an HT9464 high-voltage isolation isolator to handle high voltage across its barrier on a
test system is used. This equipment is capable of continuous, day-to-day basis, throughout its lifetime.
applying the required transient overvoltage profile For example, an isolator used to provide gate control
according to Method A and Method B1, as well as to a high-side IGBT in a motor drive system sees a
measuring partial discharge. This test is performed periodic trapezoidal potential difference across its
by connecting all pins of side one and all pins of side isolation barrier as the IGBT emitter, to which the
two, then applying the voltage across the isolation isolator’s secondary side is referred, moves up and
barrier (Figure 1). down between high-voltage dc rails. This trapezoidal
stress is present whenever the motor is operational.
VCC 1 VCC 2 VIORM and VIOWM are defined in IEC 60747-5-5 and
IOs IOs VDE 0884-10. VIORM is defined as the maximum
repetitive peak voltage that the isolator can
IS O LA T IO N
IOs IOs
ISOLATION
IOs IOs
relation to curve-fit accelerated test data.
IOs IOs
Figure 2 shows the test setup used to perform IOs IOs
can withstand a VIORM of 2121 Vpk and a VIOWM of Note that passing a surge test at levels greater than
1500 Vrms for more than 40 years. These levels of 10 kV has been widely used as the gold standard for
VIORM and VIOWM are the highest offered by any isolator reinforced isolation, though system level standards
in the industry, in a standard 16-pin SOIC package. allow for lower values of surge capability for systems
V IOWM 1.5 kVrms , 40 years with lower line voltages.
V IORM 2121 Vpk , 40 years
1.E+09
1.E+08
1.E+07
V SURGE
1.E+06 90% V SURGE
<<
Life Time (Sec)
1
pp
1.E+05
m
1.E+04
Safe Operating Area (SOA) 50% V SURGE
1.E+03
1.E+02
1.E+01
10% V SURGE
1.E+00
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
1.2 µs 50 µs
Stress Voltage ( Vrms )
Figure 3. ISO7842 lifetime versus stress voltage. Figure 4. Surge impulse profile
Maximum surge isolation voltage Figure 5 shows the setup used to test surge
performance on the ISO7842. The isolator is
Maximum surge isolation voltage (VIOSM) quantifies
configured as a two-terminal device by shorting all
the ability of the isolator to withstand very high
the left-side pins to one group, and all right-side pins
voltage impulses of a certain transient profile.
to another group. Surge voltage is applied across
The surge test profile is shown in Figure 4. Surge
the isolation barrier using either the MIG1203 or the
voltages can be caused in an installation due to
MIG2403 surge generators, depending on the test
direct or indirect lightning strikes, faults and short
voltage required.
circuit events. As per IEC 60747-5-5 and
VDE 0884-10, an isolator claiming a certain VIOSM
VCC 1 VCC 2
must pass the surge test at a peak voltage of
IOs IOs
1.3 times VIOSM for basic isolation, and 1.6 times VIOSM
ISOLATION
IOs IOs
for reinforced isolation. An isolator can be called
IOs IOs
reinforced at the component level, only if it passes
IOs IOs
the surge test at a level greater than 10 kV.
GND 1 GND 2
The passing level of a surge test is also used to
determine compliance to system-level standards,
such as the IEC 61800-5-1, that require a certain
MIG 2403
level of surge capability for a given system voltage.
Surge Generator
For example, for equipment connected directly to
Figure 5. Surge test setup
to pass the surge test if it successfully passes all CTI plays a major role in determining the minimum
these tests after applying the surge voltage. To creepage, or shortest distance along the surface of
avoid arcing through the air, this test is performed in the isolator from pins on one side of the isolator to
dielectric oil. pins on the other side. A minimum creepage is re-
Based on testing on greater than five wafer lots, quired for a given working voltage depending on the
and a total of more than 2000 devices, the ISO7842 extent of the pollution present in the system
passes the surge voltage test at greater than environment. Using a mold compound with a higher
12800 V. Since this exceeds 10 kV, it meets the limit CTI allows the use of smaller packages, and saves
for reinforced isolators. The rated value of VIOSM is board space. For example, as per IEC 60664-1,
8000 V, according to the scaling factor of 1.6 a package with 8 mm creepage using a CTI-I mold
required for reinforced isolation. Passing a compound can withstand up to 1600 Vrms of
12800 V surge test also implies that this device working voltage, whereas the same package using a
meets the surge criterion for reinforced isolation for CTI-IIIa mold compound can withstand only
equipment connected directly to supply main, for line 800 Vrms.
voltages up to 1000 Vrms, as per IEC 61800-5-1. The ISO7842 uses a CTI-I mold compound. This
implies that it can actually enable a 1500 Vrms
Comparative tracking index
working voltage at the system level with a standard
When an isolator is placed on a system board as 8 mm creepage SOIC-16 package. In contrast,
part of end equipment in addition to its internal competing isolators using a CTI-IIIa mold compound
isolation parameters, the mold compound used in the same package can only enable a working
in its package is important. This is because when voltage of 800 Vrms at the system level, even though
high voltage is applied across the isolator, electric they may claim a higher value of VIORM/VIOWM at the
discharges on or close to the surface of the component level.
package, can cause localized deterioration in the
mold compound, resulting in a partially conducting Distance through insulation
path from one side of the isolator to the other. Distance through insulation (DTI) is the smallest
This phenomenon is called tracking. The ability of distance between the two voltage domains in
a material to withstand tracking is quantified by a the isolator internal to the isolation package.
comparative tracking index (CTI). Many end-equipment standards such as the IEC
60601-1 (medical electrical equipment standard)
specify a minimum required distance
through insulation.
Notes:
1. ISO7842 also meets the VISO, VIOTM, VIORM and VIOWM values mentioned
in Table 1 per IEC 60747-5-5. However, the ISO7842 will not be certified to
IEC 60747-5-5 as that standard is specific to optocouplers and not
capacitive couplers.
2. VDE 0884 Ed 2.0 (soon to be released) is a revision of VDE 0884 Ed 1.0.
It has tighter constraints and additional requirements over IEC 60747-5-5
and VDE 0884 Ed 1.0 for VIOWM and VIORM.
2. DIN V VDE V 0884-10 Ed 1.0, Semiconductor devices – Magnetic and capacitive couplers for
safe isolation, Dec 2006
3. UL 1577 Ed 4.0, Standard for Safety for Optical Isolators, May 2000
4. IEC 61800-5-1 Ed 2.0, Adjustable speed electrical power drive systems, safety requirements,
electrical, thermal and energy, July 2007
5. IEC 60644-1 Ed 2.0, Insulation coordination for equipment within low-voltage systems, principles,
requirements and tests, Apr 2007
6. IEC 61010-1 Ed 3.0, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control,
and laboratory use, general requirements, June 2010
Appendix
Method A Method B1
V ini=V IOTM
V ini=V IOTM
t ini=60s t ini=1s
V m=1.6 x VIORM V m=1.875 x VIORM
V ini t m=partial discharge V ini t m=partial discharge
measuring time =10s measuring time =1s
Vm
Vm
V IORM V IORM
t ini tm t ini tm
Figure 6. Simplified Method A test profile Figure 7. Simplified Method B1 test profile
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