U5L3
U5L3
The practical power switching devices dissipate energy unlike the ideal switching devices. These losses that take place in the
device are
• Conduction loss, • Blocking loss , • Turn-on switching loss, • Turn-off switching loss
All these energy losses in the device originate at the junction. Unless these losses are carried away from the junction, the
temperature of the device junction will rise without limit and eventually destroy the device
Heat transfer occurs through three mechanisms:
⦁ Radiation, Conduction, Convection
Mainly conduction and convection are applicable in PE circuits context.
Conduction: the heat is transferred by the vibratory motion of atoms or molecules.
Convection: the heat is transferred by mass movement of a fluid. It could be natural convection (without a
fan) or forced convection (with a fan).
A PN Diode and its Thermal Model
Basic law of thermodynamics
-->Losses in the junction heat up the junction.
-->Thermal equilibrium is reached when energy lost in the junction equals the stored energy (thermal) in the
junction and the energy transferred to the ambient.
P = Power Lost in Junction =rate of flow of heat energy
M = Mass of Junction in Kg, J = Calorie Equivalent of Joule
S = Specific Heat of Junction Material in Cal/Kg/◦C.
dt = Duration Considered,
dTj = Junction Temperature Rise in time dt
K = Thermal Conductivity from Junction to Case in Cal/◦C/sec
Tc = Case Temperature , Tj = Junction Temperature
PJdt = Heat generated in the junction in time dt
and MSdTj = Heat retained in the junction in time dt
K[Tj(t) − Tc(t)] = Heat taken away from the junction to case in time dt
Thus from thermal equiluibrium conditions, we can write
PJ dt = MS dTj + K (Tj - Tc) dt
Or P= MS (dTj/dt) + (K/J){Tj - Tc} ---(1)
that is, P= Cth(dT/dt) + (1/Rth)T
where Cth= MS and Rth = (J/K) and T = Tj - Tc
Cth = Thermal Capacity of the Junction in J/◦C or J/◦K.
Rth = Thermal Resistance of the Junction in ◦C/W or ◦K/W.
The above differential equation relates the thermal behaviour of the junction, and when solved will give the
junction temperature rise as a function of time
we may assume that the case temperature Tc(t) to be constant at Tc . Under steady state
P= (1/Rth) T where T = Tj - Tc
A Simple static thermal model
A Simple model for heat conduction (conduction only
considered)
P12_cond = (T1 – T2)/Rth12_cond , where:
P12_cond = power transferred from point 1 to 2 due to conduction.
T1 = temperature at 1. T2 = temperature at 2.
Rth12_cond = thermal resistance between 1 and 2 due to conduction.
P12_cond = (T1 – T2)/Rth12_cond
This is similar to the Ohms law eqn
i12 = (V1 – V2)/ R12 where i12 is the current flowing from node1 to node2,
V1 – V2 is the potential difference and R12 is the resistance of the path from
node 1 to node2
Rth R;
ΔT ΔV and
P i
Thermal Electric
⦁ Electric resistance: R = ρ l·/A, where: ρ = electric resistivity.
l = length., A = cross-sectional area.
Thermal model for a power semiconductor device
Thermal resistances without a heat sink
Basic equations:
⦁ TC = TA + RthCA·P
⦁ TJ = TC + RthJC·P
⦁ Therefore:
⦁ TJ = TA + (RthJC + RthCA)·P
Thermal resistances with a heat sink
Basic equations:
TC = TA + [RthCA·(RthHA + RthCH)/(RthCA + RthHA + RthCH)]·P
TJ = TC + RthJC·P
Therefore:
TJ = TA + [RthJC + RthCA·(RthHA + RthCH)/(RthCA + RthHA + RthCH)]·P
However, many times RthCA >> (RthHA + RthCH), and therefore:
TJ TA + (RthJC + RthHA + RthCH)·P
Basic equations:
TH = TA + RthHA·P
TC = TH + RthCH·P
TJ = TC + RthJC·P
Therefore:
TJ = TA + (RthJC + RthCH + RthHA)·P
Main issue in thermal management:
⦁ The junction temperature must be below the limit
specified by the manufacturer.
For power silicon devices, this limit is about 150-200 oC
Transient thermal model -pulsed power source
Junction temperature increases under power pulse and decreases when power is zero. After initial
start up interval, the junction temperature reaches an equilibrium level where thermal energy
absorbed in one period is equal to the energy trasferred. The maximum junction temerature Tjmax
can be obtained using
TJmax = PdmZthJC + TC
where Pdm is the amplitude of pulse power and ZthJC is the transient thermal impedance from the device
junction to case. PdmZthJC is the change in junction temperature. The impedance data is available
from the manufacturers data sheets for a given device and for a given ON and OFF timings. Tc is the case
temperature assumed constant