2SP0115T Control IGBT Manual
2SP0115T Control IGBT Manual
2SP0115T
Preliminary Description & Application Manual
Driver solution for 17mm dual IGBT modules with an electrical interface for
2-level, 3-level and multilevel converter topologies with paralleling capability
Abstract
The 2SP0115T is a dual-channel driver with an electrical interface. The driver is based on CONCEPT’s
SCALE™-2 chipset, a highly integrated technology for the reliable driving and safe operation of IGBTs.
Perfectly matched driver versions are available for all 17mm dual IGBT modules. The plug-and-play capability
of the driver allows immediate operation after mounting. The user needs invest no effort in designing or
adjusting it to a specific application.
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Contents
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Quality .......................................................................................................................................... 20
Manufacturer................................................................................................................................ 21
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System Overview
The 2SP0115T are plug-and-play drivers based on the highly integrated SCALE-2 chipset developed by
CONCEPT /1/. This is a set of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) that cover the main range of
functions needed to design intelligent gate drivers. The SCALE-2 driver chipset is a further development of the
proven SCALE technology /2/.
The basic topology of the 2SP0115T driver is shown in Fig. 2. The values for the gate resistors and other key
components can be found in the specific datasheets for a given IGBT module /3/.
The driver contains all necessary components for optimal and safe driving of the relevant IGBT module:
smallest gate resistors in order to minimize switching losses, gate clamping, active-clamping diodes
(overvoltage protection at turn-off), VCE monitoring (short-circuit protection) as well as the input electrical
connector X1. Moreover, it includes components for setting the turn-off trip level, the response time and the
dead time between both channels in half-bridge mode. Its plug-and-play capability means that it is ready to
operate immediately after mounting. The user needs invest no effort in designing or adjusting the driver to a
specific application.
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The following steps point out the easy way to use 2SP0115T drivers in power converters:
When applying 2SP0115T drivers, you should note that they are specifically adapted to a particular type of
IGBT module.
The type designation of the driver consequently also includes a number corresponding to a specific IGBT
module (see “Ordering Information”).
These drivers are not valid for IGBT modules other than those specified. Incorrect use may result
in failure.
Connect the driver plug X1 to your control electronics and supply the driver with a voltage of 15V.
The operating mode can be set with input MOD (interface X1: pin 17). For details, see page 10).
Check the gate voltage: For the off-state, the nominal gate voltage is specified in the relevant data sheet /3/.
For the on-state, it is 15V. Also check the input current consumption of the driver without clock signals and at
the desired switching frequency.
These tests should be performed before installation, as the gate terminals may otherwise not be accessible.
Before starting up the system, it is recommended that each IGBT module be checked separately under power-
cycling conditions. It is usually sufficient to apply the single or double-pulse technique. CONCEPT specially
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recommends users to check that the IGBT modules switch inside the SOA in the worst case condition, as this
strongly depends on the specific converter construction.
Even if only single IGBTs are tested, all the system’s gate drivers must be supplied with energy.
All the other IGBTs are then kept in the off state by applying negative gate voltages. This is
particularly important when switching the IGBTs under test.
The short-circuit behavior can also be verified at this point.
The system is then ready to start under real-world load conditions. This allows the thermal behavior of the
whole arrangement to be determined.
The system must be re-qualified over the entire specified range of temperature and load conditions.
Mechanical Dimensions
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Fig. 7 Block diagram covering SCALE-2 driver 2SP0115T and IGBT module
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Description of Interface X1
General
The interface X1 of the driver 2SP0115T is very simple and easy to use.
The driver has the following terminals:
2 x power-supply terminals (but only one 15V power supply is needed)
2 x drive signal inputs
2 x status outputs (fault returns)
1 x mode selection (half-bridge mode / direct mode)
1 x input to set the blocking time
The driver is equipped with a 20-pin interface connector. All even-numbered pins are used as GND
connections. The odd-numbered pins are used as inputs or status outputs. It is recommended to use a 20-pin
twisted flat cable. Each input and output signal is then twisted with its own GND wire. All GND pins are
connected together on the 2SP0115T driver and should also be connected on the control-board side. This
arrangement produces a very low-inductance connection with high immunity against interferences.
All inputs are ESD-protected. Moreover, all digital inputs have Schmitt-trigger characteristics.
VCC terminal
The driver has two VCC terminals on the interface connector to supply the primary side electronics and the
DC-DC converters for the secondary sides.
As the driver can deliver a total power of 2 x 1W = 2W, the maximum input current drawn from the 15V
supply is approx. 0.2A. The driver limits the inrush current at startup.
Direct mode
If the MOD input is not connected (floating), or connected to VCC, direct mode is selected. In this mode, there
is no interdependence between the two channels. Input INA directly influences channel 1 while INB influences
channel 2. High level at an input (INA or INB) always results in turn-on of the corresponding IGBT. This mode
should be selected only when the dead times are generated by the control circuitry so that each IGBT receives
its own drive signal.
Caution: Synchronous or overlapping timing of both switches of a half-bridge basically shorts the DC link.
Half-bridge mode
If the MOD input is low level (connected to GND), half-bridge mode is selected. In this mode, the inputs INA
and INB have the following functions: INA is the drive signal input while INB acts as the enable input (see
Fig. 8).
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When input INB is low level, both channels are blocked. If it goes high, both channels are enabled and follow
the signal on the input INA. At the transition of INA from low to high, Channel 2 turns off immediately and
Channel 1 turns on after a dead time. The dead time is set by a resistor on the 2SP0115T.
Note that the dead time may vary from sample to sample. A tolerance of approximately ±20% may be
expected. If higher timing precisions are required, CONCEPT recommends using direct mode and generating
the dead time externally (refer to Application Note AN-1101 /7/).
INA and INB are basically drive inputs, but their function depends on the MOD input (see above).
2SP0115T2Ax and 2SP0115T2Bx safely recognize signals in the whole logic-level range between 3.3V and 15V.
They have built-in 4.7kΩ pull-down resistors. 2SP0115T2Cx safely recognize signals with a logic level of 15V.
They have built-in voltage dividers with a total resistance of 4.5kΩ.
INA and INB feature Schmitt-trigger characteristics (see the specific datasheets for a given IGBT module /3/).
An input transition is triggered at any edge of an incoming signal at INA or INB.
The outputs SOx have open-drain transistors. They can be connected together to provide a common fault
signal (e.g. for one phase). However, it is recommended to evaluate the status signals individually to allow
fast and precise fault diagnosis.
The maximum SOx current in a fault condition should not exceed the value specified in the driver data sheets
/3/.
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2SP0115T2Ax/2SP0115T2Bx
When no fault condition is detected, the outputs have high impedance. An internal current source of 500μA
pulls the SOx outputs to a voltage of about 4V when leaved open. When a fault condition is detected in
channel “x”, the status output SOx goes to low (connected to GND).
It is recommended to use the circuit shown in Fig. 5. The diodes D1 and D2 must be Schottky diodes and
must only be used when using 3.3V logic. For 5V…15V logic, they can be omitted.
2SP0115T2Cx
When no fault condition is detected, an internal pull-up resistor of 10kΩ keeps the output voltage level at VCC.
When a fault condition is detected, the corresponding status output SOx goes to low (connected to GND). It is
recommended to use the circuit shown in Fig. 6. Both pull-down resistors R1 and R2 allow a missing SOx
connection to be detected (safe logic in the event of a defective cable). Note that the resistors R 1 and R2 must
have a sufficiently high resistance value (e.g. 150kΩ), as they form a voltage divider together with the internal
10kΩ pull-up resistor on the driver.
The terminal TB allows the factory-set blocking time to be reduced by connecting an external resistor to GND
(see Fig. 5 or Fig. 6). The following equation calculates the necessary resistor Rb connected between pins TB
and GND in order to define the desired blocking time Tb (typical value):
7650 150 Tb [ ms ]
Rb [k ] 6 . 8 where 20ms<Tb<90ms
99 Tb [ ms ]
The blocking time can also be set to a minimum of 9µs by selecting Rb=0Ω.
If not used, the input TB can be left open.
Description of Interface X2
NTC terminal
The driver has a non-insulated IGBT module NTC output on the interface connector X2. It is directly connected
with the NTC thermistor of the IGBT module.
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Overview
The 2SP0115T series of plug-and-play dual-channel drivers are designed for 17mm dual IGBT modules. All
drivers of the SCALE-2 driver family with an electrical interface are equipped with usual protection functions
such as VCE monitoring for short-circuit protection, operation inhibit after fault, supply-undervoltage shutdown
and status feedback.
Outstanding features of 2SP0115T SCALE-2 drivers are: compact size, simple mounting - directly onto the
IGBT module, Advanced Active Clamping function and very low propagation delay time. Active clamping
describes an active scheme designed to protect the IGBTs against overvoltage during turn-off. It is particularly
relevant when turning an IGBT off in cases of high DC-link voltage and collector current or short circuit. The
2SP0115T series also allows parallel operation of IGBT modules in order to increase the system power (see
“Parallel connection of 2SP0115T” on page 17).
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The driver is equipped with a DC/DC converter to provide an electrically insulated power supply to the gate
driver circuitry. The signal isolation is realized with transformers. All transformers (DC/DC and signal
transformers) feature safe isolation to EN 50178, protection class II between primary side and either
secondary side (refer to the data sheets /3/).
Note that the driver needs a stabilized supply voltage.
Power-supply monitoring
The driver’s primary side as well as both secondary-side driver channels are equipped with a local
undervoltage monitoring circuit.
In case of a primary-side supply undervoltage, both IGBTs are driven with a negative gate voltage to keep
them in the off-state (both channels are blocked) and the fault is transmitted to both outputs SO1 and SO2
until the fault disappears.
In case of a secondary-side supply undervoltage, the corresponding IGBT is driven with a negative gate
voltage to keep it in the off-state (the channel is blocked) and a fault condition is transmitted to the
corresponding SOx output. The SOx output is automatically reset after the blocking time.
Even in the case of a low power supply voltage, the driver provides a low-impedance path from the IGBT gate
to the emitter.
Within a half-bridge, it is advised not to operate the IGBTs with an IGBT driver in the event of a
low supply voltage. Otherwise, a high rate of increase of VCE may cause partial turn-on of these
IGBTs.
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2SP0115T
The dynamic behavior of IGBT modules depends on the type and manufacturer due to the particular behavior
of the included IGBT and diode chips, the particular module construction and the distribution of internal gate
resistances and inductances. Note that different module types from the same manufacturer may also require a
specific gate-driver adaptation.
CONCEPT therefore supplies specific versions of SCALE-2 plug-and-play drivers adapted to the particular IGBT
module. These drivers must not be used with IGBT modules other than those for which they were
specified.
When a driver input goes high, the gate driver turns on the corresponding IGBT. The driver already includes
the gate resistors, which are matched to the relevant IGBT module.
The driver is optimized to achieve minimum switching losses for the case of relatively low inductances within
the power stack. It is recommended to check the commutation behavior within the final system assembly.
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The IGBT is turned off when the corresponding input turns low. The gate resistors are determined by
CONCEPT and must not be altered.
Fast turn-off of the IGBT may cause overvoltage, which increases with DC-link voltage or load current. The
turn-off overvoltage can be approximated by:
Vtr = -Ls * di/dt
where Vtr is the turn-off overvoltage and Ls the stray inductance.
Most competing drivers are unable to limit the overvoltage in case of overload or short circuit. However, this is
essential for high-power or high-voltage IGBTs. To solve this problem, SCALE-2 plug-and-play drivers provide
an advanced Active Clamping function.
Active clamping is a technique designed to partially turn on the IGBT in case the collector-emitter voltage
exceeds a predefined threshold. The IGBT is then kept in linear operation. The basic circuit for active clamping
can be found in /4/.
Basic active clamping topologies implement a single feedback path from the IGBT’s collector through transient
voltage suppressor devices (TVS) to the IGBT gate. The 2SP0115T SCALE-2 drivers support CONCEPT’s
Advanced Active Clamping based on this principle: when active clamping is activated, the turn-off MOSFET of
the driver is switched off in order to improve the effectiveness of the active clamping and to reduce the losses
in the TVS. This feature is mainly integrated in the secondary-side ASIC. The circuitry used is shown in Fig. 9.
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Legend to Fig. 11
Fig. 12 Behavior of 450A/1200V IGBT module turning off at a DC-link voltage of 800V a collector current of
900A, which is twice the nominal collector current
2SP0115T SCALE-2 drivers with the corresponding IGBT module can be paralleled in order to increase the
system power. This outstanding feature results directly from the very low propagation delay of the driver as
well as the low jitter (see the corresponding data sheets for timing information /3/ as well as /5/ for more
information on paralleling).
CONCEPT recommends users to proceed in the following way to use 2SP0115T drivers in parallel operation:
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The supply voltage VCC of all parallel connected drivers must come from the same voltage source in
order to ensure symmetrical operation of the drivers.
Both input signals INA and INB of all parallel connected drivers must come from the same logic buffer
(driver) in order to ensure very small delay differences.
The slew rate of INA and INB must be high enough (> 0.25V/ns) in order to minimize the delay jitter.
In particular, if the input signals INA and INB are filtered with an RC network (e.g. for short pulse
suppression), a Schmitt trigger buffer must be used to generate a high slew rate at INA and INB.
The length difference of the interface cables from the host board to the driver connectors X1 should
be less than 40cm for all parallel-connected drivers in order to keep the additional delay differences
below about 2ns.
All drivers must work in direct mode. The half-bridge mode is not suitable for parallel operation of
2SP0115T.
In case of fault turn-off, it is necessary to wait until the fault feedback of all paralleled drivers is reset
in order to ensure that the blocking time of all paralleled drivers has elapsed.
The status outputs SO1 and SO2 of parallel-connected drivers can be evaluated individually to allow
precise fault diagnosis, or they can be connected together.
Normal operation
In normal switching operation (no fault feedback), the paralleled drivers can be used in the same way as
without parallel connection. All paralleled IGBT modules are switched on and off synchronously. Laboratory
measurements have shown that small signal delay differences (<5ns) as well as small differences of the
negative gate voltage (<0.4V) lead to a small redistribution of the collector current at turn-off or turn-on as
well as of the switching losses. However, this is a minor effect and asymmetry due to the mechanical
construction of the converter will dominate in most cases.
Short circuit
In case of a short circuit, the first driver that detects the short circuit will send a fault feedback back to the
corresponding SOx output. The corresponding IGBT will be switched off after an additional delay of about
1.4μs. During this delay it is not possible to switch off the IGBT.
In the worst case condition, the user would (accidentally) try to switch off an IGBT module just after the short
circuit has been detected by the first driver. In this case, the driver that has detected the short circuit would
ignore the turn-off command. The drivers that have not yet detected the short circuit would turn the
corresponding IGBTs off. This would lead to an asynchronous turn-off of the short circuit. However, laboratory
measurements have shown that such asynchronous turn-off (delay difference up to 2μs) does not reveal any
problems. Both low-inductance (~70nH) and high-inductance (>1.5μH) short circuits have been considered.
However, CONCEPT recommends users to check this point in the specific application.
Supply undervoltage
In case of supply undervoltage, the corresponding driver will send a fault feedback back to the corresponding
SOx output(s) and switch off the corresponding IGBT(s) immediately. It is then recommended to send a turn-
off command to all paralleled drivers immediately. They will then switch off the corresponding IGBTs after a
short delay.
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If 2SP0115T drivers are to be used in 3-level or multilevel topologies, please refer to the Application Note
AN-0901 /6/.
Low-inductance layout
The active-clamping function should not lead anyone to forget about the inductances of the power stack. For
several reasons, it is still necessary to reduce the DC-link stray inductance to about 40nH…100nH with
2SP0115T plug-and-play drivers.
Bibliography
/1/ Paper: Smart Power Chip Tuning, Bodo’s Power Systems, May 2007
/2/ “Description and Application Manual for SCALE™ Drivers”, CONCEPT
/3/ Data sheets SCALE™-2 plug-and-play driver 2SP0115Txxx-xxx, CONCEPT
/4/ Paper: Driver Solutions for High-Voltage IGBTs, PCIM Europe Magazine, April 2002
/5/ Paper: Intelligent Paralleling, Bodo’s Power Systems, March 2009
/6/ Application Note AN-0901: Methodology for Controlling Multi-Level Converter Topologies with
SCALE™-2 IGBT Drivers, CONCEPT
/7/ Application Note AN-1101: Application with SCALE™-2 Gate Driver Cores, CONCEPT
Note: The Application Notes are available on the Internet at www.igbt-driver.com/go/app-note and the
papers at www.IGBT-Driver.com/go/paper
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CONCEPT offers the widest selection of gate drivers for power MOSFETs and IGBTs for almost any application
needs. The largest website on gate-drive circuitry anywhere contains all data sheets, application notes and
manuals, technical information and support sections: www.IGBT-Driver.com
If you need an IGBT driver that is not included in the delivery range, please don’t hesitate to contact CONCEPT
or your CONCEPT sales partner.
CONCEPT has more than 25 years experience in the development and manufacture of intelligent gate drivers
for power MOSFETs and IGBTs and has already implemented a large number of customized solutions.
Technical Support
Quality
The obligation to high quality is one of the central features laid down in the mission statement of CT-Concept
Technologie GmbH. The quality management system covers all stages of product development and production
up to delivery. The drivers of the SCALE-2 series are manufactured to the ISO9001:2000 quality standard.
Legal Disclaimer
This data sheet specifies devices but cannot promise to deliver any specific characteristics. No warranty or
guarantee is given – either expressly or implicitly – regarding delivery, performance or suitability.
CT-Concept Technologie GmbH reserves the right to make modifications to its technical data and product
specifications at any time without prior notice. The general terms and conditions of delivery of CT-Concept
Technologie GmbH apply.
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2SP0115T
Ordering Information
For other drivers, evaluation systems product documentation and application support
Manufacturer
E-mail [email protected]
Internet www.IGBT-Driver.com
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