Power cycling test bench for IGBT power modules used in wind applications

A power cycling test bench is realized for the lifetime analysis of IGBT power modules and for the development of a reliability management system predicting the deterioration of the devices. The focus is on converters for doubly-fed induction generators used in wind turbines. In these applications, due to the low frequent power losses under steady state conditions and due to changing wind conditions, the thermomechanical stress on IGBT power modules is high. The presented test bench offers accelerated ageing of the power semiconductor devices under real load conditions with the phase legs operating from a 1070V_DC dc-link allowing sinusoidal load currents up to 800A amplitude at frequencies from 0.1Hz to 13Hz.