Power electronics converters are essential for power generation, transmission, and distribution. The modular multilevel converter (MMC) is highly valued for its versatility, high efficiency, and robust control capabilities. Since MMC is composed of many components, its reliability is crucial for maintaining the availability of electrical power systems. The reliability of the MMC can be evaluated using different methods, such as the military handbook (MIL) and the Mission Profile (MP) methods. By comparing the reliability estimation of the MMC using the MIL and MP methods, this study offers insights into the effectiveness of these approaches. Also, it shows the significant difference in final results between the two applied methods. These findings contribute to the understanding and improvement of the reliability assessment of power electronics converters. Also, the impact of redundancy is scrutinized to make the comparison more thorough.

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In the realm of electric mobility, fast chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) play a critical role in mitigating range anxiety while driving. The converter in these chargers usually has a load profile consisting of a high-current pulse to swiftly recharge the EV battery, followed by a cooling-off phase when the charging process is over. This pattern results in thermal cycles on the devices resulting in mechanical fatigue that leads to gradual deterioration of the power electronic components. Consequently, evaluating the power electronic converters reliability is critical to facilitating fast EV charging. This paper focuses on the reliability analysis of the phase-shifted full-bridge DC/DC converter within EV fast chargers, with a specific emphasis on the battery charging profile. The primary objective is to demonstrate how the charger load characteristics and number of charging sessions influence device reliability and, consequently, overall system reliability. Additionally, the investigation explores the effects of altering devices heatsinks and current ratings on system reliability. It was observed that in worst-case scenarios, increasing devices current rates extended the system lifetime from 0.7 to about 23 years, with 3p.u. ratings achieving 10.8 years, meeting industry targets, while reducing heatsink thermal resistance improves that to around 2 years.

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The reliability of semiconductor power devices can be studied by performing a thermal and power cycling test. In order to create the desired temperature cycles, there are four free variables to select during the power cycling test, namely the heating current, heating time, cooling time, and heatsink temperature. In this paper, the relation between the selected variables and the minimum and maximum junction temperature is extensively tested for the silicon IGBT with serial number IKP06N60T. Furthermore, the thermal model is discussed and verified and a rough estimate of the electrical resistance, thermal time constant, thermal resistance, and thermal capacitance are calculated.@en

The load profile of the power converter in EV Fast charging applications involves a short high-current pulse for rapid charging of the EV battery leading to thermal cycles on the power electronic devices. These thermal cycles can cause thermo-mechanical fatigues, which consume the power devices’ lifetime. Also, different timescales and magnitude of temperature swings lead to various failure modes. This paper compares different empirical lifetime models quantitatively in order to suggest the most appropriate model to predict the end of life of power electronic devices used in EV fast chargers. It is suggested that the selected model takes into account the most relevant failure mechanism based on the different timescales and magnitude of thermal cycles to indicate the lifetime of power electronic device used in a fast charger depending on the number of charging sessions.@en

EV fast chargers are essential in addressing the concern of limited driving range for E-mobility applications. However, the load profile of a converter for fast charging involves a high-current pulse that can last for a few minutes to efficiently replenish the EV battery, which is followed by a cooldown period after the charging process is finished. This results in thermal cycles that can lead to thermo-mechanical fatigue and degradation of power electronic components, thereby impacting device lifetime. This paper presents a comparative study on the reliability of power devices in isolated half-bridge and full-bridge DC-DC converters in EV fast chargers. The study focuses on the differences in thermal stresses that Si switches experience in each converter during charging cycles and how it impacts the end-of-life of each device. This study provides valuable insights for selecting reliable power converters for EV fast charging applications.@en

EV Fast chargers are crucial to alleviate the driving range anxiety for E-mobility applications. A typical converter load profile consists of a short high-current pulse to rapidly refill the EV battery followed by a cooling-off period once the charging is completed. Power electronic components experience thermal cycles as a result, which can hasten the degradation of such components. In this context, the reliability evaluation of the power electronic converters enabling fast EV charging is of importance. This paper presents the reliability assessment of the IGBT module in EV Fast chargers to show how the load profile of the charger impacts the device’s lifetime.@en