Gate Drive Optocouplers for HEV Electric Motor Inverters

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Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) save fuel because of their electric motor drive. In an HEV, the propulsion system can be congured several ways, for example in the electric motor assisted mode or in the fully electric motor drive mode. For electric motor drive an inverter system is required to deliver powerful and ecient drive to the electric motor. In sophisticated electric motor drive systems there should be a regenerative braking system that transfers energy back to the battery storage system via a charging process. The system will function as both an inverter for electric motor propulsion and as a converter/generator for the battery charging process. Avago Technologies oers automotive grade 2.5 A gate drive optocouplers the R2Coupler family for use in automotive hybrid electric motor inverter/converter applications. The high output peak current drive, coupled with high voltage safety standards, certied galvanic insulation, very high common mode noise rejection isolation, solid state device level reliability, and very low power dissipation make the R2Coupler gate drivers an indispensable inverter component. In the electric motor drive system, the inverter switches voltages in excess of 300 V. This requires safety insulation to avoid any hazards. Since this application resides under the hood in most HEVs, the operating temperature requirement is high, 125C. Avagos R2Coupler series is AECQ100 grade 1 qualied. These optocouplers provide reinforced insulation and reliability that delivers safe signal isolation, which is critical in automotive and high temperature industrial applications. R2Coupler devices also are able to reject high voltage transients at the high common mode voltages experienced by the inverter system during switching. Switching noise immunity ensures stable inverter and system operation.

The Avago ACPL-312T R2Coupler gate driver, with a peak output current of 2.5 A, can directly drive 1200 V/100 A insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) in the inverter system. If higher output drive current is required, an external current buer can be added. As shown in Figure 1, a simple electric motor inverter drive system needs, as a minimum, six isolated gate drivers to power the switches. The gate drivers also provide galvanic isolation between the microcontroller unit and the power switches. One of the key features of the ACPL-312T gate drive optocoupler is its high common mode transient immunity, which oers a minimum CMR of 25 kV/s at a VCM of 1500 V. Avago R2Coupler parts use a proprietary, optically transparent Faraday shield to achieve this performance. A high CMR LED drive circuit must keep the LED on during common mode transients. This is achieved by overdriving the LED beyond the input threshold so that it is not pulled below the threshold during a transient. To achieve 25 kV/s CMR, a minimum LED drive current of 10 mA provides adequate margin over the ACPL-312Ts 5 mA maximum IFLH specication.
Electronic sensor or Magnetic Sensor Temperature Sensor

Inverter

Electric Motor

Low Noise Pre-Amplifier

+ ++ +-

Gate Drive/IPM Drive Optocouplers

Isolation Amplifier

Microprocessor/ Microcontroller

Voltage/Current monitor Temp Sensor monitor

Figure 1. HEV inverter system for motor drive

+ +-

+ +-

Isolation Amplifier

Intelligent Power Module (IPM) Interface

In some HEV system designs, the electric motor inverter drive employs an intelligent power module. IPM hybrids, power IGBTs and gate-driver circuits are built into a single compact package. Most IPMs also incorporate functions such as over-temperature detection and over-current sensing to provide fault signal feedback to the microcontroller. In a three-phase switching power conversion application, a typical IPM incorporates seven gate drivers that drive six IGBTs three high-side and three low-side switching the three-phase power and an additional IGBT for the braking function, to protect phase running from over- or undervoltage on the DC bus. Avago ACPL-M43T and ACPL-M46T drivers are typically found in these systems. The ACPL-M46T-000E includes a propagation delay dierence specication, Pdd, intended to help designers minimize dead time in their power inverter designs. Dead time is the time period during which both the high and low side power transistors are o. Any overlap in top and bottom switch conduction will result in large currents owing through the power devices between the high and low voltage motor rails. To minimize dead time the designer must consider the propagation delay characteristics of the optocoupler as well as the characteristics of the IPM IGBT gate drive circuit. The ACPL-M43T is specied with a propagation delay of 1 s maximum, suitable for fault/status signal feedback isolation interface.

+5V

1 2 3 4 C LEDP I LEDP C LEDN SHIELD

8 7 6 Rg 5 0.1 F + V CC = 18V

1 +5V 2 3 4
C LEDP

8 7 6 5

+ V SAT

Q1

C LEDN I LEDN

SHIELD

* THE ARROWS INDICATE THE DIRECTION OF CURRENT FLOW DURING d VCM /dt. + V CM
Figure 2. Equivalent circuit of typical gate drive circuit during common mode transient. Figure 3. Not recommended - open collector drive circuit.

1 +5V 2 3 4

C LEDP

7 6 5

C LEDN
SHIELD

Figure 4. Recommended LED drive circuit for ultra-high CMR.

Table 1. R2Coupler 2.5 A Gate Driver

P/N
ACPL-312T

Package
DIP-8

Operating Temperature
-40 to 125C

Min IF(ON) (mA)

7

TPLH/TPHL (s)
0.5

PDD (s)
0.35

CMR
25 kV/s @ 1.5 kVCM

VISO (kVRMS)
3750

VIORM Vpeak
630

Table 2. R2Coupler IPM Interface

P/N
ACPL-M43T ACPL-M46T

Package
SO-5 SO-5

Operating Temperature
-40 to 125C -40 to 125C

Min IF(ON) (mA)

10 10

CTR % (min/max)
32 44 80 90

TPLH/TPHL (s)
1.0 0.55

CMR
15 kV/s @ 1.5 kVCM 15 kV/s @ 1.5 kVCM

VISO (kVRMS)
3750 3750

VIORM Vpeak
567 567

LED Performance s R2Coupler

R2Coupler drivers such as the ACPL-312T, ACPL-M43T and ACPL-M46T shown in Table 1, meet automotive gradeone application requirements, because Avago manufactured, high performance LEDs are used in their input isolation sections. LED light output drops by less than 0.2%/C. This, coupled with advanced package design, has allowed the R2Coupler series to gain a substantial presence in the EV/HEV automotive market.

Conclusion
Avago Technologies R2Coupler series represents a full portfolio of isolation devices to meet the growing demand of the hybrid electric vehicle market. Avagos R2Coupler products are qualied to Automotive Electronic Council AECQ100 semiconductor stress test guidelines and manufactured in compliance to TS16949, thereby meeting the operating conditions of hybrid electric vehicle system applications. These qualications ensure our adherence to high quality standards and that Avago R2Coupler products are suitable for use in demanding automotive applications. Wherever very high switching common mode noise and high voltages are known to be present, Avago oers the best solutions. Avago R2Coupler products will fully meet the challenging isolation and insulation requirements demanded by hybrid electric vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.

For product information and a complete list of distributors, please go to our web site:

www.avagotech.com

Avago, Avago Technologies, the A logo and R2Coupler are trademarks of Avago Technologies in the United States and other countries. Data subject to change. Copyright 2005-2010 Avago Technologies. All rights reserved. AV02-1951EN - March 25, 2010