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IGBT Gate Drivers

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Hi all, I am looking for gate drivers for the following IGBT, I will be using four in parallel but want to use the same driver for all four (I am using four to meet the current and voltage requirements I had in mind: max 900V and max 500A, paralleling them up to meet the current requirement). The following is the datasheet for the IGBT I had in mind, if anyone could suggest a good driver. I will be using them as a static switch, so there is no set frequency it will be switched infrequently only ever so often. https://www.microsemi.com/document-portal/doc_view/5738-apt150gn120j-b-pdf

Thanks Arthur
 
hi art,
These two App PDF's may help in choosing a suitable driver.
E
 

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Hi ATM,

The APT150GN120J IGBTs are real beasts.:cool:

The Texas Instruments UCC27524 dual gate driver, running from a 12V to 15V supply line is worth considering: https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ucc27525.pdf

Best to use one of the drivers in the chip for each pair of IGBTs. Gate resistors will not be required, as the APT150GN120J IGBTs have five Ohm gate resistors built in.

Make sure you decouple the UCC27524 supply lines with at least four 22uF, 25V minimum, X7R dialectic, ceramic capacitors, connected, with short leads, as close as possible to the UCC27524 supply pins. This will help to minimize any frequency stability problems even in a static state (the APT150GN120J IGBTs have enormous gate capacitances). These measures are necessary in spite of the fact that you are only switching the APT150GN120Js on and off now and then.

It is also important to switch the APT150GN120Js on and off fast and cleanly to avoid damaging the APT150GN120J by exceeding their safe operating area (SOA).

If you intend to turn the The APT150GN120J IGBTs on with a slow signal that will be OK because the UCC27524 drivers have Schmitt trigger inputs , but if you are using mechanical contacts (switch or relay), you will need a simple de-bounce circuit.

Just a general word of caution, don't underestimate the magnitude of the task you are considering: a good layout with hefty conductors will be required.

spec
 
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I have got to ask, what are you building? I've been reading some of your questions and I am very curious.

I built a dual resonant solid state Tesla coil that used two parallel H-bridges comprised of 60N60 (600V 60A) IGBTs. I only needed one driver with two outputs: one inverting and one non-inverting. With this scheme I was able to push-pull drive the primary of a gate drive transformer (GDT), which had 4 secondaries. I then used these secondaries to drive my IGBT gates. This is often preferred over using multiple drivers because 1) it reduces the component count, and 2) You can wire your GDTs to have more secondary windings which will give you an increased voltage output. This is often desirable (depending on the IGBT) because then you only need to supply a relatively low voltage to the driver but you still get the benefit of a higher gate drive voltage from the GDTs.
 
Hi ATM,

The APT150GN120J IGBTs are real beasts.:cool:

The Texas Instruments UCC27524 dual gate driver, running from a 12V to 15V supply line is worth considering: https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ucc27525.pdf

Best to use one of the drivers in the chip for each pair of IGBTs. Gate resistors will not be required, as the APT150GN120J IGBTs have five Ohm gate resistors built in.

Make sure you decouple the UCC27524 supply lines with at least four 22uF, 25V minimum, X7R dialectic, ceramic capacitors, connected, with short leads, as close as possible to the UCC27524 supply pins. This will help to minimize any frequency stability problems even in a static state (the APT150GN120J IGBTs have enormous gate capacitances). These measures are necessary in spite of the fact that you are only switching the APT150GN120Js on and off now and then.

It is also important to switch the APT150GN120Js on and off fast and cleanly to avoid damaging the APT150GN120J by exceeding their safe operating area (SOA).

If you intend to turn the The APT150GN120J IGBTs on with a slow signal that will be OK because the UCC27524 drivers have Schmitt trigger inputs , but if you are using mechanical contacts (switch or relay), you will need a simple de-bounce circuit.

Just a general word of caution, don't underestimate the magnitude of the task you are considering: a good layout with hefty conductors will be required.

spec
Hi thank you so much for the data if I wish to make the driver isolated is there a variant that is isolated or can I use something else that will make this one isolated?
 
Hi thank you so much for the data if I wish to make the driver isolated is there a variant that is isolated or can I use something else that will make this one isolated?
No sweat

Yes, there is a very good isolated driver- my favorite in fact. I will get a link for you.

spec
 
This is the baby- it is from the latest range of isolated drivers from Texas instruments: https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ucc21521.pdf

The UCC2152 has the following characteristics:
(1) Universal application: dual low side driver, dual high side driver, low side and high side (half bridge) driver.
(2) two independent (apart from disable) driver channels.
(3) Both channels completely isolated.
(4) Both channels non-inverting.
(5) Common 0V disable input.
(6) 6A driver source current and 4A sink current.
(7) Matched and fast propagation driver channels.
(8) Programmable dead time (in case you do not know, dead time is where both driver channel outputs are in the non driven state so that two driven transistors are not switched on at the same time. Dead time essentially allows time for the driven transistors to turn off).

Just one point: don't be put off by the apparent complexity of this chip- it is dead easy to use and can be configured to operate like a basic industry-standard dual gate driver, if required.

spec
 
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