The influence of operating conditions on multi-objective optimization of power electronic devices and circuits

A method of device and circuit optimization is presented in which the switching conditions during typical operation are taken into account. Optimization using a parallel multi-objective Tabu search allows a simple yet effective way to include the wide range of switching conditions imposed on the devices, using condition maps generated from the converter load cycle. This technique is applied to minimize power losses in an IGBT-diode pair, with four different distributions of conditions investigated. Distinct trends in device selection are apparent, some of which depend on the conditions applied.