A new HiPak Module Platform with Improved Reliability

The trend in the wide range of power electronic applications is going towards improved device reliability and quality. Especially for application using high power IGBT modules in the hundred kilowatts to lower megawatt range, like railway, T&D or STATCOM applications, the main driver of innovation moves from increase of power towards other focus topics such as quality, reliability, economics and efficiency. Large power electronic conversion systems of the mentioned applications are more-and-more used in close to 24 hours daily operation to make maximum use of the investment, thus a high up time is crucial. To satisfy this demand, we have developed a new HiPak IGBT power module platform to improve the overall reliability performance when compared to the existing HiPak generation. The electrical behavior of this module remains unchanged, allowing for a drop-in replacement. The main process and design improvements to achieve the targeted reliability levels are presented in this paper.