Efficiency evaluation of a 55kW soft-switching module based inverter for high temperature hybrid electric vehicle drives application

This paper presents a 55kW three-phase soft-switching inverter for hybrid electric vehicle drives at high temperature conditions. Highly integrated soft-switching modules have been employed to achieve switching loss as well as conduction loss reduction. Detailed experimental evaluations of inverter efficiency have been conducted through both inductive load and motor-dynamometer load at coolant temperatures ranging from 25°C to 90°C. Efficiency measurement using power meter showed that the peak efficiency is around 99%, and it drops slightly at lower speed and higher temperature conditions. To ensure measurement fidelity, a double chamber differential calorimeter system was designed and calibrated for the inverter testing. Through long-hour testing, the measured efficiencies consistently showed 99% and higher. The soft-switching inverter has been operated reliably and demonstrated high efficiency at different temperature and test conditions.