Development programs within ABB are ongoing to further improve the performance of the IGCT products to enable higher voltages for the common 3-level topology as well as to increase the power rating of existing voltage ratings. Introduction to the market in 2009 of IGCT products with the corrugated p-base technology, see Figure 4,has allowed for a 30% increase of the turnoff current without any mechanical changes to the power semiconductor housing. The corrugated base of the IGCT has been referred to as “High Power Technology”(HPT). ABB has developed a full IGCT range based on this technology for voltage classes between 4.5 kV and 10 kV.
ABB is now ready to introduce the next generation of IGCT with HPT technology.Called HPT+, the IGCTs have been further optimized towards higher SOAs at junction temperatures up to 140°C. In addition to the increased SOA, the turn-off losses have been further reduced and the maximum junction temperature has been increased from 125°C to 140°C. The highlights of the new HPT+ technology will be presented at PCIM [2]. The results of this new product development project give confidence that the rating of the PCS 6000 Wind converter, for instance, can be increased above 10 MVA by utilizing HPT+-IGCT devices without touching the converter footprint.
