Reducing power consumption and load in compact equipment

ROHM has developed four new 600V IGBT IPMs, BM6437x series, that produce best-in-class low noise characteristics together with low loss excellent for power conversion in inverters. The devices are employed in compact industrial equipment, including small capacity motors for robots, as well as home appliances, as well as air conditioners and washing machines.

In recent years, with the increase of IoT and growing power consumption following the automation of these appliances, there is a demand for lower power consumption when examining power utilisation and limited global resources. This needs higher efficiency IGBTs – one of the semiconductors responsible for power conversion – together with modules provided with them to further decrease power consumption.

The company has developed this four-model lineup of IGBT IPMs, achieving class-leading characteristics by simultaneously decreasing radiated noise and power loss. Optimising the built-in IGBT’s characteristics and soft recovery characteristics of the internal FRD enables the series to reduce radiated noise by more than 6dB (at peak comparison) over standard products, making it feasible to consider simplifying the noise filter that is generally needed. Also, the newest low-loss IGBTs used in these IPMs lessen power consumption over the company's conventional IPM products by 6% (fc=15kHz), deliver class-leading low loss and reduce multiple equipment power consumption. Also, the new product greatly improved the built-in temperature monitoring function, producing high ±2% accuracy (equivalent to 2C). This makes it feasible to contemplate removing the external thermistor needed with existing high accuracy temperature monitors, decreasing the number of external parts along with design load. Moreover, a new function for identifying the product after mounting has been included to help stop mounting errors. Error identification mode has also been included. This integrated function is serving to distinguish the failure status by applying 'Short Current Protection', 'Under Voltage Protection' or 'Thermal Shutdown Protection'.