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Simulation-Driven Design For Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

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Enrique de Aguilera
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25 views

Simulation-Driven Design For Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

Uploaded by

Enrique de Aguilera
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Electromagnetic interference

ANSYS provides a comprehensive set of simulation software to


study a wide range of electromagnetic and multiphysics behaviors
found in hybrid, electric and conventional vehicle designs.

Simulation-Driven Design for


Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
Simulation helps to identify and correct EMC/EMI problems early
in the development of innovative, next-generation vehicles.
By Scott Stanton, Technical Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives
and Mark Ravenstahl, Director of Marketing and Communications, Ansoft product group, ANSYS, Inc.

In the highly competitive hybrid electric and electric The fast switching speed of these devices makes
vehicle (HEV/EV) market, powertrain engineers are IGBTs extremely effective in power inverter systems, but
challenged to increase system efficiency, stability and this switching speed is also the source of two major
reliability. Power inverters play a critical role in power- electromagnetic problems. Conducted emissions (through
train systems. Typically comprising six insulated-gate current-carrying structures) are generally less than 30 MHz
bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules in a 4-inch by 6-inch and can cause power integrity issues or set up reflected
package, these devices switch hundreds of amps of waves of energy that can potentially damage the inverter
electrical current on and off very rapidly to provide ac and the motor. Radiated electromagnetic fields (through
power for the motor, control electronics and other air) are generally greater than 30 MHz and can affect the
systems. IGBT switching frequencies can range from rest of the vehicle’s many electronic systems.
tens to hundreds of kHz, with turn-on rise times and turn- Both types of interference problems must be
off fall times in the order of 50 to 100 nanoseconds. considered in meeting the required government and

www.ansys.com ANSYS Advantage • Volume IV, Issue 1, 2010 7


electromagnetic interference

international vehicle electromagnetic emission standards,


so engineers responsible for power inverter systems must
design for electromagnetic compatibility/electromagnetic
interference (EMC/EMI) in the fundamental architecture
of that system. This can be accomplished only by first
solving for the underlying physics that govern the
behavior of EMC/EMI and then leveraging those solutions
across circuits and systems. This simulation-driven
approach has the advantage of addressing other electro-
magnetic issues that must be taken into account,
including electrical current quality, power dissipation and
the efficiency of the overall system.
Typically, performing these calculations using linear
circuit elements and simple circuit solvers requires Q3D Extractor model indicates current distribution of an IGBT package.
numerous gross approximations and overly simplified
assumptions. By skipping the crucial step of simulating the Q3D Extractor tool. From the physical layout,
the underlying physics, however, results will not be Q3D Extractor computes the frequency-dependent
correct, and several hardware prototype test-and- resistance, partial inductance and capacitance (RLC)
redesign cycles may be completed before satisfactory along the conduction paths. Engineers then use the tool
performance is achieved. In most cases, these testing to create an equivalent circuit model for the system sim-
cycles cannot take place until late in the design process, ulation in Simplorer software. Once this representation
when costs can escalate significantly and delays is created, it can be used in conjunction with the semi-
can lead to missed market opportunities. Predicting conductor circuit model to create an electrically
today’s electromagnetic effects in the early stages of complete model of the IGBT. This can be used with
development, before the power inverter is built, is virtually the power source, control system and load to analyze
impossible without the use of multiphysics simulation. conducted emissions.
A full range of such multiphysics tools for studying the The results of these simulations can be used with
electromagnetic behavior of equipment such as IGBTs is HFSS software to examine radiated emissions — a
available in the Ansoft suite of software, which specializes particular concern considering the frequency harmonics
in electromagnetic field simulation as well as circuit and created as a consequence of the fast turn-on/turn-off
system simulation. Ansoft tools particularly useful in times. To determine this effect, results from the Simplorer
power inverter development include: tool can be used as input to the HFSS full-wave electro-
• Simplorer — a multi-domain circuit and system magnetic solver. The engineer then can obtain a complete
simulator that can easily integrate components understanding of radiated fields and can calculate the
across electrical, thermal, mechanical, magnetic intensity at any given point in space to determine if
and fluidic domains the inverter package is in compliance with standards.
• Q3D Extractor — a quasi-static computational Using this approach, the engineer can use Ansoft
field solver for the calculation of frequency- tools to design for EMC/EMI problems in the inverter
dependent resistance, inductance, capacitance system and trace the source of the behavior back to
and conductance parameters of current- the physical layout of the device. The design can then
carrying structures be parametrically varied and a series of simulations
• HFSS — a finite element–based full-wave solver performed until conducted and radiated electromagnetic
for extracting parasitic parameters and visualizing emission levels are within acceptable limits. The value
3-D electromagnetic fields of the method is that, once the models and various
representations are complete, they can be readily
To accurately characterize the behavior of a switching modified by changing a few key parameters, which allows
device such as an IGBT, engineers typically begin by using engineers to study various alternatives and explore a wide
a parameterization wizard that takes into account perfor- range of what-if scenarios. The approach provides a
mance curves and tabular data from specification sheets design that is within specifications and entirely optimized
available from the vendor. This process automatically — all before a single piece of hardware is built. In this way,
extracts the required parameters (approximately 140) the multiphysics-based simulation approach saves time
to aid in creating a semiconductor circuit model of the and money compared to building and testing prototypes,
IGBT — instead of having to perform this task manually. and it enables companies to beat the competition to
Next, the physical layout of the power inverter market with better designed products. n
is imported from a CAD geometry or layout tool into

8 ANSYS Advantage • © 2010 Ansys, Inc. www.ansys.com

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