New Methodology for Defining Integration Limits Used for Switching Energy Computation in Power Devices

Switching losses of a power converter is a relevant factor that contributes to total losses. For building an optimized design, it is essential to accurately estimate switching energy in order to define certain parameters such as maximum operating frequency and cooling system. Power SiC MOSFETs have high switching-speed capability, thus the voltage and current alignment should be performed carefully during classical dynamic characterization methods. In addition, the definition of integration limits of instantaneous power during switching events can generate erroneous results. In this paper, a new methodology for switching energy computation is proposed and validated for different manufacturers. This method is less sensitive to oscillations on voltage and current waveforms with respect to other classical methods.