Title: SiC Mosfets with Schottky power diodes help optimise the design of multi-functional arc welding equipment in popular power range

Authors: Arun Kumar Paul

Addresses: Fiona 1602, Hiranandani Estate, Thane (W) 400607, Maharastra, India

Abstract: Logistics, welder's comfort, productivity and quality need of weld joint and jobs in hand at site etc., together decide the required arc (constant current (CC) or constant voltage (CV) or their combination) characteristics. Multi-functional arc welding equipment meets such needs. High across the load efficiency, fast settling time of output variables and light and compactness are major pre-requisites of arc welding equipment. Some of them are achieved if switching frequency of inverter is kept high. Constraint of efficiency at high switching frequency is, generally, overcome by adopting proper soft switching topology. This paper suggests that better design is possible for narrow power range arc welding equipment (3-20 kW) using traditional hard-switched inverter with just optimisation in input materials. Reduced component count and reduced interconnections between sub-assemblies in hard-switched full-bridge inverter generate superior design for manufacturability issues.

Keywords: SiC MOSFETs; silicon carbide; Schottky power diodes; cyclic load efficiency; multifunctional welding inverters; narrow-range power electronics equipment; welding equipment mobility; pulsed GMAW; gas metal arc welding; P-GMAW; design for manufacturability; DFM; field reliability; hard-switched inverters.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPELEC.2012.049029

International Journal of Power Electronics, 2012 Vol.4 No.4, pp.360 - 377

Received: 12 Aug 2011
Accepted: 17 Mar 2012
Published online: 23 Aug 2014 *

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