This paper comprehensively reviews several techniques that address the static and dynamic voltage balancing of series-connected MOSFETs. The effectiveness of these techniques was validated through simulations and experiments. Dynamic voltage-balancing techniques include gate signal delay adjustment methods, passive snubbers, passive clamping circuits, and hybrid solutions. Based on the experimental results, the advantages and disadvantages of each technique are investigated. Combining the gate-balancing core method with an RC snubber, which has proven both technically and commercially attractive, provides a robust solution. If the components are sorted and binned, voltage-balancing techniques may not be necessary, further enhancing the commercial viability of series-connected MOSFETs. An investigation of gate driver topologies yields one crucial conclusion: magnetically isolated gate drivers offer a simple and cost-effective solution for high-frequency (HF) applications (2.5–50 kHz) above 8 kV with an increased number of series devices. Below 8 kV, it is advantageous to move the isolation barrier from the gate drive IC to an optocoupler and isolated supply, allowing for a simple design with commercially available components.@en

In the future, series-connected SiC MOSFETs will become widely used in power-electronic-based medium and high voltage (HV) applications such as modular multilevel converters (MMCs). Balanced voltage sharing among the SiC MOSFET string is hard to be achieved due to possible deviation on MOSFET switching delay. In this paper, two types of gate signal delay adjustment methods (gate balancing core and improved RC snubber method) are presented to solve the unbalanced voltage sharing caused by MOSFET turn-off delay differences. The methods are validated with laboratory experiments performed on low-voltage prototypes and a performance comparison of these two approaches is given. Both methods significantly improve the drain-source voltage sharing, but the gate balancing core method is most suitable for HV and high-frequency applications.@en

In this work, breakdown strength and lifetime curve of oil-impregnated paper (OIP) are compared at 50Hz and 1500 Hz. For the ramp breakdown tests, sinusoidal voltage ramp of 1 kVp/s is used. The ramp breakdown experiments is conducted on OIP samples made of single and double sheets of OIP. Weibull plots and interpretation of the results are presented. In order to obtain lifetime curves, a step sinusoidal voltage waveform whose peak value is close to the minimum OIP ramp breakdown voltage is applied on single sheet of OIP samples. Time to breakdown is measured, and each experiment is repeated between 20-30 times to obtain good statistical results. The experiments were focused on four different voltage levels and the lifetime curves are plotted for those two target frequencies. Parameters of the lifetime curves are extracted and the interpretation is given.

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With widely use of power electronics in medium voltage level, there is increasing concern about behaviour of insulation material under arbitrary voltage stress. Solid-gas insulation is a general choice in medium voltage level. Therefore, it’s unavoidable to encounter surface discharge problem. In this paper, the surface discharge on epoxy-air interface is investigated, which is a commonly used insulation material. Point to plate electrode was used to test the surface flashover voltage and partial discharge (PD) behaviour at 50Hz, 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz and 5kHz. As the result, with increasing frequency, PDIV keeps roughly constant and flashover voltage first increases and then decrease, and the frequency obtaining highest flashover voltage is related to gap length.@en

In this study, the immediate time to breakdown for pure epoxy resin is measured by applying a ramp sinusoidal voltage signal at certain frequency (50Hz, 500Hz and 5000Hz) until breakdown occurs. The HV testing procedures, epoxy resin sample and experimental set-up preparation and Weibull analysis of obtained results are elaborated. The experiments were carried out on epoxy samples with the thickness between 0.1mm and 0.2mm and the thickness was divided into three groups for more accurate statistical analysis.@en

Nonlinear voltage distribution along the transformer winding during a lightning overvoltage can cause severe electric stress specially to the area of the winding close to the high voltage terminals. For high voltage transformers different methods such as interleaved winding, electrostatic shield wires, and wound-in shield wires are implemented on the first few disks to improve such nonlinear voltage distribution. Through application of those methods, the series capacitance of the first few disks is increased which results in reduction of electric stress on the highest stress region close to the high voltage terminal. In this paper disk series capacitances are calculated using the energy summation method and a simplified analytical formula is derived for different configuration of disk winding construction.@en