Semikron SKAI 2 compact power electronic systems

Semikron has released the SKAI 2 platforms, claimed to be the most compact power electronic systems for hybrid and electric vehicles for use in agriculture, construction, materials handling and in battery-powered vehicles of any kind.

The systems have power densities of 20 kVA/litre and are smaller than other devices.

The systems are designed to operate with supply voltages of between 24 and 850 and with output power ratings of between 10 and 250 kVA.

The systems are supplied as standard modules with low-voltage MOSFETS or high-voltage IGBTs or with the topology of single, dual and multiple inverters.

The high-voltage device is available as a water-cooled 600/1200 V IGBT inverter system, and has been optimised for use in applications such as full-electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars and electric buses.

This system is based on the sintered, 100% solder-free SKiM93 IGBT modules and features a polypropylene film DC-link capacitor, driver electronics, latest-generation DSP controller, EMC filters, and current, voltage and temperature sensors. It is supplied in an IP67 module case. These systems are designed for outputs of up to 250 kVA.

The low-voltage SKAI 2 is available as an air-cooled or water-cooled 50/100/150/200 V MOSFET single and dual inverter system that is used mainly in forklift trucks and other materials-handling applications.

These systems are suitable for a motor output of up to 55 kVA and incorporate many of the same features as the IGBT-based systems, with the benefits to users that they behave in the same way, use the same core control system and I/O connections and the same system structure.

The third type of SKAI 2 platform is a multi-converter box, also housed in water-cooled IP67-protected cases and they communicate with the vehicle master controller via a CAN bus. The signal interface features analog and digital I/Os to allow for the connection of a wide variety of sensors, such as temperature and resolver inputs.

A typical multi-converter system would include a three-phase 40 kVA active front-end converter, a three-phase 20 kVA drive inverter, a three-phase 10 kVA drive inverter, and a 14 V/300 A or 28 V/165 A DC/DC converter.