The three-phase design helps develop power electronics with gate drivers, fault detection, isolation, SPI communication, and compliance with safety standards.
RDGD31603PHSEVM is a three-phase reference design from NXP Semiconductors equipped with six GD3160 gate drivers for IGBT/SiC MOSFET devices. The design simplifies the development and testing of power electronics systems, facilitating device configuration and performance assessments such as SC or double pulse tests on a single phase without custom software. By adopting a reference design for a specific inverter application, engineers can reduce the time to market. Using this reference design, the designers can reduce overall system costs.
The comprehensive evaluation platform encompasses an entire three-phase inverter system, including six gate drivers with robust fault management and additional support circuits. It features programmable and communicable capabilities through SPI daisy chain communication, allowing separate targeting of three high-side and three low-side gate drivers.
The board integrates low-voltage and high-voltage isolation and provides galvanic signal isolation specific to the gate drivers. It supports various functionalities, such as desaturation short-circuit detection, temperature monitoring for IGBT/SiC devices, DC link bus voltage monitoring, phase current sensing, and circuits designed for motor resolver excitation and signal processing.
Operating from a 12 V DC primary power source, typically a vehicle battery, the low-voltage domain powers nonisolated circuits and facilitates the interaction between the MCU and the GD3160 control registers alongside the logic control.
The board’s architecture includes isolated high-voltage control areas for low-side and high-side driver domains tailored for SiC MOSFET or IGBT single-phase connections and their respective control circuits. It also features easy connectivity options for compatible three-phase SiC MOSFET or IGBT modules.
Key features of the gate driver include an electrical isolation capability of up to 8,000 volts to enhance safety and robust output handling up to 15 amperes for efficient switching operations. It supports SPI communication for real-time device status updates, configuration adjustments, and diagnostic functions. Safety mechanisms are in place to enable quick and safe shutdowns during emergencies in both low- and high-voltage domains.
Additionally, the driver is compatible with various temperature sensors for comprehensive safety checks and incorporates settings to mitigate overcurrent scenarios critical for SiC and IGBT semiconductors. It allows for controlled power-down sequences, essential for effectively managing these semiconductors. The gate driver is available in different versions to accommodate varying operational voltages and complies with ISO 26262, ensuring adherence to the highest safety standards.
NXP has tested this reference design. It comes with a bill of materials (BOM), schematics, assembly drawing, printed circuit board (PCB) layout, and more. The company’s website has additional data about the reference design. To read more about this reference design, click here.
