Proposing a Numerical Method for Evaluating the Effects of Both Magnetic Properties and Power Semiconductor Properties Under Inverter Excitation

To evaluate how magnetic properties of magnetic materials are influenced by power semiconductor properties in an inverter circuit, we propose and test a new numerical calculation method. This method combines an electrical circuit analysis for current-voltage properties of power semiconductors with a magnetic analysis based on a magnetic hysteresis model. Previous measurements on an inverter show that magnetic properties, such as B-H curves (B is the magnetic flux density and H is the magnetic field intensity) and iron losses, are affected by ON-voltages of power semiconductors. Those measurements motivate this paper. The magnetic hysteresis model used here is a novel approach that is based on physical thermodynamics theory and can capture the essence of physical magnetic phenomena. Calculations with the proposed method show that measured minor loops in B-H curves are well represented and calculated voltage waveforms properly capture ON-voltage effects.