Magna International Inc.
MOTOR DRIVE TOPOLOGIES FOR TRACTION AND CHARGING IN ELECTRIFIED VEHICLES

Abstract:

A motor drive system for an electrified vehicle includes a DC source, such as a battery, and an inverter, which includes one or more phase drivers, each configured to switch current from the DC source to generate AC power upon one or more output terminals using a hybrid of two or more different solid-state switches, each having a corresponding voltage rating. A nine-switch inverter includes three phase drivers, each including high, low, and middle solid-state switches, with Si-MOSFET high and low switches having a first voltage rating of half of the rated voltage of the system, and with Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors rated to block a full rated voltage of the system used for the middle switches. A delay driver synchronizes timing between two different solid-state switches by energizing control terminals at different rates. The inverter can be operated using near-state pulse-width modulation (NSPWM) to reduce switching losses.