Single PCB sensor-based output current reproduction for three-phase inverter systems

This study proposes a practical output current measurement system in a three-phase inverter with a single printed circuit board (PCB) Rogowski coil sensor inserted in the bus between the DC-link capacitor and the power semiconductor module. This system demonstrates its advantage over conventional output current sensors, such as the Hall effect current sensors, in terms of the size, weight, operation temperature and cost. The system can be applied to 6-in-1 power modules as it does not require sensors in the inverter phase legs. In our previous works, we have developed a method called “envelope tracking”, which is used in this system as well. This method traces the switching current instead of the output current to reproduce the output current signal in real-time. Envelope tracking successfully reproduced the output current waveform for single phase inverters under certain conditions. However, a large error is observed in the three-phase inverter demonstration under a high switching frequency (narrow pulse) or when the switching of different phases overlap each other. These errors must be completely suppressed to implement the system for feedback control in three-phase inverters. In this study, a new analog basis output current waveform reproduction system is introduced to suppress the above mentioned errors. This system is implemented in a three-phase insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter and successfully reproduces the output current with a single PCB sensor inserted between a 6-in-1 IGBT power module and DC-link capacitor, operating under a switching frequency of 3.5–7.0 kHz and output current of 6 A with DC-link voltage of 150 V. © 2023 The Author(s)