IGBT Snubber Card

Project Info:

Main Project:

High power AC Remote Synchronise Contactor (RSC)

Client:

Ario MetaPower

Design Completion Date:

2024-06-13

Design Complexity:

Although simple looking, the complexity is in the detail.

Project Description:

The IGBT Snubber Card is a purpose-built snubber circuit designed to suppress voltage transients and protect the high-power IGBT it mounts directly onto. The target IGBT is capable of switching 800 A at 1200 V, making transient suppression and reliable protection essential.

These snubber cards are deployed in the high-power Remote Synchronise Contactor (RSC), where six IGBTs switch synchronously during operation. While snubber circuits are typically straightforward, this design posed several unique challenges — including:

Mechanical clearance constraints, while minimising trace lengths and maximising trace widths
High-voltage and high-current considerations
Mitigation of galvanic corrosion between interfacing materials

Despite its simplicity in principle, the IGBT Snubber Card required meticulous design to ensure robust, reliable performance in a demanding environment.

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