The SKiiPX IGBT module from Semikron has been designed for extreme climatic conditions and allows for condensation during operation. It meets the specific requirements for wind turbines in the 1-6MW power range. Under harsh climatic conditions, secondary damage caused by moisture ranks among the most common causes of failure of power electronics modules, so a module specified to allow for condensation will offer a significantly increased lifetime.
The internal construction of the SKiiPX is based on Semikron’s SKiN Technology, which provides a doubling of the power density within the module. Consequently, the total volume of the inverter can be decreased by up to 50% and inverter costs can be reduced by up to 15%. SKiiPX allows for the first time the integration of a 3MW wind inverter into a single cabinet, due to a reduced number of components and interfaces. The high integration level also reduces the probability of an inverter failure – expressed by the Failure-In-Time (FIT) rate – by 30%.
A newly-designed integrated liquid cooling system allows for a constant operating temperature of the coolant of up to 70°C. This hermetically sealed system requires fewer gaskets compared to conventional systems, ensuring higher reliability. As a result, the SKiiPX is the most reliable module in the market for operation under extreme climatic conditions.
The SKiiPX is supplied as a fully tested subsystem (IPM) with integrated gate driver electronics, cooling and protection functions, thus reducing the design and integration effort for the complete system for the customer.