Lifetime Prediction of Boost, Z-source and Y-source Converters in a Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Vehicle Application

Fuel cells are a very promising source of energy since they are pollution free, producing only electricity, water and heat. Fuel cells have been applied to DC/DC converters where the reliability and lifetime are of high importance. In this article, a lifetime prediction model is applied for the power semiconductors, which are used in a Boost, Z-source and Y-source fuel cell DC/DC converter, in a fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle application. Coffin-Manson and Semikron lifetime models for the IGBTs solder and bond wire fatigues are considered and compared in the three DC/DC converters. In order to estimate the lifetime of the converters, a mission profile is taken into account to estimate the impact of the IGBTs junction temperature during steady state operation. In addition to the thermal stresses generated due to the power losses during the converter operation, a case study of Artemis Motorway 130 Driving Cycle is considered in this analysis. Lifetime consumption and the expected number of years before failure is presented and compared for the three converters. The lifetime estimation results shows for this study that the Z-source converter has a longer lifetime compared to the conventional boost and Y-source converter.