ECPE Tutorial: Reliability of Power Electronic Systems

The intention of this tutorial is to communicate the basics of reliability assurance and confirmation by simulation and test for the application of power devices at system design. The methodology is based on the planned application profile (mission profile) and the “Physics-of-Failure”- concept concerning the effects of the loads implied by the mission profile. Also the requirements trends to lower system volumes, application in harsher environments and increasing reliability demands are considered.

The “mission profile” incorporates the combination of loads and their duration to which the electronic system will be subjected. They determine depending on the construction (design) the physical processes and thus the life-time of the system.