Analysis and Control of Energy Efficient Welding Machine Test Bed Employing SiC based Power Electronic Converter

This paper proposes the operation, analysis and control of energy efficient welding machine test bed employing Silicon Carbide (SiC) based power electronic converters. The proposed test bed has many advantages as compared to the conventional test bed such as: reduced power losses, size, weight, and absence of heat. A mathematical modelling has been developed for the proposed test bed using SiC based MoSFET and Power Diodes. The steady state and dynamic characteristics of DC arc welding machine has been analyzed for testing as per the IEC 60974 -1 standard. The control algorithm and the switching logic for the test bed have been explored in the form of flow chart and digital logic devices. Extensive Matlab/ Simulink simulations have been carried out for the proposed test bed. The efficacy of test bed has been validated under various operating conditions based on the predetermined values and simulation results. Also, the performance of SiC based test has been compared with the conventional Silicon (Si) based test bed.