AUTHORS: Surachai Wongfookeat, Thanatchai Kulworawanichpong

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ABSTRACT: This paper focuses on solving the problem of relay contact arc in an electric vehicle by using IGBT. When a relay opens, interacting high current, an arc is produced across the relay contacts. The arc may melt and destroy the contacts. The IGBT is used to limit the inrush current from the battery to the capacitor in the inverter when the system is turned ON. To shutdown the system, the IGBT is also used to gradually reduce the current to zero. This is achieved by controlling IGBT’s gate voltage which in turn controls current flowing through the IGBT. The simulation responses of the proposed system and the convention system that uses a precharge relay in series with a resistor were compared and analysed. With the proposed control system inrush currents are significantly reduced, solving the arc problem. A prototype of the proposed system was built and tested, the test results proved that the proposed method gives the satisfactory response

KEYWORDS: pre charge, post charge, inductive load, capacitive load, contact arc, inrush current, surge voltage

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