The development of modern inverters is currently facing tremendous innovation pressure. Across industries—from industrial automation and energy supply to consumer goods—demands on efficiency, compactness, and reliability are increasing. Developers need to find solutions for:
- Rising DC-link voltages: For example, in the automotive sector, DC-link voltages of 400V are already a thing of the past, with requirements now moving to 800V. Driven by the trend toward energy-saving, smaller batteries in electric vehicles, voltages can even reach as high as 1200V. Semiconductor components must therefore switch at higher voltages and frequencies.
- EMC compliance and thermal management: Especially with increasing power densities, meeting various standards becomes more challenging. At the same time, developers must reliably manage the heat generated at high currents and voltages.
- Varying requirements across industries: Each application has its own demands—ranging from robust industrial drives to space-saving solutions for household appliances. In the energy sector, inverters with high reliability and long service life are essential, while in the consumer goods industry, compact designs and low cost are top priorities.
At alfatec, we support you in overcoming these challenges.
Instead of classic distribution, we offer application-specific solutions—tailored precisely to your requirements.
Functional Blocks of a Modern Inverter
The following simplified block diagram outlines the classic functional blocks of an inverter:
- Line filter
- Rectifier
- Power supply for control electronics and gate drivers
- EMI filter in DC power supply and digital-analog I/O
- Current measurement of the inverter
- Temperature monitoring and control electronics
- Commutation of the inverter
- DC-link
For each of these areas, we provide you with the right components—active and passive, robust and efficient—optimized to overcome your challenges.
Here you can access the interactive circuit diagram with suggested products:
Go to the interactive block diagram
High Quality Components for the DC-Link:
Faratronic Box Type DC-Link Film Capacitors:
D3D and D3C series. Automotive-qualified series up to 125°C, capacitances up to 140µF, and rated voltages up to 1200V—soon also up to 2000V.
Faratronic DC-Link Capacitors with Aluminum Case: C3B series.
Screw terminal type with various terminal sizes, outstanding self-healing properties, voltages up to 4000V, and capacitances up to 5600µF.
Chemi-Con Polymer Hybrid Capacitors (SMD):
HXF, HXE, and HXJ series are ideal for inverter applications due to their low ESR and high temperature resistance (-55°C to 135°C). They offer a voltage range from 25V to 63V and capacitances up to 1000μF. The latest HXU series also provides vibration resistance up to 40G.
The KHX and LHX series offer voltages up to 400V and capacitances up to 1380μF (case size 23x60mm), with ripple currents from 1540mArms to 4320mArms.
AEC-Q200 qualified snap-in series like LVA, KVB, KVA provide capacitances up to 970μF and ripple currents up to 2730mArms at 450V rated voltage.
Chemi-Con’s latest screw terminal type series LXU offers capacitances up to 15,000μF with ripple currents up to 27.4Arms for the 400V version, and up to 13,000μF at 450V with ripple currents up to 22.8Arms.
High-Performance Semiconductors for the Inverter Block:
At the heart of the inverter, the power section, we rely on innovative semiconductor technologies:
Junshine LV-SGT-MOSFETs:
These MOSFETs offering performance-OPTImized MOSfets on market leading level and vertical integration with in-house MOSfet-chip production in the EU.
Discretes:
- ≥0.9mOhm at 30V
- ≥0.5mOhm at 40V
- ≥1.4mOhm at 100V
- ≥2.5mOhm at 150V
SilverMicro IGBTs:
These IGBTs offer integrated current sensing at the bare die level and also feature vertical integration with in-house chip production in the EU.
- Discretes: ≤75A at 1200V
- Modules: ≤800A at 1200V
PNJ and SemiQ SiC MOSFETs:
Featuring isolated topside cooling technology and the lowest specific RDS(on) in the industry:
Discretes:
≥8mOhm at 750V
≥13mOhm at 1200V
≥20mOhm at 1700V
Modules:
≥1.1mOhm at 750V
≥1.6mOhm at 1200V
≥7mOhm at 1700V
Safety and Reliability for the Line Filter
- Faratronic Safety Capacitors (Class X2):
C42, C4V, and C4H series are available for operating temperatures up to 125°C and capacitances up to 25µF. Standard rated voltage from 275Vac up to 400Vac is available. Each series also offers a THB and automotive version.
- Faratronic C45 and C46 series (Class X1), C47 series (Class Y1), and C43 series (Class Y2):
X1 safety class provides voltage up to 760Vac and capacitance up to 10.0µF. For Y1 and Y2 safety classes, up to 500Vac is possible. We can also offer automotive versions for all series.
Components for the DC Filter:
- Samwha MLCCs in the CS series with COG, X7R, X5R dielectrics, low voltages from 6.5V – 50V, and chip packages EIA0402~EIA1206
- Sunlord Ferrit Beads:
- MZPA series large current ferrite beads (2.5A–10A and impedances from 8.5–680 Ohms @ 100MHz)
- PZ/PZU Series Power Line (general use 0.2A–6A and impedances from 10–1000 Ohms @ 100MHz), and chip packages EIA0201–EIA1806
- For signal lines: GZ series for low speed signal lines (up to 2.2A, impedances from 0–2500 Ohms @ 100MHz), and SZ series for high speed signal lines (up to 1A, impedances from 5–2700 Ohms @ 100MHz) with chip packages EIA0201–EIA1206
Components for the Internal DC Power Supply:
- Sunlord Molded Power Inductors of the MWSA, MWFC, and semi-shielded types in the SWPA series. For more details on these series, see our new article here.
- Junshine MOSFETs for drain-source voltages up to 150V, low RDS(on) >0.7 mΩ in TO252-3/DFN3x3/DFN5x6/TOLL packages
- SMD and THT Electrolytic Capacitors from Samwha and Chemi-Con: 35V filter aluminum electrolytic capacitors
Sensors for Current and Temperature Measurement:
- Sunlord NTC-Chip-Thermistors (SDNT series): Rated power ¼ W, resistance values from 4.7 kΩ to 220 kΩ, package sizes EIA0402 to EIA2012
- S4sensors HALL current sensor "S4-CSA02“
- Sunlord Current Transformers (TWPEP series): For 6 A and 20 A current measurement in various configurations. Click here to view.
electronic solutions – made for you.
Whether you work in industrial automation, energy supply, medical technology, or consumer goods manufacturing - alfatec provides the right components for your inverter solutions. Our technical consulting helps you choose the optimal selection - efficient, reliable, and future-proof.
For a graphical overview of our products for your inverter, visit our applications page. There you’ll also find further links to product specifications and datasheets.
Or contact us directly. We’re happy to personally advise you.
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