Humidity and Condensation Risk Assessment for Power Electronics

Testing Capabilities

X-POWER labs at DTU has state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for testing humidity robustness of electronics, gaseous corrosion effects, and testing aspects such PCBA cleanliness, which are important for humidity related reliability issues of electronics.

The labs at Center for Electronic Corrosion (CELCORR), DTU-Mechanical Engineering as part of the X-power includes cyclic humidity test chambers with multi-channel electrochemical analysis module, heating and cooling stages for simulating real life condensing and evaporation conditions, equipment for quantifying water film with electrical characteristics, high resolution electrochemical system for localized corrosion measurements, test chambers for gaseous corrosion testing such as Sulphur corrosion, and chemical analysis equipments for cleanliness and contamination analysis on Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA).

Research and development activities at CELCORR focus on humidity effects on electronics with a focus on developing Pro-active climate reliable design, humidity effects preventive measures, and climate effects prediction possibilities including probabilistic and electrochemical modelling that are available together with the test equipments.

 
Climatic Chambers with In-situ Cooling Stage and Electrochemical Work Station

Cyclic humidity chambers at CELCORR lab provide capability for generating temperature-humidity cycles with very fast ramping rate and high humidity levels. Response time for the chambers are very short meaning that a real climatic profile can be simulated within the chamber.

Constant humidity chambers provide capabilities for long term testing under constant temperature and humidity conditions. These chambers allow step wise control of varying humidity level, but ramping is not possible. Depending on the type of testing needed either of the chambers can be used.

The heating and cooling stages, which can be placed inside the chamber, allow simulation of condensing and evaporation conditions with capability of in-situ evaluation of the water film formation on the surface. The climatic chambers at CELORR are equipped with Electrochemical measurement system, therefore able to characterize the PCBA test structures required under DC or AC bias conditions. 

Cyclic Humidity Chamber Specifications and Cooling Stages

Specifications of Climatic Chamber (ARL-0680, ESPEC CORP.,)

• High accuracy temperature and humidity control
• Ramp control setting
• Rapid rate temperature cycle type
• Temperature range: -45 to 180 °C, accuracy: ± 0.3 °C
• Humidity range: 10 to 98% RH, accuracy: ± 2.5% RH
• Interior volume: 850 mm * 1000 mm * 800 mm

Constant Humidity Chamber Specifications

Specifications of Climatic Chamber (KMF 240)

• Constant and step modes
• Temperature range: -10 to +100 °C,  accuracy: ± 0.3 °C
• Humidity range: 10 to 98% RH, accuracy: ± 2% RH
• Interior volume: 650 mm * 750 mm * 485 mm

Cooling and Heating Stage Specifications

These stages are available at various sizes and temperature capabilities depending on the need of the experiments. Cooling and heating method also vary depending on the size of the stages, which can be either using a Peltier system or using water circulation.

Features

• Cooling Peltier stage (model CP-031, TE Technology Inc.)
• Control unit: TC-720 OEM (TE Technology Inc.)
• Loop temperature thermistor: MP-3193 (TE Technology Inc.) 

Specifications

• Heat & cool / bipolar controller
• Range of cold plate temperature: -20 to 70 °C
• Power range: 0-150 Watts

Multi-channel Electrochemical Analyzer Specifications

Specifications of “biologic VSP” Multichannel Potentiostat

Highly modular electrochemical-workstation

Voltage

• Compliance: ±10 V;
• Control voltage: ±10 V adjustable; [0;20] V
• Voltage resolution: 5 µV on 200 mV range

Current

• Current ranges: 10 µA to 1A
• Current resolution: 0.760 nA;

EIS

• Frequency range: 10 µHz to 1 MHz

Sulphur Gas Testing Facility under Humid Conditions

Sulphur gas test chamber can be used for testing corrosion of electronic components under H2S gas. Temperature and humidity inside of the chamber can vary depending on the requirement to investigate the synergistic effect of humidity and Sulphur gas. Methods for corrosion rate measurements can be based on weight gain measurements or resistance change as a function of time. Reference control using Quartz Crystal Microbalance is also part of the set up.

Specifications

• H2S concentration: 1 – 100 ppm
• Temperature range: 25-60 C
• Humidity level: 70 – 99% RH
• Corrosion measurement: Weight gain or resistance change