Estimation of Thermal Network Models Parameters Based on Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

One of the biggest challenges in the Design for Reliability (DfR) methodology implementation into the development. process are the extremely short delivery dates of Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This impediment is frequently encountered in the development of power supplies for plasma processing. In such case it is impossible to perform comprehensive but time-consuming simulations and the whole DfR process is focused on the stressors levels evaluation in working device. The goal for simulation stage is thus to choose most promising solution fulfilling specified requirements and rough estimation of chosen stressors levels. Time limitations and the demand on high quality already at the MVP stadium of the power supply development, raise a need to develop a simple and fast method for thermal modeling of critical components used in the designed power supply. In this paper, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) is introduced as an effective approach for the parameter estimation for thermal modelling of the power semiconductor modules used in power supplies for plasma processing.