Method for operating at least one power electronic component and power electronic device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating at least one power electronic component (2), in which an actual state of health (30) of the at least one power electronic component (2) is determined from operating parameters (10, 10-x) and / or component parameters (11) of the at least one power electronic component (2) and a service life model (20), a target state of health (31) of the at least one power electronic component (2) is determined starting from an operating duration (12) and / or an operating range (13) of the at least one power electronic component (2), the determined actual state of health (30) being compared with the determined target state of health (31), and the determined actual state of health (30) being compared with the determined target state of health (31). The at least one power electronic component (2) is controlled taking into account the comparison result (32). The invention also relates to a power electronic component (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating at least one power electronic component and to a power electronic arrangement. Background Art

[0002] Power electronic components, in particular power semiconductors, are usually designed to be oversized in order to meet the service life requirements in vehicles and other fields of application. This leads to high costs. If the oversizing is omitted as a safety margin, this may lead to a reduced service life. Therefore, there is a conflict of objectives between the predetermined service life and the cost requirements.

[0003] DE 10 2014 227 027 A1 discloses an intelligent power component having plates oriented parallel to one another, which are connected to the current input and current output of a power semiconductor. High currents, for example for resistance welding, can thus be controlled without causing excessive heat losses. Service life monitoring is also known. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to improve a method for operating at least one power electronic component and a power electronic device, in particular with regard to the aforementioned conflict of objectives.

[0005] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method having the features of the invention and a power electronic device having the features of the invention. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are apparent from the exemplary embodiments.

[0006] In particular, a method for operating at least one power electronic component is provided, wherein the actual health state of the at least one power electronic component is determined based on operating parameters and / or component parameters and a service life model of the at least one power electronic component, wherein the target health state of the at least one power electronic component is determined based on the operating duration and / or operating mileage of the at least one power electronic component, wherein the determined actual health state is compared with the determined target health state, and wherein the at least one power electronic component is controlled taking into account the comparison result.

[0007] In addition, in particular, a power electronic device is implemented, which includes at least one power electronic component and a control device configured to control the at least one power electronic component, wherein the control device is also configured to determine the actual health state of the at least one power electronic component based on operating parameters and / or component parameters of the at least one power electronic component and a service life model, determine the target health state of the at least one power electronic component based on the operating duration and / or mileage of the at least one power electronic component, compare the determined actual health state with the determined target health state, and control the at least one power electronic component while taking into account the comparison result.

[0008] The method and the power electronic device enable the control of at least one power electronic component under the condition of taking into account the actual health state and the target health state of at least one power electronic component. This enables the individualized behavior and the individualized operating parameters and component parameters of at least one power electronic component to be taken into account in the control, so that the aging process can be carried out in a controlled manner. For this purpose, the actual health state of at least one power electronic component is determined based on the operating parameters and / or component parameters of at least one power electronic component and the service life model. The actual health state is in particular an estimate of the actual aging state of the power electronic component, wherein the history of the load personalized to the component is taken into account. In addition, the target health state of at least one power electronic component is determined based on the (accumulated) operating duration and / or (accumulated) operating mileage of at least one power electronic component. The target health state corresponds in particular to the expected health state depending on the operating duration and / or operating mileage, which corresponds to the expected aging, without taking into account the history of the load personalized to the component. The determined actual health state is compared with the determined target health state. Then, the control of at least one power electronic component is carried out under the condition of taking into account the comparison result.

[0009] One of the advantages of the method and power electronics is that the conflict of objectives described at the outset can be handled in an improved manner. In particular, preventive overdimensioning of at least one power electronic component can be omitted, since the service life and power capability of at least one power electronic component can be continuously coordinated with the method and power electronics.

[0010] Within the scope of the present disclosure, a health state is considered to be better or greater if the numerical value associated with the health state is larger. However, in principle, the reverse encoding or mapping of the health state can also be performed in a similar manner.

[0011] The power electronic component is in particular a power semiconductor switch (e.g. a MOSFET or an IGBT). In principle, however, the power electronic component can also be another controllable power electronic component. The power electronic device can also include a plurality of power electronic components. The power electronic device can, for example, include a converter, such as a pulse inverter, which is used, for example, in a drive train of a vehicle to feed an electric machine. In principle, however, the power electronic device and the method can also be used in other fields of application. In the case of a plurality of power electronic components that act together, the control is carried out in particular in such a way that the most critical actual health state of all the power electronic components (i.e. the actual health state with the lowest value) is decisive.

[0012] In particular, it is provided that operating parameters and / or component parameters are acquired and / or determined by means of suitable sensor devices. The operating parameters may include, for example, DC voltage, DC current, AC voltage, AC current, error states and / or component temperatures (chip temperature, cooling water temperature, etc.). The component parameters may be, for example, threshold voltage (threshold voltage), threshold voltage drift, on-resistance (between source and drain in the on state) and / or leakage current (between source and drain and / or between source and gate).

[0013] The service life model is based in particular on methods known per se, with the aid of which the health state (or aging state) of the power electronic component can be determined, in particular estimated. For this purpose, in particular, historical processes of operating parameters and / or component parameters are also taken into account. For example, such a historical process can take into account temperature fluctuations in the operating parameters and / or the load of the power electronic component in the historical process (current, voltage, power, switching frequency, switching edge steepness, etc.). Starting from the acquired and / or determined operating parameters and / or component parameters, the service life model estimates the actual health state of at least one power electronic component. In particular, the service life model can be created or has been created based on empirical tests and / or with the aid of simulations.

[0014] Regardless of the load history, a target health state is determined based on the (cumulative) operating duration (e.g. cumulative operating hours) and / or operating mileage (e.g. cumulative kilometers of a drive train of a vehicle in which the at least one power electronic component is operated) of the at least one power electronic component. The target health state is based on a characteristic curve and / or a characteristic curve group determined empirically and / or by simulation and in particular statistically, which shows the health state of the power electronic component averaged over a plurality of similar power electronic components as a function of the operating duration and / or operating mileage. The characteristic curve and / or characteristic curve group is generated under laboratory conditions, for example by means of a method known per se for accelerated aging tests.

[0015] The control of at least one power electronic component relates in particular to the value of the gate voltage (minimum value, maximum value), gate control parameters (e.g. switching speed or edge steepness), switching frequency, switching pattern and / or control parameters of the cooling system (e.g. cooling water flow and / or cooling power and / or coolant temperature).

[0016] The components of the power electronics, in particular the control device, can be designed individually or in combination as a combination of hardware and software, for example as a program code executed on a microcontroller or microprocessor. However, it can also be provided that the components are designed individually or in combination as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and / or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0017] In one embodiment, it is provided that, when the value of the determined actual health state is less than the value of the determined target health state, the control of at least one power electronic component is changed so that the power capacity of at least one power electronic component is reduced in a manner that is beneficial to the service life. As a result, at least one power electronic component can be subsequently controlled so that the actual health state is close to the target health state again. In particular, the remaining service life can be increased again because at least one power electronic component is operated at a lower power capacity, so that the load is reduced and component aging occurs more slowly. For example, the switching frequency can be reduced at the expense of (system) efficiency, so that the switching frequency is lower in the same time period. In addition, the gate voltage in the on state can be reduced at the expense of (system) efficiency. In addition, by changing the control, the maximum power flow through the power electronic component can also be reduced.

[0018] In one embodiment, it is provided that, when the value of the determined actual health state is greater than the value of the determined target health state, the control of at least one power electronic component is changed so that the power capacity of at least one power electronic component is increased. As a result, at least one power electronic component can be subsequently controlled so that the actual health state is close to the target health state again, wherein a higher power capacity of at least one power electronic component can be provided. In other words, the service life reserve or service life surplus can be reduced so that at least one power electronic component can be operated with a higher power capacity for this purpose. For example, in order to facilitate (system) efficiency, the switching frequency can be increased so that switching is performed more frequently within the same time period. In addition, in order to facilitate (system) efficiency, the gate voltage in the on state can be increased. In addition, by changing the control, the maximum power flow through the power electronic component can also be increased.

[0019] In one embodiment, it is provided that the power capacity is reduced and / or increased while taking into account a predetermined target service life. This enables a type of regulation of the power capacity of at least one power electronic component, wherein the actual health state always reaches a target health state in order to achieve a predetermined target service life. In particular, the target health state is selected in this case so that the development of the target health state corresponds to or meets a predetermined target service life. The target service life is in particular the minimum service life of the at least one power electronic component. The target service life can in particular include an operating duration (e.g., operating hours) or a mileage (e.g., in kilometers if the at least one power electronic component is installed in the drive train of a vehicle).

[0020] In one embodiment, it is provided that the power capacity is reduced and / or increased while taking into account the driving behavior of at least one driver of a vehicle equipped with at least one power electronic component. Driving behavior can be taken into account in this way. Starting from the driving behavior, the future load of at least one power electronic component can be estimated and taken into account during control. For example, if the driver's driving behavior is sporty, this driving behavior is usually accompanied by an increase in power requirements, which leads to a greater load and faster aging of at least one power electronic component. However, if the vehicle is rarely driven, this sport driving behavior has no negative impact on the actual health state compared to the target health state. In other words, the actual health state is still higher than the target health state in the case of sufficiently few sport driving. However, if the vehicle is frequently or always driven with a sport driving behavior, at least one power electronic component ages faster, and the actual health state will be reduced to a target health state lower than the expected. Therefore, starting from this driving behavior of the driver, the control is adjusted so that the power capacity of at least one power electronic component is reduced.

[0021] In one embodiment, it is provided that at least one parameter of a cooling device is determined and / or selected taking into account the comparison result, and the cooling device is designed to cool at least one power electronic component. The operating conditions can thus be adjusted in terms of the operating temperature of at least one power electronic component. The at least one parameter can be, for example, a coolant temperature and / or a coolant flow rate. This is particularly advantageous if it is determined that at least one power electronic component undergoes a large number of temperature changes. The large number of temperature changes may accelerate aging. This can be offset by more intense cooling, but at the expense of (system) efficiency.

[0022] In one embodiment, it is provided that during the first operation, at least one component parameter of at least one power electronic component is acquired and / or determined, wherein the at least one power electronic component is controlled taking into account a parameter drift of the acquired and / or determined at least one component parameter that occurs during further operation. Control can thus be performed in such a way that parameter drifts are compensated. For example, a threshold voltage can be determined and control can be performed as a function of the drift of the threshold voltage. In addition, the controller frequency can also be reduced when the drift of the threshold voltage is determined in order to take into account premature aging.

[0023] In one embodiment, it is provided that at least one component parameter of at least one power electronic component is collected and / or determined during the first operation, wherein the at least one power electronic component is controlled under consideration of the at least one component parameter collected and / or determined to compensate for the parameter dispersion. Thus, the behavior of at least one power electronic component due to the parameter dispersion can be adjusted by controlling under consideration of the at least one component parameter collected and / or determined. The parameter dispersion that occurs can thus be compensated so that the behavior corresponds to a predetermined target behavior. For example, the gate voltage (on and / or off) can be set based on the at least one component parameter collected and / or determined so that the switching behavior is adapted to the target switching behavior. A reference value of at least one component parameter accompanying the target behavior can also be considered here.

[0024] In one embodiment, it is provided that the operating parameters include ambient temperature and / or cosmic radiation load and / or operating altitude, and / or the ambient temperature and / or cosmic radiation load and / or operating altitude are considered in the service life model. Thus, the environmental conditions under which at least one power electronic component is operated can be considered in particular. Thus, whether the operation is carried out in a hot area, a cold area or an area with a medium temperature can be considered in particular. In addition, damage caused by cosmic radiation can be considered in particular, which causes accelerated aging in power semiconductors. For example, if it is determined that the ambient temperature is always or regularly higher than a predetermined threshold value, the control can be adjusted accordingly by reducing the power capacity of at least one power electronic component to protect the component and compensate for the accelerated aging caused by the ambient temperature. For example, if it is determined that the cosmic radiation load and / or operating altitude are always or regularly higher than a predetermined threshold value, the control can be adjusted accordingly by reducing the power capacity of at least one power electronic component to protect the component and compensate for the accelerated aging caused by cosmic radiation. On the contrary, if (again) there are more favorable environmental conditions, the control can be adjusted in the opposite way by increasing the power capacity again.

[0025] Further features of the embodiment of the power electronics device are derived from the description of the embodiment of the method. The advantages of the power electronics device are respectively the same as the advantages of the embodiment of the method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present invention will be described in more detail below according to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram for illustrating an embodiment of a power electronics device is shown;

[0028] Figure 2a , 2b A schematic diagram for illustrating the method is shown;

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart is shown for illustrating a specific embodiment of a method for operating at least one power electronic component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a power electronic device 1 is shown. The power electronic device 1 includes at least one power electronic component 2, in particular at least one power semiconductor switch, and a control device 3. The control device 3 is configured to control the at least one power electronic component 2. The power electronic device 1 is arranged, for example, in a vehicle 50, wherein the at least one power electronic component 2 is used, for example, in a traction system of the vehicle 50 as a component of a pulse inverter for feeding power to an electric machine. The power electronic device 1 may also include a plurality of power electronic components 2, in particular a plurality of power semiconductor switches (such as MOSFETs or IGBTs, etc.). The method is described in more detail below based on the power electronic device 1.

[0031] The control device 3 is configured to determine an actual health state 30 of at least one power electronic component 2 from operating parameters 10 and / or component parameters 11 of at least one power electronic component 2 and a service life model 20 of at least one power electronic component 2. For this purpose, the control device 3 has, for example, a module 3-1. The operating parameters 10 and / or component parameters 11 can be acquired in or at the vehicle by means of sensors provided for this purpose at at least one power electronic component 2 and / or can be queried and / or provided, for example, from a higher-level controller (not shown), in particular a vehicle controller.

[0032] The actual state of health 30 can be a single value (e.g., with a value range of 100% to 0% or 1 to 0, etc.). For example, it can be provided that a percentage value is determined in relation to a shift in the threshold voltage or the on-resistance, for example, the end of the service life is present at a predetermined relative value, for example, at a 15% shift relative to the initial value, wherein the shift then corresponds to 100% “lifetime consumption”. Furthermore, multidimensional values ​​can also be provided, wherein, for example, different variables (e.g., threshold voltage, gate oxide state, on-resistance, etc.) are each considered separately. In a simple example, the actual state of health 30 can be estimated based on the on-resistance between the source contact and the drain contact. For example, after commissioning, the on-resistance has a value of 1 mOhm, but at the end of its service life it is 2 mOhm. If a linear progression between these two extremes is assumed, the actual state of health can be estimated from the on-resistance (e.g., with an actual value of 1.5 mOhm, an actual state of health of 0.5 is obtained on a scale of 0 to 1, or, if the health state is expressed as a percentage, an actual state of health of 50% is obtained).

[0033] Furthermore, the control device 3 determines a target health state 31 of at least one power electronic component 2 based on the operating duration 12 and / or the operating mileage 13 of at least one power electronic component 2. For this purpose, the control device 3 has, for example, a module 3-2. The target health state 31 can be a single value (for example, with a value range of 100% to 0% or 1 to 0, etc.). For example, it can be provided that a percentage value related to the deviation of the threshold voltage or the on-resistance is determined, for example, the end of the service life is present at a predetermined relative value, for example, at a 15% drift relative to the initial value, wherein the drift then corresponds to 100% "service life consumption". Furthermore, multidimensional values ​​can also be provided, wherein, for example, different variables (for example, threshold voltage, gate oxide state, on-resistance, etc.) are each considered separately.

[0034] The control device 3 further compares the determined actual health state 30 with the determined target health state 31. In this case, in particular, the values ​​encoding the respective health states are compared with one another. This is done, for example, in module 3-3. If the health states 30, 31 are multidimensional, the individual dimensions can be taken into account in a weighted manner when comparing the health states 30, 31.

[0035] The control device 3 then controls the at least one power electronic component 2 taking into account the comparison result 32. This is done, for example, by means of a module 3-4, which can be a component of a pulse-controlled inverter controller. The control is done in particular in such a way that a compromise between the service life or aging of the at least one power electronic component 2 and the power capability is achieved. The control device 3, in particular the module 3-4, provides a control signal 40 for this purpose. The control signal 40 can directly or indirectly control the at least one power electronic component 2.

[0036] It can be provided that, if the value of the determined actual health state 30 is less than the value of the determined target health state 31 , the control of the at least one power electronic component 2 is changed such that the power capability of the at least one power electronic component 2 is reduced in a manner that is beneficial to the service life.

[0037] This is Figure 2a As schematically shown in Figure 2a The target health state 30 is shown for the time t from the delivery time t0 to the target service life 33. The actual health state 30 has dropped more than the target health state 31, that is, the power electronic component has aged faster than was preset or expected. According to the method, the control is adjusted at the time t1, whereby the aging is slowed down and the actual health state 30 approaches the target health state 31 again. At the time t2, the control can be adjusted again in a way that is favorable to the power capability, so that the actual health state 30 then follows the curve of the target health state 31. Compared with the actual application, Figure 2aIt is greatly simplified and serves only to illustrate the method. The curves of the health states 30 , 31 can in particular be different, in particular more complex.

[0038] To this end, it can be set to adjust the control parameters (for example, frequency, edge steepness, gate voltage, etc.), estimate the future health state based on the adjusted parameters with the help of the service life model 20, and check whether the adjusted parameters are suitable for making the future actual health state 30 reach the future target health state 31 based on the estimated future health state.

[0039] It can also be provided that a characteristic curve and / or a family of characteristic curves is used to adjust the controlled parameters. For example, the characteristic curve and / or the family of characteristic curves can contain the dependency of the controlled parameters on the deviation between the values ​​of the actual health state 30 and the target health state 31. Based on the given deviation, the adjusted parameters can then be determined with the aid of the characteristic curve and / or the family of characteristic curves. Alternatively or additionally, methods of artificial intelligence and / or machine learning can also be used.

[0040] It may be provided that, if the value of the determined actual health state 30 is greater than the value of the determined target health state 31 , the control of the at least one power electronic component 2 is changed such that the power capability of the at least one power electronic component 2 is increased.

[0041] This is Figure 2b As schematically shown in Figure 2b The target health state 30 is shown with respect to the time t from the delivery time t0 to the target service life 33. The actual health state 30 decreases more slowly than the target health state 31, that is, the power electronic component ages more slowly than is preset or expected. According to the method, the control is adjusted at the time t1, thereby accelerating the aging in a manner that is favorable to the increased power capability, so that the actual health state 30 approaches the target health state 31 again. At the time t2, the control can be adjusted again in a manner that is favorable to the service life, so that the actual health state 30 then follows the curve of the target health state 31. Compared with the actual application, Figure 2b The diagram is greatly simplified and serves only to illustrate the method. The curves of the health states 30 , 31 can in particular be different, in particular more complex.

[0042] To this end, it can be provided that control parameters are adjusted, that the future health state is estimated based on the adjusted parameters with the aid of the service life model 20 , and that based on the estimated future health state it is checked whether the adjusted parameters are suitable for bringing the future actual health state 30 to the future target health state 31 .

[0043] In this case, it can also be provided that a characteristic curve and / or a characteristic curve map is used to adjust the parameters of the control.

[0044] In particular, it is provided that the power capacity is reduced and / or increased while taking into account a predefined target service life 33. In the example given above, it can be provided that a certain operating duration and / or operating mileage should be achieved until the resistance reaches a value of 2 mOhm. Depending on the previous development of the resistance and the future development estimated based on the service life model 20, the parameters of the control can be adjusted so that the target service life 33 is achieved.

[0045] It can be provided that the power capacity is reduced and / or increased while taking into account the driving behavior 34 of at least one driver of a vehicle 50 in which at least one power electronic component 2 is installed. In particular, the driving style can be taken into account. In particular, it can be provided that the future load of at least one power electronic component 2 is estimated based on the driving behavior (driving style, driving frequency, etc.) of the at least one driver and is taken into account during the control, in particular when adjusting the parameters of the control.

[0046] It may be provided that at least one parameter 41 of a cooling device 51 , which is designed to cool at least one power electronic component 2 , is determined and / or selected taking into account the comparison result 32 . This can also be done with the aid of the modules 3 - 4 .

[0047] It can be provided that at least one component parameter 11 of at least one power electronic component 2 is detected and / or determined during the first start-up, wherein the at least one power electronic component 2 is controlled taking into account a parameter drift 35 of the at least one detected and / or determined component parameter 11 that occurs during further operation. The parameter drift 35 can be determined, for example, by means of the module 3-1 and provided to the module 3-4 for adjusting the control.

[0048] It can be provided that at least one component parameter 11 of at least one power electronic component 2 is acquired and / or determined during the first start-up, wherein the at least one power electronic component 2 is controlled taking into account the acquired and / or determined at least one component parameter 11 to compensate for the parameter dispersion 36. The parameter dispersion 36, for example in the form of a difference from a known or predetermined average value, can also be determined by the module 3-1 and provided to the module 3-4 for adjusting the control. The module 3-1 then adjusts the control in particular in such a way that the power electronic component 2 shows the desired behavior if the at least one component parameter 11 of the power electronic component 2 already corresponds to the known average value.

[0049] It may be provided that the operating parameters 10 include the ambient temperature 10 - 1 and / or the cosmic radiation load 10 - 2 and / or the operating altitude 10 - 3 and / or that the ambient temperature 10 - 1 and / or the cosmic radiation load 10 - 2 and / or the operating altitude 10 - 3 are taken into account in the service life model 20 .

[0050] Figure 3 A schematic flow chart is shown for illustrating an embodiment of a method for operating at least one power electronic component. The method is particularly based on Figure 1 The embodiment shown is implemented by a power electronics device.

[0051] In method step 100 , the actual health state of at least one power electronic component is determined based on operating parameters and / or component parameters of at least one power electronic component and a service life model. The method may also include detecting and / or determining operating parameters and / or component parameters.

[0052] In method step 101 , a target state of health of at least one power electronic component is determined based on an operating duration and / or an operating mileage of at least one power electronic component.

[0053] In method step 102 , the determined actual health state is compared with the determined target health state.

[0054] In method step 103, it is checked whether the value of the determined actual state of health is less than the value of the determined target state of health. If this is the case, in method step 104, the control of at least one power electronic component is changed so that the power capability of at least one power electronic component is reduced in a manner that is beneficial to the service life. Then the method returns to method step 100 again. If, on the other hand, this is not the case, the method continues with method step 105.

[0055] In method step 105, it is checked whether the value of the determined actual health state is greater than the value of the determined target health state. If this is the case, the control of at least one power electronic component is changed in method step 106 so that the power capability of at least one power electronic component is increased. Then, the method returns to method step 100 again. If, on the other hand, this is not the case, the method returns to method step 100 again.

[0056] It may be provided that in method steps 104 and 106 the performance capability is reduced and / or increased taking into account a predefined target service life.

[0057] Referenced above Figure 1 Further embodiments of the method are described.

[0058] Reference numerals list

[0059] 1 Power electronics

[0060] 2 Power Electronics Components

[0061] 3 Control device

[0062] 3-x Module

[0063] 10 Operating parameters

[0064] 10-1 Ambient temperature

[0065] 10-2 cosmic radiation load

[0066] 10-3 Operating height

[0067] 11 Component parameters

[0068] 12 Operation duration

[0069] 13 Mileage

[0070] 20 Service life model

[0071] 30 Actual health status

[0072] 31 Target health status

[0073] 32 Comparison results

[0074] 33 Target service life

[0075] 34 Driving behavior

[0076] 35 Parameter Drift

[0077] 36 Parameter dispersion

[0078] 40 (multiple) control signals

[0079] 41 Parameters

[0080] 50 Vehicles

[0081] 51 Cooling device

[0082] 100-106 Method Steps

Claims

1. A method for operating at least one power electronic component (2), in, determining an actual health state (30) of the at least one power electronic component (2) based on operating parameters (10, 10-x) and / or component parameters (11) of the at least one power electronic component (2) and a service life model (20), wherein a target health state (31) of the at least one power electronic component (2) is determined based on an operating duration (12) and / or an operating mileage (13) of the at least one power electronic component (2), Therein, the determined actual state of health (30) is compared with the determined target state of health (31), and wherein the at least one power electronic component (2) is controlled taking into account the comparison result (32).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: If the value of the determined actual health state (30) is less than the value of the determined target health state (31), the control of the at least one power electronic component (2) is changed so that the power capability of the at least one power electronic component (2) is reduced in a manner that is beneficial to the service life.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: If the value of the determined actual health state (30) is greater than the value of the determined target health state (31), the control of the at least one power electronic component (2) is changed so that the power capability of the at least one power electronic component (2) is increased.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The performance capability is reduced and / or increased taking into account a predefined target service life (33).

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that The power capability is reduced and / or increased taking into account the driving behavior (34) of at least one driver of a vehicle (50) in which the at least one power electronic component (2) is installed.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Taking into account the comparison result (32), at least one parameter (41) of a cooling device (51) is determined and / or selected, the cooling device being designed to cool the at least one power electronic component (2).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that During a first start-up, at least one component parameter (11) of the at least one power electronic component (2) is detected and / or determined, wherein the at least one power electronic component (2) is controlled taking into account a parameter drift (35) of the at least one detected and / or determined component parameter (11) occurring during further operation.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that During a first start-up, at least one component parameter (11) of the at least one power electronic component (2) is detected and / or determined, wherein the at least one power electronic component (2) is controlled taking into account the at least one component parameter (11) detected and / or determined in order to compensate for parameter dispersion (36).

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The operating parameters (10, 10-x) include an ambient temperature (10-1) and / or a cosmic radiation load (10-2) and / or an operating altitude (10-3), and / or the ambient temperature (10-1) and / or the cosmic radiation load (10-2) and / or the operating altitude (10-3) are taken into account in the service life model (20).

10. A power electronic device (1), comprising: at least one power electronic component (2), and a control device (3) which is configured to control the at least one power electronic component (2), The control device (3) is configured to determine an actual health state (30) of the at least one power electronic component (2) based on operating parameters (10, 10-x) and / or component parameters (11) of the at least one power electronic component (2) and a service life model (20), determine a target health state (31) of the at least one power electronic component (2) based on an operating duration (12) and / or operating mileage (13) of the at least one power electronic component (2), compare the determined actual health state (30) with the determined target health state (31), and control the at least one power electronic component (2) taking into account a comparison result (32).

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