GaN-Based High Power High Frequency Wide Range LLC Resonant Converter

SET Group will design, build and qualify a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based High Power High Frequency Wide Range LLC Resonant Converter capable of handling high power and high frequency operation. The GaN LLC Converter will operate at 1 MHz with an input voltage of 95V - 160V and output of 600V - 2kV, capable of handling up to 5 kW. Current technology utilizes silicon-based solutions for power conversion and distribution. GaN can fundamentally perform well beyond current silicon based hardware. GaN has direct benefits such as higher power density, reduced footprint, increased power capacity, and improved power efficiency. Increasing frequency of operation results in smaller components but it also creates a challenge for thermal management and magnetic component design. SET Group will develop a novel thermal management system utilizing additive manufacturing which will consolidate the housing and cooling in a single part. Similarly, SET Group will design a novel transformer that will integrate the resonant inductor, transformer, and output voltage multiplier stage into a single unit. SET Group's goal of integration is to reduce the number of parts to decrease size of unit, mass and volume. This results in higher power density, lower manufacturing costs and higher reliability. SET Group will design the GaN-LLC Converter to be used for Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP), but the outcome of this work will serve as a platform for other power conversion products utilizing GaN technology to be developed.