High-Voltage Cryo-Power Inverter

Progress in power electronics has been slow and steady over the years, driven primarily by advances in power semiconductors. An innovative method of enhancing power electronics is proposed whereby cryogenic cooling is employed to improve (1) currentcarrying capacity, (2) device speed, and (3) component reliability. This combination leads to a family of compact, highly efficient, reliable devices for power applications targeted for the twenty-first century agile power technologies. In Phase I, anumber of components and subassemblies were tested and measured. The test results of indicate that cryo-power modules are feasible. Two series of cryo-power modules (1 Megawatt and 100 kilowatt) are proposed in Phase II. The modules proposed containfull bridge topologies which can be adapted to a variety of products, including high voltage inverters, switches, power conditioners, and power amplifiers. The cryo-power modules naturally interface to existing low-temperature devices such assuperconducting motors, transmission lines, and magnets, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instrumentation, and cellular-phone tower transmitters. Stand-alone applications envisioned include large-scale fuel cell and photovoltaic DC to AC conversion,switching networks, variable frequency drives and semiconductor-based transformers.