An Advanced Power Converter System Using High Temperature, High Power Density SiC Devices

Electronic power conversion systems introduce major cost and reliability issues in most distributed energy resources and energy storage systems. This project will develop a power conversion system based on an emerging wide-bandgap, SiC-based semiconductor technology. This system will be capable of operating at high power densities, high temperatures, and high frequencies, and will provide advantages of high efficiency, small size, and light weight. In Phase I, the modeling of a SiC inverter design for energy storage applications showed a dramatic reduction in power loss and heat sink size, compared with a Si-based inverter. A SiC power module was demonstrated, characterized, and compared a commercial Si power module. The high temperature packaging and gate drive also were investigated. Phase II will demonstrate, model, and characterize an 1200 V, 120 A SiC inverter that integrates technologies in circuit design, packaging, gate drive, and passive components. The underlying technical issues that govern the fabrication and performance of this novel inverter will be addressed, and the technical/economical impacts of the SiC inverter will be analyzed. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: High efficiency and small size are rapidly becoming key issues for improving both military and commercial power systems. High-performance, lightweight, compact SiC-based inverters should find use in energy storage, hybrid-electric vehicles, electric drives for transportation, and distributed energy resources. A large military application would involve ship/vehicle inverters