A Modular, High-Efficiency, Radiation-Hardened, DC-DC Converter with Decentralized Control

We propose to develop a power conversion architecture capable of operating at high power (gt;100 kW) in high-radiation environments and extreme temperatures.nbsp; The proposed system is modular, thus providing an array of benefits, including improved thermal management, radiation hardness, and reliability.nbsp; The innovations that enable this advantageous architecture are (a) proprietary radiation-hard integrated circuit technology under development at Apogee Semiconductor that permits far more sophisticated control than state-of-the-art radiation-hard ICs, and (b) a novel control architecture that ensures proper power sharing among converter modules without centralized communication, thereby allowing for high modularity and elimination of points of global failure.nbsp;By the end of Phase I, we will have designed and prototyped a set of power converter modules capable of decentralized current sharing at a power level (per module) appropriate to scale up to a full system.nbsp; The scale model will operate at belownbsp;10 kW but will demonstrate robust decentralized control, high power density/efficiency, and low thermal impedance.nbsp; Accomplishing this objective will require system specification through research, analysis, and simulation prior to prototyping.nbsp;