Proposed Improvements to SiC MOSFET Power Converter Technology
upstart writes:
Proposed improvements to SiC MOSFET power converter technology overcome existing challenges:
Transistors, which are devices that control or amplify electrical signals and power, are one of the most ubiquitous components of modern electronics. The most widely used transistor is known as the MOSFET, which stands for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor. MOSFETs have been in use since the 1960s and have typically relied on silicon to act as a semiconductor. The latest iteration of the MOSFET uses silicon carbide as a semiconductor, known as SiC MOSFET. This has many advantages, but it has not been widely adopted for medium-voltage power conversion. This is because of several challenges associated with SiC MOSFETs that researchers hope to solve by combining novel technologies.
SiC MOSFETs offer many advantages over traditional transistors. Compared to the current technology, SiC MOSFETs can meet the demands of modern electronics by improving efficiency and power density. However, if you were to just switch out the current technology for SiC MOSFETs as is, there would not be enough of a benefit to justify the transition. In order to get the most out of SiC MOSFETs and expand their use across a wide range of applications, researchers employed novel control technologies and strategies to improve how the SiC MOSFETs work in medium-voltage applications.
[...] "For medium-voltage power conversion, 10 kV SiC MOSFETS have inherent superiorities, such as high breakdown voltage, fast switching, high temperature operation, and low specific on-state resistance," said paper author Slavko Mocevic, a researcher at the ABB Corporate Research Center in Raleigh, NC in the United States.
[...] By overcoming challenges like electromagnetic interference, high switching frequency, fast voltage transitions, and the need for high-voltage insulation, the SiC MOSFET technology can be more broadly applied to medium-voltage converters. Looking ahead, Mocevic said, "The immediate next step is to improve performance and fully understand the behavior of this converter to ensure stable operations in all situations for all targeted applications. The ultimate goal is to develop a family of medium-voltage circuit networks that utilize SCC and ICBT control that can fully utilize the power processing capacity of SiC devices. This will effectively tackle the lack of circuit solutions currently barring their adoption."
Journal Reference:
Design of a 10 kV SiC MOSFET-based high-density, high-efficiency, modular medium-voltage power converter, (DOI: 10.23919/IEN.2022.0001)
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