| Project Detail |
New converters to adapt to renewable energy sources
Efforts to transition towards greener renewable energy sources to mitigate climate change have caused numerous disruptions to the unprepared electric grid. These efforts have also made it hard to adapt to these new energy sources and electric vehicle (EV) recharging infrastructure. DC charging infrastructure offers a possible solution for accommodating these new energy sources. However, it would demand the use of efficient, low cost and compact DC/DC converters for LV to MV, which are not currently available. The EU-funded FOR2ENSICS project proposes to develop these converters by utilising ultra-high voltage switching devices based on silicon carbide (SiC) and by developing and utilising low-cost, high-efficiency production processes.
Driven by the continued effort to combat the climate change and achieve carbon neutrality, the composition of the energy sources and consumers connected to the electrical grid is rapidly changing. An increasing amount of issues are being experienced by distribution system operators while trying to accommodate new systems like renewable energy sources or electric vehicles charging infrastructure. One of the possible solutions is to develop a DC distribution infrastructure, which is especially interesting as most of the new connections mentioned above are native DC sources and loads, respectively. This requires low cost, very efficient and compact DC/DC converters from LV (<1500V) up to MV (>10kV). However, currently no commercial solutions exist on the market. The aim of this project is to develop and demonstrate a commercial DC/DC converter prototype which can be introduced to the market within short timescale (<3 years) after completion of the project. To achieve such an ambitious target, the project team has decided to focus on the development of ultra- high voltage (UHV) SiC based switching devices which would allow for a remarkable simplification of the converter topology as well as a very compact design when coupled with high frequency operation. For this purpose, the project aims at the design, fabrication and testing of 15 kV SiC IGBTs modules. The choice of the device technology is based on previous studies, which point towards a break-even voltage between SiC MOSFET and SiC IGBT just above 10 kV. Highly relevant, both cost and environmental impact reduction of the fabrication processes will be targeted, using novel approaches for material growth and semiconductor processing. At the same time, another major target of the project is to understand reliability issues affecting different converter components such as UHV switching devices, passive components, and medium frequency transformer associated with high switching frequency and high voltage environment. |
