Presentation Type

Poster

Start Date

5-8-2024 11:00 AM

End Date

5-8-2024 1:00 PM

Subjects

Power electronics, Switching power supplies

Advisor

Mahima Gupta

Student Level

Masters

Abstract

Advancements in semiconductor devices are enabling the design of better electrical power converter systems. Wide Bandgap (WBG) switching devices from Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitride can operate at high temperatures, voltages, and frequencies with faster turn-on/off periods, improving converter performance over silicon devices. However, WBG technology is still new, and the rapid switching transitions of these devices lead to issues such as voltage overshoots, ringing, and electromagnetic interference, which need to be addressed for widespread adoption. This work introduces a new control method for reshaping the switching voltages, which overcomes the disadvantages of fast transition time without increasing the system's losses. The proposed method reduces overall switching losses. Tests on a small-scale prototype showed that silicon-based devices improved the efficiency of a 380W DC-DC converter from 78% to 90% and reduced noise by 20 dB. A 9.5% efficiency improvement was observed in a 220W 100V DC-100V Rms three-phase AC converter. Using silicon carbide devices for a 750W DC-DC converter resulted in about 2% efficiency improvement and a 20dB noise reduction. In summary, the proposed control method can accelerate the adoption of the newer WBG-based power-switching devices by overcoming their challenges in terms of electromagnetic noise and offering further efficiency improvements.

Creative Commons License or Rights Statement

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41874

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May 8th, 11:00 AM May 8th, 1:00 PM

Reducing Switching Noise and Losses in Two-Stage Electric Power Converters

Advancements in semiconductor devices are enabling the design of better electrical power converter systems. Wide Bandgap (WBG) switching devices from Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitride can operate at high temperatures, voltages, and frequencies with faster turn-on/off periods, improving converter performance over silicon devices. However, WBG technology is still new, and the rapid switching transitions of these devices lead to issues such as voltage overshoots, ringing, and electromagnetic interference, which need to be addressed for widespread adoption. This work introduces a new control method for reshaping the switching voltages, which overcomes the disadvantages of fast transition time without increasing the system's losses. The proposed method reduces overall switching losses. Tests on a small-scale prototype showed that silicon-based devices improved the efficiency of a 380W DC-DC converter from 78% to 90% and reduced noise by 20 dB. A 9.5% efficiency improvement was observed in a 220W 100V DC-100V Rms three-phase AC converter. Using silicon carbide devices for a 750W DC-DC converter resulted in about 2% efficiency improvement and a 20dB noise reduction. In summary, the proposed control method can accelerate the adoption of the newer WBG-based power-switching devices by overcoming their challenges in terms of electromagnetic noise and offering further efficiency improvements.