High-frequency split-phase air-cooled SiC inverter for vehicular power generators

Abstract

This paper presents a novel high-frequency split phase SiC inverter suitable for vehicular power generators. Electrification of vehicles such as recreational vehicles (RV's), fire trucks, and media/telecommunication vans requiring variable-speed generators and power electronics are discussed. Two inverters, designed using commerciall y available ali-SiC MOSFET and Si IGBT power modules, are built and tested to compare their electrical and thermal performances. PSIM models of the SiC MOSFET and Si IGBT inverters are developed to estimate the power losses of the split-phase inverter topolog y . For a given low-cost air-cooling s y stem designed using extruded aluminum heatsink with limited air flow of 300 CFM, the thermal performance of two inverters using an SiC MOSFET and an Si IGBT power module are evaluated to estimate their output power capabilities. For this predefined air-cooling s y stem, the simulation, experimental, and thermal analyses show that SiC MOSFET inverter offers 40% more output power at 14 kW compared with 10 kW of Si IGBT inverter when switched at 20 kHz. Furthermore, for an 8 kW split-phase inverter design, losses in 40 kHz SiC module are evaluated to estimate the size and cost reduction of the output filter inductor to demonstrate the commercialization potential of wide bandgap (WBG) power electronics for mobile power generators in transportation. Keywords-inverters, split-phase output, SiC MOSFET inverter, WBG components, high-frequency inverter, RV inverter The variable-speed generator uses an inverter with output fIlter to produce single-phase 120 Vnns, 60 Hz sinewave output. In applications where split-phase 120/240 Vrms is required, two inverters are usually used with each inverter having a four switch power module and with a double winding arrangement of the alternator. This paper presents a novel split-phase inverter for mobile power generators. The proposed inverter uses a single 6-switch power module instead of two 4-switch power modules required for the two-stage inverter design to produce split-phase output confIguration. The arrival of commercially available SiC power devices has enabled researchers to explore the benefIts of wide band gap (WBG) components at the device level [6]-[9] and at the converter or system level [10]-[17].

A review of silicon carbide MOSFETs in electrified vehicles: Application, challenges, and future development

“…In addition, SiC inverters can achieve a high power density of 34 kW/L at very high ambient temperatures (105 • C) due to the higher temperature tolerance of SiC MOSFETs [31]. This offers the opportunity to simplify the inverter and vehicle cooling systems and even enable an air-cooled inverter [17,32].…”

SiC-VSI with Sinusoidal Voltages for an Enhanced Sensorless Control of the Induction Machine

“…The effect of the inverter dead time is under investigation in many types of research, and decreasing the dead time was presented efficiently by using Silicon Carbide Bipolar Junction Transistor (SiC-BJT) in [81]. The demonstration of the suitability of SiC devices in power generation units for a transportation vehicle, where a significant cost reduction in the thermal management system is achieved, can be found in [82], [83] and [84].…”

Loss Model and Efficiency Analysis of Tram Auxiliary Converter Based on a SiC Device

“…An important component of the auxiliary power supply system is the auxiliary converter, the capacity of which is typically tens of kilovolts, the bus voltage is 750 V and the outputs are AC 380 V and AC 220 V. Therefore, the reliability of the auxiliary converter plays an important role in the smooth operation of the vehicle. Since the auxiliary converter is a necessary part of vehicle equipment, its weight and volume have been a focus of great attention [1][2][3][4][5][6].…”