Project Details
Projekt
Exploiting GaN Devices for Drive Inverters and Drive Inverters for GaN Devices (DriveForGaN)
Subject Area
Electrical Energy Systems, Power Management, Power Electronics, Electrical Machines and Drives
Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
Term
since 2024
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 546226259
The project proposal pursues a holistic design approach to make use of packaged Galliumnitride (GaN) power devices in drive converter systems. The aim is to show under which boundary conditions the use of GaN power semiconductors in drive inverters is possible and to assess which prospects would result out of it. Electric drives are a high-volume application that has not yet been able to benefit from GaN and its advantageous properties such as low losses contributing to increased efficiency. Project focus will be on the 10 to 50kW power range which is of major interest for controlled drives in industry, for smaller electric traction drives and in future increasingly for high speed drives. DC link voltages of such drives typically are in the oder of magnitude of 600V. In order to be able to carry the high currents with GaN, parallel connection is required. However, previous parallelization approaches for GaN devices continue to limit the switching slopes and speeds. On the one hand, the project will pursue the parallel assembly of devices, particularly the three-dimensional connection with multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs). On the other hand, the parallelization of inverter phases, i.e., subsystems, is being investigated, which promises advantages in terms of volume and EMC in the design of the machine interface (filter). As long as GaN HEMTs or GITs are not rated for blocking voltages higher than 650V, the DC link voltage of 600V requires a multi-level converter topology in which a higher number of low-blocking single valves is connected in a kind of series arrangement. The aforementioned multilayer PCBs will also in this case be advantageous to achieve low inductance as well as symmetrical commutation and control loops in mutli-level converter legs. Major research questions concern the evaluation of the effect of GaN devices on system behaviour, the evaluation of required measures and methods to use GaN devices in such drive converters, in particular with reference to control and protection of the devices in the converter legs, circuit and control of the power section and the machine interface respectively. These topics obviously interact with each other and should be considered with the proposed holistic approach, comprising theoretical and simulative investigations as well as an experimental validation. In the framework of the project one doctoral candidate in each of the two cooperating universities will obtain the opportunity to work on a thesis.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
Subproject of
SPP 2312:
Energy Efficient Power Electronics "GaNius"
