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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

A Study of Integrated Signal and Power Transfer for Compact Isolated SiC MOSFET Gate-Drivers

This work discusses a novel set of alternate implementations of isolated gate driver circuits for power electronic transistors. The proposed topologies for the driver have been designed specifically for SiC power MOSFET. Three different solutions are discussed, all of them providing the required gate turn-on and turn-off command signal with galvanic isolation, but also supplying power to the secondary side of the driver by means of magnetic transformers. The resulting solutions, all of them implemented with simple circuitry, enable the integration of the driver into the power cell, allowing for theoretical higher power density values in the final system. The principle of operation of the different solutions is discussed, and then the main relevant implementation details are presented. After that, the operation of the circuits is demonstrated experimentally, by testing a set of prototypes of these drivers. This provides a comprehensive design example that assesses the feasibility of the proposed solutions. Finally, the main results of the performance of the three gate drivers, on an SiC MOSFET-based prototype are presented and compared.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2019

Performance Evaluation of High-Speed, Low-Side Gate Driver, FAN3122, over Extended Temperature Range

Emerging power metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFETs) based on silicon carbide and gallium nitride technology are finding widespread use in many electronic applications such as motor control and DC/DC converters due to their higher voltage, higher temperature tolerance, and higher frequency switching capabilities. To utilize these power devices and to meet circuit/system compactness, modularity, and operational functionality, gate drivers that provide unique attributes, such as fast switching and high-current handling capability, are needed. In addition, power systems geared for use in space mission applications require on-board devices to withstand exposure to extreme temperatures and wide thermal swings. Very little data, however, exist on the performance of such devices and circuits under extreme temperatures. In this work, the performance of a high-speed gate driver with potential use in controlling power-level transistors was evaluated under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to assess performance for potential use of this device in space exploration missions under extreme temperature conditions.

Wide Bandgap Semiconductors↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Single Passive Gate-Driver for Series Connected Power Devices in DC Circuit Breaker Applications

This letter proposes a novel single passive gate driver solution based on passive devices to control series-connected power semiconductor devices for dc circuit breaker (DCCB) applications. The transient suppression devices (e.g., metal oxide varistors) are utilized to achieve natural voltage balancing among the series devices, while providing the discharge path of the gate capacitor of the upper devices. Here, the proposed method is very simple, cost effective and more compact compared with conventional voltage balancing method-based DCCBs. Besides, gate voltage oscillation during the voltage recovery process is mitigated by the addition of an extra gate capacitor. Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of proposed method.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Smart Silicon Carbide Power Module With Pulse Width Modulation Over Wi-Fi and Wireless Power Transfer-Enabled Gate Driver, Featuring Onboard State of Health Estimator and High-Voltage Scaling Capabilities: Preprint

A wide range of utility applications require controllable switches with features such as high-voltage (HV) blocking and high-current carrying capacity especially at high pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. Low and medium voltage utility applications such as motor drives and flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) as well as solid state transformers (SST) could also benefit from a low-cost HV switching module. Wide band gap (WBG) semiconductors such as SiC and GaN MOSFETs are considered to be the present and next generation device choices, although they have their own limitations. For relatively HV applications with demanding thermal management, SiC is still the only choice, and GaN dominates the low voltage regime. This manuscript proposes a new half bridge power MOSFET module that is suitable for conventional H-bridge of multilevel configurations used in HV applications. Constructed from bare SiC dies, this half bridge module takes advantage of (1) optimized MOSFET placement inside the module, (2) customized heat exchanger, manifold and cooling, (3) integrated gate driver module with PWM over wi-fi to eliminate the need for low voltage signals, (4) wireless power transfer (WPT) enabled gate driver and other ancillary circuits, (5) and the option to incorporate an onboard state of health (SOH) estimator module onboard. The entire architecture has been designed and built at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.

baseplate design↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Smart Silicon Carbide Power Module With Pulse Width Modulation Over Wi-Fi and Wireless Power Transfer-Enabled Gate Driver, Featuring Onboard State of Health Estimator and High-Voltage Scaling Capabilities

A wide range of utility applications require controllable switches with features such as high-voltage blocking and high-current carrying capacity, especially at high pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency. Low- and medium-voltage utility applications such as motor drives and flexible AC transmission systems as well as solid state transformers could also benefit from a low-cost high-voltage switching module. Wide-bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) are considered to be the present and next-generation device choices, although they have limitations. For relatively high-voltage applications with demanding thermal management, SiC is still the only choice, and GaN dominates the low-voltage regime. This manuscript proposes a new half-bridge power MOSFET module that is suitable for conventional H-bridge of multilevel configurations used in high-voltage applications. Constructed from bare SiC dies, this half-bridge module takes advantage of (1) optimized MOSFET placement inside the module, (2) customized heat exchanger, manifold, and cooling, (3) integrated gate driver module with pulse width modulation (PWM) over wi-fi to eliminate the need for low-voltage signals, (4) wireless power transfer (WPT)-enabled gate driver and other ancillary circuits, (5) and the option to incorporate an onboard state-of-health (SOH) estimator module. The entire architecture has been designed and built at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO.

Ga2O3 devices↗
NASA NTRS2023

Extended Temperature Operation of Isolated, Precision Gate Driver, ADuM4120

Electronics used in space missions encounter exposure to extreme temperatures and operation under wide thermal swings. Most commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices are not designed to function under such extreme conditions and very little data exist on their performance outside their specified range of operation. Extending the temperature range at which electronic parts can operate reliably leads to potential benefits resulting in improving reliability, reducing mass/weight, and simplifying thermal design due to elimination of thermal control elements and fewer parts count. In this work, the performance of an isolated, precision gate driver for controlling power-level transistors, including gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) devices, was evaluated under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to assess performance for potential use of this device in space exploration missions under extreme temperature conditions.

Wide Bandgap Power Electronics↗
NASA NTRS2011

Operation of a New Half-Bridge Gate Driver for Enhancement - Mode GaN FETs, Type LM5113, Over a Wide Temperature Range

A new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) gate driver designed to drive both the high-side and the low-side enhancement-mode GaN FETs, National Semiconductor's type LM5113, was evaluated for operation at temperatures beyond its recommended specified limits of -40 C to +125 C. The effects of limited thermal cycling under the extended test temperature, which ranged from -194 C to +150 C, on the operation of this chip as well as restart capability at the extreme cryogenic and hot temperatures were also investigated. The driver circuit was able to maintain good operation throughout the entire test regime between -194 C and +150 C without undergoing any major changes in its outputs signals and characteristics. The limited thermal cycling performed on the device also had no effect on its performance, and the driver chip was able to successfully restart at each of the extreme temperatures of -194 C and +150 C. The plastic packaging of this device was also not affected by either the short extreme temperature exposure or the limited thermal cycling. These preliminary results indicate that this new commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) halfbridge eGaN FET driver integrated circuit has the potential for use in space exploration missions under extreme temperature environments. Further testing is planned under long-term cycling to assess the reliability of these parts and to determine their suitability for extended use in the harsh environments of space.

Patterson, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2015

Performance Evaluation of an Automotive-Grade, High Speed Gate Driver for SiC FETs, Type UCC27531, Over a Wide Temperature Range

Silicon carbide (SiC) devices are becoming widely used in electronic power circuits as replacement for conventional silicon parts due to their attractive properties that include low on-state resistance, high temperature tolerance, and high frequency operation. These attributes have a significant impact by reducing system weight, saving board space, and conserving power. In this work, the performance of an automotive-grade high speed gate driver with potential use in controlling SiC FETs (field-Effect Transistors) in converters or motor control applications was evaluated under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to assess performance and to determine suitability of this device for use in space exploration missions under extreme temperature conditions.

Transistor Gate Drive↗
NASA NTRS2020

Performance Evaluation of Isolated Gate Driver, ADuM4121, Under Exposure to Extreme Temperature

Electronics designed for use in space missions are expected to be exposed to harsh environment including radiation and extreme temperature, to name a few. Severe thermal swings are also encountered depending on planetary exploration, orbital orientation, and mission duration. Most commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) devices are not designed to function under such extreme conditions and very little data exist on their performance outside their specified range of operation. In this work, the performance of an isolated gate driver for controlling power-level transistors, including gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) devices, was evaluated under extreme temperatures and thermal cycling. The investigations were carried out to assess performance for potential use of this device in space exploration missions under extreme temperature conditions.

Boomer, Kristen↗
DOE OSTI2023

Design and Demonstration of an 850 V dc to 13.8 kV ac 100 kW Three-phase Four-wire Power Conditioning System Converter Using 10 kV SiC MOSFETs

In this paper, an 850 V dc to 13.8 kV ac 100 kW modular multilevel three-phase four-wire dc/ac converter based on 10 kV SiC MOSFETs is designed and demonstrated. The design considerations of key components, including the dc-link, device cooling, gate driver, isolated gate driver power supply (GDPS), medium voltage (MV) ac filter inductor, MV and medium frequency transformer, and the mechanical design are discussed. Two converters are designed, and two prototypes are developed, to study the converter paralleling operation and scalability. Both converters are fully tested up to their voltage and power ratings. However, the two converters are not identical. Based on the design and test results of the first converter, the MV power stage, transformer design, GDPS, as well as the low voltage power stage in the second converter are improved for smaller size and/or higher efficiency. Compared to the version 1 converter, the version 2 converter achieves 49% volume reduction and 2 percentage point efficiency improvement, with a peak efficiency of 98.4% at the rated power.

Li, Haiguo↗
DOE OSTI2024

Heterogeneous Integration Technologies for High-temperature, High-density, Low-profile Power Modules of Wide Bandgap Devices in Electric Drive Applications (Final Technical Report)

The goal of this project is to develop packaging technologies for making high-temperature, high-density, and low-profile wide-bandgap (WBG) power electronics modules for electric drives. These modules are aimed at enabling the DOE’s University Consortium to reach its 2025 inverter targets of ≥ 100 kW/L and ≤ 2.7 $/kW. The specific objectives are to: design and fabricate SiC half-bridge power modules with double-sided cooling and parasitic inductances < 5 nH, heat flux density > 400 W/cm 2 , and working junction temperature of 200 o C; design, fabricate, and deliver a gate driver with double-sided cooled modules for the construction of a 100 kW/L inverter at Oak Ridge National Lab; and design and prototype intelligent gate drivers with integrated current sensor and a low-profile DC-DC power supply with air-core transformer for testing power modules at 200 o C junction temperature. We followed an iterative technical approach of design, simulation, fabrication, and testing of various versions of modules, current sensors, and power supply. The state-of-the-art silicon carbide devices rated at 1.2 kV and 149 A were packaged by sintered-silver bonding on an aluminum nitride direct-bond-copper substrate for high thermal conductivity, high working temperature, and high joint reliability. Porous silver posts were used to interconnect the device’s source pads to the other direct-bond-copper substrate for low mechanical stresses, ease of manufacturing, and double-sided cooling. A current sensor based on package parasitic inductance was developed to measure switching current. A dynamic feedback scheme was developed to compensate the effect of parasitic resistance and temperature variation. A constant-current class-E dc-dc converter with air-core transformer was developed. Air-core transformer was used due to the unavailability of magnetic core at high temperatures. Gate driver and power supply were integrated with the double-side cooled, high temperature SiC power modules for testing the modules at 200 o C junction temperature. Double-pulse and continuous testing of the integrated technologies validated the design and fabrication of the three component technologies. Throughout the project, we overcame the challenge for design verification caused by low prototyping yield, which then helped train the graduate students, the future workforce, to learn the engineering know-how for low-cost manufacturing of reliable products. Below is a summary of the major accomplishments of this project: development of a prototyping process for fabricating double-side cooled (1200 V, 149 A) SiC phase-leg modules capable of working to 200 o C Tj; simulation and experimental verification of the improvement of thermo-mechanical reliability of the double-side cooled SiC phase-leg module by using rigid encapsulant; design and experimental validation of a current sensor based on package parasitic inductance and a compensation solution for eliminating the effect of parasitic resistance; design and experimental validation of a low-profile power supply with six-output air-core transformer for gate driver; functional demonstration of a SiC phase-leg module integrated with its gate driver, current sensor, and an air-core power supply at 200 o C Tj in a double-pulse switching test setup and Buck converter continuous test setup; successful completion of six PhD and two MS students who are or will work at Apple Inc., Tesla Inc., Wolfspeed Inc., Microchip Inc., Monolithic Power Systems Inc., and LG Magna Inc.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

A 75 kVA Intelligent Power Stages (IPS) Unit Design for Future Grid-interface Application

The demand for grid-interface converter with flexible dc bus is driven by the fast development of energy storage system (ESS), electric vehicle (EV) charging system, and versatile residential load. This paper first proposes a two-stage intelligent power stage (IPS) unit for future grid-interface applications. To achieve zero common-mode (CM) voltage emissions, step-up and step-down voltage gain, a 3-level four-switch buck-boost (3-L FSBB) dc-dc converter is adopted with fully zero voltage switching (ZVS). In one IPS unit, an advanced fiberoptic communication with sub-nanosecond synchronization is developed for different enhanced gate drivers. Moreover, an enhanced gate driver integrated current and voltage sensors is designed for monitoring and diagnostics. To achieve a whole low-profile design, three 12 oz heavy copper planar ac inductors are designed and implemented. Finally, a 75 kVA IPS unit was built to verify both the thermal and electrical design.

Cao, Yuliang↗
DOE OSTI2022

Real-time Condition Monitoring of Power Modules in Grid-tied Power Converter

This paper proposes and demonstrates a real-time condition monitoring method using gate driver integrated sensing circuits and sensor fusion algorithms. Power device on-state voltage (VDSon) measurement and junction temperature (Tj) sensing circuits with high noise immunity are built and integrated into an adaptive gate driver circuit for power modules. Considering the inherently noisy measurement environment of power converters, VDSon together with several other measurements are fused together to provide accurate descriptions of the stress and degradation of each power device. Furthermore, the gate driver circuit can actively control the turn-on gate voltage (VGSon) for each device based on the stress and degradation state. The proposed sensing circuits and power device condition assessment algorithms are implemented in a 75 KVA grid-tied power converter. This paper focuses on the sensing circuits hardware designs and testing in grid-tied power converter prototype and device stress index generation. More comprehensive results on the device state of health index generation will be presented in future work.

Fan, Junchong↗
DOE OSTI2022

A 4 kV/120 A SiC Solid-State DC Circuit Breaker Powered By a Load-Independent IPT System

This article introduces a 4 kV/120 A solid-state dc circuit breaker (DCCB) based on discrete SiC mosfets. The DCCB is designed in a five-layer tower structure. Each layer consists of a circular main conduction branch and an attached gate driver. There are two primary benefits of the proposed DCCB. First, it reduces conduction loss with multiple devices in parallel. Second, it achieves an ultrafast response speed with SiC mosfets. Moreover, the gate drivers of the DCCB are powered by a domino inductive power transfer (IPT) system. It achieves the load-independent constant-voltage output characteristics, which means the outputs are immune to load variations. Additionally, an IPT system prototype is implemented to test the power transfer performance. At 500-kHz frequency, the total output power reaches 15.73 W, which is sufficient to power on five gate drivers, with a peak transfer efficiency of 75.4%. The IPT system is tested to power a 4 kV/120 A DCCB prototype. It validates that the DCCB is effective to turn off 120 A current within 3.5 μs.

42 ENGINEERING↗