JIETSSP: Investigation of Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Electronic Converters for Wireless Microwave Power Transmission

改进的电源管理和分配对于下一代空间太阳能(SSP)系统的无线电力传输(WPT)至关重要。德克萨斯A&A；M公司研制的C波段高效整流天线阵列工作频率为5.61 GHz，效率为78%。该阵列将高效率的射频-直流二极管转换与宽带、高增益和圆极化阵列相结合，可产生与阵列方位无关的直流功率。在这个项目中，我们建议通过研究合适的使用碳化硅(SIC)器件的DC-DC和DC-AC转换器来进一步扩展这项工作。碳化硅是制作功率开关器件和二极管的一种近乎理想的材料。该方案的主要目标是研究各种可以直接与整流天线阵接口的新型转换器拓扑结构。该项目由两部分组成。第一部分将集中在一个实验装置上，以演示适用于整流线型直流电源的变流器拓扑。对一台100V、200W、500 kHz、由整流天线供电的实验用碳化硅功率转换器的性能进行了研究，并对其进行了深入的评价。该项目的第二部分将进行一项行业研究，以调查适用于更高功率、更高电压WPT系统的整流电源转换器架构。与功率转换器接口的整流天线阵列将被视为构建块，并将研究构建块的几种串/并联组合以提高电压和电流能力。

Improved power management and distribution is essential for wireless power transmission (WPT) for next generation Space Solar Power (SSP) systems. A highly efficient C-band rectifying antenna (rectenna) array for WPT has been demonstrated to operate at 5.61 GHz at 78% efficiency at Texas A&M. The rectenna array combines high efficiency RF to DC diode conversion with a wideband, high gain and circularly polarized array to produce DC power regardless of array's orientation. In this project we propose to further extend this work by investigating suitable DC to DC and DC to AC Converters employing Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices. Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a nearly ideal material for power switching devices and diodes. The primary objective of this proposal is to investigate a variety of new converter topologies, which can be directly interfaced with rectifying antenna array. The project consists of two parts. The first part will focus on an experimental setup to demonstrate suitable converter topologies for rectenna type DC power source. An experimental 100V, 200W, 500kHz, SiC power conversion powered by a rectenna will be studied for its performance followed by an in-depth evaluation. The second part of this project will perform a trade study to investigate rectenna power converter architectures for higher power, higher voltage WPT systems. A rectenna array interfaced to a power converter will be considered as a building block and several series / parallel combinations of the building blocks will be studied for increased voltage and current capability.