CAREER: Hybrid Multimode Resonant Switched-Capacitor Converters for Renewable Energy and Point-of-Load Power Delivery

由于可再生能源发电和储存的需求不断增加，电气化运输的采用越来越多，以及广泛降低终端负载应用的能耗，预计电力电子领域的范围和重要性将在未来几十年内增长。这项研究工作的目标电路，系统和实施细节的新家庭的电力电子器件的基础上谐振和多模式操作的开关电容（SC）家庭的DC-DC转换器。这项工作有望促进高能量密度无源器件（电容器和电感器）的利用率大幅提高，同时利用指数（摩尔定律）半导体缩放，以及宽带隙晶体管的转型优势。具体研究将涉及光伏系统的下一代能源管理电路和架构，以及用于电气化运输和电网嵌入式储能的大规模电池阵列。这项工作还将更广泛地扩展到各种应用，这些应用要求在各种负载条件下具有高功率效率、高功率密度（小尺寸）、低成本和强大的可变调节能力。研究和教学是通过培训和达特茅斯研究生和本科生的参与，具体的推广模块，将从事k-12学生和公众，和教学活动，整合研究课题和成果的课程。谐振或混合操作的开关电容器（SC）直流-直流变换器正变得越来越有吸引力，因为这种方法受益于SC拓扑与更传统的基于磁性的拓扑相比所具有的许多基本优点虽然SC架构可以被用于降低功耗（例如，降压或升压），但是它可以消除SC架构的许多特定限制或缺点。特别是，我们解决了关键的知识差距，实现高效的可变电压调节，通过使用本机开关能力的SC拓扑结构与谐振或软充电电感器合并。我们将探讨合并多相交错的前景，有可能减少尺寸和成本，同时提高效率和功率密度。可变调节对于大多数负载点应用是必不可少的，但也有希望作为在光伏系统中实现分布式粒度最大功率点跟踪（MPPT）的一种方式，以及在大规模电化学存储系统中实现在线光谱诊断能力。我们还将探索多模式操作，以在宽负载范围内扩展高效率，适用于使用宽带隙器件的中低压和高压应用的一系列电路拓扑结构。

The field of power electronics is expected to grow in scope and importance in coming decades due to the rising need for renewable energy generation and storage, increasing adoption of electrified transportation, and to broadly reduce energy consumption of end-load applications. This research effort targets circuit, system, and implementation details of new families of power electronics based on resonant and multimode operation of switched-capacitor (SC) families of DC-DC converters. The work holds promise in facilitating greatly increased utilization of high-energy-density passive devices (capacitors and inductors) while leveraging exponential (Moore's Law) semiconductor scaling, and transformational benefits of wide-bandgap transistors. Specific research will address next-generation energy management circuits and architectures for photovoltaic systems, and large-scale battery arrays used in electrified transportation and grid-embedded energy storage. The work will also extend more generally to a variety of applications that demand high power-efficiency in a variety of load conditions, high power-density (small size), low cost, and robust variable regulation capability. Research and teaching are integrated through the training and involvement of Dartmouth graduate and undergraduate students, specific outreach modules that will engage k-12 students and the general public, and teaching activities that integrate research topics and findings in the curriculum.Resonant or hybrid operation of switched-capacitor (SC) DC-DC converters is growing increasingly attractive as the approach benefits from many of the fundamental advantages SC topologies have compared to more traditional magnetics-based topologies (e.g. buck or boost), but it can eliminate many specific limitations or disadvantages of the SC architecture. In particular, we address key knowledge gaps related to achieving highly-efficient variable voltage regulation by using the native switching capability of SC topologies merged with resonating or soft-charging inductors. We will explore the prospects of merged-multiphase interleaving that have the potential to reduce size and cost, while increasing efficiency and power-density. Variable regulation is essential for most point-of-load applications, but also promising as a way to implement distributed granular maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in photovoltaic systems, and online spectroscopic diagnostic capability in large-scale electrochemical storage systems. We will also explore multi-mode operation to extend high efficiency across a wide load range for a range of circuit topologies spanning moderate-low voltage and higher voltage applications using wide-bandgap devices.