High-reliability Electronics for Robust Operation (HERO)

电力电子技术在广泛的工程活动中是一项关键的使能技术，对英国实现净零碳议程的具体目标至关重要。工程师们面临的主要挑战之一是实现碳中和运输。航空航天是需要超高效率、高可靠性的电力电子系统的一系列特定挑战的领域之一，这些系统占用有限的体积。特别是，航空航天领域对高可靠性系统的需求促使了电气系统冗余的发展。然而，在注重成本的汽车行业，这种方法并不是最优的，最近标准的变化导致高可靠性系统成为一种要求。包括碳化硅在内的宽带隙半导体的出现使这些挑战更加复杂，它们提供了更高性能的系统。然而，由这些最先进的半导体制造的设备的可靠性以及对由此产生的电气系统的影响并没有在工程界充分传播，因为这些信息被报道在科学期刊上。因此，致力于开发这些系统的工程师并不具备所需的独特技能。该项目通过为在航空航天和汽车行业工作的工程师提供培训来满足这一需求，并专门设计以确保英国在这些重要领域保持领先地位。培训将包括宽带隙半导体的基本性能优势，重点是碳化硅，然后描述可靠性的基本原理，然后深入识别电力电子设备和系统故障的根本原因。案例研究材料将由MBDA和Rolls Royce提供，作为他们对该项目的贡献，该项目将涵盖容错电子系统的开发，这些将被用作演示所提出概念的相关性的工具。

Power electronics is a key enabling technology in a wide range of engineering activities that are critical to the UK meeting the specific targets of the net zero carbon agenda. One of the key challenges facing engineers is the realisation of carbon neutral transport. Aerospace is one of the sectors that is subject to a range of specific challenges in terms of the need for ultra-high efficiency, highly reliable power electronic systems, that occupy a limited volume. In particular, the need for high reliability systems in aerospace prompted the development of redundancy in electrical systems. However, this approach is not optimal in the cost-conscious automotive industry, where recent shifts in standards has resulted in high-reliability systems becoming a requirement.Compounding these challenges is the emergence of wide bandgap semiconductors, including silicon carbide, which offer higher performance systems. However, the reliability of the devices manufactured from these state-of-the-art semiconductors and the effect on the resulting electrical systems is not fully disseminated within the engineering community, as the information is reported in scientific journals. As a result, engineers that are working to develop these systems are not equipped with the unique skills required.This project addresses that need, by providing training for engineers working in the aerospace and automotive industries and has been designed specifically to ensure that the UK maintains its leading position in these important fields.The training will encompass the fundamental performance advantages of wide bandgap semiconductors, focussing on silicon carbide, before describing the fundamentals of reliability and then in-depth identification of the root causes of failure in power electronic devices and systems. Case study materials will be provided by MBDA and Rolls Royce as their contribution to the project, which will cover the development of fault tolerant electronic systems, and these will be used as a vehicle to demonstrate the relevance of the concepts presented.