Converter Architectures

电力电子在电力转换中起着非常重要的作用，广泛应用于交通运输、可再生能源和公用事业领域。到2020年，80%的电力将在发电、输电、配电和消费之间通过电力电子转换器。因此，高效率、高功率密度和高可靠性是电力电子变换器的重要组成部分。传统的电力电子器件基于硅材料，已经达到了其潜力的极限。基于碳化硅（SiC）和氮化镓（GaN）的器件等宽带隙（WBG）材料的出现带来了明显的机会，使紧凑、更高效的功率转换器能够在更高的电压、频率和功率下工作，以满足一系列现有和新兴应用日益增长的需求。例如，具有混合动力推进的更多/全电动飞机需要具有高频驱动器、更高的电压水平以及更高的功率密度的10兆瓦的高效功率转换。无线充电正在将频率从100 kHz提升到kW功率水平的MHz，以最大限度地减少电感器和电容器等无源元件。无变压器、紧凑型、高效中压采用高压SiC器件实现1 kV ~ 10 kV功率变换是实现电力电子配电网的关键虽然WBG器件提供了在更高电压下工作的可能性，具有更低的通态损耗，以及比Si器件更快的开关速度，最大化转换器级的性能益处产生了一系列相互关联的挑战。例如，WBG设备的高电压和电流变化率将产生显著的电磁干扰（EMI）并影响其他设备的运行。确定最有效的电路拓扑结构、无源元件技术和控制方法，以及管理极高的开关速率以扩展频率/电压/功率包络，这对电力电子工程师来说是巨大的挑战，但如果要实现WBG电路的真正潜力，这一点至关重要。因此，他们是这个项目的主要动机。该转换器架构（CA）项目汇集了英国最好的学术和工业专业知识，以研究最佳转换器架构，先进的无源元件设计方法，快速控制技术和整体优化，以实现WBG器件在实现更高效率，高功率密度和扩展电压，频率和功率处理能力方面的全部潜力。

Power Electronics plays a very important role in the electrical power conversion and is widely used in transportation, renewable energy and utility applications. By 2020, 80% of electrical power will go through power electronics converters somewhere between generation, transmission, distribution and consumption. So high-efficiency, high-power-density and high-reliability are very important for power electronics converters. The conventional power electronics devices are based on silicon materials and have reached the limit of their potential. The emergence of wide-bandgap (WBG) material such as silicon-carbide (SiC) and Gallium-Nitride (GaN) based devices has brought in clear opportunities enabling compact, more efficient power converters, operating at higher voltages, frequencies and powers to meet the increasing demand by a range of existing and emerging applications. For example, more/full electric aircrafts with hybrid propulsion requires 10s of MW efficient power conversion with high frequency drives, higher voltage levels as well as higher power density. Wireless power charging is pushing the frequency from 100s of kHz to MHz at kW power level to minimise passive elements such as inductors and capacitors. Transformerless, compact, high-efficiency medium-voltage (1kV~10kV) power conversion enabled by high voltage SiC devices is critical for the realisation of power electronics based distribution networks (including energy storage interfacing) for smart grid as well as future transportation systems.Whilst WBG devices offer the possibility to operate at higher voltages with lower on-state losses, and faster switching speeds than Si devices, maximising the performance benefits at a converter level creates a range of interrelated challenges. For example, high voltage and current changing rates of WBG devices will generate significant electro-magnetic-interference (EMI) and affect the running of other equipment. Identifying the most effective circuit topologies, passive component technologies and control methods, and managing the very high switching rates to extend the frequency/voltage/power envelope present great challenges to power electronic engineers, but are vital if the true potential of WBG circuits is to be achieved. They therefore form the main motivation for this project. This Converter Architecture (CA) project brings together the UK's best academic and industrial expertise to investigate optimal converter architectures, advanced passive components design methods, fast speed control techniques and holistic optimisation to realise the full potential of WBG devices in achieving higher efficiency, high power density with extended voltage, frequency and power handling capability.