Technology Development for High Efficiency High Power Density EV DC - DC Converter

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Greenhouse gas (GHG) traps the earth's heat and contributes to global warming. Electric Vehicles (EVs) can play a very important role in supporting Canada's GHG reduction goals under the Paris Agreement. Canada has set the ambitious goal of 100% new vehicles sold in Canada to be EVs by 2040. To meet this goal, smaller and highly efficient EV DC - DC converters are needed to help EVs achieve lighter weight and higher energy efficiency. One of the major factors to slow EV's adoption rate is the limited driving range. This research project focuses on reducing the energy needed for driving by lightening the weight carried by the EV (reducing the weight / size of the power converters) and increasing efficiency. This project will develop the technologies to simultaneously achieve both goals by designing a high power (3,800W), high efficiency, and high power density DC - DC converter, which will convert the high voltage (~330V) from the high power battery to low voltage (~14V) for information processing and auxiliary power in the EV. Switch-Controlled-Capacitor (SCC) technology will be applied to LLC resonant converters to achieve current sharing and interleaving operation of the resonant converters. When SCC - LLC technology is combined with the next generation GaN (Gallium Nitride) switches, the proposed EV DC - DC converter will more than double the power density and reduce the power loss by 50% as compared with existing products. Upon the completion of this project, the Canadian companies will be able to produce the smallest EV DC - DC converter with the highest efficiency. It will establish the Canadian companies in a leading position as suppliers in the booming EV market. It will also expedite the adoption rate of EVs.