Power Electronics for the Next Generation of Electrified Vehicles

电动汽车包括电池电动汽车、混合动力汽车、插电式混合动力汽车和燃料电池电动汽车，是减少排放和减缓气候变化的关键措施。电动汽车利用一系列电力电子(PE)系统-包括转换器，如辅助电源模块(APM)、车载充电器(OBC)和电机驱动器(MD)-这些都是整个动力系统的关键元素。为了提高下一代电动汽车的续航里程、性能和成本效益，需要提高功率转换效率和功率密度。使用最先进材料的功率半导体器件，如碳化硅(SIC)和氮化镓(GaN)-也称为宽带隙(WBG)器件-与仍广泛使用的基于硅(Si)的器件相比，允许更高的开关频率，并被视为实现这些亟需改进的关键技术。拟议研究计划的目标是通过设计比当前最先进的电源转换器更具成本效益、更高效和更可靠的电源转换器来支持下一代电动汽车。为了实现这一目标，我们将开发模型、算法和工具，允许设计和优化利用WBG器件的先进和集成电源模块，并将成果应用于新的PE拓扑、电路集成方法和集成电源模块的原型。然而，随着WBG设备在更高的温度下运行，使用它们的PE系统、组件和模块需要设计成解决热管理(TM)问题。WBG器件的高开关速度也给栅极驱动和电磁干扰(EMI)带来了挑战。拟议的研究计划将考虑一系列可为利用WBG器件的新型PE拓扑、组件和模块的开发提供信息的方法，包括：最佳电路拓扑；功率级集成和共享；控制架构和技术；栅极驱动器集成；功率模块内的集成TM策略，以去除热接口材料层；以及高功率密度封装技术(包括新型材料和添加剂制造技术)。除具体功率外，还将在项目期间提高部件和系统级别的效率。拟议的研究将使新的PE组件和系统的开发具有更高的功率密度和效率，并加速开发下一代更高性能、更低成本的电动汽车。它还将推动科学文献的最先进水平，并帮助满足加拿大工程部门对具有实践经验和对电力电子知识的了解的HQP日益增长的需求，为该地区创造就业机会和增长做出贡献。

Electrified vehicles (EVs), including battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), are a key measure to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. EVs utilize a range of power electronics (PE) systems - including converters, such as auxiliary power modules (APM), onboard chargers (OBC), and motor drives (MD) - which are critical elements of the overall powertrain. Increases in power conversion efficiency and power density are needed to improve range, performance, and cost-effectiveness of the next generation of EVs. Power semiconductor devices using state-of-the-art materials, such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) - also known as wide band gap (WBG) devices - allow a higher switching frequency when compared with Silicon (Si) based devices that are still widely used, and are viewed as key enabling technologies to realize these much-needed improvements. The objective of the proposed research program is to support the next generation of EVs by designing power converters that are more cost effective, efficient, and reliable than the current state-of-the-art. To accomplish this, we will develop models, algorithms, and tools that allow the design and optimization of advanced and integrated power modules utilizing WBG devices, will apply the outcomes into novel PE topologies, circuit integration methods, and a prototype integrated power module. However, as WBG devices operate at higher temperatures, PE systems, components, and modules that utilize them need to be designed to address thermal management (TM) issues. The high switching speed of WBG devices also creates challenges with gate drives and electromagnetic interference (EMI). The proposed research program will consider a range of approaches that could inform the development of novel PE topologies, components, and modules that exploit WBG devices, including: optimal circuit topologies; power stage integration and sharing; control architectures and techniques; gate driver integration; integrated TM strategies within the power module to remove layers of thermal interface material; and high power-density packaging technologies (encompassing novel materials and additive manufacturing techniques). In addition to specific power, increases in efficiency at the component and system levels will be addressed over the duration of the project. The proposed research will enable the development of new PE components and systems with increased power density and efficiency and accelerate the development of the next generation of higher-performance, lower-cost electrified vehicles. It will also advance the state-of-the-art in the scientific literature and help meet the growing demand from Canada's engineering sector for HQP with hands-on experience and an understanding of power electronics, contributing to job creation and growth in the region.