An infrared camera for characterization of losses in power electronic converters and sustainable energy systems

这是一份研究设备拨款申请，申请购买一台高精度红外相机，用于测量和分析电力电子转换器和集成电路中的热功率损耗。虽然使用传统的实验室设备可以非常精确地测量电源转换器的整体系统效率，但通过电气测量几乎不可能测量系统组件中的单个损耗。红外相机是一种非常通用的工具，可以通过使用热模型将空间温度分布与功率损耗相关联，用于测量各种系统的功率损耗。高精度热数据将用于验证所提出的效率优化技术在各种项目中的效益，包括(1)低功耗集成微型dc-dc转换器，(2)高效LED照明的电源转换器，(3)电动汽车的电池管理电路和(4)光伏应用的分布式电力电子转换器。红外相机生成的详细实验数据将大大提高研究项目所针对出版物的准确性、可信度和技术价值。该设备的便携性使得它可以方便地与除四名共同申请者之外的其他研究人员共享。在上述项目中，红外摄像机将广泛用于培训研究生和本科生的热设计和表征，预计每月使用60小时。当大多数电力电子和半导体公司正在寻找对热约束和设计问题有充分理解的工程师时，这种培训是高度相关的。

This is a research equipment grant application for purchasing a high precision infrared camera for measuring and analyzing the thermal power losses in power electronic converters and integrated circuits. While the overall system efficiency of a power converter can be very accurately measured using conventional lab equipment, it is nearly impossible to measure the individual losses in the system components through electrical measurements. The IR camera is an extremely versatile tool that can be used to measure the power losses in a wide variety of systems by correlating the spacial temperature distribution with power losses using thermal models. The high-precision thermal data will be used to validate the benefit of the proposed efficiency optimization techniques in a variety of projects, including (1) low-power integrated miniature dc-dc converters, (2) power converters for high-efficiency LED lighting, (3) battery management circuitry for electric vehicles and (4) distributed power electronic converters for photovoltaic applications. The detailed experimental data generated from the IR camera will greatly enhance the accuracy, credibility and technical merit of the publications targeted by the research program. The portable nature of the equipment makes it convenient for sharing with other researchers beyond the four co-applicants of this grant. The IR camera will be extensively used to train both graduate and undergraduate students in thermal design and characterization in the mentioned projects, with an expected usage of 60 hours/month. This training is highly relevant when most power electronics and semiconductor companies are seeking engineers with a sound understanding of thermal constraints and design issues.