200 kW Full-SiC DC/DC Converter

Development of an extremely compact, highly efficient 200 kW traction DC/DC converter using SiC power devices.

Low inductive commutation cell for fast swtiching

Integrated power modules

Extremely flat, small and high dV/dt driver

Multiphase operation for reduced ripple current

High performance ceramic highside capacitor

Small, accurate and EMI immune current sensing

Low volume, high energy power inductors

Integrated and optimized water cooling

A central component of many electrified vehicles is the traction DC/DC converter. It’s task is to connect and convert energy between different energy storages, battery chargers (AC chargers, fast DC chargers), drive inverters and range extending sources. In modern car architecture, weight and volume are determinant factors. In this project, a DC/DC converter has been developed using SiC Mosfets that allow a high switching frequency of 200 kHz and in the same way a high efficiency of more than 98.5%. The high switching frequency has allowed a dramatic size reduction of passive components leading to a record-breaking power density of up to 143 kW / dm³ and a weight of only 3.2 kg.

Even though the costs of SiC Mosfets are at the time of the converters development still much higher than conventional silicon solutions, it has been shown, that the use of wide bandgap technology results in superior technical properties and a dramatic reduction in volume and weight, leading to a cost reduction of the passive components. By saving material costs, the break even for SiC component costs is easy to achieve.

Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology (IISB)

Panasonic Corporation Device Research Laboratory, Advanced Research Division

2013 - 2014