Using Miniaturized Power Modules to Reduce the Weight and Volume of the Power Electronics
2022-01-0881
03/29/2022
- Event
- Content
- New EV’s consume up to 20x more electric power (going from 3kW to over 50kW) which puts significant strain on the power delivery network. Hard switching DC-DC converter topologies result in a hefty increase in conventional power electronics that consume space, increase weight and limit range. Using miniaturized, thermally adept power modules, the power electronics can be reduced significantly and save up to 50% in size and 80% in weight. To meet the immediate and long-term demands of EV power requires innovation and miniaturization of solutions that are flexible, scalable, and re-usable. The ability to convert power between 800/400V and 48 /12 V at high efficiency leveraging fast transients can revolutionize automotive power electronics. A modular approach using fixed ratio converters further reduces size and weight throughout the vehicle by reducing cabling and harness weight. Scalable modules can be added and substituted to create flexible designs that reduce part qualification time and speed time to market. This paper will show how using a high-efficiency fixed ratio converters, thermally-adept packaging and propriety topologies (Sine Amplitude Converter) enables dramatically smaller power electronics. This enables miniature power conversion modules and the associated space and weight benefits of increased power density. • How power electronics leveraging the fast transient response from a DC-DC converter can create a “virtual battery” • The effective arrangement of power modules that reduces vehicle weight and the thermal emissions. • How power electronics can be easily scaled to provide between 2.0kW and 150kW of power.
- Citation
- Green, G., and Kowalyk, P., "Using Miniaturized Power Modules to Reduce the Weight and Volume of the Power Electronics," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-0881, 2022, .