Modular Multiphase Interleaved High Current Conversion for Distributed Energy Resources

About This Grant

This project will investigate a novel high-current conversion technology to promote various distributed energy resources (DERs)-related applications, including battery energy storage, electric vehicle fast charging, hydrogen production from solar and wind power, and data centers. With the rapid growth of energy demand from DERs, there is a significant challenge to directly supply a huge DC current, up to a few kiloamperes or even higher. From the power systems perspective, this project aims to provide capability to support high-power demand response with high efficiency and fast speed. From the power electronics perspective, it suggests a solution to satisfy the high-current requirements with high power density and low cost. This project aims to alleviate the existing technical gaps and contribute to the development of the next-generation high efficiency, compact, and low-cost high current conversion technology. The project is expected to benefit the renewable energy and transportation electrification industry and contribute to the advancements of the US both technically and economically. This project will leverage the state-of-the-art wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices to develop a modular multiphase interleaved high current conversion technology for various DERs and loads. To satisfy the high current needs and overcome existing challenges, the project proposes to study high-efficiency resonant circuits, integrated magnetic coupling, and modeling and control of power converters. A key technology is the compensation circuit topology design, including inductors, capacitors, and their interconnections to create resonance. A unique innovation of this project will be the development of novel compensation topologies to achieve a high-current source output property, which is different from a conventional voltage-source output. In this way, the expected high-current capability could be realized to satisfy many DER applications. The developed high frequency soft-switching strategy would significantly reduce the size of passive components and contribute to high power density in practical use. Meanwhile, education efforts will also be integrated into the research to ensure that the research achievements in this project will benefit students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.