This document presents results of design optimization and selected topologies for power-electronic systems of the drivetrain with the involvement of five use cases (UC1, UC3, UC4, UC5, and UC6).

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Executive Summary

The main objective of WP3 is to develop optimization of architecture and controllers for power-electronic systems for the drivetrain. Within WP3, the Task 3.1.1 “Drivetrain Design Optimization and Advanced Switching Topologies” has actively started in month 3 (M3: July 2018) and finished in month 16 (M16: August 2019) of the project.
The Task 3.1.1 goal is to optimize the design of the drivetrain systems such as inverters (UC4), chargers (UC5 & UC6), testing systems (UC1), and power modules (UC3). The input of this task is the deliverable D1.1 “Specification for inverters, chargers, and test systems”, and the deliverable D1.2 “Requirements and Evaluation criteria”. The output of this task is the deliverable D3.1 “Design optimization of Switching Topologies”. The deliverable D3.1 will be used as inputs for WP4 and WP5.
For each use case (from UC1 to UC6), the advanced topologies, cost reduction, volume & weight reduction, and high efficiency of the drivetrain electronic systems have been optimized by applying integrated and modular approaches, and the design optimization framework.
- Use case 1 have addressed the stringent current ripple requirements of test systems (i.e., Battery tester, etc.,) by choosing an interleaved topology and a parallel inverter topology.
- For UC3- The Use case 3 has two inverter hardware developments within its scope and attempts to understand key issues with EMI and thermal management of the newly developed double-sided cooled modules. The use cases in detail are:
o UC3(A) – Compact Automotive SiC Inverter- The activity focuses on developing a compact 100kW automotive inverter to demonstrate high power density and usage of the indirect cooled power modules.
o UC3(B)- Design of Flexible SiC Inverter – The activity focuses on developing a flexible inverter that has both hardware and software to provide a 3 phase or 6 phase output as per design choice. This inverter uses the direct cooled power modules.
- The UC4 focus on design optimization of a dual inverter based on a modular concept for achieving high flexibility and compatibility with different power modules (2 off-the-shelf available SiC transistors, IGBT power module pack, and WBG module). An integrated approach of components, power modules have been applied to obtain cost and volume reduction of the dual inverter system.
- In the framework of UC5, the involved partners have worked together on design optimization and selecting advanced topologies of an 11-kW on-board charger (OBC) with using GaN HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) 650 V as the main switching devices. The output of this UC5-Task 3.1.1 will be used as inputs for Task 5.2.2 “Implementation of GaN-based OBC prototype”.
- For UC6, the UC6 partners have finalized the design optimization and selecting suitable topologies of a 175-kW off-board charger based on SiC MOSFETs and addressing the selection of two types of converters: Converter with Low-Frequency Transformer and Converter with High-Frequency Transformer.