Optimum Design of a Multiple-Active-Bridge DC-DC Converter for Smart Transformer

Levy Ferreira Costa, Giampaolo Buticchi, Marco Liserre

    Research output: Journal PublicationArticlepeer-review

    65 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The modular smart transformer (ST) is composed by several basic converters rated for lower voltage and power. In this paper, the quadruple active bridge (QAB) is used as the basic block for the modular ST. In this application, the efficiency and cost are the most important design parameters. Therefore, the paper focus on the design of the converter, with the aim to optimize its efficiency, taking the cost into consideration. To do so, the losses of all components are carefully modeled and a computer-aided design is used, where an algorithm to calculate the losses and cost is developed, allowing to perform multiobjective optimization. Additionally, silicon IGBTs and silicon carbide mosfets are considered for the design and the performance of the converter using both semiconductors technology is compared. Experimental results obtained for the optimized 20 kW QAB converter has shown an efficiency of 97.5%.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number8272505
    Pages (from-to)10112-10121
    Number of pages10
    JournalIEEE Transactions on Power Electronics
    Volume33
    Issue number12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2018

    Keywords

    • DC-DC converter
    • high efficiency
    • reliability
    • silicon-carbide devices
    • smart transformer (ST)

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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