This work investigates the voltage scaling feasibility of several low voltage SiC MOSFET modules operated as a single series-connected switch using active gate control. Both multilevel and two-level topologies are capable of achieving higher blocking voltages in high-power converter applications. Compared to multilevel topologies, two-level switching topologies are of interest due to less complex circuitry, higher density, and simpler control techniques. In this work, to balance the voltage between series-connected MOSFETs, device turn-off speeds are dynamically controlled on active gate-drivers using active gate control. The implementation of the active gate control technique (specifically, turn-off dv/dt control) is described in this thesis. Experimental results of the voltage balancing behavior across eight 1.7 kV rated SiC MOSFET devices in series (6 kV total dc bus voltage) with the selected active dv/dt control scheme are demonstrated. Finally, the voltage balancing performance and switching behavior of series-connected SiC MOSFET devices are discussed. / Master of Science / According to ABB, 40% of the world's power demand is supplied by electrical energy. Specifically, in 2018, the world's electrical demand has grown by 4% since 2010. The growing need for electric energy makes it increasingly essential for systems that can efficiently and reliably convert and control energy levels for various end applications, such as electric motors, electric vehicles, data centers, and renewable energy systems. Power electronics are systems by which electrical energy is converted to different levels of power (voltage and current) depending on the end application. The use of power electronics systems is critical for controlling the flow of electrical energy in all applications of electric energy generation, transmission, and distribution.
Advances in power electronics technologies, such as new control techniques and manufacturability of power semiconductor devices, are enabling improvements to the overall performance of electrical energy conversion systems. Power semiconductor devices, which are used as switches or rectifiers in various power electronic converters, are a critical building block of power electronic systems. In order to enable higher output power capability for converter systems, power semiconductor switches are required to sustain higher levels of voltage and current.
Wide bandgap semiconductor devices are a particular new category of power semiconductors that have superior material properties compared to traditional devices such as Silicon (Si) Insulated-Gate Bipolar Junction Transistors (IGBTs). In particular, wide bandgap devices such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) have better ruggedness and thermal capabilities. These properties provide wide bandgap semiconductor devices to operate at higher temperatures and switching frequencies, which is beneficial for maximizing the overall efficiency and volume of power electronic converters.
This work investigates a method of scaling up voltage in particular for medium-voltage power conversion, which can be applied for a variety of application areas. SiC MOSFET devices are becoming more attractive for utilization in medium-voltage high-power converter systems due to the need to further improve the efficiency and density of these systems. Rather than using individual high voltage rated semiconductor devices, this thesis demonstrates the effectiveness of using several low voltage rated semiconductor devices connected in series in order to operate them as a single switch. Using low voltage devices as a single series-connected switch rather than a using single high voltage switch can lead to achieving a lower total on-state resistance, expectedly maximizing the overall efficiency of converter systems for which the series-connected semiconductor switches would be applied.
In particular, this thesis focuses on the implementation of a newer approach of compensating for the natural unbalance in voltage between series-connected devices. An active gate control method is used for monitoring and regulating the switching speed of several devices operated in series in this work. The objective of this thesis is to investigate the feasibility of this method in order to achieve up to 6 kV total dc bus voltage using eight series-connected SiC MOSFET devices.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/95938 |
| Date | 04 December 2019 |
| Creators | Raszmann, Emma Barbara |
| Contributors | Electrical Engineering, Burgos, Rolando, Dong, Dong, Boroyevich, Dushan |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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