Inverter high voltage silicon replacement

High voltage SiC power devices have been proven as the potential candidates in replacing the Si counterparts to improve the overall power converting efficiency of the power grids and power systems. In this paper, the demonstrations of high voltage materials and devices along with the applications in the power electronic transformer are presented.

The hybrid power inverter proposed by STMicroelectronics integrates SiC MOSFETs and IGBTs to boost power efficiency for less. After decades of domination by silicon, silicon carbide (SiC) is replacing it as the gold standard in high-voltage power electronics, including in traction inverters at the heart of electric vehicles (EVs).

These SiC devices are replacing Si devices for PV inverter applications. Compared with Si devices, SiC devices not only enhance the electrical performances of PV inverters but also reduce the cost of inverters . As a result, SiC devices have gained considerable attention.

It thoroughly utilizes the high-frequency and low-loss features of the SiC devices and validates the characteristics of SiC MOSFETs and IGBTs under the hybrid application of SiC&Si through simulations and experimentations. High-power inverters have been commonly used as power conversion devices in the fields of transportation and energy.

Silicon carbide (SiC) devices can break through the technical limitations of silicon (Si) devices. Thus, SiC devices are considered as the foundations of next-generation high-performance converters. Aimed at the photovoltaic (PV) power system, this study surveys state-of-the-art of PV inverters.

For PV inverter application, the SiC MOSFET can replace the Si IGBT. On one hand, the power loss can be reduced, such that a high efficiency can be achieved. On the other hand, the weight and volume of passive elements can be reduced because of the improved switching frequency, such that the high power density can be confirmed.