Periodic Reporting for period 3 - HiEFFICIENT (Highly EFFICIENT and reliable electric drivetrains based on modular, intelligent and highly integrated wide band gap power electronics modules)
Reporting period: 2023-05-01 to 2024-11-30
The EU commission's “Green Deal” initiative aims for sustainable mobility and efficient use of resources. In HiEFFICIENT, the project partners worked towards these goals and developed next generation wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductors for smart mobility. To boost this development and the market introduction in automotive applications, the partners set ambitious goals to gain higher acceptance and achieve the maximum benefit in using WBG semiconductors:
1.) Reduction in Volume of 40 %, by means of integration on all levels (component-, subsystem- and system-level)
2.) Increase efficiency beyond 98 %, while reducing losses of up to 50 %
3.) Increase reliability of WBG power electronic system to ensure a lifetime improvement of up to 20 %
To accomplish the targeted goals, the partners worked on industrial use cases to demonstrate the key achievements. This includes, amongst others, modular inverters with different voltage levels (such as 48 V, 400 V), flexible on- and multi-use off-board chargers for different voltage levels, multi-purpose DC/DC converters and test systems for power electronics’ lifetime testing. These use cases are led by OEMs and other industrial partners, who defined requirements and specifications for the envisioned systems. The project work started at component-level, developing highly integrated GaN and SiC devices and was followed by multi-objective design optimization and virtual prototyping approaches. High integration means big challenges in thermal management, which have been addressed by the development of advanced cooling concepts, and modularity for the sake of maintainability and flexibility for future applications. Finally, the demonstrators were integrated in relevant environments to prove the concepts and the applicability for future use.
1.) Reduction in Volume of 40 %, by means of integration on all levels (component-, subsystem- and system-level)
2.) Increase efficiency beyond 98 %, while reducing losses of up to 50 %
3.) Increase reliability of WBG power electronic system to ensure a lifetime improvement of up to 20 %
To accomplish the targeted goals, the partners worked on industrial use cases to demonstrate the key achievements. This includes, amongst others, modular inverters with different voltage levels (such as 48 V, 400 V), flexible on- and multi-use off-board chargers for different voltage levels, multi-purpose DC/DC converters and test systems for power electronics’ lifetime testing. These use cases are led by OEMs and other industrial partners, who defined requirements and specifications for the envisioned systems. The project work started at component-level, developing highly integrated GaN and SiC devices and was followed by multi-objective design optimization and virtual prototyping approaches. High integration means big challenges in thermal management, which have been addressed by the development of advanced cooling concepts, and modularity for the sake of maintainability and flexibility for future applications. Finally, the demonstrators were integrated in relevant environments to prove the concepts and the applicability for future use.
Y1: focus was on specifying and defining requirements for all 6 industrial use cases. Achievements included:
- Concepts to embed a 100V and 650V-GaN SoC on PolyAlN
- Single-channel module 3x7 and processed the first test lot of a 100V GaN SiP chip
- Defined experimental lifetime tests of SoC, aligned on canary structures, and investigated surrogate models for physics of failure-driven PHM methodology
- Selected UC topology, models’ interfaces, and component models for each UC
- Created the UC virtual platform
- Designed and modeled cooling concepts for all UCs, such as an array of high-power chips based on two-phase cooling
- Initiated designs of UC demonstrators and prototype implementations
Y2: focus was on implementing all 6 industrial use cases. Achievements included:
- First 100V and 650V GaN SoC devices with different technological approaches
- 100V SiP Halfbridge devices
- Available 1200V SiC reference design and 650V Halfbridge demonstrator
- Detailed modeling for maximizing power and lifetime of the inverter
- Embedded GaN Halfbridge based on a commercial GaN device
- 48V embedded GaN module
- DSC DAB variant ready for PHM investigations
- Common Communication and Control Unit for all OBC sub-use cases
Y3: The project concluded with the successful implementation of all technologies, concepts, and use case demonstrators, achieving all set objectives. Highlights included:
- Final iterations of GaN SoC with 100V and 650V, including the first 650V System on Chip half-bridge devices worldwide
- Integration concepts for High-voltage SiC and GaN embedding in PCBs, showing up to 50 times longer lifetime compared to standard packing
- Advanced cooling concepts, demonstrating Microfluidic 2-phase cooling with heat transfer up to 250 W/cm²
- Reliability enhancements using:
- Hybrid approach based on Data Driven and Physics of Failure models
- Mission-profile-oriented reliability assessment tool for optimized design for reliability
- Active thermal control concepts to minimize thermal cycling
- Non-invasive junction-temperature measurement with high bandwidth
- Mission-profile-oriented lifetime test system for power electronic components
Throughout the project, more than 200 dissemination activities were performed (>80 conferences, 60 publications, etc.) and over 50 exploitable results were achieved.
- Concepts to embed a 100V and 650V-GaN SoC on PolyAlN
- Single-channel module 3x7 and processed the first test lot of a 100V GaN SiP chip
- Defined experimental lifetime tests of SoC, aligned on canary structures, and investigated surrogate models for physics of failure-driven PHM methodology
- Selected UC topology, models’ interfaces, and component models for each UC
- Created the UC virtual platform
- Designed and modeled cooling concepts for all UCs, such as an array of high-power chips based on two-phase cooling
- Initiated designs of UC demonstrators and prototype implementations
Y2: focus was on implementing all 6 industrial use cases. Achievements included:
- First 100V and 650V GaN SoC devices with different technological approaches
- 100V SiP Halfbridge devices
- Available 1200V SiC reference design and 650V Halfbridge demonstrator
- Detailed modeling for maximizing power and lifetime of the inverter
- Embedded GaN Halfbridge based on a commercial GaN device
- 48V embedded GaN module
- DSC DAB variant ready for PHM investigations
- Common Communication and Control Unit for all OBC sub-use cases
Y3: The project concluded with the successful implementation of all technologies, concepts, and use case demonstrators, achieving all set objectives. Highlights included:
- Final iterations of GaN SoC with 100V and 650V, including the first 650V System on Chip half-bridge devices worldwide
- Integration concepts for High-voltage SiC and GaN embedding in PCBs, showing up to 50 times longer lifetime compared to standard packing
- Advanced cooling concepts, demonstrating Microfluidic 2-phase cooling with heat transfer up to 250 W/cm²
- Reliability enhancements using:
- Hybrid approach based on Data Driven and Physics of Failure models
- Mission-profile-oriented reliability assessment tool for optimized design for reliability
- Active thermal control concepts to minimize thermal cycling
- Non-invasive junction-temperature measurement with high bandwidth
- Mission-profile-oriented lifetime test system for power electronic components
Throughout the project, more than 200 dissemination activities were performed (>80 conferences, 60 publications, etc.) and over 50 exploitable results were achieved.
The developed prototypes demonstrate the maximum potential of integration and efficiency, based on today’s available technologies and the technologies developed in the course of the project.
Comparing the targeted objectives, exemplarily following achievements beyond the state of the art have been achieved:
- Obejctive 1 - 40% volume reduction by means of integration
--> OBC with an power density of 7 kw/l (+40% compared to the SOTA)
--> SiC power module with 50% reduced volume
- Objective 2 - Increase efficiency beyond 98% and reduction of losses by 50%
--> Drive Inverter and AFE for charging with 98% efficiency
- Objective 3 - Lifetime improvement of 20%
--> Power Modules with 50x lifetime due to latest integration technologies
--> D4R to increase MTBF by 50%
- Objective 4 - Intelligent power modules to increase performance
--> Active Gate Driver Networks to reduce losses by up to 20%
--> Active Thermal Control increasing lifetime by 10%
From a technology point of view following break trhorughs have been achieved:
- a first-time demonstration of GaN SoC half-bridge for 650 V on a single piece of semiconductor
- a 100 V GaN SiP solution with a 15% more compact footprint
- novel power electronic embedding technologies in the PCB, like copper sintering
- Microfluidic 2-phase cooling with a heat transfer of up 250 W/cm² which improves the heat transfer by a factor of 2
- different tools an methodologies increasing the lifetime of latest WBG power electronics, like a Hybrid approach based on Data Driven and Physics of Failure models
All these technology advancements were validated in industrial use cases with in total of more than 10 demonstrators. All details can be found in the public summary report D1.6.
These applications based on WBG technologies showcased the potential for improvement in efficiency, volume and reliability and hence the positive contribution of HiEFFICIENT developments towards the global CO2 reduction challenge.
In a joint effort along the complete value chain – from the semiconductor manufacturers to the module integrators and system suppliers (1st Tier), and the OEM’s themselves – the project tackled the set challenges in a comprehensive manner.
Consequently, the project has a significant impact on all levels along the value chain. This includes, inter alia,
- strengthening of Europe’s semiconductor industry due to innovative devices and new packaging concepts;
- strengthening of Europe’s automotive industry by introducing highly energy efficient and reliable power electronics to all types of EVs and charging infrastructure;
- strengthening Europe’s universities and RTO by significantly extending their knowledge and expertise in power electronics integration and advanced cooling concepts.
Further, all customers and users of these developments will gain significant benefits due to the next generation of power electronics of electrified vehicles, with respect to reliability, higher efficiency and hence extended driving ranges and reduced operation costs. Due to an improved acceptance and demand of EVs, the ecosystem and the jobs in this industry can grow further and strengthen the European position in the global competitive market as well as reducing CO2 emissions towards a more sustainable transport.
Comparing the targeted objectives, exemplarily following achievements beyond the state of the art have been achieved:
- Obejctive 1 - 40% volume reduction by means of integration
--> OBC with an power density of 7 kw/l (+40% compared to the SOTA)
--> SiC power module with 50% reduced volume
- Objective 2 - Increase efficiency beyond 98% and reduction of losses by 50%
--> Drive Inverter and AFE for charging with 98% efficiency
- Objective 3 - Lifetime improvement of 20%
--> Power Modules with 50x lifetime due to latest integration technologies
--> D4R to increase MTBF by 50%
- Objective 4 - Intelligent power modules to increase performance
--> Active Gate Driver Networks to reduce losses by up to 20%
--> Active Thermal Control increasing lifetime by 10%
From a technology point of view following break trhorughs have been achieved:
- a first-time demonstration of GaN SoC half-bridge for 650 V on a single piece of semiconductor
- a 100 V GaN SiP solution with a 15% more compact footprint
- novel power electronic embedding technologies in the PCB, like copper sintering
- Microfluidic 2-phase cooling with a heat transfer of up 250 W/cm² which improves the heat transfer by a factor of 2
- different tools an methodologies increasing the lifetime of latest WBG power electronics, like a Hybrid approach based on Data Driven and Physics of Failure models
All these technology advancements were validated in industrial use cases with in total of more than 10 demonstrators. All details can be found in the public summary report D1.6.
These applications based on WBG technologies showcased the potential for improvement in efficiency, volume and reliability and hence the positive contribution of HiEFFICIENT developments towards the global CO2 reduction challenge.
In a joint effort along the complete value chain – from the semiconductor manufacturers to the module integrators and system suppliers (1st Tier), and the OEM’s themselves – the project tackled the set challenges in a comprehensive manner.
Consequently, the project has a significant impact on all levels along the value chain. This includes, inter alia,
- strengthening of Europe’s semiconductor industry due to innovative devices and new packaging concepts;
- strengthening of Europe’s automotive industry by introducing highly energy efficient and reliable power electronics to all types of EVs and charging infrastructure;
- strengthening Europe’s universities and RTO by significantly extending their knowledge and expertise in power electronics integration and advanced cooling concepts.
Further, all customers and users of these developments will gain significant benefits due to the next generation of power electronics of electrified vehicles, with respect to reliability, higher efficiency and hence extended driving ranges and reduced operation costs. Due to an improved acceptance and demand of EVs, the ecosystem and the jobs in this industry can grow further and strengthen the European position in the global competitive market as well as reducing CO2 emissions towards a more sustainable transport.