Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HiEFFICIENT (Highly EFFICIENT and reliable electric drivetrains based on modular, intelligent and highly integrated wide band gap power electronics modules)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-05-01 bis 2022-04-30
The European “Green Deal” initiative by the EU commission strives for sustainable mobility and efficient use of resources. Within HiEFFICIENT the project partners will work towards these goals and will develop the next generation of wide-bandgap semiconductors (WBG) in the area of smart mobility. Today, the applicability of WBG semiconductors in electrified vehicles has been demonstrated, but only single manufacturers are making use of these devices, especially of Silicon Carbide (SiC) but not for Gallium Nitride (GaN). To boost this development and the market introduction in automotive applications, HiEFFICIENT partners have 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 wide-bandgap power electronic system to ensure a lifetime improvement of up to 20 %
To accomplish the targeted goals, the partners will work on industrial use cases to demonstrate the key achievements and the progress that goes beyond state of the art. 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 define requirements and specifications for the envisioned systems. The project work starts at component-level, developing highly integrated GaN and SiC devices and is followed by multi-objective design optimization and virtual prototyping approaches. High integration means big challenges in thermal management, which will be addressed by the development of advanced cooling concepts, and modularity for the sake of maintainability and flexibility for future applications. Finally, the demonstrators are 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 wide-bandgap power electronic system to ensure a lifetime improvement of up to 20 %
To accomplish the targeted goals, the partners will work on industrial use cases to demonstrate the key achievements and the progress that goes beyond state of the art. 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 define requirements and specifications for the envisioned systems. The project work starts at component-level, developing highly integrated GaN and SiC devices and is followed by multi-objective design optimization and virtual prototyping approaches. High integration means big challenges in thermal management, which will be addressed by the development of advanced cooling concepts, and modularity for the sake of maintainability and flexibility for future applications. Finally, the demonstrators are integrated in relevant environments to prove the concepts and the applicability for future use.
In the first project year, the focus of the devleopments was first on the specification and requirements definition of all 6 industrial use cases. In parallel, technology developments began in the corresponding work packages, achieving the following, among other things:
- Development of concepts to embed a 650V-GaN SoC on PolyAlN
- Feasibility study for integration technologies and packaging of 100V GaN SoC chip
- Development of single channel module 3x7 and successful processing of first test lot of 100V GaN SiP chip
- Design phase finished for 100V GaN SoC including pre-driver, non-isolated level shifter and temperature sensor
- Definition of experimental lifetime-tests of SoC, alignment on canary structures and investigations of surrogate models for physics of failure driven PHM methodology
- Selection of UC topology, models’ interfaces and components models for each UC
- Creating the UC virtual platform
- Design and modeling of cooling concepts for all UCs, e.g. for an array of high power chips based on two phase cooling
- First designs of UC demonstrators and prototype implementations
- Development of concepts to embed a 650V-GaN SoC on PolyAlN
- Feasibility study for integration technologies and packaging of 100V GaN SoC chip
- Development of single channel module 3x7 and successful processing of first test lot of 100V GaN SiP chip
- Design phase finished for 100V GaN SoC including pre-driver, non-isolated level shifter and temperature sensor
- Definition of experimental lifetime-tests of SoC, alignment on canary structures and investigations of surrogate models for physics of failure driven PHM methodology
- Selection of UC topology, models’ interfaces and components models for each UC
- Creating the UC virtual platform
- Design and modeling of cooling concepts for all UCs, e.g. for an array of high power chips based on two phase cooling
- First designs of UC demonstrators and prototype implementations
The envisaged demonstrators will demonstrate the maximum potential of integration and efficiency, based on today’s available technologies and the developments in the course of the project. There will be amongst others,
- a first-time demonstration of GaN SoC half-bridge for 650 V and its application to an on-board charger solution;
- a 100 V GaN SiP solution being applied in a highly efficient solar DC/DC converter in an EV;
- a highly integrated inverter, DC/DC and OBC solution to reduce volume of power electronic components as far as possible;
- a high power 48 V GaN based inverter for the application in Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles;
- an efficient and dynamically reconfigurable bidirectional off-board charger that can produce multiple output voltages and powers for EV fast charging;
- smart SiC power modules with integrated sensors will be demonstrated with predictive maintenance algorithms.
Along all use case demonstrators, a holistic approach for enhancing reliability and enabling prognostic health management is proposed and will be applied to applications.
These applications based on WBG technologies will showcase the potential for improvement in efficiency, volume and reliability and hence the positive contribution of HiEFFICIENT developments towards the global CO2 reduction challenge. Jointly executed research that enables highly ambitious objectives will further strengthen Europe’s position in the field of electronic components and systems.
HiEFFICIENT project will introduce highly advanced, integrated, and reliable WBG technologies to the automotive market, fulfilling the highest reliability and performance requirements the automotive industry is used to. Therefore, the complete value chain – from the semiconductor manufacturers to the module integrators and system suppliers (1st Tier), and the OEM’s themselves – collaborate within this project to tackle the challenge in a comprehensive manner. A successful project will have a significant impact on all levels along the value chain. This includes, inter alia,
- strengthening of Europe’s semiconductor industry due to innovative devices, e.g. first GaN SoC half-bridge for 650 V, highest current of 40 A for an integrated 100 V Version of a GaN-switch, and advanced embedded power 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.
- a first-time demonstration of GaN SoC half-bridge for 650 V and its application to an on-board charger solution;
- a 100 V GaN SiP solution being applied in a highly efficient solar DC/DC converter in an EV;
- a highly integrated inverter, DC/DC and OBC solution to reduce volume of power electronic components as far as possible;
- a high power 48 V GaN based inverter for the application in Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles;
- an efficient and dynamically reconfigurable bidirectional off-board charger that can produce multiple output voltages and powers for EV fast charging;
- smart SiC power modules with integrated sensors will be demonstrated with predictive maintenance algorithms.
Along all use case demonstrators, a holistic approach for enhancing reliability and enabling prognostic health management is proposed and will be applied to applications.
These applications based on WBG technologies will showcase the potential for improvement in efficiency, volume and reliability and hence the positive contribution of HiEFFICIENT developments towards the global CO2 reduction challenge. Jointly executed research that enables highly ambitious objectives will further strengthen Europe’s position in the field of electronic components and systems.
HiEFFICIENT project will introduce highly advanced, integrated, and reliable WBG technologies to the automotive market, fulfilling the highest reliability and performance requirements the automotive industry is used to. Therefore, the complete value chain – from the semiconductor manufacturers to the module integrators and system suppliers (1st Tier), and the OEM’s themselves – collaborate within this project to tackle the challenge in a comprehensive manner. A successful project will have a significant impact on all levels along the value chain. This includes, inter alia,
- strengthening of Europe’s semiconductor industry due to innovative devices, e.g. first GaN SoC half-bridge for 650 V, highest current of 40 A for an integrated 100 V Version of a GaN-switch, and advanced embedded power 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.