Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ARCHIMEDES (Trusted lifetime in operation for a circular economy)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-05-01 al 2024-04-30
The ARCHIMEDES project commits to achieving carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050 through significant electrification of transportation, emphasizing the development and integration of high-performance Wide Band Gap (WBG) components like Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) to enhance electric powertrain efficiency and reliability. The project focuses on a model-based development approach, introducing digital twins to manage the complex system levels from power devices to vehicle functions. Key work packages involve defining semiconductor solutions for supply chain implementation, integrating essential hardware and software for diverse use cases such as long-life automotive powertrains and emergency response systems, and advancing automotive safety standards by addressing ADAS component reliability and system modeling. These efforts align with the broader goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and leveraging interdisciplinary expertise to drive technological innovation while ensuring societal impact.
In the ARCHIMEDES project, significant strides were made in developing and testing advanced semiconductor technologies and electrical systems for electrified transportation. WP2 focused on GaN-based power transistors, creating a preliminary static reliability test plan aligned with mission profiles and innovative dynamic testing approaches. The automotive inverter segment (SC2.1) successfully selected key components and progressed in design and simulations, including evaluations of SiCap technology and dynamic reliability assessments of SiC devices. The powertrain and subsystems segment (SC2.2) developed a compatible electric machine concept, advanced thermal and electromagnetic evaluations, and prepared for automotive machine manufacturing. Initial work on demonstrators led to developing machine learning models for thermal imagery analysis and anomaly detection, while synergy between SC1 and SC5 facilitated joint testing and data processing for GaN-based devices.
WP3 laid the groundwork for comprehensive modeling objectives, focusing on supporting the design and validation of electrical systems through simulation models and a multi-level modeling methodology to assess power device aging and reliability. The modeling efforts aim to determine the impact of aging on electrical module/system failures and establish requirements for power devices. WP4 structured its activities around developing semiconductor solutions at the component level, achieving significant progress by defining a detailed components list and aligning tasks across various subcommittees. WP5, initiated later in the project, is set to integrate hardware and software into demonstrators, planning activities like ADAS component testing and failure mode analysis to commence soon. Overall, these technical advancements underscore the project's commitment to enhancing the reliability and performance of next-generation electrified systems.
WP3 laid the groundwork for comprehensive modeling objectives, focusing on supporting the design and validation of electrical systems through simulation models and a multi-level modeling methodology to assess power device aging and reliability. The modeling efforts aim to determine the impact of aging on electrical module/system failures and establish requirements for power devices. WP4 structured its activities around developing semiconductor solutions at the component level, achieving significant progress by defining a detailed components list and aligning tasks across various subcommittees. WP5, initiated later in the project, is set to integrate hardware and software into demonstrators, planning activities like ADAS component testing and failure mode analysis to commence soon. Overall, these technical advancements underscore the project's commitment to enhancing the reliability and performance of next-generation electrified systems.
The ARCHIMEDES project has significantly advanced beyond the current state of the art in several critical areas. A major outcome is the confirmation that the mission profile lifetime for electrified components exceeds traditional figures typically observed in the automotive industry. The project successfully clarified mission profiles for the aeronautic sector and completed demonstrators for robotics and sensor technologies, showcasing the adaptability and longevity of these components in varied applications. WP2 focused on unraveling the physics of failure in Wide Band Gap (WBG) components, essential for developing robust qualification protocols. This understanding enhances reliability assessment and enables the formulation of effective mitigation strategies, including Safe-Operating-Area (SoA) guidelines and derating rules, to optimize performance and extend the operational life of WBG technologies.
From a modeling perspective, the project achieved two key advancements. First, electrotechnical models were enriched with thermal dynamics, fault mechanisms, and aging characteristics, providing a more comprehensive understanding of component behavior under real-world conditions. Second, the project developed a multi-level modeling approach, linking models of varying complexity—such as integrating 3D component-level models with 0D system-level models and correlating fast microsecond-level phenomena with longer-term system behaviors over several minutes. This approach facilitates better exchanges between different tiers of the supply chain (OEMs, Tier 1, Tier 2) and allows for accurate specification of power device characteristics based on end-user requirements and the estimation of component impacts on electric vehicle functions. The validation of these models through supply chain demonstrators is expected to refine and calibrate the methodologies further.
From a modeling perspective, the project achieved two key advancements. First, electrotechnical models were enriched with thermal dynamics, fault mechanisms, and aging characteristics, providing a more comprehensive understanding of component behavior under real-world conditions. Second, the project developed a multi-level modeling approach, linking models of varying complexity—such as integrating 3D component-level models with 0D system-level models and correlating fast microsecond-level phenomena with longer-term system behaviors over several minutes. This approach facilitates better exchanges between different tiers of the supply chain (OEMs, Tier 1, Tier 2) and allows for accurate specification of power device characteristics based on end-user requirements and the estimation of component impacts on electric vehicle functions. The validation of these models through supply chain demonstrators is expected to refine and calibrate the methodologies further.