Grant: Idea to Innovation
École de technologie supérieure
$114,500.00
High efficient high density multilevel packed u-cell power electronics converter for renewable energy conversion
FY 2017-18
Summary
Growing electric power demand in the world requires necessarily more harvesting of renewable energy (PV and Wind) resources into the existing grid. Each PV or wind farm should necessarily make use of power electronics inverters to convert the available DC current into a fixed-frequency fixed- AC voltage magnitude usable by the consumers.Standard technology such as full-bridge two-level converters are the main players in the market which have being continuously analyzed and investigated for any possible improvements in various aspects such as conversion efficiency, power losses, power quality and manufacturing costs. High harmonic content of output voltage still a matter of limitation along with bulky filter.Nowadays, using more power switches in power electronic converters called 'multilevel converters' is a competitive technology which leads to produce more voltage levels at the output and consequently lower harmonics, smaller size of the output filters, more compact, package size, and lower manufacturing cost. Such multilevel topologies generate low harmonic waveforms; therefore they are most suitable for energy conversion to deliver efficient power to the loads from renewable energy resources like photovoltaic systems. A new technology, which permit to overcome the above-mentioned issues, named Packed U-Cell (PUC) converter structure has been invented by Al-Haddad in 2011. This new topology of multilevel converter which has high power density capability, light weight along with the self-balancing characteristics will be developed and tested for solar conversion application and for interfacing multiple DC sources to connect smart power converter in the box with interfacing ac sources or in stand alone operation at high power density reaching. The project target 3 kW boards with intelligent plug and play parallelizing capability will be developed, and integrated in high power density 250 Watts per cubic inches using the new technology of GaN power devices operating at 200 kHz. The board will harvest solar power at an efficiency of 96%
Program
Idea to Innovation
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
516260-2017
Name nom
AlHaddad, Kamal
Department département
Génie électrique
Organization id
53
Institution établissement
École de technologie supérieure
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2017
Competition year année de concours
2017
Award amount
114500
Program id
I2IPJ
Program name en
Idea to Innovation
Program name fr
De l'idée à l'innovation
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
304
Area of application group en
Energy resources
Area of application group fr
Ressources d'énergie
Area of application en
Electrical energy
Area of application fr
Énergie électrique
Research subject code
2517
Research subject group en
Electrical and electronic engineering
Research subject group fr
Génie électrique et électronique
Research subject en
Industrial and power electronics
Research subject fr
Électronique de puissance et électronique industrielle
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
High efficient high density multilevel packed u-cell power electronics converter for renewable energy conversion
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Growing electric power demand in the world requires necessarily more harvesting of renewable energy (PV and Wind) resources into the existing grid. Each PV or wind farm should necessarily make use of power electronics inverters to convert the available DC current into a fixed-frequency fixed- AC voltage magnitude usable by the consumers.Standard technology such as full-bridge two-level converters are the main players in the market which have being continuously analyzed and investigated for any possible improvements in various aspects such as conversion efficiency, power losses, power quality and manufacturing costs. High harmonic content of output voltage still a matter of limitation along with bulky filter.Nowadays, using more power switches in power electronic converters called 'multilevel converters' is a competitive technology which leads to produce more voltage levels at the output and consequently lower harmonics, smaller size of the output filters, more compact, package size, and lower manufacturing cost. Such multilevel topologies generate low harmonic waveforms; therefore they are most suitable for energy conversion to deliver efficient power to the loads from renewable energy resources like photovoltaic systems. A new technology, which permit to overcome the above-mentioned issues, named Packed U-Cell (PUC) converter structure has been invented by Al-Haddad in 2011. This new topology of multilevel converter which has high power density capability, light weight along with the self-balancing characteristics will be developed and tested for solar conversion application and for interfacing multiple DC sources to connect smart power converter in the box with interfacing ac sources or in stand alone operation at high power density reaching. The project target 3 kW boards with intelligent plug and play parallelizing capability will be developed, and integrated in high power density 250 Watts per cubic inches using the new technology of GaN power devices operating at 200 kHz. The board will harvest solar power at an efficiency of 96%
