A Comparative Analysis of Efficiency and Losses in a 5 kW Hybrid and Full-SiC Converter, for PV Applications in Austria

Rupak Chakraborty (), Troy Eskilson, Sumanta Biswas and Markus Makoschitz ()
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Rupak Chakraborty: Power and Renewable Gas Systems, Austrian Institute of Technology, 1210 Vienna, Austria
Troy Eskilson: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
Sumanta Biswas: Power and Renewable Gas Systems, Austrian Institute of Technology, 1210 Vienna, Austria
Markus Makoschitz: Power and Renewable Gas Systems, Austrian Institute of Technology, 1210 Vienna, Austria

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: Wide Bandgap (WBG) devices like SiC-MOSFETs have become quite popular in recent times due to their superior switching characteristics, high current carrying capability and temperature stability. They are being adopted for many different applications and for a wide range of power levels. For the case of PV applications, manufacturers are considering moving to SiC-based topologies due to higher converter efficiencies and improved power density. However, the present industry largely uses hybrid approaches (IGBT + SiC-diode) to optimize system cost. The aim of this paper is to present a fair comparison of an industry-grade hybrid converter with another similar counterpart where only the Si device has been replaced with the SiC device. The effects of such a direct replacement on the efficiency and losses of the converter are studied under various power ratings. Both converters consist of two stages—a boost converter and a three-phase three-level DC to AC converter. Simulation and experimental results comprehensively indicate a higher efficiency (improvements of up to 8 percent points) for the full-SiC converter, and this is more prominent at low input voltages, where the boost converter is active. However, the gains in efficiency are moderate for high input voltages (1 percent point at nominal voltage), where the boost converter is bypassed, and the losses are almost entirely attributed to the inverter. When set in the backdrop of the Austrian inverter market, the use of SiC devices in PV inverters has the potential for an estimated savings of 37.5 GWh/year in terms of loss reduction.

Keywords: Wide Bandgap; PV converters; NPC; boost converter; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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