The U.S. Department of Energy [DOE] has been busy awarding millions of research and development dollars to universities and companies with promising technological advancements.
Here’s a glimpse at what they’re working on and how these new products can help to ensure the nation’s energy grid is resilient, intelligent, automated, and secure.
Transformers
Solid state transformers (SSTs) are the way of the future, but component supply and manufacturing shortages require some out of the box solutions. The following entities have received funding to advance their R&D of the following projects:
Clemson University is working on integrating medium-voltage power electronics (PEs) and battery energy storage system (BESS) into a distribution transformer to manage abnormal power events.
Eaton Corporation is developing a compact hybrid transformer for use within utility distribution networks and industrial sites.
Electric Power Research Institute is working to resolve the SST manufacturing wait time by accelerating the commercialization of an innovative SST capable of accommodating input voltage variations (another hurdle in the DOE’s Valley of Challenges).
GE Vernova Operations is developing two different types of SSTs for deployment into a public utility substation to test and advance them for commercial readiness.
Resilient Power Systems, Inc. is working on a Direct Current (DC)-as-a-Service power hub for SST energy distribution.
Transforma Energy, Inc. is developing a “drop-in replacement electronically controlled transformer,” dubbed DIRECT, as part of an SST architecture.
University of Pittsburgh is approaching the grid challenges by leveraging industry partners to identify new technologies for further R&D toward next gen “intelligent” transformers.
SiC Packaging
Another theme at the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s PACE conference in Knoxville this past August was that “silicon is not dead yet.” Eric Motto, an application engineer at Mistubishi, announced that the use of silicon carbide (SiC) is on the rise. With advancements in raw materials selection and structural enhancements, prior reliability concerns have been effectively eliminated.
To help meet the increasing demand for power semiconductors, the DOE launched their $2.25M SiC Packaging Prize. Their Phase 1 winners include:
Board Breakers – Utilizing additive manufacturing to print 3D ceramic packaging
Lincoln X – Developing SiC modules with dual orthogonal cooling (Ah, the good ol’ dual-orthogonal…)
Marel Power Solutions – Improving thermal management via 3D mechatronic design (because they are based in my beloved Plymouth, MI I’ll give them a pass, but “mechatronic” sounds like they’re making things up, right?)
NC Solar Inverters – Going to use commercially-available topside cooled discrete devices (bonus for utilizing available resources), they are going to utilize their symmetric layout to “maximize parasitic flying capacitance and minimize parasitic inductance.” (Yeah, way over my head at this point.)
NoMIS-Lux-QPT-UA – (These four entities combined to form what appears to be a seller on Amazon.) All joking aside, they plan to combine their technology to develop SiC power blocks for high voltage chip-scale packaging.
Stony Brook Power Packaging Team – Will develop “high-voltage, high-current, fast-switching, and cost-effective modules” while also creating a business entity for engineering sampling and commercialization.
Superior SiC Power Module Team – Plans to develop an interdisciplinary approach for SiC power modules with high-speed, high-energy efficiency, and low EMI.
Team Raiju – Will create a novel device by embedding 128 SiC die (individual semiconductor chips) in low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) controlled by an active dV/dt voltage balancer and cooled with integrated microchannel busbars (electrical interconnection circuits comprised of several flat conductors insulated from each other).
Phase 2
Best of luck to all these trailblazers selected for Phase 1. Winning teams will advance to Phase 2 where their prototypes will be tested at a DOE national lab to validate metrics. Four winners will be selected and each team will receive a $250,000 prize and advance to compete in Phase 3.
It’s All Fun and Games
At least until the grid goes down. Identifying the necessary areas of advancement required to ensure the nation’s energy grid maintains its integrity is the vital first step. Understanding that some technology is not yet developed or ready for large-scale testing is key to putting temporary (and possibly long-term temporary) fixes into place until more reliable and efficient hardware and software solutions are available. From increasing weather events to cyber threats and electric vehicle charging to aging infrastructure, the existing power grid is in need of an overhaul. And while no one wants to see rising energy costs, it sure beats grid failure.
In a Nutshell
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