BP6-MIP 4-Task 3.32—Paralleling of GaN Modules for High Power Applications
The project is led by GE Aviation, with support from NC State and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The project is expected to demonstrate parallel operation at 5C temperature variation.
Sponsor
NCSU Power America - Next Generation Power Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NGPEMII)
The grant—running from March 15, 2022 to February 28, 2023—is for a total of $174,998.
Principle Investigators
Subhashish Bhattacharya
More Details
GE-NCSU-NREL Team proposes to develop a high current GaN module with voltage rating of 650V and current rating>400A. The Team will design active gate driver and demonstate parallel operation of 3 or more modules with current sharing within 5C of each other. The design proposed is for 3 die per switch location and the internal design of the module will be scalable to higher currents with the addition of die. While we list the specific PI for each task/milestone, GE Aviation is ultimately responsible for the project execution.
Abstract: Usage of Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices for high switching frequency and high-power dense operations are well known. However, commercially available GaN devices are limited in their current rating. The unavailability of the high current rated GaN modules is a hindrance in the use of GaN in high power applications. This proposal addresses this issue by first designing a GaN full-bridge module with three 650V/150A dies in parallel offering >400A capability, then developing the means to parallel three such modules to achieve total current rating in excess of 1200A.