Acronym:

Advanced design methodology for switching DC-DC converters 

From: 2015-06-01 To: 2019-05-31 (Completed)

HRZZ 

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prof.dr.sc. Adrijan Barić

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Advanced design methodology for switching DC-DC converters is developed in this project. The low-side and high-side switch, their drivers and the control circuitry are integrated into one package which minimises the parasitic elements and allows switching frequencies up to 10 MHz. A driving-signal circuitry with high-precision adjustable timings is developed. This will allow the optimisation of dead-times with respect to the power conversion efficiency of a converter for any given set of the parameters of the integrated circuit (IC) package, external components and a printed circuit board (PCB). A special attention is given to the design of a level-shifter for a high-side switch. Besides driving the on-chip power switches, the developed driving-signal circuitry is routed to external pins of the IC package to enable driving of the externally connected switches. Gallium-nitride (GaN) and silicon-carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices present a promising solution for a high-voltage and high-efficiency power conversion. In order to design a highly efficient converter for high-voltage switching applications by using GaN and SiC power transistors, the GaN/SiC DC-DC converter will be optimised by using adjustable driving-signal circuitry, which is designed at the beginning of the project. The developed methodology will allow the evaluation of the efficiency of GaN and SiC devices in high-voltage switching applications as well as highly optimised design of the converters. The PCB, on which the converter IC is soldered, represents the next crucial part of the design and it has a dominant effect in determination of the electromagnetic compatibility and thermal properties of the converter. A simulation environment which will allow the electromagnetic-thermal co-optimisation of DC-DC converters will be developed. A statistical analysis of the parameters of a PCB and an IC package will be performed to ensure that the variations in the manufacturing process do not compromise the reliability and the efficiency of the designed converters. The accuracy of design and modelling of DC-DC converters will be improved by accurate modelling of power inductors under realistic operating conditions (signal shape, current levels, self-heating) and by performing electromagnetic compatibility measurements and modelling, which is always required by industrial partners.