ESS (Energy Storage System) is a crucial part on the path to net zero because it enables human store and control the renewable energy like solar and wind which is dynamic and unstable. A well-established energy storage system can store/ contribute energy for later use which reduces electricity cost/pressure during the valley/peak of electric consumption.
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Our latest white paper delves deep into the world of energy storage systems (ESS) and power conversion systems (PCS), offering invaluable insights for both residential and commercial applications.
PCS (Power Conversion System), the core of energy storage system, controls bidirectional power conversion between grid/solar inverter and battery pack. Similarly, like other high-power energy infrastructure applications, ESS requires higher output power and power density, to realize quicker charging/discharging in limited space. WBG semiconductors are playing a key role in this evolution.
Fig.1 Typical ESS Block Diagram
Silicon carbide, a next-generation wide band gap semiconductor material, can significantly improve performance issues. Silicon carbide offers several superior performance characteristics, such as band energy, breakdown field, thermal conductivity, etc. These features allow a SiC system to run at a higher frequency without losing output power to reduce the dimension of the inductor. It can also optimize the cooling system, which replaces the forced air-cooling system with natural cooling.
Fig.2 SuperJunction MOSFET vs SiC MOSFET
FS4 IGBT with Co-Pack SiC Diode 650 V, TO247-4
To compromise cost and performance, replacing Si-based anti-parallel diode with SiC diode is a good choice especially for bidirectional power converter, which requires reversed current flow.
FGH4L75T65MQDC50 is a newly released 650 V FS4 IGBT with an integrated SiC diode; it offers optimum performance with low conduction and switching losses for high-efficiency applications
SiC MOSFET, EliteSiC, 14 mΩ, 1200 V, M3P, D2PAK
- Typ. RDS(on) = 14 mΩ @ VGS = 18 V
- Low Switching Losses (Typ.EON = 1331 μJ @74A, 800V)
- 100% Avalanche Tested
- D2PAK-7L
Considering a Power Integrated Module solution could maximize system efficiency and power density. SiC modules cost more; however, the advantages can outweigh the cost. PIM provides improved parasitic effect which is essential for high di/dt system; it also has better die consistency to gain a better current sharing in parallel connection. In terms of manufacturing, PIM gives excellent production efficiency because it has fewer components and enables easy mounting. Finally, PIM solution reduces concerns regarding thermal management.
SiC Module – EliteSiC, 3 mΩ, 1200 V, Half Bridge, F2
Features
- 2 × 1200 V SiC MOSFET, RDS(on) = 3 mΩ
- Low thermal resistance
- Internal NTC thermistor
Benefits
- Improved RDS(on) at higher voltages
- Improved efficiency or higher power density
- Flexible solution for high-reliability thermal interface
Application
- 3-Phase solar inverters
- Energy storage system
Gate Driver, Dual Channel, 5kVRMS, 4.5/9 A
Features
- 4.5 A peak source, 9 A peak sink output current capability
- Propagation delay is typically 36 ns with 8 ns max delay matching per channel
- Common mode transient immunity CMTI > 200 V/ns
- 5 kVRMS galvanic isolation
