Control Method of Impedance Network in SiC Power Converters for HEV/EV

Silicon carbide (SiC) devices provide significant performance improvements in many aspects, including lower power dissipation, higher operating temperatures, and faster switching, compared to conventional Si devices. All these features helped increase the interest in the applications of these devices for electric drive systems. The inclusion of an impedance network to elevate DC voltage would improve performance of an electric-traction system, because the topologies of impedances networks can eliminate the need of a DC-DC converter. However, it is important to know control methods that applicable to this type of topologies to systems that are more efficient. This paper presents the analysis of a control method in a power converter topology using SiC devices with an impedance network to elevate DC voltage for electric traction applications. The proposed analisys includes the implementation of a control method in Current Fed Quasi-Z topology, with 100 kHz switching frequency, and its analysis using the simulation of the control method, the power losses in SiC devices and the stress on passive components in the impedance network. Finally, the obtained results are compared with a conventional Current Fed Quasi-Z topology built with silicon devices at a low switching frequency (2 KHz).