Abstract
The efficiency improvements offered by adopting Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices in Electric Vehicle (EV) inverters has been widely reported in various studies. However, it has still not been established whether or when the efficiency benefits can counteract the high price of SiC devices, especially for the scenario of urban electric buses. In this paper, the potential impact of installing SiC devices on electric buses is analyzed from the perspective of economic benefits. The SiC inverter used in the drive system is based on a discrete MOSFET in parallel. For comparison, an Si inverter based on a sixth-generation IGBT produced by Infineon is also evaluated. A vehicle simulation platform is established in Simulink for an evaluation of energy consumption for different scenarios. It is shown that significant energy savings can be gained when the vehicle operates mostly in the partial load area. While in the nominal load area, energy savings are very limited. Based on the analysis, the conditions for offsetting the cost premium of SiC devices to realize system-level advantages are discussed using a multi-dimensional analysis considering the change in battery and device prices, driving range, vehicle mass, and driving cycles.
Highlights
Silicon Carbide (SiC) is regarded as the next-generation power semiconductor for automotive applications due to its superior properties such as high switching frequency, low switching loss, and better thermal capability [1]–[4]
In [8], 1 kW permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) drive prototypes based on the Si Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and SiC Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) were fabricated, and a comparison of the results showed that the efficiency of the SiC-based inverter was 1% higher than that of the Si inverter
EVALUATION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION In addition to the inverter, the cost of the battery accounts for a significant portion in the drive system [28]
Summary
Silicon Carbide (SiC) is regarded as the next-generation power semiconductor for automotive applications due to its superior properties such as high switching frequency, low switching loss, and better thermal capability [1]–[4]. Has compared with a 3.3 kV Si IGBT power module with similar current rating It showed that the loss of the traction inverter can be reduced by 59% by the SiC based inverter. Paper [10] presents a 500 kW DC/AC inverter based on SiC devices It can achieve an efficiency of 98.74% in experiment, which is higher than Si IGBT at the same power level. In [11], a peak efficiency of 99.5% was achieved on a 30kW traction inverter using 1200 V SiC MOSFET devices. The above papers focused on efficiency improvements by using the SiC device in nominal or peak power operation. Paper [12] pointed out that SiC devices could lead to a reduction in power loss by more than 50% in partial load operation, while paper [13] showed that efficiency could be improved by 5% − 10% in partial load operation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
