EV 200-kW inverter helps check out SiC soft-switch topology

Pre-Switch, Inc. announced its CleanWave 200kW silicon carbide (SiC) automotive inverter evaluation system that enables power design engineers to investigate the accuracy of the company’s soft switching architecture and platform over varying load, temperature, device tolerance and degradation conditions.

Pre-Switch’s platform, including the Pre-Drive 3 controller board, powered by the Pre-Flex FPGA, and RPG gate driver board, virtually eliminates switching losses, enabling fast switching at 100kHz, significantly improving low torque motor efficiency.  High switching frequency also reduces motor copper and iron losses. For electric vehicles this results in a massive increase in range of 5-12%. The soft-switching solution also benefits industrial motors, solar, wind and traction applications or any other power converter requirement greater than 100kW that is looking to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Comments Bruce T. Renouard, CEO, Pre-Switch: “With Pre-Switch, critical design challenges hindering EV adoption, have been solved. Previously, the limited switching frequency of inverters resulted in a distortion of the output power sine wave causing excessive motor inefficiencies. Our CleanWave inverter evaluation system – which is available to pre-order now – uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to constantly-adjust the relative timing of elements within the switching system required to force a resonance to offset the current and voltage wave forms – thereby minimizing switching losses and increasing EV range.”

Pre-Switch’s forced-resonant soft-switching topology replaces the traditional IGBT driver or silicon carbide driver with a common intelligent controller board, Pre-Drive3, and a specific plug-in RPG (Resonant Power Gate) module optimized for the customer’s chosen SiC or IGBT package. The Pre-Switch architecture increases efficiency and range, while reducing size and weight. A new video explaining the technology and its application to EVs is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN2sp0D79oc&t=82s