13.8 kV Microgrid Power Conditioning Subsystem

Ashish Kumar

Funding Source: PowerAmerica

Objective: The goal of this project is to design, develop, validate and optimize the 13.8 kV Asynchronous Medium Voltage Grid Connector enabled by series connected 10 kV SiC MOSFETs in Neutral Point Clamped topology.

Summary: The project needs active voltage balancing and short circuit protection of series connected 10 kV SiC MOSFETs. It includes in-depth analysis and simulation of the whole system under different operating conditions. FPGA based controller boards will be used to code and test the controller responses. Full scale hardware, including the three-level Neutral Point Clamped (NPC) based 13.8 kVac Front End Converters (FECs) and Dual Active Bridge (DAB), will be built and tested at grid connected full load conditions with all the power converters enabled by series connected 10 kV SiC MOSFETs. The system will be demonstrated experimentally with the 4.16 kVac grid available in the laboratory.

Impact: The Asynchronous Microgrid Power Conditioning System for MV interface does not exist in the market place. A MV Asynchronous Microgrid Power Conditioning System is the product that has great potential for its adoption in the fast changing power system architecture with increased penetration of the distributed generators and group of these generators and loads forming the Micro-grid for efficient control of overall power system. Therefore, this product will open new market segments, including new applications within existing market segments. The use of SiC semiconductor in this application will lead to high efficiency and low volume.