CEME Collaborator Yehui Han – University of Wisconsin-Madison
An integrated modular motor drive (IMMD), as shown in Figure 8, has advantages of small size and high power density. Without extra transmission cables, installation cost of an IMMD is lower, fault-tolerance is improved, and the radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) is reduced. Target applications include electric vehicles, servomotors, and high-speed motors for aircraft. We are developing an ac-ac GaN modular drive fully integrated with an electrical machine. The inputs are from three-phase 60 Hz ac lines directly. The proposed integrated drive includes an EMI filter, a GaN active rectifier, and a GaN inverter as illustrated in Figure 9. We have identified the active rectifier topology, finished circuit analysis, and identified GaN devices and other passive components. Currently we are prototyping the drive to verify the concept in experiments. This prototype will be the first ac-ac drive fully integrated with GaN devices in the United States.
This work is supported by The Grainger Center for Electric Machinery and Electromechanics and Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium.

 

Figure 8: 3-D illustration of an integrated modular motor drive

Figure 8: 3-D illustration of an integrated modular motor drive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 9: Schematic of the proposed integrated ac-ac GaN drive

Figure 9: Schematic of the proposed integrated ac-ac GaN drive