Capacitor Characterization Study for a High Power High Frequency Converter Application (PREPRINT)

Recent advances in SiC power devices and high temperature magnetic and insulation materials has led to an increase in activity to develop compact, high switch rate power system components that can operate at temperatures in excess of 200 degrees C. These efforts have highlighted the need to develop capacitor technology for high power, high frequency power filter applications, which can experience cycling over a wide range of temperature (-55 degrees C to 250 degrees C). A modeling and simulation capability was used to investigate device architecture and electrical performance relationships for a select group of wound and stacked devices, which were then evaluated for use in a power conditioning application. A finite element analysis of the device architectures was used to develop a better understanding of how magnetic fields and thermal profiles affect the performance of the capacitors in maintaining a low ripple voltage at high switch rates (20 kHz). Both predicted electrical properties and empirical data were utilized as SPICE simulation input parameters to evaluate the performance of the different capacitors in an interleaved DC-DC boost converter model. Of interest is developing a better understanding of how the device architecture and its electrical properties affect its performance as a filtering device in a high power, high frequency application. Submitted for Publication in the Proceedings of the High Temperature Electronics Conference (HITEN) 2010, held in Albuquerque, NM on 11-13 May 2010. The original document contains color images. All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white.