A comparison between silicon carbide based current source rectifier and voltage source rectifier for applications in community DC microgrid

Abstract

Community DC microgrid is considered as an efficient solution for providing clean energy for residential areas. Connection of the DC microgrid to the AC utility grid would need a power electronic based rectifier. Voltage Source Rectifier (VSR) and Current Source Rectifier (CSR) are considered as the two options for such application. This study compares the two topologies based on their power density and efficiency. Silicon Carbide (SiC) switches are used for designing the rectifiers to get better power density and efficiency. The close proximity of the rectifier to the residential area requires electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of the rectifier with established standards such as IEC 61000-3-4 and FCC B. This analysis shows that CSR has higher efficiency and higher power density compared to VSR.