Medium voltage (≥ 2.3 kV) high frequency three-phase two-level converter design and demonstration using 10 kV SiC MOSFETs for high speed motor drive applications

High speed variable frequency motor drives are required for marine applications, compressors for oil and gas industries, wind energy generation systems etc. Traditionally, low voltage high speed motor drives are used in such applications. This results in large currents at high power levels leading to large copper loss in the motor winding. Therefore, medium voltage (MV) drives are being considered. The silicon (Si) based MV drives need gears to increase the speed due to low switching frequency operation of Si devices in the converter. Gears reduce both efficiency and power density. With the development of 10 kV SiC MOSFET, high switching frequency at MV is possible, which has enabled the scope of high power density MV direct drive variable speed controlled motors. In this paper, the design of a three-phase, 2-level, ≥ 2.3 kV MV, high frequency converter based on 10 kV SiC MOSEFT is explained. Performance analysis is presented along with experimental demonstration.