ARL 400 Amp Silicon Carbide Power Module

The need for improved electrical power conversion systems and components is being driven by requirements for higher efficiency, performance, and improved survivability and lethality capabilities on current and future Army platform power system. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has demonstrated a 1200 V, 400 A silicon carbide (SiC) power module based on a standard commercial design. This module uses large area SiC MOS-FETs and diodes and has been evaluated under varying temperatures, loads, and switching frequencies. Throughout the operating range, the module has demonstrated improved efficiency and thermal performance, and higher frequency operation, when compared with similarly rated silicon insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules.