Investigation into Component Losses and Efficiency of a Bidirectional Full-Bridge DC-DC Converter

Efficient, small, and reliable dc-dc power converters with high power density are highly desirable in applications such as aerospace and electric vehicles, where battery storage is limited. While bidirectional full-bridge (FB) dc-dc converters are popular in medium and high-power applications requiring regenerative capabilities, converter efficiency and reliability are heavily dependent on the switch characteristics and resiliency. Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices are expected to reduce converter losses and size as well as facilitate high-voltage, high-temperature, and high-frequency operation. This paper aims to investigate individual losses in SiC devices and evaluate their performance in bidirectional full-bridge dc-dc converters. A 5 kW converter using Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs will be designed and simulated using LTSpice to validate the presented theory.