Cost-Effective Matrix Rectifier Operating with Hybrid Bidirectional Switch Configuration Based on Si IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs

For so many years, silicon (Si) IGBTs have been widely utilized in power converters for low-to-medium voltage high-power applications. However, the ever-increasing requirements to improve power density, power quality, and efficiency of power converters have urged researchers to explore alternative technologies such as silicon-carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. SiC devices fill the mentioned gaps with increased voltage blocking capability, higher switching speed, and lower on-state resistance; yet, their price is much more elevated. Both technologies are adopted in matrix rectifiers (MRs), which have recently gained attention for on-board electric vehicle (EV) charger and battery energy storage system (BESS) applications because of their controllable bidirectional power flow and compact size. A MR contains bidirectional switches made up of two power devices, doubling the device count and cost to conventional voltage source converters (VSCs). In this paper, we compare in terms of efficiency four types of MRs, each one consisting of a specific bidirectional switch configuration. Among these switches, we propose a cost-effective hybrid configuration consisting of Si IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs for straightforward commutations during the charging mode of matrix rectifiers. Also, the proposed configuration is compared to other typical bidirectional switch configurations. To perform these comparisons, the switching energy losses in 1200 V commercial IGBTs and MOSFETs, constituting the bidirectional switches, are measured through the double-pulse test (DPT). Performance comparisons of the MRs are supported through a simulator and verified via experimental work, where the proposed arrangement results in a cost-effective solution in MRs operating with switching frequencies up to 50 kHz and further.