13:40 – 13:50
Move to GaN for high-efficiency inverters
The power electronics industry has historically used silicon devices and is now steadily moving to Silicon Carbide (SiC). GaN offer significant advantages from its inherent semiconductor properties, but has often been viewed as too hard to use for power electronics, with challenges in design, RFI, reliability and thermal issues. This paper describes the benefits of GaN and how these challenges can be addressed. It features the example of a high-frequency (>1MHz) GaN based pure-sinewave drive for industrial applications (7.5kW).
Rupert Baines
QPT Ltd
Rupert is a seasoned start-up entrepreneur and CEO. He has worked across the semiconductor industry, in both fabless (ADI, Picochip) and IP companies (UltraSoc, Codasip) as well as consulting and VC in the UK, Europe and USA. He has founded a number of technology companies and been involved in three successful exits, including as CEO of UltraSoc, sold to Siemens July 2020. He was then CMO of Codasip, licensing “RISC-V processors with a twist”. Rupert is now CEO of QPT (next-generation power electronics, GaN-based drives) as CEO.
Company Profile
QPT is a next-generation power electronics start-up and the only company in the world to have developed the technologies required to enable the use of Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors to power the world’s high-power electric motors. This displaces Silicon Carbide (SiC) as the leader in next-generation power electronics and means up to 10% more efficiency across application areas such as EV, HVAC, industrial and renewables. Electric motors consume up to 45% of the world’s electricity. The environmental impact of ensuring GaN is the standard for next-generation power electronics is equivalent to removing all of the planes from the sky.
Company Products & Services
QPT is the first company to design and patent a set of innovations to enable high power, high voltage GaN-based VFDs that operate at ultrafast (1MHz+) frequencies. As well as delivering best-in-class efficiency and power density, the high frequency design enables a sophisticated output filter that delivers a perfect sinewave to the motor. This eliminates high dV/dt and eddy currents in the motor, further improving overall system efficiency and reducing noise and vibrations which can increase the longevity of the motor itself.
