China, Zhuzhou: Researchers have developed and tested a 10 kV/750 V/100 kW solid-state transformer prototype that achieved 98.57% measured full-load efficiency.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, proposes a multilevel converter topology designed for high-efficiency data-centre power distribution. The system uses a hybrid cascaded H-bridge with embedded three-level flying-capacitor cells, 1.7 kV SiC MOSFETs and series-resonant dual-active-bridge isolation stages.
According to the researchers, the topology reduces per-device voltage stress and requires fewer cells than the conventional CHB-DAB configuration used as a reference in the study.
MATLAB/Simulink-PLECS co-simulation predicted 98.7 % efficiency at 50 % loading and 1.42 % total harmonic distortion on the medium-voltage side.
Experimental testing of the scaled prototype subsequently measured 98.57 % efficiency at full load, with combined standard uncertainty of approximately ±0.05 percentage points. The researchers attributed the difference between simulated and measured efficiency to busbar, auxiliary and winding effects.
The design was optimised across efficiency, power density, cost, reliability and transient stability, subject to voltage, thermal and electromagnetic-interference constraints.
The authors say the work is intended to support the development of SST-based medium-voltage distribution architectures for high-efficiency data centres.
Source: Scientific Reports
