Multi-level power coverter for electric vehicle charging
Reduces the size and weight of onboard power converters in electric vehicles Low cost power converter architecture based on readily available components
Highlights
- Reduces the size and weight of onboard power converters in electric vehicles
- Low cost power converter architecture based on readily available components
Opportunity
Researchers from the University of Alberta have developed a novel power converter architecture especially suited to electric vehicle charging systems. This new architecture significantly reduces the size and weight of onboard power converters while providing high-quality power. The converter has a modular design and is easily adaptable to a range of power levels with only nominal changes to the design. It is also based on common, readily available small inductive elements, without the need for specialty components. This power converter architecture features a novel topology with coupled inductors to produce multi-level pulse width modulated voltage. These topologies produce low frequency fundamental output currents without producing fundamental flux in the magnetic core, reducing emi/rfi emissions and allowing for magnetic components to be reduced in size. This topology can also generate very high fundamental frequencies greater than 1 kHz with no detrimental impact to the power quality or power density.
Competitive advantage
- Modular design is highly adaptable to cope with high grid currents while providing redundancy for failures within individual modules
- Topology makes more efficient use of magnetizing inductance, reducing the size of the needed magnetic components and resulting in a more compact system
Status
- Patent Pending – WO 2020/248078
About University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a large, comprehensive public research university in Edmonton with multiple campuses and a strong applied research culture. Industry engages through co-located labs and pilot-scale facilities, as well as established co-op and internship programs that place talent with partners year-round. Integration with Alberta’s province-wide hospital system supports clinical research and accelerates translation. Companies also benefit from proximity to regional industry clusters and collaboration hubs on and near campus for joint R&D and prototyping. Supported by NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC, and Canada Foundation for Innovation funding—plus provincial and industry support—the tech transfer office manages IP, licensing, and startup formation with streamlined sponsored-research agreements.
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