NEWS & EVENTS
CPES Booths at ARPA-E Summit
Mar 12, 2023
The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) Innovation Summit is an annual conference and technology showcase that brings together the nation's most innovative minds to team together to create potential breakthroughs in energy technologies.
CPES is proud to be a part of the solution to our energy future and has contributed innovative research on multiple ARPA-E sponsored projects, as the lead organization and as a partner, over the past decade.
We currently lead two active projects, and both will be represented at the ARPA-E Summit Technology Showcase. You can find CPES at booths 215 & 239. Find the Showcase schedule and more at this link.
Stop by and visit!
Booth: 215
20-kV GaN Switch Technology Demonstrated in High-Efficiency Medium-Voltage Building Block
PI: Khai Ngo
Co-PI's: Christina DiMarino, Yuhao Zhang, Louis Guido, Guo-Quan Lu
Partners: Penn State University - Rongming Chu; NREL - Sreekant Narumanchi; Raytheon Technologies - Suman Dwari
Abstract:
CPES will accelerate deployment of power electronics into grid-scale energy applications by developing 20 kV GaN devices integrated into a medium-voltage (MV) power module. For the GaN power devices, high-quality substrates and innovative growth techniques will be used to reduce the background impurity contamination in the thick layers needed to block 20 kV. The power module will be fabricated using three-dimensional packaging for improved thermal management and high-power density at 20 kV. The power module will enable the full potential of high-voltage, high-temperature, and fast-switching GaN devices in MV power converters for use in renewable energy grid-level applications and transportation.
Booth: 239
Substation in a Cable for Adaptable, Low-cost Electrical Distribution (SCALED)
PI: Christina DiMarino
Co-PIs: Qiang Li, G.Q. Lu, Khai Ngo, and Yuhao Zhang
Partners: National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Douglas DeVoto, Gilbert Moreno, and Bidzina Kekelia; University of Connecticut - Yang Cao and Gregory Sotzing
Abstract:
CPES will combine the functionality benefits of power electronics with the power density benefits of high-voltage cables to create a cohesive, all-in-one structure to replace bulky, inflexible power substations in today's electrical grid. This "substation within a cable" design uses a cascade of coaxial power conversion cells to gradually step-down voltage to levels required by the loads. Virginia Tech's module will achieve high power density and a form factor that enables seamless integration with the cable by mimicking a coaxial geometric design. This could eliminate the need for large and expensive power substations and enable simple integration of renewable energy sources, electric vehicle fast-charging infrastructure, energy storage, and efficient direct current distribution lines.
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