Fraunhofer Energy Alliance
As part of the project »OptiStore« , Fraunhofer ISE focuses on the development of a highly efficient, bidirectional power converter unit with a maximum output of 25 kW. The aim of the project is to develop and test an innovative electricity self-consumption system, based on a modular converter system, for the optimal use of renewable energy sources in the industrial sector by using Li-ion batteries.
The motivation for the development of the power converter unit was the consistently optimisation of the investment and operating costs of the overall system so that it is as cost-effective as possible, while at the same time achieving an efficiency that exceeds the efficiency of nowadays conventional systems. These targets could only be met using the latest generation of silicon carbide MOSFETs and an innovative design. In order to save costs, the switching frequency has been chosen with 96 kHz so that the passive components could be designed smaller than usual, while at the same time achieving an efficiency of up to 99,0 %. This efficiency has already been verified in the initial laboratory tests.