Visteon, SHINRY, and Infineon are collaborating on a single-stage onboard charger (OBC) for electric vehicles (EVs) using gallium nitride (GaN) bidirectional switches. The companies announced the development at electronica this week in Munich, Germany.
The charger combines the converter architecture and control technology developed by Visteon-Shinry Power Electronics (VSPE), a joint venture between Visteon and SHINRY Technologies, with Infineon’s monolithic GaN bidirectional switches.
The architecture is designed to reduce the size and complexity of onboard charging systems compared with conventional two-stage designs.
VSPE’s single-stage architecture integrates power conversion functions traditionally performed by separate stages, eliminating the large capacitors used in conventional two-stage onboard chargers. This approach is intended to reduce component count and system cost while allowing more compact packaging.
The charger is designed for 22-kW three-phase and 19.2-kW single-phase ac charging. It also incorporates bidirectional vehicle-to-everything (V2X) capability, allowing energy to flow between the vehicle and external electrical systems.
Infineon’s GaN bidirectional switches combine bidirectional voltage blocking and current conduction within a single semiconductor device. This allows engineers to implement bidirectional switching functions with fewer components, simplifying the power stage.
The high-frequency switching capabilities of GaN can also increase power density and reduce the size of magnetic components used in the charger.
The companies are working to validate the architecture against automotive reliability requirements.
Filed Under: Charging, Onboard Charging, Technology News