Medium-voltage power electronics

With the ongoing electrification of mobility and industry, the demand for electrical power continues to rise. Medium-voltage power electronics play a key role in meeting these increasing requirements efficiently and reliably.

AIT focuses on high-power and medium-voltage applications in power electronics. To efficiently provide higher power levels, operating voltages exceeding the low-voltage thresholds of 1 kV AC or 1.4 kV DC are necessary.

The medium-voltage sector is undergoing rapid development, driven by new technologies such as wide-bandgap semiconductors and increasing power demands across various applications. These include renewable energy sources, onboard power systems in vehicles, aircraft, and ships, as well as data centers for AI algorithms. Medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) solutions are becoming increasingly relevant.

The energy transition has created new application fields for DC systems, such as:

• Connecting photovoltaic and wind energy systems to public grids.
• Interfaces for electromobility (medium-voltage multi-megawatt charging systems).
• Integration with storage systems (batteries, electrolysis, fuel cells).

In industrial power supply systems, advanced DC technology also plays a key role in the energy transition, offering greater flexibility, energy efficiency improvements, and material savings compared to traditional AC systems.

• New, Efficient Topologies: Development of advanced medium-voltage DC-DC, DC-AC, and AC-DC conversion systems.
• Innovative DC Protection Concepts: Solutions based on current limiting or semiconductor-based rapid interruption of short-circuit currents before they become excessive.
• Design of Application-Specific Devices: Custom protection devices, switching elements, and fuses tailored to specific applications.

• Design of Medium-Voltage Power Electronics Solutions: Tailored systems to meet diverse application needs.
• Utilization of Wide Bandgap (WBG) Semiconductors: Leveraging their advantages in efficiency, voltage capability, and switching frequencies ([Link to WBG]).
• AIT Technology Stacks for Solid-State Transformers: Innovative solutions for advanced applications ([Link to Multi-Megawatt Charging]).
• Expertise in High Voltage and Power Density: Specialized knowledge in the context of printed circuit boards and connectors.
• Laboratory Infrastructure: Facilities for testing medium-voltage power electronics under operational and extreme conditions ([Image of the new MV test cell to be created]).