Silicon Mobility and controls supplier G-Pulse are collaborating to design a high-power multiphase interleaving bidirectional DC-DC converter platform for electrified vehicles. The platform is based on Silicon Mobility’s OLEA control technology, together with a SiC power module, and benefits from G-Pulse’s engineering experience with automotive systems.

Powertrain system elements in electrified vehicle applications may require a wide range of DC-link voltage adaptation between the DC-Link and the battery pack or fuel cell, with a dynamic and fast response to varying power demand. The platform system is a SiC-based, 4-phase interleaving, bidirectional DC-DC converter that allows automatic boost and buck control through current sensing. It supports input voltages from 250 V to 450 V, and a typical output voltage of 750 V. This converter enables the modularization of the inverter and e-motor design, and improves system performance and efficiency.

The platform integrates Silicon Mobility’s OLEA FPCU chip and control application, which was developed with the OLEA COMPOSER model-based design framework using the OLEA LIB DC-DC functions library. The parallel-processing capability of the OLEA chip hosts current/voltage double closed-loop control with 4 independent current loops.

Combined with SiC power devices, which reduce the switching and conductive losses of the power module, high frequency control enables the downsizing of the passive elements, increasing power density, reducing voltage/current ripple, and improving stability margin. The platform is compliant with the ISO 26262 standard, and includes all required safety protection functions, including overvoltage, overcurrent, overheating and short circuit detection.

“This collaboration will allow us to integrate Silicon Mobility’s advanced controls technology, which will help us to continue our path of introducing innovative DC-DC converter systems,” says Sam Qin, Director of G-Pulse. 

“We are combining advanced control technology and system knowledge to further improve the efficiency of new energy vehicles,” said Silicon Mobility VP Khaled Douzane. “It is a very exciting project to control a SiC-based DC-DC converter using high-performance OLEA FPCU technology, jointly creating a leading reference system for energy-efficient e-powertrains.”

Source: Silicon Mobility