June/July 2021

www.apec-conf.org APEC 2021 25 www.power-mag.com Issue 3 2021 Power Electronics Europe The virtual APEC delivers the same exhibitors in a new format that allows visitors to explore exhibit booths – or microsites – based on own schedule. With the added flexibility, one can explore around hundred microsites at the time that works best, while also communicating with representatives using easy chat tools during live staffed hours throughout the conference week. Since all exhibitors (see listing on APEC’s website) have besides these microsides their own website they are available after APEC 2021 offering their products. That’s why in this APEC review we do not publish products – these can be found on our website power-mag.com . Instead this review focuses on the conference highlights. Access to select recorded content, including Technical Sessions, Industry Sessions, and Professional Education Seminars, will be available until July 2021. The technical program includes papers of broad appeal scheduled for oral presentation. The various technical venues cover all areas of technical interest for the practicing power electronics professional. Industry Sessions presents information on current topics in power electronics from sources that would not otherwise present at APEC. The target audience for these sessions is also extended to include system engineers/architects and business-oriented people such as purchasing agents, regulatory agencies, along with other people who support the power electronics industry. The Plenary Session continues the long-standing tradition of addressing issues of immediate and long-term interest to the practicing power electronic engineer. The APEC plenary presentations typically have been from invited distinguished professionals. Plenary sessions This year’s lineup includes distinguished invited professionals who will share their thoughts on six topics, ranging from automotive and wide bandgap technologies to energy storage and the future of power passives. Content will be presented live and will be recorded. The presentations started with Auxiliary Automotive Drives Revolutionized by Power Electronics given by Annette Muetze, Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing from Graz University of Technology in Austria. While the impact of power electronics on transportation electrification has risen to the foreground on many fronts, the millions of auxiliary drives used in automotive application have continued to remain one of the industry’s best kept secrets hidden under the hood. With more than 100 of such auxiliary drives in typical mid-size and large executive cars, their role in enabling today’s modern car’s performances is of exceptional importance. Given the additional design freedom and performance spaces opened up by the use of power electronics, the number of such small electric drives in automotive applications has at least doubled over the course of the past two decades. Performance, safety, and comfort related drives become distinguished, and interest has spiked in terms of energy conversion efficiency, size, and cost, as well as when it comes to electromagnetic emission, noise, and fault tolerance. In this talk, it was discussed how these seemingly unnoticed small drives have been completely revolutionized by power electronics, where the beauty and power often emerge in rediscovering simplicity itself. Some examples explored in this talk include meeting the required EMI standards at reduced component counts, a simple drive re-design that can be considered during manufacturing that reduces the generated noise, as well as increasing drive efficiency by reducing the control to its essence. One of her remarks regarding “Switched Reluctance Motors” in these applications: not of interest. Edoardo Merli, Power Transistor Macro-Division General Manager and Group Vice President at STMicroelectronics talked about Wide Bandgap Technologies: Enabling a Broader Power Application Domain. Physical limits prevent current Silicon technology from achieving the greater power density and miniaturization the market needs from power products to meet growing environmental concerns. As an alternative, wide-bandgap (WBG) power products are gaining traction in the market because of their energy efficiency and because they help address many of those environmental issues. For example, SiC and GaN WBG materials, which enable superior overall performance, are helping manufacturers attain remarkable gains in applications like traction inverter for SiC and adaptors/chargers for GaN. Still, Si products should co-exist with the WBG products owing to their cost-effectiveness in some low-power applications or whenever system performance is deemed adequate. Stephanie Watts Butler, Texas Instruments; JC-70 Chair; and Peter Friedrichs, Infineon; JC-70.2 Co-Chair; discussed Maturing Wide Bandgap Semiconductors Fosters Standardization (JEDEC JC-70 addresses unique characteristics and behaviors of WBG). Wide bandgap semiconductors (SiC and GaN) are recognized for their unique ability to improve performance, efficiency, and power density. Their unique traits are also recognized as driving the need for standardization of reliability, characterization, and datasheet specification. The JEDEC JC-70 Committee for Wide Bandgap Power Electronic Conversion Semiconductors is addressing this need. As wide bandgap products ramp in the market place, standards are also being published by JC-70. This keynote explored the wide bandgap specific properties being tackled by JC-70. A deeper analysis into GaN device on-resistance and transient behaviors and SiC device threshold voltage and reverse recovery traits will demonstrate how standards for reliability, characterization, and datasheet parameters should be considered together. Progress in key areas will be scrutinized for their ability to address the most critical needs. The keynote concluded by examining how standards APEC 2021 Confirms – WBG Moves Towards Breakthrough The Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) is one of the leading conferences for power electronics professionals and focuses on the practical and applied aspects of the power electronics industry. It is not just a designer’s conference, APEC has something of interest for anyone involved in power electronics, according to the organizer. Due to concerns about the well-being of participants and continued global travel restrictions, APEC 2021 has been presented virtually from June 14 – 17 attracting thousands attendees worldwide.