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[February 2006]
Kansai Electric and Cree Demonstrate 110kVA SiC Three-Phase Inverter
Cree Inc (Durham, NC, USA) and Kansai Electric Power Co (Osaka, Japan) - known also as KEPCO - have successfully demonstrated a 110kVA silicon carbide three-phase inverter. This is said to be the highest power SiC inverter to date and represents nine times higher output power than the previous high of 12kVA demonstrated by KEPCO and Cree in 2004.
Cree fabricated the SiC power devices and KEPCO constructed the SiC modules and inverter using these devices as part of the collaborative eight-year effort funded by KEPCO. It is reported that these inverters could eventually reduce conversion losses by more than 50% compared to existing Si inverters.
Inverters are used in a variety of applications to convert power from DC to AC or to change operating frequency in variable-speed motor drives. Applications include heat pumps, industrial motors and electric vehicles. Inverters are also used to transfer power onto the grid from battery, wind or solar sources.
ENDS