THINKANTECH Technical Insight: A 3-Phase 5kW Heat Pump Fan Power Solution Featuring the X2M120075T4B SiC MOSFET
THINKANTECH Technical Insight: A 3-Phase 5kW Heat Pump Fan Power Solution Featuring the X2M120075T4B SiC MOSFET
Heat pump fans are a critical component in modern climate control systems, from large-scale commercial HVAC to residential air conditioning units. They are essential for efficiently regulating indoor temperatures and ensuring a comfortable environment.
To meet the growing demand for higher efficiency and performance in this sector, THINKANTECH today unveiled its new 3-phase 5kW Totem-Pole Bridgeless Power Factor Correction (PFC) power solution. Powered by a high-speed digital control engine, this solution enables heat pump fans to operate with exceptional efficiency. This guarantees optimal cooling and heating performance while significantly reducing overall energy consumption.
This advanced power solution is the product of a strategic collaboration between THINKANTECH and Renesas, developed within their joint Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Digital Power R&D Laboratory. The design leverages a Renesas RA-family MCU as its core controller to implement a superior bridgeless PFC architecture with the following key specifications:
1. AC/DC Rectifier Stage:
Input: 3-Phase, 220 VAC (Phase Voltage), 45-60 Hz
Output: 700 VDC (Nominal), 5 kW
Performance: 80 kHz Switching Frequency, Power Factor > 0.99, THD < 5%, Peak Efficiency up to 97%
2. DC/AC Inverter Stage:
Input: 700 VDC Bus
Output: 3-Phase, 380 VAC (Line-to-Line) with 120° phase shift, 5 kW
Performance: 80 kHz Switching Frequency, 50 Hz Output Frequency, THD < 5%, Peak Efficiency ≥ 97%
Hardware Deep Dive: 5kW 3-Phase Totem-Pole PFC Board
The reference design employs a three-phase bridgeless totem-pole topology. The main power switches are THINKANTECH's high-performance Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, model X2M120075T4B.
This device boasts an ultra-low on-resistance (RDS(on)) of just 75 mΩ and a robust 1200V breakdown voltage. It can reliably handle a continuous drain current of 28A at a case temperature of 100°C. With a low gate input capacitance (Ciss) of 1.2 nF, it supports high switching frequencies up to 200 kHz. Furthermore, its integrated high-performance body diode exhibits excellent reverse recovery characteristics, providing outstanding robustness. These features give it a distinct advantage over traditional IGBTs in high-voltage, high-frequency power conversion applications.
Solution Advantages
1.High-Speed Digital Control: The controller, a Renesas RA6T2BD3C, is a high-performance MCU optimized for digital power applications. It features a 240 MHz ARM Cortex-M33 core with a built-in Floating-Point Unit (FPU) for accelerated calculations.
2.High-Resolution PWM Generation: With up to 10 channels of general-purpose PWM timers, the MCU can generate the complex, high-resolution waveforms required for 3-phase sinusoidal control, enabling higher power density through optimized switching frequencies.
3.Fast, Multi-Channel ADC: The system utilizes up to 29 analog input channels and two independent Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) with a sampling rate exceeding 6 MSPS. This minimizes phase delay in the control loop and enhances overall system stability.
4.Advanced Topology: The 3-phase totem-pole PFC topology facilitates bidirectional power flow between the 220V AC grid and the 700V DC bus, employing Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation (SVPWM) for precise control.
5.Sophisticated Software Algorithms: The RA6T2's ADC sampling is used to determine the positive and negative half-cycles of the 3-phase grid voltage. A software-based Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) synchronizes the control system with the grid's phase and frequency, ensuring high-power-factor rectification. A software-implemented zero-crossing detection circuit continuously monitors the grid status for robust operation.
Operating Principle
The control system has two primary objectives: first, to regulate the output DC bus voltage at the 700V target, and second, to ensure the grid-side current is sinusoidal and in phase with the grid voltage.
A PLL first extracts the real-time phase angle of the three-phase voltage. This angle is then used in a DQ coordinate transformation (Clarke and Park transforms) to convert the three-phase AC voltages and currents into DC quantities (Vd, Vq, Id, Iq), simplifying the control design.
With these parameters, the system implements a dual-loop control strategy using a feedforward decoupling PI structure. The outer voltage loop compares the measured 700V output with the setpoint, and its PI controller output serves as the reference (Id_ref) for the inner current loop. The control logic then generates the required voltage vectors (Ud, Uq), which, after an inverse Park transformation and application to the SVPWM algorithm, produce the precise gate drive duty cycles to regulate the output voltage and power factor.
Market Impact
From residential and commercial buildings to industrial and agricultural facilities, the application of heat pump fans in climate control is both widespread and critical. The superior performance of THINKANTECH's 3-phase 5kW Totem-Pole PFC power solution provides a robust and highly efficient foundation for these essential systems.
THINKANTECH's wide-bandgap semiconductor portfolio is engineered for high-efficiency, high-frequency, and high-power-density applications. With a spirit of relentless innovation, we are committed to pioneering advances in the power electronics industry.
About THINKANTECH
Recognized for our rapid growth and commitment to quality, we were designated an "Enterprise Above Designated Size" in 2022. In 2023, we achieved the prestigious status of a "National Sci-tech Small and Medium-sized Enterprise" and a "National High-Tech Enterprise," alongside securing our ISO 9001 certification for quality management. Further demonstrating our dedication to excellence, we successfully obtained the IATF 16949 automotive-grade quality management system certification in 2024.
Since our establishment, THINKANTECH has been deeply immersed in the research, development, and sales of a comprehensive portfolio of power devices and modules. This includes Si MOSFETs & IGBTs, GaN HEMTs, SiC MOSFETs & SBDs, as well as IGBT and SiC Modules. Our products are widely deployed in critical energy power conversion and application fields, including consumer electronics, photovoltaics, energy storage, automotive, AI servers, and industrial automation.
Contact
Nanjing Headquarter: +86-25-51180705
Shenzhen Office: +86-755-36991759
Email: xinkansen@x-ipm.com
Website: https://x-ipm.com
