The team's wideband gap silicon-carbide technology will contribute substantial weight and volume savings on various naval platforms. Under the $8.9 million contract, awarded by the Office of Naval Research, Northrop will construct power electronic modules to reduce, by up to half or more, the volume and weight of the transformers, which can be as large as a sports utility vehicle and can weigh up to 20,000 pounds. Wideband gap silicon-carbide technology can bring about these improvements due to its ability to switch high voltages in thin, high-speed devices with excellent thermal properties.

The U.S. Navy plans to incorporate this new technology on platforms such as the new aircraft carrier (CVN-78) with expected savings in total weight of 170 tons and a volumetric savings of 290 cubic meters.

Under the contract, Northrop Grumman will design, fabricate and test silicon-carbide-based, metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and PiN diodes that will be assembled into 10 kV, 110 ampere, half-bridge modules by Powerex, a program partner based in Youngwood, PA. Other teammates include: GeneSiC, Gaithersburg, MD.; Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA.; Auburn University, Auburn, AL.; University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.; and Northrop Grumman's Newport News sector in Newport News, VA., which will design the solid-state power substation.

RSS    Save to Del.icio.us  Digg This