Aimed Initially at RCV-M and OMFV Platforms
The US Army Ground Vehicles Systems Center has contracted the Defense & Aerospace Division of Calnetix Technologies to design and develop a 500kW bi-directional inverter, the company announced on 28 July.
The high-frequency and power-dense inverter will be demonstrated in the medium-sized Robotic Combat Vehicles (RCV-M) and Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) platforms as a part of the Platform Electrification and Mobility (PEM) effort.
Calnetix’s proposed solution was selected based on the company’s extensive experience with existing wide-band-gap silicon carbide (SiC) two-level inverters, with voltages up to 4,160V and power levels exceeding 1 megawatt. By leveraging this existing architecture and control scheme, Calnetix will design the 500-kW PEM inverter to meet the Army’s specific requirements.
“As the world shifts toward higher efficiency and green solutions, Calnetix has shifted with it by leveraging emerging wide-band-gap technologies, such as SiC switches in its power management systems,” explained Vatche Artinian, CEO. “The PEM inverter will provide high-temperature operation and power density, high system efficiency of up to 98.5%, and unmatched power levels and durability for the harsh environments of the US Army’s Ground Vehicle Systems.”
Calnetix’s PEM inverters, using SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) technology, will drive traction motors and pair with hybrid electric generators to provide mobility and on-board electrical power to ground combat vehicles, enabling a step-change in vehicle performance and operability. The company will deliver a number of inverters during the multi-year technology development phase.