Hillcrest Energy Technologies (CSE:HEAT, OTCQB:HLRTF) has announced additional proof-of-concept (PoC) testing results on its silicon carbide high efficiency inverter (SiC HEI) that confirm the ability to eliminate switching losses and increase switching frequencies without increasing temperatures.
The Vancouver-based company said the resultant temperature increase is significantly lower than current inverter technologies. This results in significant potential design improvements for future electric vehicle (EV) powertrains, it added.
"The company believes its HEI technology has the potential to offer a new class of energy densities in inverters and electric machines not previously achievable,” Hillcrest chief technology officer Ari Berger said in a statement.
“The ability to greatly reduce overall system losses by completely eliminating the switching losses places Hillcrest at the forefront of inverter technology innovation.
READ: Hillcrest Energy announces breakthrough results of its high efficiency inverter, demonstrates ability to eliminate switching losses
“We are thrilled to share the results we've achieved thus far with the SiC HEI and continue to work with our development partners at Systematec GmbH to further improve and optimize with a specific focus not just on eliminating switching losses, but further reducing total system losses in our SiC HEI inverter,” Berger added.
Hillcrest said the latest testing results confirm electro-technical proof of concept for the SiC HEI as the most efficient inverter of its type, with the ability to significantly increase power density and reduce cost, size and weight for future electric vehicles and other e-mobility powertrains.
The SiC HEI PoC is a 10 kilowatt (kW)/800 volt (V) inverter based on silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors. 800V has been selected to match designs now being adopted for use in most recent EV powertrain configurations, the company said.
The company noted that a benchmark test compares the performance of the SiC HEI PoC to a conventional SiC inverter. The parameters for these tests range from 470V to 870V, with frequencies from 10 kilohertz (kHz) to 60 kHz at each voltage level. In each case, the SiC HEI PoC successfully demonstrated its ability to eliminate switching losses and increase switching frequencies without increasing the SiC temperatures under continuous operation.
Together with Systematec, Hillcrest said it has identified and is currently working to secure services of specialized third parties with the most accurate, state of the art, testing equipment capable of the fine precision required to accurately measure HEI efficiency.
It said it continues to optimize its sophisticated control systems to deliver higher performance levels for commercial demonstration prototypes.
Hillcrest CEO, Don Currie, stated: "The SiC HEI PoC demonstrates the value of Hillcrest's proprietary combination of innovative power electronics, control methods and system design.
“We look forward to providing additional development updates as they arise."
Hillcrest is a cleantech innovation company developing transformative power conversion devices and control systems for next-generation powertrains and charging applications. The company is transitioning from the production of fossil fuels from its West Hazel asset in Saskatchewan, to clean energy technologies that help unlock efficiencies in electrification and maximize the performance of electric systems including electric vehicles.
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