Power Device Lifetime Extension of Dc-Dc Interleaved Converters via Power Routing

Abstract

Nowadays, the design of power converters has been focused on the optimization in terms of reliability, fault-tolerant capability and power density. The use of modular converters leads to natural fault-tolerant capability because the power system can be still operating even when some module has failed. In this paper, the reliability of modular converters, which is high-dependent of several factors like as thermal stress, is studied. In the paper, the power devices aging of dc/dc interleaved power converters is managed. The proposed method is based on sharing conveniently the total managed power between the power modules. This can be done without losing performance in the power system. The proposed power routing technique has been tested in a three-module interleaved boost converter which is used in multiple applications.