Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Processing Unit (PPU) for Hall Effect Thrusters

In this SBIR project, APEI, Inc. is proposing to develop a high efficiency, rad-hard 3.8 kW silicon carbide (SiC) power supply for the Power Processing Unit (PPU) of Hall Effect thrusters. This program specifically targets the design of a PPU for the HiVHAC (High Voltage Hall ACcelerator) thruster, with target specifications of 80-160V input, 200-700V / 5A output, efficiency greater than 96%, and peak power density in excess of 2.5 kW/kg. The PPU under development utilizes SiC JFET power switches; components which APEI, Inc. has irradiated under TID conditions to greater than 3 MRad with little to zero change in device performance.

APEI, Inc. has identified two key applications where the proposed technology is also applicable namely, high voltage hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) battery packs, and photovoltaic energy systems. These two applications open up a path to non-military commercialization of the technology which can mean huge dividends for APEI, Inc. Other applications include Energy Exploration, Industrial Motor Drives, Electric Vehicle Motor Drives, and Military Systems.

There are a wide range of applications within NASA on which SiC ultra-lightweight power converters could make a significant impact, including: Satellite & spacecraft power management systems SiC converter technology that is more efficient than silicon and offers reduced weight and volume would find application in nearly every power management system in space. Satellite & spacecraft motors and actuators Most spacecraft contain a multitude of actuators and motors to perform various functions, such as opening and rotating solar array panels, controlling robotic arms, aligning communications arrays, pointing cameras and instruments, etc. Extreme environment exploratory vehicles While one advantage of SiC technology is to achieve higher power densities through high temperature operation, the other utilization of the technology is to operate in high temperature environments.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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