High-performance lightweight DC DC converter suits H2 fuel cell applications
With its latest DCHV320 DC DC converter, BrightLoop Converters is aiming to provide the best off-the-shelf DC DC conversion solution to fuel cell vehicles by focusing on extreme power density and versatility. The HV<->HV DC DC converter comes in an ultra size, is weight optimised (less than 10kg) and is extremely versatile, says BrightLoop. The DCHV320 is fully reversible, operates in buck or boost mode, and multiple converters can be paralleled to meet the needs of higher power fuel cells.
Key features include a voltage range of 50-900VDC. Maximum current is 320A, maximum power is 200kW (parallelizable for increased power). The auxiliary power supply is 9-56 V, efficiency 99 per cent (for step ratio of 1:2)
In a fuel cell electric vehicle, the fuel cell produces electricity to power the high-voltage batteries needed to run the electric motor. However, the company states, fuel cells do not provide a constant voltage as it varies according to the type and number of cells and their conditions of use.
“To speed up the adoption of hydrogen in electric mobility applications, it is essential to be able to adapt fuel cell systems to existing electric architectures, without having to redevelop an entire dedicated powertrain. The DC DC converter is therefore a key element of the system,” says BrightLoop.
The first units will be available from Q1 2022.
The DCHV320 is the first member of a new product line that will be including higher and lower current ratings, buck-boost configurations for overlapping input and output voltages ranges, and galvanic isolation option. Other versions will be released from Q2 2022.
Florent Liffran, CEO of BrightLoop Converters, said: “We have found that it was hard for both fuel cell and for vehicle manufacturers to find DC DC converter options on the market which would meet their power and/or weight constraints. The DCHV320 is extremely lightweight for a converter of this power, which allows it to be (almost) forgotten in the system, compared to the current state of the art converters. We are therefore thrilled to contribute to the development of fuel cell adoption in electric mobility with this launch.”
