Thermal Model for Single-Phase Dual Active Bridge Converter for Future Smart Transformer in Indonesia

The future smart transformer in Indonesia is designed to be efficient by using the dual-active bridge (DAB) converter for its DC-DC converter. A DAB converter has capability of zero-voltage switching (ZVS), which has lower losses than other DC-DC converter design. However, thermal model becomes the key process to calculate the losses of a DAB converter for future smart transformer in Indonesia. This research uses Foster thermal model and PLECS software to estimate and simulate the thermal model to find the thermal losses. Two types of switching devices, IGBT and SiC MOSFET, are used in the DAB converter and then the thermal losses are compared. The simulation model is used to validate that the analytical model of a DAB converter can be used to calculate the total losses of a DAB converter. The results show that the design of future smart transformer in Indonesia with a DAB converter using SiC MOSFET has lower losses than using IGBT as switching in the same switching frequency.