Development of a 120-V 10-kW GaN-based Flexible Dc Energy Router for Lunar Surface Microgrids

This paper presents the design and development of a 120-V, 10-kW flexible dc energy router (FeDER), explicitly tailored for use in dc microgrids on the lunar surface. The FeDER, structured as a T-type solid-state circuit breaker (T-Breaker), utilizes gallium nitride (GaN) devices to achieve both high power density and efficiency. Its design philosophy and component selection have been tailored to operate in cryogenic temperatures as low as 77 K. Its thermal dissipation system is designed to handle operations under vacuum conditions. The completed FeDER prototype features a power density of 89 W/cm³ and an efficiency of 99.75%.

I. Introduction

With increasing research and exploration of the lunar surface, establishing a robust and reliable power system on the lunar surface is crucial for future activities [1]. Compared to traditional ac microgrids, dc microgrids offer the benefit of higher efficiency, which helps reduce thermal stress on systems. Additionally, the deployment of renewable energy sources, such as solar or fission power, on the lunar surface naturally favors the application of a dc microgrid [2] [3] [4].