'Semiconductor-based large-capacity switch' developed by Jeon Ki-yeon... Expanding overseas
'Pulse power' is a technology that charges energy with low power and then discharges it instantly with high power. The large-capacity switch controls this. Large-capacity switches are mainly used in fields such as accelerators that move particles quickly with instantaneous power (electromagnetic force), rail guns (coil guns) that shoot bullets, and radars that transmit radio waves to distant areas.
In addition, it is a technology that is attracting attention in various fields such as devices that block direct current (DC), a next-generation power transmission method, nuclear fusion, and semiconductor processes.
The team led by Dr. Jang Seong-rok (center) of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute succeeded in producing a 'large-capacity switch for pulse power control' using only a small number of low-power semiconductor elements. [Photo = Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute]
Most of the large-capacity switches currently used in the industry use mechanical gases. Gas switches have the advantage of having a high rated voltage and current that they can withstand. When applied to accelerators, which are the main application fields, replacement costs of more than 7 billion won occur every 2-3 years. They are vulnerable to failure and have limitations in the precision of controlling pulse power.
A 'semiconductor element-based large-capacity switch' that has a semi-permanent lifespan and can precisely control pulse power is emerging as an alternative. The technology stacks semiconductor elements with low rated voltage and current one by one (stacking) and operates them simultaneously to use them as a single large-capacity switch.
Because it requires precise design and requires high difficulty in balancing technology that evenly distributes voltage and current to each element and technology that turns multiple elements on and off simultaneously (synchronous operation), there have been many difficulties in technology development and verification worldwide.
The KERI Electrophysics Research Center, which has been consistently researching related fields for over 20 years, has succeeded in developing and verifying semiconductor large-capacity switch technology for the first time in Korea. The key to this achievement is that unlike overseas technology that uses thousands of semiconductor elements, only a few dozen low-power switching elements were used.
Since the number of components is small, it is easy to maintain and repair, and it is developed into a component that can be easily purchased on the market, which is advantageous for commercialization. The components can be combined in various series and parallel structures, allowing for customized designs according to user requirements.
The maximum voltage and current that the switch can withstand are 50kV and 10kA, respectively, boasting the world's highest level, while shortening the development period by one and a half years faster than leading global companies. The research team completed verification of the domestically developed switch in cooperation with the technology demanders, Pohang Accelerator Laboratory and Southeast Nuclear Medical Institute.
KERI's achievements are receiving great attention from famous accelerator research institutes around the world. Dr. Jang Seong-rok's team also made efforts to promote the technology overseas, such as by attending the most prestigious 'Linear Accelerator Conference (LINAC)' held in Chicago, USA in August last year and presenting a paper.
As a result, 'Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)' and 'Stanford University National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC)' in the USA proposed technological cooperation. Currently, active international joint research is being discussed. KERI plans to send the developed large-capacity switch to the U.S. in March for verification and to further increase reliability of the technology.
Jang Seong-rok, head of KERI's Electrophysics Research Center, said, "The global market size for large-capacity switches is a whopping 9.4 trillion won, so the range of applications is limitless," and "Our achievements are receiving a lot of attention not only domestically but also overseas, so we will work hard to achieve good results and take the lead in overseas markets."
https://www.inews24.com/view/blogger/1816809
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