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Title: Power electronic building block (PEDD) workshop. Trip report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/197151· OSTI ID:197151

I attended the Power Electronic Building Block (PEBB) workshop at DOE HQ on June 21,1995. Accompanying me was Doug Hopkins, who is contracting with the Lab through Mark Newton on power electronics. The PEBB concept, and the workshop in particular, are sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and DOE. The general concept behind PEBB is a ``second electronics revolution`` facilitated by a single-package, smart, multi-function power control block. The PEBB will potentially replace all conventional power electronic elements at scales from watts to megawatts, thus shifting power engineering from circuit design to system design. ONR is interested because power distribution aboard ships is expensive, complex, and bulky, and getting worse. The same applies to aircraft and many other military systems. DOE`s interest is in electric vehicles, utility power systems, and various end-use applications such as adjustable speed drives. There was obvious enthusiasm from industry, academia, and Government at this workshop. The PEBB concept is in its infancy. Exactly what a PEBB will encompass is still up for discussion. What is certain is that everything is up to industry: standards, innovations, marketing strategies, etc. ONR and DOE are only acting as facilitators and coordinators, and perhaps offering a little seed money. The program will be long-term but fast-paced, relying on concurrent engineering in a serious way. Great strides are required in semiconductors, packaging, controls, and system design. ONR want to put a big knee in the historic power density and dollar-per-watt curves, starting right now.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
197151
Report Number(s):
UCRL-ID-121661; ON: DE96005062
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 9 Oct 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English