Semiconductor Power Electronics Electro-Thermal Design
NREL investigates and develops electro-thermal designs and thermal management strategies for compact, power-dense wide-bandgap (WBG) and ultra-wide-bandgap (UWBG) semiconductor devices.
Researcher Sreekant Narumanchi observes liquid cooling test bench to characterize the dielectric fluid jet impingement cooling approach.
NREL researchers focus on electrical and electro-thermal modeling and cutting-edge thermal management technologies to enable the development of WBG and UWBG components that are compact, lightweight, cost-effective, and high-performing.
These innovations pair with NREL-designed system-level thermal management strategies using advanced heat transfer technologies to optimize temperatures throughout the complete power electronics system.
NREL research informs cooling concept prototype development, evaluation, refinement, and demonstration. By leveraging deep expertise with components such as inverters and DC-DC converters, researchers can implement innovative cooling strategies, such as jet impingement.
Capabilities
NREL's semiconductor power electronics electro-thermal research includes:
- Performing modeling to design and develop advanced (U)WBG semiconductor devices
- Developing novel cooling technologies for emerging power module and converter configurations based on (U)WBG and high-temperature devices
- Performing electro-thermal modeling of emerging inverter and DC-DC converters based on WBG and high-temperature devices
- Investigating the impact of higher temperature on power electronics system components, including capacitors and gate drivers.
Publications
See power electronics and electric machines publications.
Contacts
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Last Updated Sept. 18, 2025