Transportation Electrification Research Wins $1 Million Federal Grant

Photo by Whit Pruitt

Xiaoqing Song, assistant professor of electrical engineering.

The Department of Energy awarded nearly $1 million to Xiaoqing Song, a U of A assistant professor of electrical engineering and director of the Power Switch Lab, for research that could lead to smaller and more reliable fast-charging stations for electric vehicles.

Song’s research focuses on power modules, which control the flow of electricity by rapidly switching a current on and off. The goal of the project is to develop a prototype for high-voltage power modules that use silicon carbide, a wide bandgap semiconductor that can handle higher voltages and temperatures than silicon.

“The current power modules are usually limited to 10 kilovolts,” Song said. “We want to bolster the voltage level to a higher level, like to 15 kilovolts or even higher.”

Today, EV fast chargers use several lower-voltage power modules connected in series to achieve the required voltage level.

“Just one module could replace many low-voltage components, so the circuit would be easier to design and the EV charger would also be smaller,” Song said.

A charger with fewer components would also be more efficient and more reliable.

High-voltage power modules could also be used to make electrical grids more efficient.

The research will be conducted in collaboration with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which has expertise in power modules.

“After we develop this power module, we can send it to their lab so they can validate it in some real applications,” Song said.

The grant for $997,588 was issued by the Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity. Alan Mantooth, Distinguished Professor of electrical engineering, and Keisha Walters, professor of chemical engineering, are co-investigators on the grant.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.