A report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) this year stated that global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions will reach 37.4 billion tons in 2023, an increase of 410 million tons from 2022, setting a new record. Among them, transportation emissions have the most significant growth, with a surge of nearly 240 million tons, ranking first.
Rail transport’s greenhouse gas emissions are about one-fifth that of air travel, and the ratio is even lower for electrified trains powered by renewable energy generation. Therefore, expansion of rail transit infrastructure and electrification are key to reducing CO2 emissions and achieving climate goals.
Unlike electric cars, electric locomotives have been widely used for more than a hundred years. However, the electrification transformation of rail transit on a global scale is still in the ascendant, and there are great differences in the electrification rates of rail transit in different countries and regions.
The electrification transformation of rail transit is in the ascendant, and the electrification rates vary greatly in different countries and regions around the world.
As we move towards a net-zero emissions future, diesel locomotives are being replaced by hybrid and electrified trains. Energy-saving power semiconductors can help rail trains reduce energy consumption and play a central role in the green and low-carbon transformation of rail transportation. Their uses include:
● Electric energy conversion from overhead catenary to motor
● Electrical energy conversion from batteries or hydrogen fuel cells to motors
● Drive auxiliary systems such as air conditioning, ventilation or lighting
Silicon carbide (SiC) power modules are ideal for rail transit
Infineon has launched two new 3.3 kV silicon carbide (SiC) power modules that can meet the high power requirements of applications with harsh operating conditions such as railway traction.
Infineon’s 3.3 kV XHP™ 2 CoolSiC™ MOSFET using .XT technology: improved power cycling capability and longer service life
● Able to achieve high power in a smaller package, thereby achieving a more compact traction converter;
● Reduce the size and weight of some bulky magnetic components in the system by increasing the switching frequency of the traction converter;
● Integrate high-power silicon carbide with .XT technology to improve the product's power cycle capability and extend its service life.
Compared with silicon-based (Si) power devices, silicon carbide power devices have lower power consumption, thus enabling more energy-saving traction converters. In field trials jointly organized by Siemens Mobility and Munich Public Transport (SWM), Infineon's XHP™ 2 CoolSiC™ power modules improved energy efficiency by 10% compared to silicon-based power modules.
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