UC Berkeley

Advancements in vehicle technology and transportation electrification come with changing voltage architectures to support higher power demands. Hybrid switched-capacitor converters and other novel converter architectures are attractive solutions in this application space due to their ability to achieve high power densities and efficiencies. However, there are challenges associated with the adoption and implementation of these converters into automotive subsystems. This dissertation focuses on the design optimization of novel power converter topologies while addressing practical challenges vital to transportation. The critical challenges addressed in this thesis encompass electromagnetic interference, dynamic operation, isolation, and output voltage regulation. Through several hardware design case studies, these challenges are addressed to further advance electronic systems in vehicular environments.