On Tuesday, January 24th, IEEE (PI)2 Austin hosted Zhicheng Guo, Ph.D Candidate, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin for a technical discussion: “Design and Optimization of High-Power Medium Frequency Transformers (MFTs) for Medium Voltage Applications“

MFTs are a key component of the Next Generation technology being widely studied for modern medium voltage applications such as smart distribution systems, traction systems, renewable energy systems and ultra-fast EV chargers. The medium frequency transformer needs to process high power and provide high insulation capability. For MV high-power MFTs design, the challenge is the tradeoff among the competing objectives:

1) high efficiency, high power density.
2) superior thermal performance.
3) reliability: partial discharge free under high dv/dt high frequency voltage stress.

Our speaker discussed the process of managing these objectives, stepping through the requirements and solutions one at a time, and discussing future steps.



Zhicheng Guo is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, He is a graduate research assistant at the Semiconductor Power Electronics Center. Zhicheng Guo has almost 10 years professional expertise in power electronics at university research center (Semiconductor Power Electronics Center, UT Austin), national research institute (Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences), and industry (Tesla). He has 20+ peer-reviewed publications in top journals and conferences and is the recipient of 2022 The Transformer Association (TTA) Scholarship Award, 4 times Cockrell School of Engineering Scholarship, the University of Texas at Austin. Zhicheng Guo serves as committee of the IEEE P3105 working group, and reviewer of multiple IEEE journals and technical conferences. His research interests include Solid-state transformer, high-power magnetic, WBG intelligent power module, 60 Hz/HF partial discharge, and insulation.