Gallium Nitride (GaN) Bi-Directional Battery Isolator Unit

Gridbridge, a developer of advanced grid-based power management systems, will partner with Hamilton-Sunstrand Corporation, a developer of military systems, to develop a bi-directional battery isolator unit (BIU), as a replacement to the currently used manual switch that can connect the ignition system batteries to auxiliary batteries in Army vehicles. The BIU will play a critical role within the Energy Storage System (ESS) of TARDECs Next Generation Combat Vehicle Electrical Power Architecture (NGCVEPA). This BIU will employ an advanced solid-state, DC-DC converter, incorporating state-of-the-art GaN components. It will be compact, autonomous, capable of air cooled operation and of being remotely commanded through a J1939 CAN interface. This Phase II effort will be focused on demonstrating a prototype capable of transferring 250A continuously and 500A intermittently in either direction with high efficiency (regardless of whether it is bucking or boosting battery voltages) and will be modular, enabling the parallel combination of multiple modules (up to 4) for increased capacity. This unit will have an efficiency of greater than 96% and have the potential to add significant additional capabilities, such as providing battery management functions or implementing multiple mission profiles (such as maximizing battery life or maximizing Silent Watch mission duration.