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Google Challenge Results In Astoundingly Efficient Inverters
AmiMoJo writes: A few summers ago, Google and IEEE announced a one million dollar prize to build the most efficient and compact DC to AC inverter. It was called the Little Box Challenge, with the goal of a 2kW inverter with a power density greater than 50 Watts per cubic inch. Typical solar inverters have a density of about 5 W/cubic inch. Now the results are in, with the winners hitting 143 W/cubic inch using GaN transistors, and two other teams meeting Google's goal.
This doesn't seem to be about efficiency at all, but rather about power density (how much power can be converted in a particular cubic volume.)
Not that small isn't a worthy goal, but efficiency is important in any application where available power isn't both free and copiously oversupplied.
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
Is that you Thomas Edison?
Stop electrocuting elephants!
Are guys fucking serious?!?
If you really want to use your old units, why not horse power per cubic inch?
Gallium Nitride transistors have a lot of nice characteristics, but low yields and high costs have slowed their introduction. Two tiny laptop chargers, the FinSix Dart and Avogy Zolt, were said to use GaN transistors. The Dart still hasn't shipped, a year past its claimed release date. The Zolt has but is apparently using older Silicon Carbide-substrate transistors instead (Also see here.) (I received my Zolt recently and it is working well.)
It won't be a surprise to anyone following this technology that it can make inverters more efficient - that's what FinSix and Avogy have been claiming/demonstrating for two years at least.
If you don't understand why this isn't going to happen, you need to be kept away from grid design.
Replacing the AC network with a DC network would mean either replacing or substantially modifying the entire fleet of existing generation plant, all distribution and conversion equipment, all industrial equipment powered by electricity and most appliances. You might well be right that you can achieve better efficiency in a new network with DC than with AC; when you have to replace the entire electricity system, from spinning turbine to phone charger, it just ain't gunna happen.
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I think he forgot the /sarc at the end of his post.
You are assuming GP male. This kind of sexist assumption is exactly the type of thing that needs to be stamped out in the industry.
Now if you need me, I'll be in my safe space. /sarc
There's probably a joke to be made at your expense, here.
We may have just hit peak Google. Three stories in a row.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Another nice improvement the winners made above the requirements was that Google asked for 230 or 240 VAC output, but the winning device provides 240 VAC split phase, which means it can also be used to provide two legs of 120 VAC. Not that it's terribly hard to add a 240 VAC -> 120 VAC transformer, but with this design there's no need.
Cubic inches?! So this isn't a project intended to be looking beyond the borders of one country?
-Matt
If you started with nothing and had to buy all of the tooling and equipment, recruit people, etc., I could see this easily costing $1 million, but the winner is an inverter company. They already have all of the tooling, equipment, expertise, etc.
They "just" needed to optimize one of their existing designs for size. Also, they only needed a working prototype, not a full production model. How do you figure that costs a million dollars?
Sounds like Google had very specific design requirements and didn't want to spend the money in house doing development. So they dream up a contest and offer a cash prize. Meanwhile Google saves way more than the $1 million they paid out.
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
You know the same thing could have been (and was) said about the switch from an analog phone system to digital. Every phone, every piece of switching equipment, every repairman's kit had to change -- all at enormous expense. It paid for itself though, by increasing profits (companies could charge for the new services that were made possible). All it would take is for some upstart startup to begin hooking up DC power in some new neighborhoods to get the game going. I don't even know if that would be legal now in most places though. The entrenched power monopolies would be a big obstacle to overcome.