Components for power conversion

Our components for power conversion help make systems for renewable energy, railways, and industrial applications more protected, efficient, reliable, and sustainable. With our undisputed reputation in bus bar, cooling, fusing, and capacitor design and manufacturing, Mersen stands as your preferred partner. We assist our clients during the development phase of their Inverter/Stack, bringing technical cross-expertise across these four key products to push optimization to the limit. 

Power conversion is the process of transforming electrical energy from one form to another to meet specific requirements of power distribution and usage. It plays a crucial role in enabling the efficient use of electricity across various applications, from charging electric vehicles and harnessing renewable energy sources to powering industrial machinery.  

At its core, power conversion ensures that electrical energy is delivered in the right form, voltage, and current level, maximizing both performance and energy efficiency. As we move towards a more electrified and sustainable future, the importance of advanced power conversion technologies continues to grow, marking a pivotal step in the global energy transition. 

Mersen's expertise in bus bar technology is showcased through our innovative Bus Bars Value Add Assembly, which allows the integration of various components into a single, compact solution. This approach not only enhances the efficiency of the bus bar itself but also optimizes the entire power conversion assembly by incorporating features like cooling functions and monitoring sensors directly into the bus bar design.

Benefits of integrated bus bar assemblies include :

• Enhanced thermal management: By integrating cooling solutions directly into the bus bars, we reduce the temperature of the bus bar and associated capacitors, decreasing the overall thermal stress on the system.
• Reduced size and weight: Our design allows for a more compact assembly, minimizing the size and weight of bus bars and thereby optimizing space and enhancing performance in power conversion applications.
• Increased component lifespan: The reduction in operating temperature and improved efficiency contribute to a longer lifespan for semiconductors and other critical components.
• Improved electrical performance: Integration minimizes equivalent resistance and serial inductance, enhancing overall electrical efficiency.
• Cost and time efficiency: Our integrated approach streamlines the manufacturing and assembly process, significantly reducing time and production costs, which is crucial for high-volume applications in EV/HEV, industrial, and renewable energy sectors.

Mersen uses advanced brazing, soldering, and mechanical assembly techniques to incorporate fuses and cooling solutions directly into our bus bars, enhancing efficiency and functionality. Our custom capacitor designs are precisely tailored to integrate seamlessly with bus bars, ensuring optimal performance for specific applications.  

We also embed monitoring sensors to provide crucial real-time data for system integrity and performance.

In designing our bus bars, we consider all associated components like PCBs, resistors, and circuit breakers from the start, aiming for a comprehensive integration that maximizes performance while reducing production footprints, aligning with the specific needs of power conversion applications. This streamlined approach reflects Mersen's commitment to delivering efficient and tailored solutions. 

Mersen SiC Power Stack Evaluation Kits help inverter designers save time and confusion in selecting individual components and can greatly benefit from a solution that is optimally pre-designed for their specific application.  

Thanks to its undisputed reputation in bus bar, cooling, fusing, capacitor design, and manufacturing, Mersen is your preferred partner to assist you during the development phase of your Silicon, Gallium Nitride, or Silicon Carbide-based Inverter/Stack, bringing a technical cross-expertise on these 4 key products to push the optimization to the limit.

Based upon your already existing electrical design and schematics, Mersen teams will jointly discuss the possible design optimization paths, over the 4 key constituent parts of your Inverter/Stack: Cooling, Busbar, Fuse and Capacitors in order to address your most-wanted requirements (efficiency, switching frequency, high T° constraint, size/weight limitation, cost…). This will impact the choice and design of each and every components as well as the selection of the appropriate material (Copper, aluminum, dielectric, polymer…) in a interdependence way.

For other surrounding components (Gate Drivers, Resistors, Magnetics, power modules…) Mersen has already established close collaborations with reputed suppliers who can also be part of the co-design team, beside Mersen engineers.  

Efficient cooling helps maintain the performance and reliability of power conversion equipment. Mersen's advanced cooling solutions, including heat sink technologies and extensive cooling expertise, are designed to effectively dissipate heat, preventing thermal overload and enhancing system efficiency.  

Innovative cooling technologies and services:

• High-performance air cooled heat sinks: Mersen offers an array of air cooled heat sinks that vary in size and are made from different materials. Utilizing our patented Fabfin® design, these heat sinks feature fins that are mechanically secured to the base plate using our unique swaging technology. This method provides a robust connection that eliminates the need for less efficient bonding agents, ensuring optimal thermal management.
• Embedded heat pipe air cooled heat sinks: By embedding heat pipes into the surface of air cooled heat sinks, Mersen can rapidly disperse heat over a larger area. This technology is particularly effective in applications involving high heat concentrations from power electronics like SiC and Power Amplifiers, significantly enhancing cooling efficiency.
• Heat pipe assembly heat sinks: For applications requiring more advanced cooling, Mersen employs Heat Pipe Technology. This robust, long-lasting solution is ideal for managing the high heat loads typical in power electronics, providing superior cooling performance.
• Liquid cooled cold plates: Mastering vacuum brazing technology, Mersen produces leak-proof liquid cooled cold plates known for their robustness and superior thermal performance. These cold plates, available in both embedded tube and vacuum brazed designs, are corrosion-resistant and designed to offer enhanced cooling for high-performance applications.

Mersen's engineering team collaborates closely with clients to design and simulate customized cooling solutions, pushing the performance boundaries of heat sink technology. Whether through air, phase change, or liquid cooling, Mersen is equipped to provide the right thermal protection solutions to meet the demanding requirements of modern power conversion applications.