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News Release
Realizing High-Efficiency Power Conversion with the New 3-Level Converter and New 3-Level Power Module

February 4,2010
Fuji Electric Holdings Co., Ltd.

Fuji Electric Holdings Co., Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Haruo Ito; Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter referred to as “FHC”) announces that it has developed a new 3-level converter—a multi-level circuit that substantially reduces the power loss of power conversion equipment including power supplies and invertors—and a New 3-Level Power Module. With this development, FHC has established a platform for high-efficiency power conversion systems.
　In April 2010, the platform will be loaded into Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) in classes ranging from 10 kVA to a few hundred kVA, with the aim to enhance the energy efficiency of FHC’s product lineups. In addition, in fiscal 2010 the new 3-level converter will be applied to all of FHC's power supply equipment with the same capacity, including power conditioners for renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic power and wind power. Following that, it will be applied for use in automobiles and inverter equipment as part of the Fuji Electric Group's plans to widen applications of its products.
　FHC plans to sell this platform to companies outside of the Fuji Electric Group for application in equipment used in various fields including energy and the environment.
　As a group that contributes to energy and the environment, the Fuji Electric Group is integrating its most powerful core technologies of power devices and circuits to promote the development of high-efficiency systems in the field of power electronics.
　Details of the new product are provided below.

1. Product Information

New 3-Level Power Module

The New 3-Level Power Module provides a next-generation converter circuit system.
　For more information, please refer to the attached file of Reference Material.(81KB)

2. Features of the new 3-level converter

(1) There are three levels for output voltage.
The previous general power converter circuit model had two levels. With three levels, waveforms similar to sine waves can be output.
(2) The switching frequency to control the voltage waveform is decreased by half, and switching loss is reduced by half.
(3) The volume of the AC harmonic filter circuit has been reduced by half.
(4) The electromagnetic noise, the essential issue of the power converter circuit has been decreased by half.

　Conventional insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) are required to connect diodes in a series due to reverse current blocking. By using FHC’s unique Reverse-Blocking IGBT (RB-IGBT) technology, series connections between diodes and IGBT are no longer needed. By integrating the RB-IGBT to the 3-Level Power Module, this platform significantly reduces loss from the converter circuit.
　For example, in power conditioners for photovoltaic power generation, for which converter efficiency is important, operational losses decrease by 40%. This reduction amounts to approximately three tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, with respect to 100 kW equipment (assuming 0.332 kg-CO2/kWh, the basic unit of CO2 discharge for carbon credits released by the Tokyo Electric Power Company in 2008).
　FHC designed the New 3-Level Power Module equipped with RB-IGBT to simplify its new 3-level converters by integrating them into one package—a world first.
　With the integration of the new converter circuit and power module, FHC has realized high-efficiency, compact, user-friendly and low-noise power converter equipment.

3. Release of Products

(1) Exclusive New 3-Level Power Module
During fiscal 2010 (date is undecided)
(2) UPS in classes ranging from 10 kVA to a few hundred kVA
From April 2010
(3) Power conditioners for renewable energy sources including photovoltaic power and wind power
Scheduled from the end of fiscal 2010