The rapid growth of digital services, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence is driving the continuous expansion of data center infrastructure worldwide. Data centers already account for approximately 1–2% of global electricity consumption. Power infrastructure plays a critical role in this context, as conversion losses alone can represent 5–10% of total data center energy consumption, in addition to high material usage, large physical footprints, and limited scalability.

Future Data Center Power Infrastructure

Data centers are increasingly required to operate with higher energy efficiency, integrate renewable energy sources and local energy storage, and ensure high reliability and availability. Power Electronics Transformer (PET) systems are widely recognized as a key building block for next-generation data center power infrastructure, enabling a shift toward compact, modular, and software-controllable power systems. PET technology offers increased power density, flexible voltage adaptation, and support for bidirectional power flow. However, these advantages come at the cost of increased system complexity, introducing challenges related to high-voltage insulation, thermal management, control stability, and long-term reliability.

Challenges of the future Data Center Infrastructure

To unlock the full potential of PET systems, a systems-engineering-driven approach is required, integrating model-based design, multi-domain simulation, and data-driven optimization across both component and system levels. Two major technical challenges currently limit the deployment of PET systems. First, providing high-voltage isolation in the transformer while operating at high switching frequencies and reduced volume is difficult due to insulation and partial discharge constraints. Second, selecting and designing bidirectional power converters that achieve high efficiency and power density while handling wide voltage variations introduces significant complexity in control and overall system operation.

Goal

This project will develop modular Power Electronics Transformer systems for data center and industry applications using a system-engineering approach, addressing complex design challenges from the component level to the system level. At the component level, the project focuses on transformer design under high-voltage isolation, high-frequency operation, high power density, and partial-discharge-free constraints. At the system level, the back-end power converter will be investigated with the goal of developing a consistent design framework that supports robust architectural decisions. The final solution will be validated through laboratory demonstrations