Design of press-pack thyristor modules based on phase-change material cooling for SSSC short-circuit protection

The decarbonization of power generation and consumption has led to significant transformations in future power grid operation. Power electronics equipment such as static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) offer a promising solution to integrate renewable energy sources and improve the power grid stability. However, the lack of suitable protection schemes and devices for SSSCs hinders their widespread adoption, mainly due to challenges in managing short-circuit currents. This paper proposes two design modifications to a press-pack thyristor package, which will be used for protection. First, the molybdenum and copper thicknesses are changed to enable better heat flow path. Then, phase-change material (PCM) is introduced to the design as a passive cooling solution to enhance the transient current capability of thyristors used for protection. The incorporation of PCM into customized designs enables latent heat cooling, thus, improving the thermal performance of the thyristors during shortcircuits. The efficacy of the proposed method is evaluated numerically using Finite Element Methods (FEM). The findings highlight the potential of double-side PCM-integrated designs for improving the transient short-circuit current capability.