Novel Interleaved Scalable Ultra-High Power Adjustable DC Dummy Load

This paper presents a methodology for designing an interleaved, ultra-high-power DC dummy load—at the megawatt scale—featuring synchronized PWM control, modular power stages, and advanced thermal management for precise, scalable energy dissipation with near-zero current ripple. Designed for fast response, minimal maintenance, and reduced electrical and thermal stress, the system supports critical applications including battery discharge testing, grid stabilization, regenerative braking absorption, power electronics development, and controlled energy dumping. The architecture employs N phase-shifted PWM channels—each operating at the same frequency but staggered in time—to effectively cancel input current ripple and minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI). To demonstrate the approach, a 300 V / 1000 A prototype is constructed using ten interleaved IGBT modules, each switching at 500 Hz to produce an effective 5 kHz input current switching ripple. Thermal analysis shows that dissipating 80% of a 108 MJ battery (86.4MJ) results in a 50°C temperature rise in approximately 4 m³ of cooling water. This work provides a robust and energy-efficient framework for implementing programmable, fault-tolerant dummy loads with enhanced reliability and EMC compliance in advanced energy systems.