Hyosung Heavy Industries Bets on "Semiconductor Transformer" to Revolutionize AI Data Centers

Hyosung Heavy Industries is seeking to take the lead in the global market with its next-generation power equipment, the "semiconductor transformer (SST)," which can dramatically improve the efficiency of power-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

Hyosung Heavy Industries' 22.9 kilovolt (kV) semiconductor transformer (SST), developed as the world's first in 2022. Hyosung Heavy Industries

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Hyosung Heavy Industries' 22.9 kilovolt (kV) semiconductor transformer (SST), developed for the first time in the world in 2022. Hyosung Heavy Industries

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According to industry sources on April 25, Hyosung Heavy Industries plans to unveil its proprietary SST submodule at North America's largest power transmission and distribution exhibition, to be held in Chicago early next month. The company is also developing models capable of handling higher voltages and intends to release commercial products sequentially.

The SST is a device that combines the function of a transformer, which regulates voltage, and a converter that changes alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), into a single unit. Currently, data centers cannot use incoming AC power directly and must convert it multiple times through a transformer, uninterruptible power supply (UPS), and rectifier. This process complicates the equipment and results in power loss. With the application of SST, these steps can be handled at once, simplifying the structure and further increasing efficiency.

This not only improves spatial efficiency but also minimizes power loss during the conversion process, leading to the SST being regarded as a "game changer" for data center power grids. According to global market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global SST market is expected to grow rapidly at an average annual rate exceeding 40%, driven by the trend toward advanced power infrastructure.

In particular, as server density increases in AI data centers, losses during the power conversion process directly translate into increased operating costs. Therefore, the need to adopt SST is growing quickly, as improving power efficiency is directly linked to profitability.

Hyosung Heavy Industries has been building its SST technology since 2018 through national research projects. As a result, in 2022, the company succeeded in developing a 22.9 kilovolt (kV) 1.05 megavolt-ampere (MVA) SST that can be directly connected to urban distribution networks-the world’s first. While global companies in North America and Europe have recently entered this field, only a handful worldwide have reached the commercialization and demonstration stage for high-capacity models handling voltages above 22.9kV.

Such achievements have been made possible thanks to over 50 years of accumulated expertise in power control, gained through the production of ultra-high voltage transformers and circuit breakers. SSTs require not only the maintenance of "insulation functions" for system protection but also "ultra-precise high-voltage power control technology" to flawlessly manage numerous semiconductor components, making them highly complex equipment. Because both traditional power equipment manufacturing capabilities and semiconductor-based power control technologies are required, barriers to entry are high, and few companies have succeeded in commercialization.

Another strength of Hyosung Heavy Industries' SST is its high compatibility with energy storage systems (ESS). AI data centers have the characteristic of experiencing sharp fluctuations in power consumption depending on server operation. When SST and ESS are operated together, power can be stored and instantly supplied or absorbed as needed, allowing for stable maintenance of voltage and current. This makes it a highly effective means of ensuring stability, as it can reduce power quality degradation and sudden overloads. Previously, power conversion and storage functions within data centers were often operated separately, but integrating ESS with SST enables integrated control of power flow. This not only reduces power loss but also increases operational efficiency, making it an optimal structure for AI infrastructure that consumes large-scale power.

A Hyosung Heavy Industries official stated, "We will integrate our world-class ultra-high voltage power equipment, STATCOM, and ESS capabilities with advanced SST technology," adding, "We aim to become a 'total power solution provider for data centers,' covering everything from the beginning to the end of the data center power grid, going beyond simple equipment supply."

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