Converter Architecture

Lead academic: Prof Xibo Yuan, University of Bristol

Universities: Bristol, Imperial College London and Manchester

Research Highlights: The Converter Architectures Theme brings together academic and industrial expertise to investigate optimal converter architectures, advanced passive components design methods, fast speed control techniques and holistic optimisation to realise the full potential of wide band-gap (WBG) devices in achieving higher efficiency, high power density with extended voltage, frequency and power handling capability.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW

Power electronics plays a very important role in the electrical power conversion and is widely used in transportation, renewable energy, and utility applications.

By 2020, 80 percent of electrical power will go through power electronics converters somewhere between generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption. So, converters that are highly efficient, reliable and have high power density will be vital. WBG technologies enable compact, more efficient power converters, operating at higher voltages, frequencies, and powers to meet the increasing demand by a range of existing and emerging applications. However, maximising the performance benefits of WBG technology at a converter level brings its own challenges. For example, high voltage and current changing rates of WBG devices will generate significant electromagnetic-interference (EMI) and affect the running of other equipment.

This Converter Architecture project brings together academic and industrial expertise to investigate optimal converter architectures, advanced passive components design methods, fast speed control techniques and holistic optimisation to realise the full potential of WBG devices in achieving higher efficiency, high power density with extended voltage, frequency and power handling capability.

Publications:

M. Arteaga, S. Aldhaher, G. Kkelis, C. Kwan, D. C. Yates, P. D. Mitcheson, “Dynamic Capabilities of Multi-MHz Inductive Power Transfer Systems Demonstrated With Batteryless Drones“, IEEE Transactions Power Electronics, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 5093-5104, Jun. 2019. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2018.2871188

Aldhaher, D. C. Yates, P. D. Mitcheson, “Load-Independent Class E/EF Inverters and Rectifiers for MHz-Switching Applications“, IEEE Transactions Power Electronics, vol.33, no.10, pp. 8270-8287, Oct. 2018. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2018.2813760

M. Arteaga, S. Alhaher, G. Kkelis, D. C. Yates, P. D. Mitcheson, “Multi-MHz IPT Systems for Variable Coupling,” Power Electronics, IEEE Transactions on, vol.33, no.9, pp. 7744 – 7758, Sept. 2018. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2017.2768244

 Kkelis, D.C. Yates, P. D. Mitcheson, “Class-E half-wave zero dv/dt rectifiers for inductive power transfer“, IEEE Transactions Power Electronics, vol.32, no.11, pp.8322-8337, Nov. 2017. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2016.2641260

Lopez, J. Scoltock, Y. Wang, I. Laird, X. Yuan, A. Forsyth, “Power-dense Bi-directional DC-DC Converters with High Performance Inductors”, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol.68, no.12, pp. 11439-11448, Dec. 2019. DOI: 10.1109/TVT.2019.2943124

Laird, X. Yuan, J. Scoltock, A. Forsyth, “A Design Optimisation Tool for Maximising the Power Density of 3-phase DC-AC Converters using Silicon Carbide (SiC) Devices”, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 2913-2932, Apr. 2018. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2017.2705805

McNeil, B. Jin, X. Yuan, I. Laird, “Evaluation of the Off-State Base-Emitter Voltage Requirement of the SiC BJT with a Regenerative Proportional Base Driver Circuit and their Application in an Inverter”, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol.67, no.9, pp. 7179-7189, Sept. 2020. DOI: 10.1109/TIE.2019.2938492

Yuan, X, “Derivation of Voltage Source Multilevel Converter Topologies”, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 64, no. 2, pp.966-976, Feb. 2017. DOI: 10.1109/TIE.2016.2615264

Scoltock, Y. Wang, G. Calderon-Lopez, A. J. Forsyth, “Rapid Thermal Analysis of Nanocrystalline Inductors for Converter Optimization”, IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics, Oct 2019 (Early Access online) DOI: 10.1109/JESTPE.2019.2947223

Calderon-Lopez, Y. Wang, A. Forsyth, “Mitigation of Gap Losses in Nanocrystalline Tape-Wound Cores” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol.34, no.5, pp. 4656-4664, May 2019. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2018.2863665