Power electronics
The main components of power electronics systems are power converters, which allow to produce a desired effect (energy conversion, robot motion, etc) by controlling adequately some of the system variables (voltages and currents). From very small (mobile phones, computer power supplies) to very large systems (trains, wind turbines, high voltage power lines), the power ranges from the Watt to the GigaWatt.
Technological advancements in power electronics enable new applications to emerge and performance improvement in existing applications. These advancements largely rely on the control effectiveness, therefore it is essential to apply the appropriate control scheme to the converter and to the system to obtain the desired performance.
In this context, the group mission focuses on applying innovative control techniques for power converters and drives so that the desired behaviour can be achieved.
The topics of interest include control of new systems, new topologies, high-performance control and effective controller implementation. Our research is currently focusing on the following applications:
- HVDC systems
- Optimisation of Power Converter Efficiency
- Active front ends
- Electrical drives
- Solar Electric Vehicle
Our area of work places a special emphasis on Model Predictive Control (MPC) for power electronics systems.
In power electronics applications, the controller complexity, which determines the execution time, is critical. A special interest is given to the practical and effective implementation of our control solutions.