Power Electronics Solutions for Power Quality Improvement and R&D at the Group of Energy and Power Electronics of the University of Minho

Abstract: Studies conducted by international organizations attest that electrical power quality is a fundamental factor for the industrial productivity, and that economic losses caused by related problems are, nowadays, very high. In the first part of the lecture is introduced the issue of power quality in electrical systems, and conventional and new solutions based on Power Electronics are described. In the second part of the lecture are presented R&D projects developed and under development at the Group of Energy and Power Electronics (GEPE) of the University of Minho, in Portugal:

• Power Quality Solutions: Shunt Active Power Filters, Series Active Power Filters, Unified Power Quality Conditioners (UPQC) and Hybrid Filters.
• Electric Mobility Solutions: Power Electronics for Electric Car, Electric Kart and Electric Bike; Bidirectional Charging Systems for Batteries of Electric Vehicles; Battery Management Systems (BMS).
• Power Electronics Solutions for Renewable Energy: Interface of Renewables with the Electric Power Grid; MPPTs (Maximum Power Point Trackers) for Renewable Energy Sources (Solar and Wind).

Electro-Mechanical Energy Conversion

Abstract: Various powertrain electrification concepts in state-of-the-art vehicles share similar performance targets for electrical machines, especially high specific torque and power values accompanied by high overall efficiency requirements in all operation modes. The identification of most appropriate e-machine types is mostly driven by end-vehicle requirements, i.e. urban or sub-urban usage, powertrain concept,… while on the other hand the performance targets for electrical machines stay high regardless the selected machine type. Achieving set performance goals in the first step require an adequate e-machine design immediately followed by selection of most appropriate materials and mass-manufacturing technologies for key e-machine components. The lecture will, after brief e-machine survey from the perspective of hybrid and e-vehicle requirements, focus on current world trends in automotive e-machine final build concepts, followed by an analysis of selection criteria of electrical steel for stator and rotor laminated cores and consequently related prototyping and mass-manufacturing technologies – high-speed stamping and stacking.

Electric vehicle charging systems

Abstract: Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are more efficient and less polluting than traditional fossil-fuel vehicles, making them an effective response to the challenge of reducing the energy consumption and the environmental impact of transportation. A number of key factors will condition the dissemination of PEVs and the arrangement of suitable charging systems is among the most important ones, especially today’s that fast charging solutions are approaching. The lecture intends to take stock of the charging systems for PEVs. Specifically, the following issues will be illustrated:

• modern battery chargers,
• integrated battery chargers,
• vehicle-to-grid operation,
• charging infrastructure standards.

At last, ongoing activities towards the introduction of fast charging systems and the development of the contactless charging apparatus are addressed.