Electrification of Industries and Transport

Exploring the behaviours that influence how individuals and firms make decisions, in an attempt to understand and predict the current and future demand for energy efficient mobility systems.

Specialists in design and control of permanent magnet (PM) type electric machines. Strong capabilities in design optimisation and control of various PM machine geometries for low-speed, high torque applications such as direct-drive wind energy conversion.

Linear electrical machines are used in an ever-increasing number of applications. Recent areas that we have developed linear machine solutions for include down-hole pump applications and electrical launch systems. UNSW has also recently developed a new type of permanent magnet rotor that has its starting performance improved by including a conducting ladder-slot arrangement. This new type of rotor allows the machine to rapidly accelerate under the action of induction principles to the synchronous speed where the permanent magnet flux can then be used to increase the force. Development of linear machine solutions to support what is a rapidly growing market.

Both a permanent-magnet mover and a line-start linear electrical machine drive system have been designed for linear machine drive systems. Together, they optimise periodic motion and also enhance the line-start capability of the permanent-magnet linear synchronous machine.

Developing new planar structures and verifying simplified models for both high- and low-power applications, and exploring new, flexible matrices of magnetic components that can be reconfigured online. As the power electronics industry continues to grow and develop ever-smaller power supplies across a range of scales, from consumer electronics through to large electric vehicles, there is increasing demand to miniaturise. Planar magnetics is a space-efficient technology that allows magnetic components to be tightly integrated with their circuit.

Switched reluctance machines offer many advantages in high speed rotating applications, particularly low phase number and low pole number machines, for example the 4/2 machine.

Development of a new type of synchronous reluctance machine that has a skewed, axially-laminated rotor, which solves the problem of torque ripple normally associated with traditional rotors.

The development and assessment of ground-breaking and innovative axial machines. Axial flux machines have a form factor that suits in-hub motors for electric vehicles. They have been used for many years as the motor of choice for the world record-breaking Sunswift team, and are a popular choice of electrical generators for small- and large-scale wind turbines.

Producing multi-level output voltage from just two fast-switching semiconductors by using a coupled inductor. This frees the inverter from dead-time and greatly reduces low-order harmonics.

A five-phase, three-level pulse-width modulated voltage source inverter and associated modulation techniques for multi-phase machine drives. The inverter employs a coupled inductor in each phase-leg to provide three-level output voltages but only uses two switches per leg.

As the world endeavours to electrify transportation through electrical powertrains, electrical machines and drives will become even more prevalent. Concentrated-wound machine technology offers improved machine performance in these applications, reducing the risk of faults propagating through the machine.

More than two decades of expertise in the research and development of inverter and associated power semiconductors. Able to model both healthy and faulted conditions, to enable the development of proper control strategies that maintain the operation of electric machines when faults occur.

Developing techniques to diagnose failures in electric drives and conducting research to prognose faults.

Expertise in design and control of novel, power-dense multi-phase electric drives for safety-critical applications, including rail transportation, electric vehicles, marine propulsion drives and aerospace.

Developing software for accurate and efficient numerical simulations of piezo-electric energy harvesters (PEHs), with an aim to obtain non-conventional designs for optimal and reliable performance. Piezo-electric energy harvesters (PEHs) are used to convert mechanical vibrations into electric power, enabling generation of energy from the environment to power small electronic devices.

Model predictive control has emerged as a promising alternative control technique for power electronic applications which provides rapid dynamics and responses to demand changes. It can handle multiple variables and system constraints and achieve a fast, dynamic response.

The push towards the widespread adoption of electric vehicles has spurred rapid new technological advances in electric machines, sensors, electric drives, and batteries. These new technologies have prompted the need for advanced new control systems that optimise the performance of individual components and the overall system.

Power electronic systems operating in harsh environments, such as mines, are exposed to extreme temperatures, dust, moisture, hazardous environments, dynamic power loads, cyclic and mobile operation. Methodologies have been developed to diagnose and rectify these faults as quickly as possible in order to minimise potential revenue losses.