Research

The research of PES targets fundamental scientific problems in the area of power electronics and mechatronics and addresses a comprehensive physics-based description of the systems and the development of novel concepts, which are preferably characterized by intelligent simplicity and / or elegance. Hereby, electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, and thermal effects are considered as coupled issues rather than treated in a sequential manner. Multi-domain finite element analysis plays a major role within these research and design processes. Additionally, also the effects of the converters on the load (e.g., harmonic losses in electric machines) and on the supplying mains are analyzed in detail. Furthermore, usually a multi-objective optimization is carried out and the derivation of scaling laws and figures of merit completes the picture and leads to generally valid conclusions.

Main areas of research for a broad number of different industrial applications are currently
 

• multi-domain modeling and multi-objective optimization of converter systems and actuators

• ultra-compact / efficient converter systems

• cellular medium voltage / medium frequency converters (Solid-State Transformers)

• inductive power transfer (high and low power)

• Power Supplies on Chip

• ultra-high speed (self-sensing) drives

• bearingless drives.

In each research area a comprehensive experimental verification of the proposed theoretical concepts is provided that employs the latest Si, SiC, and GaN power semiconductor and digital signal processing technology.