Converters

Lead academic: Prof Andrew Forsyth, University of Manchester

Universities: Bristol, Imperial College London, Manchester, Nottingham and Strathclyde

Class E based topologies MHz power conversion

Research Highlights: The Converters Theme carried out research into grid-scale converters and compact, low voltage converters.

  • Thyristor-based architectures with IGBT auxiliary switching legs were identified which led to an increase in the efficiency of very high voltage, grid-scale DC-DC and DC-AC converters.
  • Soft-switching topologies were developed for wide band-gap devices in DC-DC converters and resonant inverter applications, which enabled reductions in passive component size and led to significant advances in core-less wireless power systems.
  • A holistic design optimisation framework was developed for multi-kW DC-DC and DC-AC converters leading to
    Ultra-low-inductance planar interconnect

    an 80 kW SiC DC-DC demonstrator (30 kW/litre, liquid cooled) and a 5 kW SiC MOSFET/BJT DC-AC demonstrator (3.5 kW/litre, air cooled).

 

Publications:

Active-Forced-Commutated Bridge Using Hybrid Devices for High Efficiency Voltage Source Converters – Peng Li, Stephen J. Finney, and Derrick Holliday. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, Vol. 32. No.4. April 2017.

Controlled Transition Full-Bridge Hybrid Multilevel Converter With Chain-Links of Full-Bridge Cells – Peng Li, Grain Philip Adam, Derrick Holliday, and Barry Williams. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, Vol.32.No.1. January 2017.

Performance Evaluation of Split Output Converters With SiC MOSFETs and SiC Schottky Diodes – Qingzeng Yan, Xibo Yuan, Yiwen Geng, Apollo Charalambous,and Xiaojie Wu. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, Vol.32.No.1. January 2017.

Derivation of Voltage Source Multilevel Converter Topologies – Xibo Yuan. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 64, No. 2, February 2017.

New Three-Phase AC-DC Rectifiers with Reduced Numbers of Switches – Ahmed Darwish, Derrick Holliday and Stephen Finney.

Operation and Control Design of New Three-phaseInverters with Reduced Number of Switches – Ahmed Darwish, Yachao Wang, Derrick Holliday and Stephen Finney. International Symposium on Power Electronics,Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion. 2016.

Control of a Four-level Active Neutral Point Clamped Converter with Neutral Point Voltage Balance – Bosen Jin, Xibo Yuan. IEEE 8th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference (IPEMC-ECCE Asia). 2016

Augmented Inertial Response of Multi-level Converters using Internal Energy Storage – C.E. Spallarossa, M.M.C. Merlin, T.C. Green.

A Comparison of Digital PWM Control Strategies for High Power Interleaved DC-DC Converters – G. Calderon-Lopez, A. Villarruel-Parra, P. Kakosimos, S. K. Ki, R. Todd and A. J. Forsyth.