Ata Zadehgol with advisor A. Cangellaris A semi-analytical model for calculating electromagnetic fields inside an infinitely-long solenoid of rectangular cross section and core formed by a planar multi-layered laminate is developed. The laminate is formed by alternating dielectric and magnetic sheets. Use of laminated cores offers the advantage of reduced skin effect loss and sustained […]
Tracking of Unstable Eigenvalues
Rodney Yeu with adviser P. W. Sauer A common problem in modern power systems is low-frequency oscillations that can lead to instability. The solution is to add a power system stabilizer (PSS) to one or more of the affected generators to damp out the unwanted oscillations. However, a power system may have 1000 generators. How […]
Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide into Value-Added Chemicals
Devin Whipple, with adviser P. J. A. Kenis, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, UIUC The electrochemical reduction of CO2 into useful products addresses many intertwined problems in energy and climate change. This approach is more attractive for reducing CO2 emissions than capture and sequester, as no sequestration site is required and a marketable product […]
A Framework for Assessing the Reliability of Wind Energy Conversion Systems
Sebastian Smater with adviser A. Domínguez-García Power generation from renewable resources has seen a rapid development (thanks mainly to political and social support) during the last decade, as a result of high fossil fuel prices and greenhouse effects (see Figure 31). Reports such as “20% Wind Energy by 2030” by the U.S. Department of Energy […]
Local Control of ISOP Push-pull Converters with Uneven Load Sharing
Ph. D. student Pradeep Shenoy with adviser P.T. Krein Input series-output parallel (ISOP) converters are especially useful when stepping down the voltage in systems with a high voltage ratio. Based on the structure of the converter, the total input voltage is divided among the modules. As a result, each converter module provides a portion of […]
Efficient Algorithms for Performance and Reliability Modeling and Analysis of Fault-Tolerant Systems
Frank Lam with adviser A. Domínguez-García Reliability and fault-tolerance are essential qualities in the successful design and implementation of any electronic system to ensure the designs perform as intended. Accordingly, numerous tools have been developed to measure reliability and performance. Draper Laboratory possesses a proprietary MATLAB/Simulink performance and reliability simulation tool based on InPRESTo, a […]
Package-embedded Magnetic Inductors for Voltage Regulators Powering the CPU
Yingying Kuai with adviser P. L. Chapman This project focuses on a new paradigm of voltage regulator (VR) optimization for fast transient loads. By integrating the power converter and processor load as part of one package, unwanted parasitics can be eliminated; both static and dynamic performance can be improved. Successful design of integrated VRs requires […]
Microgrid Modeling and Analysis Using the Automated State Model Generation Algorithm
Brian Johnson with advisor P.L Chapman A microgrid is a power system utilizing distributed generation capable of supplying uninterruptible power to its local loads. Energy sources that may be integrated into a microgrid include, but are not limited to, internal combustion engines, microturbines, gas turbines, wind turbines, photovoltaics, fuel cells, and batteries. Each energy source […]
Design Verification of Power Electronics Systems Subject to Uncertainty
Eric M. Hope with adviser A. Domínguez-García The operation of power electronics systems is subject to uncertainty. These uncertainties may be classified as either operational or structural. Operational uncertainty is used to classify random changes in the load or supply of the converter. For example, the voltage supply may exhibit a ripple and the current […]
Maximum Power Point Tracking Feasibility in Photovoltaic Energy Conversion Systems
Sairaj Dhople with adviser P. L. Chapman Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms control power-electronic circuits employed in photovoltaic (PV) energy systems to maximize the energy harvested over different ambient conditions. Irrespective of the algorithm utilized, there are likely to be operating conditions under which MPPT can not be realized. This phenomenon is termed tracking […]