The University of Illinois Solar Decathlon team (Team Illinois) is designing an energy-efficient sustainable house adaptable to user requirements. The modular home is capable of attaching and detaching to units, while also sporting multi-functional furniture. These capabilities allow the inhabitant to design their home based on their need while allowing for both upscaling and downscaling. […]
A Distributed Spring-Aided Vertical Electromechanical Spine for Bio-Inspired Robots
MS student Bonhyun Ku with advisor A. Banerjee Biological mechanisms are incorporated in mobile robots to interact with their environments. Although existing biologically inspired robots perform well, their performance is limited by the lack of a spine. A vertebrate spine provides agility, a wide range of motion, balance, and efficiency. Often the robot design involves […]
Distributed Secondary Frequency Control in AC Microgrids with Lossy Electrical Networks
PhD student Siddhartha Nigam with advisors A. Domínguez-García and P. Sauer The microgrid concept is a promising approach to enable efficient integration and management of distributed energy resources (DERs). In the microgrid islanded mode, frequency control is a major problem due to the prevalence of inverter-interfaced DERs leaving the microgrid with low or no rotating […]
An Industrial Grade Control-Node Prototype that Integrates Distributed Control Algorithms
Post-doc Olaoluwapo Ajala with advisor A. Domínguez-García During the last decade, we developed numerous control algorithms for microgrid applications that rely on a distributed decision-making approach wherein control decisions pertaining to individual assets in the microgrid are based on information acquired locally and other information obtained by exchanges with nearby assets. We showed that the […]
Conceptual Design of an eVTOL Air Shuttle for Rapid Intercity Transport – Design Space Exploration and Optimization of Propeller-Motor Subsystem for Electric Aircraft
MS student Jianqiao (Peter) Xiao with Advisor K. Haran The crucial relationship between aircraft range and payload is studied in exploring the design space and optimization of a propeller-motor subsystem for electric aircraft. The aircraft we designed, shown in Figure 7, can carry ten passengers and is meant to replace shuttle buses as a faster […]
Conceptual Design of an eVTOL Air Shuttle for Rapid Intercity Transport – Co-Design of a Direct-Drive Electric Propulsor
MS student Jianqiao (Peter) Xiao with Advisor K. Haran A direct-drive electric propulsor for an aircraft is a motor-propeller pair connected directly through a shaft without a gearbox. Because of its high efficiency and mechanical feasibility, the direct-drive design has great potential in an electric aircraft propulsion system. In such a design, the propeller prefers […]
Integration of End-Winding Cooling and In-Slot Winding Cooling for High Power Density Electric Machines
CEME Collaborator Julia Zhang – The Ohio State University Typical hybrid-electric vehicle traction electric machines apply spraying cooling methods, which is effective for cooling the end-windings. However, the majority of the winding conductor parts are buried inside the slots, with a limited heat-transfer path to the sprayed coolant. Thermal analysis shows that the conductors inside […]
An Integrated Generator-Rectifier System for High-Power Ac-to-Dc Conversion
PdD student Phuc Huynh with advisor A. Banerjee Ac-to-dc power conversion is essential in many emerging high-power applications, including electrified transportation and wind-power generation. Collecting electrical energy through a dc form allows the prime mover, such as a wind turbine or a gas turbine, to operate at variable speeds, enabling maximum power point tracking (MPPT) […]
Design of Low-Inductance Generator for Large-Scale Wind Turbines
MS student Samith Sirimanna with advisor K. Haran Recent research by the power and energy group in Illinois has shown that the power electronics cost of a generator can be significantly reduced by introducing multi-port architecture to the generator and controlling only one port using active switches. However, implemen-tation of this technology requires that the […]
Hydrogen-Based Cooling System for a Fully Superconducting Machine
MS student Joshua Feldman with Advisor K. Haran A cryogenic cooling system for a fully superconducting machine is being researched as part of the NASA-funded Center for High-Efficiency Electric Technologies for Aircraft. Topologies for this system have been ideated and compared and previous attempts at creating similar systems have been identified. The system is presently […]