Power Electronic Systems

Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marc Hiller

In order to increase energy efficiency and enhance operational features, electrical drives are increasingly operated with variable speed using power electronic converters. A major driver supporting this trend is the fast development of power semiconductors with continuously enhanced performance regarding switching speed and power losses.

But also in grid applications power electronic converters play an important role. Besides converters for wind and photovoltaic applications as well as HVDC transmission, power electronics improve the operation of modern grid structures. In contrast to the existing network structure, the grid of the future will be based on decentralized power generation. This will lead to meshed grids with a large production and storage capacity directly connected not only to the low voltage grid but also to the medium voltage and high voltage grid by power electronics. Converters will have to ensure the grid stability (frequency control, voltage control, grid restoration, system and operation management) associated with the requirement of high reliability and efficiency, low harmonics and low costs. New circuit topologies and power semiconductors enable promising solutions to replace or enhance the performance of conventional systems. Therefore, power electronics together with the digitalization of the grid are key enablers to realize the so-called “Energy Transition”.

 

With new fields of application the requirements of power electronic solutions regarding power density, functionality, reliability and efficiency become more demanding. In order to get an optimal result the converter has to designed in the context of the entire power electronic system. Besides the converter itself this includes all system components (storage, cooling, electrical machines, cables, transformers, filters etc.) as well as optimized control algorithms to ensure the system friendly operation of the converter. New applications very often require completely new approaches, which can be extensively investigated with the ETI infrastructure for modelling, simulation and hardware validation of power electronic systems.

 

Competencies

  • Electrical and thermal converter design & calculation
  • Qualification of LV/MV power semiconductors
  • Topology design (power and control)
  • Control algorithms for grid and motor applications / Software development
  • Prototyping: Design, Manufacturing, Test
  • Test setup design and prototype verification

 

Projects

The following page is a compilation of some ongoing projects: Projects