A method for accomplishing energy changes for a power converter to minimize an impact of a disturbance. The power converter includes energy storage and switches....
A method for accomplishing energy changes for a power converter to minimize an impact of a disturbance. The power converter includes energy storage and switches. The method comprises determining a nature of the disturbance, evaluating an amount of energy to be added or removed from the internal storage, and computing operating times of the switches to minimize the impact of the disturbance on outputs of the power converter.
Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a technology that enables ultra high bandwidth data communication as well as power transfer over short...
Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a technology that enables ultra high bandwidth data communication as well as power transfer over short distances using acoustic signal.The technology works when items are not touching, it works without pins that could bend or break, it works when moving around and only "near' connected. This technology can be used in any media which allows acoustic waves such as underwater in deep ocean, human-tissue, etc. to achieve data rates in excess of 300Mbps.
This technology is a method to eliminate voltage overshoot in cables used to connect AC electric motors and pulse width modulation (PWM) inverters. As a function...
This technology is a method to eliminate voltage overshoot in cables used to connect AC electric motors and pulse width modulation (PWM) inverters. As a function of cable length and voltage rise time, voltage overshoot occurs when high frequency currents reflect between the motor and source ends of a cable. University of Illinois researchers have devised a compensator that shapes the output of the PWM inverter in order to eliminate these reflections; the method only requires knowledge of the transmission line characteristic impedance and propagation delay. This technique extends the life of motor insulation and protects voltage-sensitive devices.
Voltage overshoot occurs when high frequency currents reflect between the motor and source ends of an electrical cable. Reflective waves of current can build up, causing motor insulation failure as well as damage to voltage-sensitive devices. While there have been techniques developed to compensate for voltage overshoot, many are complex, need load characteristics, and often require the use of bulky and expensive equipment.
The University of Illinois technique provides a mathematically exact solution that modifies the output of the PWM inverter in order to eliminate wave reflection. This technique is designed to eliminate voltage overshoot in the cable that connects alternating current (AC) electric motors to pulse width modulation (PWM) inverters that use insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT). IGBT motor drive cables are particularly susceptible to voltage overshoot due to their extremely fast switching speeds. The compensator, which attaches to either the source or motor end of a cable, is a filter that uses an appropriate linear combination of voltages and currents to transform the transmission line into a pure delay transfer. This prevents wave reflection and thus voltage overshoot. Users do not need to know the motor or drives characteristics; however, they do need to know the transmission line impedance and the propagation delay in order to use this device.
This invention improves on existing solutions to voltage overshoot by providing an exact solution rather than approximation.
Applications:
The range of applications that use AC motors is vast, examples include:
Heavy Industrial Machines or Manufacture: Heavy industries including automotive, materials handling, mining operations, plastic and rubber production, ceramics, textile, and utilities.
Workshops: Metalworking, printing and woodworking shops.
Chemical Industries: Chemical refining, pharmaceutical production, and plastic fabrication.
Benefits
Cost-Effective: Eliminates damaging wave reflection, prolonging the usefulness of motors and voltage-sensitive devices.
Low-Cost and Small: No large or expensive equipment is needed to implement this technology.
Self-Adapting: Modifies waveform as transmission cable properties change over time.
Versatile: Can be implemented at either the motor or source side of a cable, allowing users to select the side that is easier to maintain.
Drs. William King and Nenad Miljkovic with collaborators at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a millimeter-scale high-contrast thermal switch...
Drs. William King and Nenad Miljkovic with collaborators at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a millimeter-scale high-contrast thermal switch that can be used for cooling in power electronics and a variety of other electrical and thermal power systems. This liquid-metal based, electrically-controlled thermal switch controls heat transfer of thermally sensitive systems with hotspots smaller than 1 mm and as large as 1 cm and beyond. This technology has a high switching ratio (>10), high switching speed (>1Hz), and it utilizes liquid metal alloys with reduced toxicity, high thermal conductivity and surface tension. Liquid-based thermal switches are the most promising solutions for thermal management at room temperature. They allow to reduce the contact thermal resistance, enhance the operational speed and reduce heat losses. This new device will enable development of thermal circuit in the electrical and thermal power systems on a practical level.
A promising direct printing method that combines new materials for hybrid, ultra-stretchable supercapacitors. Supercapacitors can quickly discharge making them ideal for...
A promising direct printing method that combines new materials for hybrid, ultra-stretchable supercapacitors. Supercapacitors can quickly discharge making them ideal for applications such as electric vehicles, ships and trains. These novel materials are lighter weight and have the potential perform better than current supercapacitor technology. These combination of materials can be fabricated in a wide array of shapes and sizes, including thin films and fibers; increasing their electrochemical and mechanical properties such as better electrical conductivity, capacity and durability.
Wireless charging at a distance can be time consuming and inefficient in real-world applications, including for embedded devices such as electronic medical implants....
Wireless charging at a distance can be time consuming and inefficient in real-world applications, including for embedded devices such as electronic medical implants. University of Illinois researchers have developed a metasurface that can redirect magnetic fields to efficiently charge devices that are far from and/or misaligned with a power source. The metasurface is flexible and performs well even when distorted, making it an excellent candidate for mounting on skin or other curved or nonuniform surfaces. This technology can be configured to charge multiple devices and offers an approximately 10x faster charge as compared to state-of-the-art solutions for difficult-to-charge devices.
