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5294 - Power Electronics Systems for Renewables and Grid of the Future (3C)

Course Description

Advanced power conversion solutions for the high-power area including grid, transportation, and industry. Multi-level and other advanced converter topologies. Modulation and controls to deliver high power quality and high-power capability. Specific hardware and control designs and solutions for industry applications. Industrial motor-drive, Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS)/High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission, renewables-grid integration, and E-mobility.

Why take this course?

None of the current ECE graduate courses address the in-depth technical knowledge of high-power converter circuits and systems for fast-growing and emerging industrial high-power applications such as industrial motor-drive, HVDC/FACTS, power conversion solutions for renewable energy and their integration onto the grid, and EV-charging infrastructure. These gaps will be closed by this course, equipping students to conduct research and preparing them for these industries.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe requirements and design process of high-power converters for wind, solar, HVDC/FACTS, and motor drive applications.
  • Select high power semiconductor switches for various high-power applications.
  • Apply high power semiconductor switches in high power electronics circuits with proper considerations for gate drives, protections, thermal management, and reliability.
  • Conduct trade-off analyses of multilevel converter topologies to meet the unique requirements of various applications.
  • Select main components of multilevel converters and pulse-width modulation control strategy.
  • Create conceptual system design of renewable energy systems, encompassing aspects such as power generation, energy collection components, system architecture, and grid integration protections.
  • Apply appropriate grid-integration regulations and codes to power converter and system design.