Research

The research of PES targeted fundamental scientific problems in the area of power electronics and mechatronics and addressed a comprehensive physics-based description of the systems and the development of novel concepts, which were preferably characterized by intelligent simplicity and/or elegance. In this process, electric, magnetic, electromagnetic, and thermal effects were considered as coupled issues rather than treated in a sequential manner. Multi-domain finite element analysis played a major role within these research and design processes. Additionally, the effects of the converters on the load (e.g., harmonic losses in electric machines) and on the supplying mains were analyzed in detail. Furthermore, a multi-objective optimization was usually carried out, and the derivation of scaling laws and figures of merit completed the picture and led to generally valid conclusions.

Main areas of research for a broad number of different industrial applications were:

• Multi-domain modeling and multi-objective optimization of converter systems and actuators
• Ultra-compact / efficient converter systems
• Cellular medium voltage / medium frequency converters (Solid-State Transformers)
• Inductive power transfer (high and low power)
• Power Supplies on Chip
• Ultra-high speed (self-sensing) drives
• Bearingless drives
  

In each research area, a comprehensive experimental verification of the proposed theoretical concepts was provided that employed the latest Si, SiC, and GaN power semiconductor and digital signal processing technologies.