Every time a plug-in hybrid car accelerates or a wind farm feeds power into the grid, a power converter is doing the heavy lifting—turning raw electricity into a usable form. This research targets two specific bottlenecks in that process. The first is the size of converters: current units are too bulky for widespread use in aircraft, ships, and electric vehicles. The second is the voltage ceiling: existing high-voltage converters cannot handle the power levels needed for future renewable generation and transmission systems. The project will develop two distinct converter types—ultra-compact units for transport and very large-scale, high-voltage units for the grid. If successful, the compact converters could make hybrid and fully electric aircraft, ships, and vehicles more practical, slashing transport emissions. The high-voltage converters would allow more efficient delivery of electricity from offshore wind and other renewables, and improve grid reliability. The work is applied engineering, not fundamental science, with direct industrial relevance. It does not invent new materials or physics, but it solves the real-world constraints that currently limit low-carbon technologies.
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Power electronics is a critical enabling technology for a sustainable future, providing a highly efficient means of converting and controlling electrical energy. Its applications cover renewable generation, power transmission and distribution, transport systems, industrial automation and consumer products. To underpin the UK's academic capability in power electronics and to drive forward world-leading advances in the technology, this proposal forms one of four linked programme grant applications which together cover the key areas of Devices, Component Integration, Converters and Drives. The four research themes will be overseen by a coordinating hub, ensuring that the research remains adventurous and well-focused, that there is vigorous and effective inter-theme collaboration, strong industrial engagement and impact. The Converters Theme will focus on two distinct areas of converter technology where the potential exists to make significant gains in performance; the first is in very large scale, high-voltage converters for future power generation and transmission systems, whilst the second is in ultra-compact converters, which are a needed for a wide range of power conversion functions such as on-board vehicles, aircraft, and ships. Increasing the efficiency and extending the voltage / power / overload capability of high voltage converters will make possible the more efficient and reliable delivery of electrical power and enable more effective exploitation of renewable forms of energy. On the other hand, reducing the size of power converters will make possible many low-carbon technology concepts in the transport area such as hybrid / electric vehicles, and the more-electric aircraft and ship.
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