The Grainger Center for Electric Machinery and Electromechanics

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The Grainger Center for Electric Machinery and
Electromechanics Update, May 2002
May 2002

• P. T. Krein, Director
• Grainger Center for Electric Machinery and
  Electromechanics
• Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering

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Purposes of the Grainger Center

• Establish leadership in electric machines and
  electromechanics.
• Nurture a new generation of engineers for the
  electric machinery field.
• Advance the technologies of machines and
  electromechanics.
• Support student team programs in the field, such
  as the Future Energy Challenge.

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Purposes of the Grainger Center

• Organize a national collaborative network for
  machines innovation.
• California Berkeley
• Georgia Tech
• Ohio State
• Purdue
• RPI
• Wisconsin

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Purposes of the Grainger Center

• Stimulate activity in the processing and use of
  electrical energy as it relates to expanding the
  scope and applications of machines and
  electromechanics.
• Please see http//www.energychallenge.orgfor a
  view of the major topics for the 2003 Future
  Energy Challenge.
• Sponsored by USDOE, USDOD, IEEE, and by the
  Grainger Center.

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About the Grainger Center

• Started in 1999 with a 1.4 million grant from
  the Grainger Foundation.
• This included extensive equipment support as well
  as operations.
• Grant support will be renewed in 2002.
• A new faculty member (Pat Chapman) was added and
  supported through the CEME.

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Project Overview

• Fundamentals of machine design.
• Best use of materials.
• Point-by-point selection.
• Field analysis for optimization.
• MEMS work from the application and
  electromechanics viewpoints.
• Motor control (from a systems perspective).
• Power electronic devices to expand the
  application of drives.

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Project Overview

• New energy sources such as miniature fuel cells.
• Biomechanical research.
• Ideas with the potential for revolutionary
  advances in machines and electromechanical
  devices.

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Sample Projects

• Linear motor design for the teaching laboratory.
• This provides a true open-frame arrangement for
  detailed classroom experiments.

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Sample Projects

• Induction machine optimization for dedicated
  inverter operation.
• Select among copper, aluminum, and steel at each
  point in the rotor, to maximize torque while
  minimizing losses.
• Take advantage of an electronic drive to deliver
  the necessary frequency to provide high torque
  and low loss.

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Sample Projects

• Battery equalization for improved battery
  management.
• Keep battery voltagestightly matched
  duringcharge and dischargeto maintain
  performance.
• A simple switched-capacitor approach provides
  precise matching while avoiding tolerance
  limitations.

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Sample Projects

• Gallium-nitride device development for power
  electronics.
• GaN is an important alternative to SiC.
• Has the advantages of a high-bandgap material,
  plus it is in production for LEDs.
• A very promising material for power
  semiconductors.

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Sample Projects

• Efficiency-optimizing control for motor drives.
• This is based on the ripple-correlation concept
  invented at Illinois. Motor flux is adjusted in
  real time to minimize power consumption.
• Significantbenefits at light load.

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Sample Projects

• High-fidelity pulse width modulation (PWM) for
  audio applications with spin-offs for drives.

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Future Projects

• Fast 3D magnetics for machine design and
  analysis.
• Power processing for miniature fuel cells, and a
  possible fuel cell center.
• Nonlinear controls for complicated motor-load
  combined systems.
• Noise mitigation in machine applications.
• Active filters to minimize drive EMI.

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Ac Motor Designs for 42 V Auto Systems
Source Johnson Electric, 1999.

• Car motor usage is growing fast.
• It will soon rise to 200 electric motors per car.
• The 42 V system redesign is an opportunity.

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Vehicle Applications

• CEME has experience in electric and hybrid cars.

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Miniature Power Applications

• A sample design challenge
• Efficient miniature power for communications,
  network nodes, and MEMS devices.
• Supply just a few milliwatts, with very high
  efficiency.
• Example power on a chip.

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Conclusion

• The Grainger CEME is being built up as the
  national leader in electric machines and
  electromechanics.
• We intend to nurture a new generation of machine
  designers with broad systems expertise and a
  background in fundamental electromechanics.
• We seek to pursue revolutionary concepts in the
  design, control, and use of all types of
  electromechanical devices.