Showing papers in "IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine in 2016"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a distributed electric distribution system based on a unidirectional information flow from sources to control centers, which limits the use of renewable energy resources and offers poor EV infrastructure.
Abstract: The increasing proliferation of renewable energy resources and new sizeable loads like electric vehicle (EV) charging stations has posed many technical and operational challenges to distribution grids [1]. Encouraged by attractive tax incentives and promotion policies, local grid end consumers are becoming not only consumers of electricity but, in many cases, also producers. The actual electric distribution system limits the use of renewable energy resources, offers poor EV infrastructure, and is based on a unidirectional information flow from sources to control centers.
332 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, all main modern SST topologies realize the common key characteristics of these transformers-medium-frequency (MF) isolation stage, connection to medium voltage (MV), and controllability-by employing combinations of a very few key concepts, which have been described or patented as early as the 1960s.
Abstract: During the past two decades, solidstate transformers (SSTs) have evolved quickly and have been considered for replacing conventional low-frequency (LF) transformers in applications such as traction, where weight and volume savings and substantial efficiency improvements can be achieved, or in smart grids because of their controllability. As shown in this article, all main modern SST topologies realize the common key characteristics of these transformers-medium-frequency (MF) isolation stage, connection to medium voltage (MV), and controllability-by employing combinations of a very few key concepts, which have been described or patented as early as the 1960s. But still, key research challenges concerning protection, isolation, and reliability remain.
306 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a two-port network composed of two capacitors and two inductors connected in an X shape is employed to provide an impedance source (Z-source) network, coupling the inverter main circuit to the dc input source.
Abstract: One of the most promising power electronics converter topologies is the Z-source inverter (ZSI). The ZSI is an emerging topology for power electronics dc?ac converters with interesting properties such as buck-boost characteristics and single-stage conversion. A two-port network, composed of two capacitors and two inductors connected in an X shape, is employed to provide an impedance source (Z-source) network, coupling the inverter main circuit to the dc input source. The ZSI advantageously uses the shoot-through (ST) state to boost the input voltage, which improves the inverter reliability and enlarges its application fields. In comparison with other power electronics converters, it provides an attractive single stage dc?ac conversion with buck-boost capability with reduced cost, reduced volume, and higher efficiency due to a lower component number. For emerging power-generation technologies, such as fuel cells, photovoltaic (PV) arrays, and wind turbines, and new power electronic applications such as electric and hybrid vehicles, the ZSI is a very promising and competitive topology [1]-[4].
242 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a typical power delivery architecture commonly found in computer supplies and data centers is presented, where the incoming universal ac grid power is converted by a power factor correction circuit to 400 V dc before it is stepped down to a lower voltage dc intermediate bus, such as 12 V, and then it powers the digital loads at voltages as low as 1 V by a point-of-load converter.
Abstract: The most important impact of power electronics on our society in the last 50 years has been the elimination of the 60-Hz ac power delivery system for consumer electronic products. Central to this achievement is the use of silicon (Si) power devices and pulsewidth modulation (PWM) techniques in delivering regulated ac and dc powers to low-voltage (LV) loads such as light-emitting diodes and computers. These solid-state power electronic converters have provided our society numerous benefits, including high-quality power and substantial energy savings. They also form the core technology for integrating renewable energies such as wind and solar into our power grid. Figure 1 shows a typical power delivery architecture commonly found in computer supplies and data centers. The incoming universal ac grid power is converted by a power factor correction circuit to 400 V dc before it is stepped down to a lower voltage dc intermediate bus, such as 12 V, and then it powers the digital loads at voltages as low as 1 V by a point-of-load converter. Si power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effective transistor (MOSFET) transistors from 20 V to 700 V are almost exclusively used in this application with switching frequencies from tens of kilohertz to one megahertz. Emerging devices based on gallium nitride (GaN) heterojunction field effect transistors reduce the switching and conduction losses when compared with Si power MOSFETs and are, therefore, poised to compete in these applications, driven by the need for higher energy efficiency and higher power density.
206 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a building energy management system (BEMS) is used to control heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems in buildings; more specifically, they control HVAC's primary components such as air handling units (AHUs), chillers, and heating elements.
Abstract: Building automation systems (BAS), or building control systems (BCS), typically consist of building energy management systems (BEMSs), physical security and access control, fire/life safety, and other systems (elevators, public announcements, and closed-circuit television). BEMSs control heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems in buildings; more specifically, they control HVAC?s primary components such as air handling units (AHUs), chillers, and heating elements. BEMSs are essential components of modern buildings, tasked with seemingly contradicting requirements?minimizing energy consumption while maintaining occupants? comfort [1]. In the United States, about 40% of total energy consumption and 70% of electricity consumption are spent on buildings every year. These numbers are comparable to global statistics that about 30% of total energy consumption and 60% of electricity consumption are spent on buildings. Buildings are an integral part of global cyberphysical systems (smart cities) and evolve and interact with their surroundings (Figure 1) [2]. As buildings undergo years of exploitation, their thermal characteristics deteriorate, indoor spaces (especially in commercial buildings) get rearranged, and usage patterns change. In time, their inner (and outer) microclimates adjust to changes in surrounding buildings, overshadowing patterns, and city climates, not to mention building retrofitting [3], [4]. Thus, even in cases of ?ideally? designed BEMS/HVAC systems, because of ever-changing and uncertain indoor and outdoor environments, their performance frequently falls short of expectations. Unfortunately, the complexity of BEMSs, large amounts of constantly changing data, and evolving interrelations among sensor feeds make identifying these suboptimal behaviors difficult [1], [5]. Therefore, traditional data-mining algorithms and data-analysis tools are often inadequate.
174 citations
TL;DR: In this article, two modular power converter concepts, cascaded H-bridges (CHB) and modular multilevel converter (MMC) topologies, with special attention to the latter design are analyzed.
Abstract: This article analyzes two modular power converter concepts, cascaded H-bridges (CHB) and modular multilevel converter (MMC) topologies, with special attention to the latter design. Both concepts have some characteristics in common and can provide the required functionalities for power electronic transformers (PETs). This analysis will cover aspects like the number of required cells, characteristics of the power devices, functionalities, and potential uses.
114 citations
TL;DR: In the current configuration, transformers are passive devices that do not enable dc systems to connect or interface the electric grid with other energy grids.
Abstract: Increasing decentralized energy production challenges the distribution grid [1], [2], and, in many countries, power generation and consumption are spatially separated, meaning that energy must be transferred over a long distance [3]. This calls for novel ways to transfer power to the loads without overloading grid feeders and to connect new intelligent loads and storage [4], which typically form the actual electric grid hybrid (ac and dc) and couple with other energy networks (multimodal) [5]. In the current configuration, transformers are passive devices that do not enable dc systems to connect or interface the electric grid with other energy grids.
95 citations
TL;DR: An overview of intelligent buildings of the future from a range of perspectives discusses everything from the prospects of U.S. and world energy consumption to insights into the future ofelligent buildings based on the latest technological advancements in U.s. industry and government.
Abstract: Intelligent buildings are quickly becoming cohesive and integral inhabitants of cyberphysical ecosystems. Modern buildings adapt to internal and external elements and thrive on ever-increasing data sources, such as ubiquitous smart devices and sensors, while mimicking various approaches previously known in software, hardware, and bioinspired systems. This article provides an overview of intelligent buildings of the future from a range of perspectives. It discusses everything from the prospects of U.S. and world energy consumption to insights into the future of intelligent buildings based on the latest technological advancements in U.S. industry and government.
92 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a methodology that allows the development of new converter topologies for SIMO from different basic configurations of single-input, single-output dc-dc converters.
Abstract: This article presents a methodology that allows the development of new converter topologies for single-input, multiple-output (SIMO) from different basic configurations of single-input, single-output dc-dc converters. These typologies have in common the use of only one power-switching device, and they are all nonisolated converters. Sixteen different topologies are highlighted, and their main features are explained. The 16 typologies include nine twooutput-type, five three-output-type, one four-output-type, and one six-output-type dc-dc converter configurations. In addition, an experimental prototype of a three-output-type configuration with six different output voltages based on a single-ended primary inductance (SEPIC)-Cuk-boost combination converter was developed, and the proposed design methodology for a basic converter combination was experimentally verified.
64 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a quasi-resonant and multiresonant, resonant transition, and resonant power converters (RPCs) are proposed to charge the battery of an electric vehicle.
Abstract: Finite commutation times are associated with the concurrent occurrence of both voltageacross and current-through semiconductor switches, leading to switching power losses. To alleviate them, soft-switching techniques have been developed. Soft-switching converters can be classified into quasi-resonant and multiresonant, resonant-transition, and resonant power converters (RPCs). This article focuses on RPCs, due to their high power density and efficiency. Specifically, RPC topologies with multiple elements are described, and their input-output relationships and efficiency are illustrated. The merits and limitations of RPCs are discussed and compared. An RPC intended to charge the battery of an electric vehicle (EV) is presented, and experimental results are discussed.
63 citations
TL;DR: The vanadium-based technology for redox flow batteries (RFBs) is reviewed and its strengths and weaknesses are highlighted, outlining the research that aims to make it a commercial success.
Abstract: Vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) systems complemented with dedicated power electronic interfaces are a promising technology for storing energy in smart-grid applications in which the intermittent power produced by renewable sources must face the dynamics of requests and economical parameters. In this article, we review the vanadium-based technology for redox flow batteries (RFBs) and highlight its strengths and weaknesses, outlining the research that aims to make it a commercial success.
TL;DR: The need for cleaner and more efficient electrical power generation along with limited funds for the construction of bulk generation and transmission facilities has motivated power system utilities to deploy distributed energy resources (DERs) as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The need for cleaner and more efficient electrical power generation along with limited funds for the construction of bulk generation and transmission facilities has motivated power system utilities to deploy distributed energy resources (DERs). Onsite generation by DERs offers various economic and environmental benefits for end customers, utilities, and society. These benefits include enhanced reliability and resilience of power delivery systems and deferment of investments for bulk generation, transmission, and distribution expansions. Furthermore, DER integration may lead to lower losses at the transmission-system level and emission reduction of large fossil-fueled power plants [1], [2]. DER integration has modified the conventional, centralized bulk generation concept and introduced new notions, such as the microgrid (mG) [3].
TL;DR: In this paper, Wigner argued about the surprising precision with which mathematical equations can describe physical phenomena such as Newton's second law, which states that the gravitational force acting on a falling body is proportional to its mass and no other parameter of that body.
Abstract: In 1960, three years before receiving the Nobel Prize in Physics, Hungarian-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician Eugene Wigner (1902?1995) published a paper, ?The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences.? In it, he argued about the surprising precision with which mathematical equations can describe physical phenomena [1]. He considered Newton?s second law, which states that the gravitational force acting on a falling body is proportional to its mass and no other parameter of that body. Newton brought this law into relation with the motion of the moon, noting that the parabola of a thrown rock and the circle of the moon's path in the sky are particular cases of the same mathematical object, the ellipse, deducing the universal law of gravitation. Initially, this law was supported by a single and rough coincidence with an accuracy of a mere 4%, but subsequent observations proved that it held to an accuracy of 0.001%. Wigner also examined other laws, such as quantum mechanics that, when formulated in the form of matrix mechanics to calculate the lowest energy level of helium, matched experiments to a relative error of 10?7.
TL;DR: In this paper, a sustainable and potentially optimal solution (optimal in the context of mathematical optimization) for energy-efficient buildings is proposed for integrating renewable energy resources into the structures and use intelligent advanced model-based control methods (AMBCMs).
Abstract: Energy efficiency in the building sector, where approximately 40% of total end-use energy is consumed [1], is a major concern today. Approximately half of building energy is used for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) [2]. A sustainable and potentially optimal solution (optimal in the context of mathematical optimization) for energyefficient buildings is to integrate renewable energy resources (for example, solar and geothermal energy [3]-[6]) into the structures and use intelligent advanced model-based control methods (AMBCMs). A significant potential exists for energy savings in the building sector since most buildings have manual or rule-based HVAC control systems, which may not be energy efficient [7], [8], and many buildings lack renewable energy integration.
TL;DR: The recent collapse in oil prices to around US$30/barrel was welcomed by drivers, airlines, and transportation companies, but it is not beneficial from all points of view, as it causes major stresses in the financial world and weakens the awareness of the finiteness of fossil reserves and of the need for switching to renewable non-polluting resources as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: After dealing with the very recent history of Moore's law in the previous issue of IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine, I will jump far back into the past for this issue, taking the opportunity given by a present-world economic event. The recent collapse in oil prices to around US$30/barrel, after it soared in 2008 to peak at US$140/barrel, was welcomed by drivers, airlines, and transportation companies, but it is not beneficial from all points of view. The collapse causes major stresses in the financial world and weakens the awareness of the finiteness of fossil reserves and of the need for switching to renewable nonpolluting resources. Prospects such as these are not new. Nevertheless, despite the warnings launched decades ago by the models developed by several groups, starting with the System Dynamics Group of Jay Forrester at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1971) and by the Club of Rome with the Meadows' Report (1972) [1], the industrialized world has long delayed realizing the weakness of its dependence on nonrenewable resources and, more generally, on the limited availability of raw materials. The extraordinary industrial development in the United States during the two postwar periods depended, to a major extent, on the wide availability of oil at a very low cost, after geological exploration in the 1930s revealed immense oil fields in Asia (e.g., the Persian Gulf, Iran, etc.). The European choice of coal, formalized early after World War II with the institution of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), pointed to a less valuable, although important, energy source. More recently, the new strong Eastern economies, notably those of China and India, have resulted a dramatic rise in oil demand that called for a keener evaluation of the limits of existing reserves. During the last few years, several governments have undertaken steady policies in support of technological research for the replacement of fossil fuels and the reduction of pollution. These plans have a central role in the European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 program, with the objective of covering 20% of energy demand by means of renewable sources and reducing pollution by 20% from the 1990 level by 2020. The U.S. Department of Energy under the Obama administration conceived a US$15 billion per year plan to develop renewable sources for reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. We are confident that these measures will be timely and appropriate because we rely positively on the human ability to find new solutions capable of promoting progress. Nevertheless, such evolution should not necessarily be taken for granted. In fact, the depletion of energy resources and raw materials is not a specific problem of postindustrial economies. Similar circumstances occurred several times in the past and successful solutions were not always found.
TL;DR: In this article, the physical principles of energy harvesting transducers and the necessary physics and electronics background leading to the design of energy-harvesting power supplies are discussed, as well as application fields for energy harvesting power supplies and examples of self-powered electronic system blocks.
Abstract: This book unveils the physical principles of energy-harvesting transducers and explains the necessary physics and electronics background leading to the design of energy-harvesting power supplies. It explains in detail the available energy harvesting technologies, namely piezoelectric transducers, electrodynamic microgenerators, thermoelectric generators, solar cells, and radio and microwave frequency antennas. The subject coverage ranges from the physics of materials to the electronic engineering at the circuit level while explaining the fundamental relations of power transfer and management required in harvesting energy systems. Due to the intermittency of several sources of ambient energy (light, thermal, mechanic, electromagnetic radiation), the book also includes storage elements. Therefore, it explains and compares storage devices like solidstate thin-film lithium batteries, supercapacitors, and reversible fuel cells so the reader can select the most appropriate for a given application. On the electronics side, the book provides a detailed study about dc–dc switching regulators, including two fundamental subjects: matching loads and performance efficiency considerations. This last subject, hard to find even in power electronics books, is of paramount importance in the energy-harvesting context. The book ends by presenting application fields for energy-harvesting power supplies and examples of self-powered electronic system blocks for an energy-harvesting power supply and the design tradeoffs. This material illustrates the previous subjects while giving quantitative assumptions on environmental energy. The textbook includes prefaces, a table of contents, and an index.
TL;DR: The Reliability of Power Electronic Converter Systems as discussed by the authors outlines current research on reliability of power conversion systems and includes well-known metrics such as mean lifetime, mean time to failure, and mean time between failures; modeling concepts; physics of failure of power semiconductors; failure models; remaining useful life; point availability; failure mode, mechanism, and effects analysis (FMMEA) or failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA); and principal component analysis together with stochastic hybrid systems (SHS) models for performance and reliability analysis.
Abstract: Reliability is a major concern for power electronics designers spanning from industrial engineers to senior researchers. Power electronic converters' main problems can be technology infancy issues or subtle design flaws that can cause intermittent malfunctions, ruin the converter operation, or even destroy the converter. The timely and unique book- Reliability of Power Electronic Converter Systems outlines current research on reliability of power conversion systems. It includes well-known metrics such as mean lifetime, mean time to failure, and mean time between failures; modeling concepts; physics of failure of power semiconductors; failure models; remaining useful life; point availability; failure mode, mechanism, and effects analysis (FMMEA) or failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA); and principal component analysis together with stochastic hybrid systems (SHS) models for performance and reliability analysis.
TL;DR: A comprehensive and systematic coverage of the operating principles, underlying theory, design, production, and use of Li-ion batteries can be found in this article, where a brief historical background of batteries and their terminology is provided.
Abstract: This book offers a comprehensive and systematic coverage of the operating principles, underlying theory, design, production, and use of Li-ion batteries. The text starts with a brief historical background of batteries and their terminology. Then, the book presents chapters dealing with a systematic overview of Li-ion batteries, from their chemistry properties to manufacturing technologies, including current trends and future options. It introduces and discusses the key components of Li-ion- and Li-air-based batteries, including cathodes; anodes; negative and positive electrode materials; solid, liquid and polymer electrolytes; separators; electronic conductive agents; binders; solvents for slurry preparation; positive thermal coefficient materials; current collectors; and battery cases. It discusses batteries based on olivine (LiFePO4), which are advantageous for power lithium batteries because of their excellent safety, environmental friendliness, fast-charge performance, and very long cycling life. The text also discusses the assembly processes and electrochemical performance of Li-ion batteries while summarizing their applications in power tools, electric bikes, wheelchairs and cars, thermal-engine cars (36-V Li-ion battery), hybrid EVs, the military, autonomous underwater vehicles, aerospace, microdevices and electronic health, wind and solar energy storage, smart electrical grids (e.g., in peak curtailment, market enabling, sustainability, demand response support, power quality improvement, virtual inertia, optimizing valley, and peak power prices), load leveling, the mining industry, and medical treatment and implants The textbook includes prefaces, an editor biography, a table of contents, and an index.
TL;DR: The sun has given light to the Earth since the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago, and through photosynthesis, it has fed almost all its life forms for at least 2.45-2.32 billion years.
Abstract: The sun has given light to the Earth since the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago, and through photosynthesis, it has fed almost all its life forms for at least 2.45-2.32 billion years. Photosynthesis is estimated to capture in biomass approximately 833 PWh (1012 kWh) yearly, at an average power of 95 TW-the same produced by 100,000 large-sized power stations. This is just a small fraction of the energy irradiated yearly by the sun to our planet, which receives 1,520 EWh (1015 kWh) in the upper atmosphere. Approximately 30% is reflected back into space, 20% is absorbed by clouds, and about 780 EWh (i.e., 51%) reaches the Earth's surface, either land or oceans. Out of this, a portion ranging between 438 and 13,844 PWh could be converted into useful energy with technological means, according to 2015 estimations of the United Nations Development Programme [1].
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an edited book with 21 chapters contributed by who created the MDA discipline, divided into four parts: IEC 61499 Basics; Design Guidelines and Application Development; Industrial Application Examples; and finally, Laboratory Automation Examples.
Abstract: This is an edited book with 21 chapters contributed by who created the MDA discipline. The book is divided into four parts: IEC 61499 Basics; Design Guidelines and Application Development; Industrial Application Examples; and finally, Laboratory Automation Examples. The editors did a great job with this volume, whichmay open the eyes of many who, until recently, doubted the usefulness of the IEC 61499 reference model-based design. It is a must for anyone interested or involved in engineering design.
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive overview of engineering measurements for graduate and senior-level undergraduate students is presented, which can also be used for researchers and engineers who are interested in measurements-related industry and technology.
Abstract: This book provides a comprehensive overview of engineering measurements for graduate and senior-level undergraduate students. It can also be recommended for researchers and engineers who are interested in measurements-related industry and technology. The book consists of 27 chapters and three appendixes and is organized as follows. Includes some of the following topics: fundamentals of measurement; human factors measurement; measurements of environmental health; measurements of land; measuring building performance; energy systems measurement; economic systems measurement; measurement in quantum mechanics; social science measurement; metrology measurement; performance evaluation measurement; data processing and acquisition systems measurement; and visualization and big data measurement concepts. Each chapter is followed by references, various illustrations, and conclusions. This book covers qualitative and quantitative topics of measurement.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present new trends and frontiers in the interdisciplinary field of power electronics systems (PES), which includes contributions from an international panel of 44 PES experts covering subjects such as SiC devices, multilevel and matrix converters (MC), smart power electronic modules, zero voltage switching (ZVS), switching power supplies, EVs, sliding mode and intelligent direct torque control (DTC), and model-based predictive control (MPC) of PMSM drives and wind turbines (WTs).
Abstract: Future power electronics will be dependent on recent silicon carbide power semiconductor devices like SiC metal oxide field effect transistor (MOSFET), SiC insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), and SiC junction field effect transistor (JFET), capable of up to 15 kV hold-off voltages. Compared to silicon (Si), SiC-based power-switching devices present much lower leakage currents, higher blocking voltages, higher operating temperatures, lower on-state voltage drops, higher switching frequency, and higher thermal conductivity. These advanced semiconductor devices integrated within smart power electronic modules can be used to build advanced power converters such as multi-input, multiport converters; modular multilevel cascaded converters (MMCCs); and matrix, Z-source, and Y-source converters. Up-to-date electronic power conversion is priceless for applications like permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives, induction motor (IM) drives, renewable energy systems (wind, photovoltaic), energy storage, fuel cells, and electrical vehicles (EV). Power electronic conversion is also the core of modern shipboard power systems, more electric aircrafts, flexible ac power transmission systems, distributed generation (DG) and microgrids, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and wireless power transfer (WPT). Assuming the reader is already familiar with the fundamentals of power semiconductors1], electronic power converters, and their control, this book explores and suggests new trends and frontiers in the interdisciplinary field of power electronics systems (PES). In includes contributions from an international panel of 44 PES experts covering subjects such as SiC devices, multilevel and matrix converters (MC), smart power electronic modules, zero voltage switching (ZVS) and zero current switching (ZCS), switching power supplies, EVs, sliding mode and intelligent direct torque control (DTC) of IM drives, sliding mode observers, and model-based predictive control (MPC) of PMSM drives and wind turbines (WTs). The book is also matchless in performing detailed study of contactless power (WPT) and in sequence-based control (SBC) together with the implementation of high-frequency solid-state power transformer (SST) using three-level neutral point clamped multilevel converters built with 15 kV SiC IGBTs. The book is divided in two parts and 20 chapters. It includes preface, table of contents, index, and references at the end of each chapter.
TL;DR: The Hertz resonator as discussed by the authors was a simple wire shaped in a circle with a small gap between the two ends where a spark was caused by the electromagnetic waves, and it was a very weak effect that Hertz could hardly observe: a very tiny spark that required a dark room and even a magnifier.
Abstract: Electromagnetic waves were first postulated by James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) in 1865. To demonstrate their existence 22 years later, Heinrich Hertz (1857-1894) had to design new instrumentation that he used to carry out an experiment than had never been performed before. To detect the waves produced by his oscillating electric circuit, he used a very crude receiver, subsequently known as the Hertz resonator. This was made of a simple wire shaped in a circle with a small gap between the two ends where a spark was caused by the waves [1]. It was a very weak effect that Hertz could hardly observe: a very tiny spark that required a dark room and even a magnifier. Hertz, focused on pure science, asserted, "I do not think that the wireless waves I have discovered will have any practical application" [2].