Power losses in small inverter-fed induction motors

This paper presents the results of experimental and simulation investigations of the breakdown of losses in a small inverter fed induction motor. Factors that are considered include the impact of skew, excitation voltage waveform shape and PWM switching frequency. Detailed finite element simulations of the motor performance are carried out for the various conditions, with simulation results compared to calorimetric test results. © 2005 IEEE.

Advanced DC link capacitor technology application for a stiff voltage-source inverter

Problem of DC link size in a stiff voltage-source inverter for electric drive is described in the paper. Advantages of advanced film capacitor technology over conventional one for DC link application are reviewed. Conventional DC link capacitor selection methods are questioned in view of advanced capacitor technology utilization in stiff voltage-source inverter. For capacitor selection maximum ripple rms current point is shown. DC link ripple current spectrum analysis under modern PWM techniques is presented. Some capacitor selection recommendations are given. The analysis has been aided greatly by computer modeling in PSpice. ©2005 IEEE.

Studies of inverter ratings of BDFM adjustable speed drive or generator systems

This paper discusses the inverter ratings of Brushless Doubly-Fed Machine (BDFM) adjustable speed drive (ASD) or generator (ASG) systems. Based on the per phase equivalent circuit model, the ratings of the two inverters in a bidirectional converter are evaluated individually. An approach to minimise the total inverter rating is presented, taking into account power factor constraints of the power grid. The effects of speed deviation and control winding excitation on the inverter ratings are discussed. Predictions of inverter ratings are presented with experimental verification. A design example is also provided in which the total inverter rating is minimised for a practical BDFM based ASG system. © 2005 IEEE.

Investigation and comparison of inverter-fed induction machine loss

This paper presents an investigation into the losses in a three-phase induction motor under different pulse width modulation (PWM) excitation conditions. The impacts of Sinusoidal PWM, Space Vector PWM and Discontinuous PWM on machine loss are compared and studied. Finite element analysis simulations are employed to predict the machine losses with the loss breakdown analysis under different PWM schemes. Direct Calorimetric measurements are utilized to verify the finite element modeling and provide direct quantifications of machine loss under modern PWM techniques. © 2008 IEEE.

A closely integrated digital image capture device for embedded applications

A modular image capture system with close integration to CCD cameras has been developed. The aim is to produce a system capable of integrating CCD sensor, image capture and image processing into a single compact unit. This close integration provides a direct mapping between CCD pixels and digital image pixels. The system has been interfaced to a digital signal processor board for the development and control of image processing tasks. These have included characterization and enhancement of noisy images from an intensified camera and measurement to subpixel resolutions. A highly compact form of the image capture system is in an advanced stage of development. This consists of a single FPGA device and a single VRAM providing a two chip image capturing system capable of being integrated into a CCD camera. A miniature compact PC has been developed using a novel modular interconnection technique, providing a processing unit in a three dimensional format highly suited to integration into a CCD camera unit. Work is under way to interface the compact capture system to the PC using this interconnection technique, combining CCD sensor, image capture and image processing into a single compact unit. ©2005 Copyright SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering.

Using a semiconductor optical amplifier integrated with a pump laser for mid-span spectral inversion and wavelength conversion

A semiconductor optical amplifier monolithically integrated with a distributed feedback pump laser is used for non-degenerate four wave mixing applications. Experimental results are presented which illustrate the use of this compact device for both wavelength conversion and dispersion compensation applications at high data rates.

A fully integrated 660 MHz low-swing energy-recycling DC-DC converter

A fully integrated 0.18 μm DC-DC buck converter using a low-swing "stacked driver" configuration is reported in this paper. A high switching frequency of 660 MHz reduces filter components to fit on chip, but this suffers from high switching losses. These losses are reduced using: 1) low-swing drivers; 2) supply stacking; and 3) introducing a charge transfer path to deliver excess charge from the positive metal-oxide semiconductor drive chain to the load, thereby recycling the charge. The working prototype circuit converts 2.2 to 0.75-1.0 V at 40-55 mA. Design and simulation of an improved circuit is also included that further improves the efficiency by enhancing the charge recycling path, providing automated zero voltage switching (ZVS) operation, and synchronizing the half-swing gating signals. © 2009 IEEE.

High speed electro-thermal models for inverter simulations

This paper presents the application of advanced compact models of the IGBT and PIN diode to the full electrothermal system simulation of a hybrid electric vehicle converter using a look-up table of device losses. The Fourier-based solution model is used, which takes account of features such as local lifetime control and field-stop technology. Device and circuit parameters are extracted from experimental waveforms and device structural data. Matching of the switching waveforms and the resulting generation of the look-up table is presented. An example of the use of the look-up tables in simulation of inverter device temperatures is also given, for a hypothetical electric vehicle subjected to an urban driving cycle. © 2006 IEEE.

Losses in self-oscillating ballasts for electrode-type compact fluorescent lamps

Commercially available integrated compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use self-resonant ballasts on grounds of simplicity and cost. To understand how to improve ballast efficiency, it is necessary to quantify the losses. The losses occurring in these ballasts have been directly measured using a precision mini-calorimeter. In addition, a Pspice model has been used to simulate the performance of an 18 W integrated CFL. The lamp has been represented by a behavioural model and Jiles-Atherton equations were used to model the current transformer core. The total loss is in close agreement with measurements from the mini-calorimeter, confirming the accuracy of the model. The total loss was then disaggregated into component losses by simulation, showing that the output inductor is the primary source of loss, followed by the inverter switches. © 2011 The Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Measurement-Integrated simulations and Kalman filter applied to a co-flowing jet

This paper deals with the experimental evaluation of a flow analysis system based on the integration between an under-resolved Navier-Stokes simulation and experimental measurements with the mechanism of feedback (referred to as Measurement-Integrated simulation), applied to the case of a planar turbulent co-flowing jet. The experiments are performed with inner-to-outer-jet velocity ratio around 2 and the Reynolds number based on the inner-jet heights about 10000. The measurement system is a high-speed PIV, which provides time-resolved data of the flow-field, on a field of view which extends to 20 jet heights downstream the jet outlet. The experimental data can thus be used both for providing the feedback data for the simulations and for validation of the MI-simulations over a wide region. The effect of reduced data-rate and spatial extent of the feedback (i.e. measurements are not available at each simulation time-step or discretization point) was investigated. At first simulations were run with full information in order to obtain an upper limit of the MI-simulations performance. The results show the potential of this methodology of reproducing first and second order statistics of the turbulent flow with good accuracy. Then, to deal with the reduced data different feedback strategies were tested. It was found that for small data-rate reduction the results are basically equivalent to the case of full-information feedback but as the feedback data-rate is reduced further the error increases and tend to be localized in regions of high turbulent activity. Moreover, it is found that the spatial distribution of the error looks qualitatively different for different feedback strategies. Feedback gain distributions calculated by optimal control theory are presented and proposed as a mean to make it possible to perform MI-simulations based on localized measurements only. So far, we have not been able to low error between measurements and simulations by using these gain distributions.

Integrated billing mechanisms in the Internet of Things to support information sharing and enable new business opportunities

The Internet of Things (IOT) concept and enabling technologies such as RFID offer the prospect of linking the real world of physical objects with the virtual world of information technology to improve visibility and traceability information within supply chains and across the entire lifecycles of products, as well as enabling more intuitive interactions and greater automation possibilities. There is a huge potential for savings through process optimization and profit generation within the IOT, but the sharing of financial benefits across companies remains an unsolved issue. Existing approaches towards sharing of costs and benefits have failed to scale so far. The integration of payment solutions into the IOT architecture could solve this problem. We have reviewed different possible levels of integration. Multiple payment solutions have been researched. Finally we have developed a model that meets the requirements of the IOT in relation to openness and scalability. It supports both hardware-centric and software-centric approaches to integration of payment solutions with the IOT. Different requirements concerning payment solutions within the IOT have been defined and considered in the proposed model. Possible solution providers include telcos, e-payment service providers and new players such as banks and standardization bodies. The proposed model of integrating the Internet of Things with payment solutions will lower the barrier to invoicing for the more granular visibility information generated using the IOT. Thus, it has the potential to enable recovery of the necessary investments in IOT infrastructure and accelerate adoption of the IOT, especially for projects that are only viable when multiple benefits throughout the supply chain need to be accumulated in order to achieve a Return on Investment (ROI). In a long-term perspective, it may enable IT-departments to become profit centres instead of cost centres. © 2010 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.