Digital Twin & AI-based Control

Description of work:
Modern electrical energy conversion systems are becoming more intelligent, with the ability to exchange energy between energy storage, electrical grid, charging station and consumer – this project considers bidirectional power electronics, which allows us to control the flow of energy from source to consumer, as well as in the opposite direction.
The project aim is to compare the performance and efficiency of three-phase bidirectional schemes of different topologies. These schemes are prospective and are widely used in energy storage systems, charging stations, industrial sources, etc. The work should also analyze the schemes for the optimal application of GaN or SiC devices. Method of investigation – multidomain simulation using Matlab/Simulink and Plecs.
Tasks & Goals:
• Familiarization & literature search (10%)
• Calculations, design and components selection of power electronics (20%)
• Design and implementation the control system (15%)
• Simulation in different modes, discovering performance and efficiency of the schemes (40%)
• Written thesis & presentation (15%)
Benefits for student:
• Experience in simulation multidomain
system-level models
• Familiarization with a performance of
prospective bidirectional schemes, which
used in energy storage systems, charging
stations, industrial sources, etc
• Improving Matlab and Plecs skills
Previous Knowledge:
• Power Electronics
• Control System Theory
• Matlab/Simulink/Simscape

Description of work:
Modern electrical energy conversion systems are becoming more intelligent, with the ability to exchange energy between energy storage, electrical grid, charging station and consumer – this project considers bidirectional power electronics, which allows us to control the flow of energy from source to consumer, as well as in the opposite direction.
In this project, one of the prospective one-phase bidirectional schemes is considered, which is used in energy storage systems, charging stations, industrial sources, etc. The project aim is to develop a multidomain system-level model of one-phase bidirectional electric converter in the closed-loop regulation by control system. Loss calculation will be done using Plecs.
Tasks & Goals:
• Familiarization & literature search (10%)
• Calculations, design and components selection of power electronics (20%)
• Design and implementation the control system (15%)
• Simulation in different modes, discovering performance of the scheme (40%)
• Written thesis & presentation (15%)
Benefits for student:
• Experience in simulation multidomain
system-level models
• Familiarization with a performance of
prospective bidirectional schemes, which
used in energy storage systems, charging
stations, industrial sources, etc
• Familiarization with control systems of
PFC and DC/DC conversion stages
• Improving Matlab skills
Previous Knowledge:
• Power Electronics
• Control System Theory
• Matlab/Simulink/Simscape

Description of work:
Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing is one of the modern methods to investigate behavior of physical equipment virtually. In this project, the digital twin of power electronics of AC/DC converter in PFC stage is considered in HIL mode. This digital twin is deployed in the dSpace Microlabbox hardware and run in real-time mode. This approach allows us to simulate the operation of power electronics for an external control system. The control system is deployed on the TI control board, and it forms a closed control loop together with a digital twin of power
electronics.
The project aim is to develop closed control loop system running in real-time mode and consisting of power electronics (represented by digital twin on Microlabbox hardware) and control system (represented by TI control board).
Tasks & Goals:
• Familiarization & literature search (10%)
• Calculations, design and components selection of power electronics (10%)
• Design and simulation the control system with the model of power electronics (10%)
• Deployment control system on TI control board (programming directly from Simulink) (10%)
• Deployment the digital twin of power electronics on Microlabbox (10%)
• Assembly setup in the closed-loop system and test (35%)
• Written thesis & presentation (15%)
Benefits for student:
• Familiarization with HIL testing
• Familiarization with dSpace Microlabbox hardware
• Familiarization how to deploy control algorithm
from Simulink to TI control board (without C-coding)
• Improving Matlab/Simulink skills
Previous Knowledge:
• Power Electronics
• Control System Theory
• Understanding how microcontrollers work
• Matlab/Simulink/Simscape

SiC MOSFETs have emerged as a promising solution for high-power applications. However, their long-term reliability can be compromised when subjected to temperature fluctuations, which are common in many real-world operating environments. Rapid temperature cycling can induce degradation in these devices both at the semiconductor level (e.g. deep traps, interfacial stress, oxide failure, etc.) and the package level (e.g.  cracks, delamination, bond-wire lift-off, etc.). This result into non-ideal behaviour in the electrical (e.g. R_ON, V_TH, I_GSS, R_DSS, etc.) and thermal characteristics (e.g. R_TH) of the device. As a result, it is important to tackle the temperature-induced degradation and thus increase the lifetime of the SiC MOSFETs.

This work primarily focuses on implementing an efficient thermal management system based on a predictive temperature controller and smoothing algorithm to reduce the magnitude of temperature fluctuations and thus extend the SiC MOSFET module lifespan to be used in a 3-phase inverter (B6 bridge topology).

Tasks and Goals:

• Familiarization and state-of-the-art literature research for
  • different temperature sensitive electrical parameters (TSEPs) for SiC MOSFETs.
  • temperature control systems
• Determination of the setpoint MOSFET junction temperature (T_J,SP) from a given predicted temperature fluctuation profile, based on different target variables, such as range, service life, robustness and energy efficiency.
• MATLAB/Simulink-based implementation of the temperature controller, which translates the T_J,SP value into the appropriate SiC MOSFET TSEPs and other inverter parameters (e.g. dead-time, switching frequency, etc.) and thus regulate the actual junction temperature of the MOSFET (T_J,actual) .
• Experimental verification and evaluation of the temperature and smoothing control.
• Written thesis and presentation.

Expected Qualifications:

• Experience of MATLAB and Simulink.
• Knowledge of B6-bridge inverter topology.

Optional (Preferable) Qualifications:

• Attended the Robust Power Semiconductor Systems I & II courses offered by our institute.
• Experience with dSPACE equipments.

Start: Immediately

Contact: Swapnil Sunil Roge