Abstract: For technical and economical reasons, the legacy electric power system has evolved into a predominantly alternating-current (AC) network of generators, transformers, and transmission lines. Despite this dominance, high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission systems have supplemented the legacy power system for long-distance transmission of bulk power, electrification of islands through submarine cables, and enablement of energy trade between asynchronous power systems or, even, power systems that operate at different frequencies. In recent years, however, the efforts towards more sustainable energy systems, large-scale integration of renewable energy resources, and more reliable supply of electric energy indicate an even larger role for HVDC transmission systems and direct-current (DC) grids in the electric power system of future. Such a larger role must be enabled by highly efficient, controllable, power-electronic converters, as the building blocks of modern HVDC systems. This talk first provides an overview of both traditional and emerging applications of HVDC systems, with a brief discussion about the line-commutated converter (LCC) as the power processor for the traditional HVDC systems. Then the motivations behind and the theoretical basis of the voltage-sourced converter (VSC), as the successor of the LCC, are presented, followed by brief introduction of a few commercial VSC-based HVDC systems. The talk next
introduces the most recent member of the VSC family, that is, the modular multilevel converter (MMC) based on the half-bridge and full-bridge building blocks. Finally, a new building block, the lattice sub-module (LSM), is presented to offer the same dc-side fault handling capability as that featured by the full-bridge technology, and the same efficiency as that offered by the half-bridge technology.

Click here to download Prof. Yazdani’s Presentation (New)

About the speaker: Amir Yazdani received the B.Sc. degree from Sharif University of Technology, Iran (1995), the M.Sc. degree from University of Tehran, Iran (2001), and the Ph.D. degree from University of Toronto, Canada (2005), all in Electrical Engineering. From 1995 to 2002, he led an engineering team in an Iranian private company for design and development of switch-mode power supplies
and resonant power amplifiers for railway signaling systems. From 2005 to 2006, he was with Digital Predictive Systems (DPS) Inc., in Canada, where he was engaged in research and development of high-power electronic converters for wind energy applications. From 2006 to 2011, he was an Assistant Professor with the University of Western Ontario in Canada. In 2011, he joined Ryerson University in Canada where he is a Professor active in teaching and research in the areas of modeling, analysis, simulation, and control of high-power electronic energy conversion systems. In the aforementioned areas, he has conducted multiple industrial projects, and has authored/co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed research papers, one book chapter, and the books Voltage-Sourced Converters in Power Systems (IEEE-Wiley, 2010) and Multi-Terminal Direct-Current Grids (Wiley/IEEE, 2014). Since 2012, he has served as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery and the IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.

Abstract: A microgrid can be defined as a part of the grid with elements like distributed energy sources, power electronics converters, energy storage devices and controllable local loads that can operate autonomously in islanded mode but also interacting with the main power network in a controlled, coordinated way. Following the introduction of distributed control of these elements, cooperative control and hierarchical control schemes for coordination of power electronics converters in order to control the power flow and to enhance the power quality will be elaborated. Different technologies are combined together, such as power converters, control, communications, optimization, and so on. This way,energy can be generated and stored near to the consumption points, improving stability and reducing losses produced by large power lines. In distributed energy systems like microgrids, multi-agent systems technologies will be presented, including distributed control. The focus of this presentation will be on the analysis, modelling, and control design of power electronics-based microgrids, as well as power electronics control and communications. Further, the interconnection of microgrid clusters will be emphasized as an important step towards utilization of the smart grid concept. Examples of real microgrid sites including conventional islanded systems installed in islands and rural remote areas will be shown. Further, low-voltage distribution systems and DC microgrids for residential applications and homes will be introduced. New worldwide projects to develop technologies for low voltage DC distribution systems and maritime ship-board microgrids will be shown. Finally the integration of microgrids by using smart meters and Internet of Things (IoT) concepts will be presented.

 Click here to download Prof. Guerrero’s Presentation (New)

About the speaker: Prof. Guerrero is with the Aalborg University, Denmark. He is Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), with research in the fields of distributed power systems and microgrids.

Abstract: Power converter design is a complex task that often thermal issues to ensure the target reliability, filters selection to satisfy input/output harmonics requirements as well as minimization of volume/weight and cost to meet marketing constrains. To make the converter design manageable it is often separated into parts where the Modulation is one of them. The Modulation can give to the power electronic engineer, degrees of freedom, that can be use to positively impact not only the quality of the output voltages and currents but also key converter internal variables such as semiconductors temperature and dc bus capacitors voltages. This lecture addresses modulation for static converters. It starts by reviewing classical Carrier Base Modulation, their spectra and applications for simple single phase and three phase two level conveters as well as to multilevel converters. Then, the degrees of freedom of multilevel converters are explored in a systematic way by using a “Geometric Approach” providing a simple tool for power electronics engineers to explore the converter capabilities in the well-known carrier based framework. Finally, the Space Vector Modulation for different converters from single phase to three phase cascade converters is presented and its main advantages and challenges discussed.

About the speaker: Prof. Pinheiro is with the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Brazil. His main research fields are discrete control of static converters, wind power and modulation schemes for static converters.

Abstract: This talk offers an account of experiences related to the problem of third-party copyright infringement, as well as some measures adopted by COPPE (the Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Research in Engineering, at Rio de Janeiro Federal University) to curb potential problems in this area, including formal and educational measures. The title suggests that the issue is still poorly understood among undergraduate and graduate students (and professors), and that a wholly nonlinear reaction is common between those who copy or those who are copied. The discussion ends with some suggestions on measures that could be adopted to eliminate (minimize) problems of plagiarism and raise awareness on matters of integrity in research.

About the speaker: Prof. Watanabe received the B.Sc. degree in electronic engineering and the M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1975 and 1976, respectively, and the D.Eng. degree from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in 1981. From 1981 to 1994, he was an Associate Professor with COPPE/UFRJ, where he has been a Professor since 1994. Currently, he is the Director of COPPE/UFRJ. Dr. Watanabe was admitted to the National Order of Scientific Merit (2005), is a member of the National Academy of Engineering (2013), and member of the Brazilian Academy of Science (2014). He was the recipient of the 2013 IEEE PES Nari Hingorani FACTS Award and is a Fellow of IEEE since January, 2017.

Abstract: Variable inductors (VIs) are magnetic elements whose inductance can be controlled by an analog signal, usually a DC current injected into an auxiliary winding. The DC current generates a DC magnetic flux density that can modulate the magnetic permeability of the core. This modulation ultimately generates a change on the effective inductance of the main winding of the VI. Thus, VIs are particularly interesting because they can provide and additional degree of freedom in the design of power electronics converters. Example of applications are DC-DC converters, resonant inverters, electronic ballasts, LED drivers, power factor correctors, MPPT converters for solar panels, wireless power transfer, and so on. In this lecture, an introduction to VI will be presented, showing the most important VI structures and their operation. The VI design and modelling will also be dealt with. Next, VI modeling based on SPICE simulators will be presented. Finally, some applications of VIs will be expounded.

Click here to download Prof. Alonso’s Presentation (New)

About the speaker: Prof. Alonso received the M.Sc. Degree and Ph.D. both in electrical engineering from the University of Oviedo, Spain, in 1990 and 1994 respectively. In 2007, he has been appointed as full Professor at the Electrical Engineering Department of the University of Oviedo. Prof. Alonso is co-author of more than three hundred journal and conference publications. His research interests include electronic ballasts, LED power supplies, power factor correction and switching converters in general. He was supervisor of seven Ph.D. Thesis and he is the holder of seven Spanish patents. Prof. Alonso has been awarded with the Early Career Award of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society in 2006. He also holds three IEEE paper awards. Since October 2002 he serves as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics. He has been Co-Guest Editor of two special issues in lighting applications published in the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (2007) and IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics (2012) and has co-organized several conference special sessions. He is also member of the European Power Electronics Association and he belongs to the International Steering Committee of the European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE).