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Due to the superior characteristics compared to its silicon (Si) counterpart, the wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor enables next-generation power electronics systems with higher efficiency and higher power density. With higher blocking voltage available, WBG devices, especially the silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), have been widely explored in various medium-voltage (MV) applications in both industry and academia. However, due to the high di/dt and high dv/dt during the switching transient, potential overcurrent, overvoltage, and gate failure can greatly reduce the reliability of implementing SiC MOSFETs in an MV system. By utilizing the parasitic inductance between the Kelvin- and the power-source terminal, a short-circuit (SC) and overload (OL) dual-protection scheme is proposed for overcurrent protection. A full design procedure and reliability analysis are given for SC circuit design. A novel OL circuit is proposed to protect OL faults at the gate-driver level. The protection procedure can detect an SC fault within 50 nanoseconds and protect the device within 1.1 microsecond. The proposed method is a simple and effective solution for the potential overcurrent problem of the SiC MOSFET. For SiC MOSFETs in series-connection, the unbalanced voltages can result in system failure due to device breakdown or unbalanced thermal stresses. By injecting current during the turn-off transient, an active dv/dt control method is used for voltage balancing. A 6 kV phase-leg using eight 1.7 kV SiC MOSFETs in series-connection has been tested with voltage balanced accurately. Modeling of the stacked SiC MOSFET with active dv/dt control is also done to summarize the design methodology for an effective and stable system. This method provides a low-loss and compact solution for overvoltage problems when MV SiC MOSFETs are connected in series. Furthermore, a scalable auxiliary power network is proposed to prevent gate failure caused by unstable gate voltage or EMI interference. The two-stage auxiliary power network (APN) architecture includes a wireless power transfer (WPT) converter supplied by a grounded low voltage dc bus, a high step-down-ratio (HSD) converter powered from dc-link capacitors, and a battery-based mini-UPS backup power supply. The auxiliary-power-only pre-charge and discharge circuits are also designed for a 6 kV power electronics building block (PEBB). The proposed architecture provides a general solution of a scalable and reliable auxiliary power network for the SiC-MOSFET-based MV converter. For the WPT converter, a multi-objective optimization on efficiency, EMI mitigation, and high voltage insulation capability have been proposed. Specifically, a series-series-CL topology is proposed for the WPT converter. With the optimization and new topology, a 120 W, 48 V to 48 V WPT converter has been tested to be a reliable part of the auxiliary power network. For the HSD converter, a novel unidirectional voltage-balancing circuit is proposed and connected in an interleaved manner, which provides a fully modular and scalable solution. A ``linear regulator + buck" solution is proposed to be an integrated on-board auxiliary power supply. A 6 kV to 45 V, 100 W converter prototype is built and tested to be another critical part of the auxiliary power network. / Doctor of Philosophy / The wide bandgap semiconductor enables next-generation power electronics systems with higher efficiency and higher power density which will reduce the space, weight, and cost for power supply and conversion systems, especially for renewable energy. However, by pushing the system voltage level higher to medium-voltage of tens of kilovolts, although the system has higher efficiency and simpler control, the reliability drops. This dissertation, therefore, focusing on solving the possible overcurrent, overvoltage, and gate failure issues of the power electronics system that is caused by the high voltage and high electromagnetic interference environment. By utilizing the inductance of the device, a dual-protection method is proposed to prevent the overcurrent problem. The overcurrent fault can be detected within tens of nanoseconds so that the device will not be destroyed because of the huge fault current. When multiple devices are connected in series to hold higher voltage, the voltage sharing between different devices becomes another issue. The proposed modeling and control method for series-connected devices can balance the shared voltage, and make the control system stable so that no overvoltage problem will happen due to the non-evenly distributed voltages. Besides the possible overcurrent and overvoltage problems, losing control of the devices due to the unreliable auxiliary power supply is another issue. This dissertation proposed a scalable auxiliary power network with high efficiency, high immunity to electromagnetic interference, and high reliability. In this network, a wireless power transfer converter is designed to provide enough insulation and isolation capability, while a switched capacitor converter is designed to transfer voltage from several kilovolts to tens of volts. With the proposed overcurrent protection method, voltage sharing control, and reliable auxiliary power network, systems utilizing medium-voltage wide-bandgap semiconductor will have higher reliability to be implemented for different applications.

Yes / This paper presents an investigation into the impact of algorithm design for real-time active control systems. An active vibration control (AVC) algorithm for flexible beam systems is employed to demonstrate the critical design impact for real-time control applications. The AVC algorithm is analyzed, designed in various forms and implemented to explore the impact. Finally, a comparative real-time computing performance of the algorithms is presented and discussed to demonstrate the merits of different design mechanisms through a set of experiments.

Subsynchronous vibrations such as those caused by rotor instability represent one of the most harrowing scenarios of rotor vibration. They are related to a great diversity of destabilizing forces and some of them are not well understood yet. Therefore, special attention must be paid to this type of vibration. Active Magnetic Bearings (AMBs) monitor the position of the shaft and change the dynamics of the system accordingly to keep the rotor in a desired position, offering the possibility of being used as dampers for vibration control. In the present work, a single-disk and a three-disk rotor were built to evaluate the effectiveness of an Active Magnetic Damper (AMD) in damping subsynchronous vibrations. An AMD was used to inject a signal simulating a subsynchronous vibration in the rotor, as another AMD was used to perform active control. Two locations of the AMD were considered for each rotor. For the single-disk rotor, experimental data was taken with the AMD located at three-quarters of the rotor-span and with the AMD located at midspan. For the three-disk rotor, experimental data was taken with the AMD located at a quarter-span and with the AMD at two-thirds of the rotor span. An undamped critical speed and a forced response analysis were performed on the rotors in order to predict the dynamic characteristics of the rotors with and without the AMD. It was demonstrated that an AMD is effective in damping subsynchronous vibrations. The addition of an AMD introduces damping and stiffness to the rotor-bearing system resulting in a change in the synchronous response and a consequent increase of the amplitude of vibrations at synchronous frequencies. This effect must be carefully considered when designing a system with an AMD. / Master of Science

Les systèmes SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) basés sur la propagation d’ondes ultrasonores guidées sont utilisés pour des structures de grandes dimensions, par exemple dans les secteurs de l’aéronautique ou du génie civil. Les ondes de Lamb ou SH sont généralement employées car elles se propagent sur de longues distances dans des structures planes tout en sondant l’épaisseur des pièces. Cependant, des modes moins conventionnels se propagent dans les guides d’ondes de section droite finie, tels que les barreaux, les rails ou les tuyaux. Le nombre de modes peut être très élevé dans ce type de guide, et il est important de bien sélectionner un mode particulier.Les méthodes actuelles de sélectivité modale, basées sur l’emploi de plusieurs émetteurs,considèrent habituellement des éléments PZT identiques (même sensibilité, même réponse en fréquence...) et ne prennent pas en compte les conditions réelles de montage et leurs éventuelles imperfections (couplage variable entre traducteurs, mauvais alignement, différence de réponse de l’électronique...). Ce travail présente une méthodologie générale pour la sélectivité modale dans des guides à section droite finie, à l’aide de plusieurs éléments piézoélectriques disposés à leur surface. Cette sélectivité est basée sur la mesure expérimentale préalable, à l’aide d’un vibromètre laser 3D, des amplitudes des modes générés par chaque élément excité individuellement.Une procédure d’optimisation permet d’inverser le problème afin de maximiser l’amplitude du mode désiré, alors obtenue en excitant simultanément tous les émetteurs. Le problème à inverser requiert la connaissance des courbes de dispersion ainsi que des déformées modales des modes,obtenues en utilisant la méthode SAFE 2D. La méthodologie est testée à travers des simulations numériques et des mesures expérimentales sur un barreau d’aluminium de section rectangulaire instrumenté avec huit éléments PZT à sa surface. L’efficacité de la méthode pour générer différents modes purs, mais aussi pour détecter et localiser des défauts calibrés, est démontrée sur le barreau d’aluminium. Son fort potentiel pour des applications de SHM de structures plus complexes est étudié, tels qu’un rail ou un assemblage collé de matériaux composites. / SHM systems (Structural Health Monitoring) based on ultrasonic guided waves propagation are used for large structures, e.g. in Aerospace or Civil Engineering. Lamb or SH waves are usually employed as they propagate over long distances in plate-like structures while probing the entire thickness. However less conventional modes propagate in wave guides with finite crosssection,such as bars, rails or pipes. The number of modes can be very high even at low frequencyin this type of guide, and it is important to carefully select a specific mode. Current methods for modal selectivity, based on the use of several emitters, usually consider identical PZT elements(same sensitivity, same frequency response, etc.) and do not account for real experimental conditions and possible differences (variable coupling between transducers, flawed alignment,variable electronic response, etc.). This work presents a global methodology for modal selectivity in waveguides with finite cross-section, using several piezoelectric elements attached to their surface. This selectivity is based on experimental measurements, with a 3D laser vibrometer,of the amplitudes of the modes generated by each emitter. An optimization process allows to inverse the problem in order to maximize the amplitude of the desired mode, then generated by exciting all the emitters at once. This process requires knowing dispersion curves as well as the displacements of the various modes, calculated with SAFE 2D method. The methodology is tested through numerical simulations and experiments on an aluminium rectangular bar instrumented with 8 PZT elements on top. The method efficiency to generate different pure modes,and to detect and locate calibrated defects, is demonstrated for the aluminium bar. Its potential for SHM application of more complex structures is studied, like a rail or an adhesively bonded composite structure.

Este trabalho aborda a aplicação de uma máquina elétrica síncrona do tipo tubular linear de ímãs permanentes em um sistema de suspensão semiativa. O uso de amortecedores eletromagnéticos lineares em sistemas de suspensão não é uma ideia nova, mas a maioria dos trabalhos publicados sobre este assunto concebem soluções ativas e negligenciam as semiativas, sobretudo com estudos experimentais. Nesta pesquisa é discutido um modelo dinâmico eletromecânico acoplado de um sistema de suspensão semiativa, considerando um amortecedor eletromagnético linear e também apresentando dados experimentais. Leis da mecânica clássica e do eletromagnetismo são aplicadas para descrever o sistema que combina teoria de vibrações e máquinas elétricas. Um modelo virtual com vários subsistemas foi implementado no ambiente MATLABR /Simulink/Simscape para associar equações e simular o desempenho global. Para o caso passivo, os resultados numéricos e experimentais validam os parâmetros e confirmam a funcionalidade do sistema e a metodologia proposta. Simulações e testes experimentais para o caso semiativo são consistentes, mostrando uma melhoria na transmissibilidade de deslocamento, em relação ao modo passivo, e a possibilidade de regeneração de energia. / This work addresses the application of a tubular linear permanent magnet synchronous machine working as a damper for a semi-active suspension system. The use of linear electromagnetic dampers in suspension systems is not a new idea. However, most published papers on this subject outline active solutions and neglect semi-active ones, above all, with experimental studies. Here a dynamic mechanicalelectromagnetic coupled model for a semi-active suspension system is reported. This is in conjunction with a linear electromagnetic damper and also presents experimental data. Classical laws of mechanics and electromagnetics are applied to describe a dynamic model combining vibration and electrical machines theories. A multifaceted MATLABR /Simulink/Simscape model was implemented to incorporate equations and simulate global performance. For the passive case, numerical and experimental results validate the parameters and confirm system function and the proposed methodology. Simulation and practical results for the semi-active case are consistent, showing an improvement in the displacement transmissibility and the possibility of energy regeneration.

Control of MHD instabilities using a conducting wall together with external magnetic fields is an important route to improved performance and reliability in fusion devices. Active control of MHD modes is of interest for both the Advanced Tokamak and the Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) configurations. A wide range of unstable, current driven MHD modes is present in the RFP. An ideally conducting wall facing the plasma can in principle provide stabilization to these modes. However, a real, resistive wall characterized by a wall field diffusion time, cannot stabilize the ideal MHD modes unless they rotate with Alfvénic velocity, which is usually not the case. With a resistive wall, the ideal modes are converted into resistive wall modes (RWM) with growth rates comparable to the inverse wall time. Resistive wall modes have been studied in the EXTRAP T2R thin shell RFP device. Growth rates have been measured and found in agreement with linear MHD stability calculations. An advanced system for active control has been developed and installed on the EXTRAP T2R device. The system includes an array of 128 active saddle coils, fully covering the torus surface. Experiments on EXTRAP T2R have for the first time demonstrated simultaneous active suppression of multiple independent RWMs. In experiments with a partial array, coupling of different modes due to the limited number of feedback coils has been observed, in agreement with theory. Different feedback strategies, such as the intelligent shell, the rotating shell, and mode control have been studied. Further, feedback operation with different types of magnetic field sensors, measuring either the radial or the toroidal field components have been compared / QC 20100929

The ability to reduce flexural vibrations of lightweight structures has been a goal for many researchers. A type of transducer-controller system that accomplishes this is a piezoelectric patch connected to an electrical impedance, or shunt. The piezoelectric patch converts the vibrational strain energy of the structure to which it is bonded into electrical energy. This converted electrical energy is then modified by the shunt to influence to mechanical response. There are many types of shunt circuits which have demonstrated effective control of flexural systems. Of interest in this work is the negative capacitance shunt, which has been shown to produce significant reduction in vibration over a broad frequency range. A negative capacitance circuit produces a current that is 180̊ out of phase from a traditional, passive capacitor. In other words, the voltage of the capacitor decreases as charge is added. The negative capacitance shunt consists of a resistor and an active negative capacitance element. By adding a resistor and negative capacitor to the electrical domain, the shunt acts as a damper and negative spring in the mechanical domain. The performance of the negative capacitance shunt can be increased through proper selection of the shunt's electrical components. Three aspects of component selection are investigated: shunt efficiency, maximum suppression, and stability. First, through electrical modeling of the shunt-patch system, the components can be chosen to increase the efficiency of the shunt for a given impedance. Second, a method is developed that could be utilized to adaptively tune the magnitude of resistance and negative capacitance for maximum control at a given frequency. Third, with regard to stability, as the control gain of the circuit is increased, by adjusting the circuit parameters, there is a point when the shunt will become unstable. A method to predict the stability of the shunt is developed to aid in suppression prediction. The negative capacitance shunt is also combined with a periodic piezoelectric patch array to modify the propagating wave behavior of a vibrating structure. A finite element method is utilized to create models to predict both the propagation constant, which characterizes the reduction in propagating waves, and the velocity frequency response of a full system. Analytical predictions are verified with experimental results for both a 1- and 2-D periodic array. Results show significant attenuation can be achieved with a negative capacitance shunt applied to a piezoelectric patch array. Three electromechanical aspects are developed: design for maximum suppression, more accurate stability prediction, and increased power-output efficiency. First, a method is developed that may be used to adaptively tune the magnitude of resistance and negative capacitance for maximum suppression. Second, with regard to stability, a method is developed to predict the circuit components at which the circuit will obtain a stable output. Third, through electrical modeling of the shunt-patch system, the components are chosen to increase the power output efficiency of the shunt circuit for a given impedance. The negative capacitance shunt is also combined with a periodic piezoelectric patch array to modify the propagating wave behavior of a vibrating structure. Analytical predictions are verified with experimental results for both a 1- and 2-D periodic array. Results show significant attenuation can be achieved with a negative capacitance shunt applied to a piezoelectric patch array.

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A robotically-controlled actuation system has been developed and built to perform active open-loop flow control experiments on transitional and turbulent backward-facing step flows in water. Control of the reattaching shear layer used hydraulic suction-and-blowing actuation emanating from 128 individual ports along the separation edge of the step. Each ports perturbation was periodic in time, but individually controlled to produce either spanwise-invariant (2D) or spanwise-varying (3D) spatial actuation profiles. An image processing system and special aqueous tuft were developed to measure the length of the recirculation bubble. Multiple images of a tuft array were time-averaged to do so. In general, 3D forcing was no more effective in reducing bubble length than 2D forcing. However, greater local spanwise reductions in reattachment length were observed for some cases of spanwise-varying forcing. Backlit dye was used to track the evolution of vorticity in the flow in video and still images.