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University of Bristol
The Bristol Power Electronics Innovation
Centre is an interdisciplinary forum for
power electronics activities at the Univer-
sity of Bristol. It combines two main en-
tities, the Electrical Energy Management
Group and the Centre for Device Ther-
mography and Reliability to form an in-
terdisciplinary team of 8 Academics and
40 Researchers dedicated to power elec-
tronic systems. This research is funded
from international government agencies
and industry with a portfolio that
includes EC JTI Clean Sky projects and
the UK EPSRC Centre for Underpinning
Power Electronics.
Bristol has strong expertise in exploring
new developments in power semicon-
ductors, including wide band-gap devic-
es, and, working alongside our industrial
partners, in exploiting advancements in
power electronics in providing new capa-
bilities and products.
Electrical Energy Management Group
undertakes research into low carbon
electrical systems that are enabled by
advanced, compact and highly efficient
electrical machines, and power electronic
conversion. The management of electrical
power is the core challenge, with a focus
on the systems employed in aircraft, auto-
motive drive systems, renewable energy
plant and micro-grids. Applications range
from μW miniature energy scavenging
to 200kW hybrid-electric vehicle power-
trains.
•
Supporting technologies for GaN and
SiC power devices: novel gate drivers,
switching-aid circuits, new circuit
topologies, control methods, sensors…
•
High-performance passive component
design: multi-physics design optimisa-
tion, thermal and loss analyses, new
mixed-material structures, novel inte-
grated magnetic components
•
Power electronic systems for the man-
aging of energy at sub Watt levels for
use in energy harvesting and HV sup-
plies; novel circuit topologies, exploita-
tion of non-linear behaviour
•
Coupled electromagnetic/thermal/elec-
trical system modelling, multi-objective
optimisation, accurate reduced order/
functional modelling of power elec-
tronic system elements
•
Robust minimal sensor control meth-
ods, design for fault tolerance
Centre for Device Thermography and
Reliability
performs international lead-
ing research in power device thermal
management and reliability including the
development of new testing method-
ologies. The group’s expertise is used to
support development of new device con-
Energy efficiency resonant gate driver module, with
recovery of stored gate energy
99% efficient three-phase inverter using super-
junction devices.
Advanced electrical, thermal and optical testing of
GaN, SiC, Diamond power devices
cepts, in collaboration with key industrial
partners in the UK, Europe, USA and Asia
•
Novel materials, such as GaN, SiC,
diamond, GaN-on-Si, GaN-on-diamond
for electronics, including integration
such as GaN-diamond (power and RF
electronics) on device/chip level
•
Development of new thermal, optical
and electrical reliability testing
methodologies (Raman thermography,
transient trap analysis, electrolumines-
cence, and various others)
•
High power electronics packaging solu-
tions (silver-diamond composites, metal
multi-composite laminates)
•
Device simulation (electronic, thermal
and stress)
