Intelligent power electronics based converter modules for the more electric aircraft

In a bid to reduce the environmental impact of its aircraft in the face of an ever-increasing market for cheap and reliable international travel, the civil aerospace sector is moving away from distributed hydraulic and pneumatic on-board power systems and switching to equivalent electric systems. The main design drivers for this move are
• weight and/or volume reduction
• systems having multiple functions
• reduced maintenance and through-life costs
• improved functionality (intelligent operation/actuation)

Whilst switching to electric technologies for some of the non-propulsive systems offers some benefit, transferring all non-propulsion based systems to electric equivalents offers the possibility of considerable savings (direct and indirect).

A key area for the development of enabling compact electric energy conversion systems is that of power electronic based converters. Current power converter efficiencies tend to require a liquid cooling system which carries a significant penalty at the aircraft level. Optimisation of the power converters at aircraft level should enable the liquid cooling system to be removed entirely. However, in order to achieve this goal a substantial effort needs to be made in improving converter efficiencies. This will form the basis for the study associated with the PhD.

Specific Aims/Objectives
The broad aim of this PhD will be to determine the state of technology and modes of operation of power converters being used in current aircraft systems and assess areas that would benefit most from improved efficiency of operation.

The resulting intelligent power conversion system will be designed, evaluated and optimised before a full prototype system is constructed and tested on the world class facilities offered by the Electrical Energy Management Group in the Merchant Venturers' School of Engineering at the University of Bristol.

Candidate Requirements
You will ideally have a good undergraduate degree (1st, 2:1 or equivalent) in electrical engineering (or a closely related subject). Experience of any/all of the following areas would be advantageous to the successful candidate:
• Power electronics system design and simulation (switches, gate drivers and controllers)
• Prototype design, build and testing of power electronic and electro-mechanical energy conversion systems
• Knowledge of relevant software/hardware environments (MATLAB, SIMULINK, SimPower Systems/Simscape)
• Loss and performance assessment in power electronic systems

The successful candidate will join a team of multi-disciplinary researchers reporting to the industrial sponsor on a quarterly basis, and interfacing with the Technical Customer within the industrial sponsor on a regular basis. This will require you to communicate the work both internally and externally and identify strategic areas for its incorporation into other areas of existing research. Furthermore, an essential part of the studentship will be integrating the research into our existing portfolio of internationally renowned work.

Queries can be directed to Dr David Drury ([Email Address Removed]) with the title of the post (PhD Research Studentship – Intelligent power electronics based converter modules for the more electric aircraft) in the subject line of the email.

Please cite the title of the post (PhD Research Studentship – Intelligent power electronics based converter modules for the more electric aircraft) in the application.