- Date:
- 2018-2020
- Themes:
- High Voltage Engineering, Environmental modelling
- Funding:
- National Grid plc
To tackle issues relating to the external thermal environment of the transformer over the time frame from now until the end of the century. This has included the effect of the climate change and also the urban heat island to the transformer ratings.
Primary investigators
- Paul Lewin
- jp2
Secondary investigators
- Dr Nik Hakimi Nik Ali
- Dr George Callender
- Atip Doolgindachbaporn
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2016-2020
- Themes:
- Modelling and Simulation, Marine Energy
- Funding:
- Hellenic Cables S.A.
Standard current rating methods need to be reviewed in terms of HVAC cables, since further optimisation in cable design is increasingly required. The main objective of this project is to identify the possible gaps existing in the current Standard version, while solutions, which could improve its accuracy, will be suggested. Hence, safer and, in many cases, more optimistic results will be provided.
Primary investigators
- Paul Lewin
- jp2
Secondary investigator
- dc2r15
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2016-2020
- Themes:
- Applied Electromagnetism, Plasma and Space Science
- Funding:
- EPSRC
The development of Liquid Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (LPPTs) has been previously implemented using conventional PPT designs and sub-components. However, the change in propellant attracts a need to adapt existing sub-components to enhance the electrical and operational efficiency, as well as the specific impulse, lifetime and scaling possibilities of the technology. The novelty lies in redesigning the ignition and feeding systems, based on the electrowetting effect. It is predicted that ignition voltage can be minimised and the principal feeding system would function without the input of additional electrical energy, in comparison to previous designs.
Primary investigators
Secondary investigator
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2016-2020
- Themes:
- Nanomaterials and Dielectrics, Solid dielectrics
- Funding:
- AWE (iCASE)
Full Title: Linking the Thermal, Morphological and Electrical Properties of Polymer Composites containing Polyethylene or Polypropylene with Ethylene-Vinyl-Acetate and an Organoclay
To study ternary material systems that are compatibilised by one of the three components and understand how their morphology links to their thermal and their electrical properties to better inform material research and development in the future.
Primary investigators
- asv
- Thomas Andritsch
Secondary investigator
- avb2g12
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2014-2018
- Themes:
- Applied Electromagnetism, Plasma and Space Science
- Funding:
- EPSRC
The development of long life high powered (>30A) hollow cathodes is of importance to meet the demand of increasingly powerful Gridded Ion engines and Hall Effect thrusters. High power cathodes typically operate at greater temperature ranges with LaB6 emitters, which poses a significant challenge to maintain heater reliability. The heater component commonly used to raise the insert to emissive temperatures, has inherent reliability issues from thermal fatigue caused by the thermal cycling with large temperature variations. A self-heating hollow cathode allows for potentially higher reliability through the design simplicity of removing the heater component. This also results in significant cost savings, and there is potential savings in the mass, volume, ignition time and power. The aim of the overall project is to investigate heaterless ignition characteristics to enable HHC designs with reasonable starting characteristics i.e. <20 sccm and <500 V ignition voltages.
Primary investigators
Secondary investigator
- ajdi1g14
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2015-2019
- Themes:
- Applied Electromagnetism, Space and surface charge
Methods for measurement of space charge in dielectric solids are well advanced and have been widely reported. This project will consider the optical measurement method of Kerr effect for quantifying space charge in a dielectric fluid. Although the experiments are relatively straightforward careful consideration needs to be given to analysis of obtained image data as any dielectrophoretic effects will need to be accounted for. Ultimately the aim of the project is to develop a tool that will facilitate the study of dielectric fluid behaviour in electric fields at a macroscale.
Primary investigators
Secondary investigator
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2016-2019
- Themes:
- Nanomaterials and Dielectrics, Solid dielectrics
- Funding:
- Innovate UK
This project is focused on developing epoxy nano/micro composites which can be used in electrical insulation systems. The objectives include: 1) optimising functionalised and reactive nanofillers to meet specified applications in insulating components. 2) manufacturing & testing a number of large components (industry scale) to verify their performance, 3) exploitation and dissemination, including value-chain analysis and the development of strategic partnering and licensing strategies to facilitate broader use of the IP produced in the project.
It aims to reduce cost and CO2 emission, and improve system reliability/availability.
Primary investigator
- asv
Secondary investigators
- Mulan Mu
- Ian Lee Hosier
Partners
- Gary Stevens (Gnosys)
- Amy Pye (Gnosys)
- Damien Bachellerie (SGI)
- Fabrice Perrot (GE)
- Andrew Hyde (GE)
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2017-2021
- Theme:
- Modelling and Simulation
- Funding:
- Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) Malaysia, University PGR studentship
A distributed optimization-based secondary control framework is aimed to be developed to optimally utilize the distributed energy resources in an islanded microgrid to enhance the stability of the network. The control system is motivated to handle the interactions among the distributed energy resources, as they maintain the voltage and frequency of the microgrid within the specification, keep the power balanced and shared among them, and at the same time improve the power quality of the network.
Primary investigators
- mr
- Prof Andrew Cruden
- Chee Lim
Secondary investigator
- Yi Chyn Cassandra, Wong
- Date:
- 2014-2018
- Themes:
- Modelling and Simulation, Space and surface charge
High voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission has received significant attraction recently due to the interests in off-shore wind farms and supergrid. HVDC transformers are an integral part of the HVDC transmission system and are one of the most expensive components. The insulation system in the HVDC transformers experiences both AC and DC voltages and its characteristics under such conditions need to be fully understood to ensure its reliable operation. One of the major issues related to HVDC transformers is the electric field distribution due to easy formation of space charge under dc voltage. The present project intends to address the electric field distribution and its relationship with temperature and polarity reversal using numeric modelling. Space charge data for oil/paper insulation will be experimentally obtained using the pulsed electroacoustic technique and they will be incorporated into the model. The outcomes of the project will benefit both electricity operator and transformer manufacturers in terms of reliability and polarity reversal tests.
Primary investigator
Secondary investigator
- bh2e13
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science
- Date:
- 2015-2019
- Theme:
- Modelling and Simulation
The Kriging surrogate method is exploited to improve computational performance and efficiency of the non-deterministic OPF algorithm already developed and advance it to work on real-time such it can respond quickly to system changes and provide better OPF solution.
Primary investigators
- Jan Sykulski
- mr
Secondary investigator
- Zhida Deng
Associated research group
- Electronics and Computer Science