Location: Scotland
The University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering addresses diverse complex challenges across the entire field of engineering, at the micro- and macro/global scales. At the microscopic scale, its research supports the design and deployment of novel nanotechnology and devices for biological monitoring and medical diagnosis; at the macro/global scale, it optimises the security and sustainability of the built environment and develops engineering solutions to climate change issues.
The Electrical Power Conversion group at The University of Edinburgh has a long track record in electrical power technologies for renewable energy applications. This includes designing, modelling and testing electrical machine and power converters for some of the leading companies in offshore renewable energy.
Key strengths and unique capabilities
- Control of power converters
- Connection of wind turbine power converters to power systems
- Modular Multilevel Converters
- High-voltage direct current (HVDC) technologies
- Design of power converters with wide bandgap devices.
- Modelling of structures for large, low-speed electrical machines, especially for direct drive wind turbines
- Lightweight optimisation of electrical machines
- Use of composite materials to lightweight machine structures.
- Novel electrical machine topologies for high reliability and low mass offshore renewables
- Permanent magnet electrical machines
- High temperature superconducting electrical machines.
Air-cored windings design.
Integration of modular electrical machines and modular power converters.
Engineering has been taught at The University of Edinburgh since 1673.
Equipment
Rotating and linear direct drive electrical machine test rigs and facilities for hybrid energy systems testing.
Double pulse test rig and power converter test rigs.
Contains High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) equipment such as a large cryostat and other HTS test pieces.