Electric Machines and Drives Group

Learn more about the work the Group undertakes

The Electric Machines and Drives Group conducts research into:

• Variable-speed electric drive systems
• Electrical power generation plants for renewable energy sources
• Power electronic converters for interfacing the variable-speed drives and generators

The Group focuses on:

• Modelling of electric machinery with more than three phases (multiphase machines)
• Using the principles of vector control and model predictive control to develop control algorithms for multiphase drives
• Pulse width modulation techniques for multiphase two-level and multilevel inverters
• Supply and control of multiphase variable-speed drives in open-end winding configuration
• Development of multi-motor drive systems with reduced-switch-count inverter supply
• Solutions for the integrated on-board battery charging of electric vehicles. This work uses multiphase propulsion motors and multiphase power electronic converters
• Usage of multilevel (cascaded H-bridge) converter for drive and for energy storage applications
• Wind energy generation systems

Projects

For the past 20 years, the Group's main focus has been on multiphase (more than three phases) motor/generator systems. This research has the potential to improve electric ship propulsion, wind power based electricity generation, electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

Recently the Group worked on Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) Challenge Network in Automotive Electronics on Battery Integrated Power Electronics for EV Drivetrain – BIPED project. The outcomes of the project were successfully extended by Dr Obrad Dordevic on industrial project with LION Smart GmbH as a part of “LiBAT Clean Sky 2 Project: Electric Airplane Battery System”. During this project the developed multilevel converter integrated with a battery was tested for aerospace applications, demonstrating a power performance that is sufficient to maintain level flight for a manned glider.

The Group was one of the leading members working on EPSRC funded project called Vehicle Electric Systems Integration (VESI). As part of the project, researchers from 10 UK universities conducted research into electric vehicles.

Within Liverpool John Moores University, the VESI project was led by Professor Emil Levi. Using the Group’s expertise in multiphase drives and multiphase power electronics, novel solutions for integrated battery chargers for future electric vehicles was developed, using electric motors and power electronic converters with more than three phases.

Considering that electric vehicles will eventually take a substantial share of the global automotive market, improving battery charging technology is important and this research has already created considerable real-world impact.

The Electric Machines and Drives Group worked on a project with a Spanish company Ingeteam. This collaborative project was looking into power generation based on multiphase generators and multiphase power electronic converters, which are suited to remote, large-scale offshore wind farms.

The Group also completed another collaborative project, which was funded by the Qatar National Research Fund. As part of this project, numerous multiphase multilevel supply topologies were developed for high-power multiphase systems.

Other partners the Group has been or currently is working with include: University of Naples Federico II, University of Malaya, University of Seville, Politecnico di Torino, University of Lille, University of Malaga, the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, University of Gdansk, University of Bologna, The University of Manchester and the University of Northumbria.