Search

We report microsecond timescale switching between the superconducting and normal states of commercially manufactured high-T c superconducting wires using optical radiation to heat the conductor above T c. The achieved voltages and switching times have significant implications for a new class of thermal switches. The report contains experimental data for photo-induced microsecond scale voltage transients as well as numerical analysis of heat propagation through the material in response to optical radiation. The microbridges are etched into commercially manufactured coated conductors and submerged in liquid nitrogen. By varying the magnitude of the transport current, two different optical responses are identified. At low transport currents, short-lived voltage transients occur, transitioning to persistent latching once the current is increased above a threshold value. The microbridge, therefore, behaves as a fast opening and closing switch when carrying low currents or an optically latched thyristor at high currents. This is understood to occur due to critical current suppression as a result of heating from the optical pulse. Optically induced heating reduces the superconducting volume fraction, and Joule heating due to the transport current interaction with the high temperature superconducting occurs, which either causes short-lived or stable self-heating normal regions dependent on the magnitude of the transport current. This study is concluded with an estimate of the energy necessary to drive the microbridge into the resistive state. The observed behavior can potentially be utilized as a switching element in superconducting transformer rectifiers where high frequency switch operation is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper presents a multiobjective optimal power prediction fault‐tolerant control (MO2PPC) approach for mitigating DC link neutral‐point voltage imbalance and current ripple problems in three‐level T‐type inverter (3LT2I). Additionally, an auxiliary thyristor is employed to isolate and reconstruct the faulty phase into an 8ST2I for ensuring uninterrupted operation during phase failure. A method called injected bias current‐MO2PPC (IBC‐MO2PPC) fault‐tolerant strategy is proposed for this structure. This approach eliminates the need for DC or AC current sensors to reconstruct the three‐phase current, thereby reducing neutral‐point oscillation caused by phase deficiency and ensuring full power output after failure. Additionally, nonfaulty phase power loss is compared and analyzed to verify the stability of this method following a phase fault. The internal losses and temperature distribution of an IGBT module in a bridge arm before and after a fault are verified through a multiphysics‐circuit model in COMSOL‐Simulink coupling simulation presented last. The model shows reduced conduction losses and overall lower temperature distribution in the IGBT module after fault reconstruction. Experiments and multiphysics simulations have demonstrated that this approach displays exceptional robustness and sustainability throughout the entire fault cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a single‐phase AC‐AC converter with continuous input current and without commutation problem is proposed. The output voltage regulation achieved using a single high‐frequency switch eliminates the need for complementary switches, thereby resolving high‐frequency commutation issues and obviating the necessity for snubber circuits and a safe commutation strategy. The proposed converter operates with a continuous input current, eliminating the need for a bulky LC filter. Low‐frequency switches on the output side allow for step‐changed frequency operation without encountering commutation problems. A straightforward and adaptable switching strategy generates the step‐changed frequency at the output. The proposed converter reduces volume, weight, and cost by minimizing the total stored energy of passive components. High‐speed switching is achieved by preventing the body diode conduction of power MOSFETs, which traditionally suffer from poor reverse recovery. The operational principles of the proposed converter are delineated for various modes, and their key relationships are presented. A 110Vi(rms)/50 Hz laboratory prototype validates the performance of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a current-equalization technology utilizing a variable-capacitance technique for a multiphase inductor–inductor–capacitor (LLC) converter is studied. Accordingly, the proposed method involves adjusting the resonant capacitance of the LLC resonant converter to balance the currents between phases. This is achieved primarily by biasing ferroelectric multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) through a step-down circuit and a common-mode bias structure. These ferroelectric MLCCs serve as the resonant elements, allowing for variable capacitance by leveraging capacitance sensitivity to their trans voltages. This approach provides additional control flexibility to the resonant circuit. Furthermore, since each phase operates independently, the circuit can be scaled to accommodate any number of phases. Moreover, all switches in the circuit have zero-voltage switching (ZVS) turn-on, minimizing switching losses. This study initially analyzes and evaluates the proposed common-mode bias variable capacitance technique and the corresponding operational principles. Subsequently, a two-phase LLC experimental circuit based on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) digital controller is utilized to assess current equalization and efficiency. That is to say, this experimentation aims to validate the effectiveness of the current-equalization variable-capacitance technique in an LLC resonant converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial water electrolyzers mainly use old thyristor-based rectifiers to obtain the DC current required to run because of the low voltage level and high current requirements of the processes. These rectifiers cause significant ripple in the electrolyzer input current, leading to dynamic operation of the electrolyzer. Even though industrial-scale water electrolyzers are operated under such dynamic conditions, the effect on the electrolyzer performance is not well explored. In this study, current measurements from an industrial alkaline electrolyzer plant were used to define the common current ripple amplitude and frequency caused by the thyristor-based rectification. Based on the parameters obtained, laboratory measurements were conducted using an alkaline water electrolyzer to define the power losses incurred at various ripple amplitudes and frequencies. Additionally, the linearization of the electrolyzer current–voltage behavior as a function of frequency was studied using two electrode sets made of different materials. The laboratory measurements carried out in the study show that the ripple amplitude has a significant effect on increasing the losses, whereas the ripple frequency counteracts this. Thus, dynamic operation can have a large impact on losses, especially at partial loads, where the ripple current amplitudes increase significantly when using thyristor rectifiers. Lastly, the frequencies where the electrolyzer starts to behave linearly were observed to be at 68 Hz with the first electrode set and at 5 Hz with the second one. The considerable difference between the electrode sets indicates that the electrode materials and microstructure play a significant role in defining the electrolyzer frequency behavior. Because common thyristor-based power delivery systems operate at 300 Hz or 600 Hz, the results also imply that when modeling these systems, a linear model can be used for the electrolyzer to simplify the simulation. [Display omitted] • Large amplitude current ripple on alkaline electrolyzers is studied. • Ripple amplitude increases power losses, while frequency counteracts it. • As ripple frequency is increased, the electrolyzer starts to behave linearly. • The linear slope is determined purely based on the impedance. • At high frequencies, power usage can be determined from EIS measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thyristor converter is a core equipment for AC/DC hybrid power grids of high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) where overheating does harm to its reliability. In reality, overheating is closely related to the broken three‐phase symmetry when the AC side is disturbed. Particularly, when commutation failures occur, the valve forced to reconduct will suffer from severe short‐circuit current for a long period, risking the overheating damage. Therefore, the accurate measurement of valve current is fundamental to acquire valve temperature. This paper adopts a real‐time virtual measurement scheme, which is based on temporal features of the converter terminal current, to calculate valve current fundamental for the calculation of valve loss under the transient state. Then, an equivalent circuit model is built based on the actual heat‐flow path of the converter valve, considering the high thermal sensitivity of the heat source material layer. Next, a monitoring system for transient valve temperature is established. Finally, the proposed method is tested in CIGRE HVDC benchmark model. The simulation results indicate that the proposed method can reflect the actual valve state, and model the actual heat transfer process more accurately compared to the Foster network, which can support the basic configuration of the overheat protection. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a hybrid control method with adaptive phase-shifting modulation (PSM) and pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) is proposed to optimize the steady-state performance of an LLC resonant converter in wide voltage-gain range application. For the primary-side switches under the hybrid control method, zero-voltage switching (ZVS) performance is maintained over wide voltage-gain range and the turn-off loss is reduced; therefore, the converter reconciles wide voltage-gain range and high efficiency. Mode characteristics under different phase-shifting-angle-θ and switching-frequency-fs combinations is analyzed, and then the soft-switching characteristic is revealed. By introducing time domain analysis, the turn-on current of the primary-side switches is calculated, and thus the ZVS boundary of different θ and fs combinations is inferred. In addition, to acquire the optimum steady-state operation of the converter, the turn-off current is calculated; by making the converter work near to the minimum turn-off current operating point, the turn-off loss can be reduced greatly. With the principles of achieving ZVS performance and minimizing turn-off current, the phase-shifting angle θ of PSM is designed to be adaptive to the reference output voltage, no additional circuits are needed, and the two control degrees (θ and fs) are simplified to one (fs). The simulation and experiment are developed to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the hybrid control method; the results show that ZVS performance is maintained at wide voltage-gain range and the turn-off current of the hybrid control method is reduced to that of the single PFM, and thus the turn-off loss is reduced. The efficiency comparison validates the fact that the hybrid control method has less power loss than single PSM and single PFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrawide bandgap heterojunction p–n diodes with polarization-induced AlGaN p-type layers are demonstrated using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on bulk AlN substrates. Current–voltage characteristics show a turn-on voltage of V bi ≈ 5.5 V, a minimum room temperature ideality factor of η ≈ 1.63 , and more than 12 orders of current modulation at room temperature. A stable current operation of the ultrawide bandgap semiconductor diode is measured up to a temperature of 300 °C. The one-sided n+–p heterojunction diode design enables a direct measurement of the spatial distribution of polarization-induced mobile hole density in the graded AlGaN layer from the capacitance–voltage profile. The measured average mobile hole density is p ∼ 5.7 × 10 17 cm−3, in close agreement with what is theoretically expected from distributed polarization doping. Light emission peaked at 260 nm (4.78 eV) observed in electroluminescence corresponds to interband radiative recombination in the n+ AlGaN layer. A much weaker deep-level emission band observed at 3.4 eV is attributed to cation-vacancy and silicon complexes in the heavily Si-doped AlGaN layer. These results demonstrate that distributed polarization doping enables ultrawide bandgap semiconductor heterojunction p–n diodes that have wide applications ranging from power electronics to deep-ultraviolet photonics. These devices can operate at high temperatures and in harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) due to their limited onboard battery power and eco-friendliness has created a pressing need for widespread availability of charging stations. High-speed charging stations, in particular, can strain the power grid by potentially overloading it during peak hours, causing sudden power shortages and voltage drops. This research paper examines the ANSYS twin-Builder modeling approach to create a comprehensive model of an integrated system consisting of photovoltaic (PV) power generation, battery energy storage (BES), and a multiport device-based charging station. The integration of these components enables advanced stabilization techniques such as power gap equalization, peak shaving, valley filling, and voltage sag correction. The primary objective is to reduce the burden on the power grid by meeting the daily charging demand using sufficient daylight PV output. The simulation results have been validated to showcase the benefits of employing the PV-BES configuration in multiport EV charging circuits across various operational modes. To further improve performance, a transfer system is introduced, which incorporates gate turn-off thyristors and insulated-gate bipolar transistors into the EV charging station. The paper also analyzes power losses and efficiency for different modes and configurations, comparing them with simulations of conventional Si device-based charging networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) may provide low-power, general-purpose computing in the post-CMOS era. A molecular implementation of QCA features nanometer-scale devices and may support ∼ THz switching speeds at room-temperature. Here, we explore the ability of molecular QCA circuits to tolerate unwanted applied electric fields, which may come from a variety of sources. One likely source of strong unwanted electric fields may be electrodes recently proposed for the write-in of classical bits to molecular QCA input circuits. Previous models have shown that the input circuits are sensitive to the applied field, and a coupled QCA wire can successfully transfer the input bit to downstream circuits despite strong applied fields. However, the ability of other QCA circuits to tolerate an applied field has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we study the robustness of various QCA circuits by calculating their ground state responses in the presence of an applied field. To do this, a circuit is built from several QCA molecules, each described as a two-state system. A circuit Hamiltonian is formed and diagonalized. All pairwise interactions between cells are considered, along with all correlations. An examination of the ground state shows that these QCA circuits may indeed tolerate strong unwanted electric fields. We also show that circuit immunity to the dominant unwanted field component may be obtained by choosing the orientation of constituent molecules. This suggests that relatively large electrodes used for bit write-in to molecular QCA need not disrupt the operation of nearby QCA circuits. The circuits may tolerate significant electric fields from other sources as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the difference of thyristor junction temperature at all levels in the transducer valve assembly in the series water circuit, an equivalent model of thyristor junction temperature calculation for the valve assembly is established, and PLECS simulation software is used to simulate and solve the junction temperature at all levels of the thyristor and check the junction temperature of the thyristor from the highest temperature of the measured radiator surface, and the results of the junction temperature checking show that the equivalent model of thyristor junction temperature calculation for the valve assembly has a high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a non-contact current measurement method for three-phase rectangular busbars based on TMR (tunneling magneto-resistance) sensors, due to their advantages of large dynamic range, wide bandwidth, light weight, and easy installation. A non-contact current sensor composed of only three TMR sensors is developed and the TMR sensors are respectively placed at a location with a certain distance from the surface of each rectangular busbar to measure the magnetic fields generated by the busbar currents. To calibrate the developed current sensor, i.e., to establish the relationship between the magnetic fields measured by the TMR sensors and the currents flowing in the three-phase rectangular busbars, we designed a thyristor-controlled resistive load as a calibrator, which is connected to a downstream branch of the distribution cabinet. By switching the resistive load, a calibration current, which can be identified from the background current, is generated in one rectangular busbar and its value is measured at the location of the calibrator, and transmitted wirelessly to the location of the TMR sensors. A new and robust method is proposed to extract the voltage components, corresponding to the calibration current, from the voltage waveforms of the TMR sensors. By calculating the proportional coefficients between the calibration currents and the extracted voltage components, online calibration of the current sensor is achieved. We designed and implemented a current measurement system consisting of a current sensor using TMR sensors, a thyristor-controlled resistive load for current sensor calibration, and a data acquisition circuit based on a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Current measurement experiments were performed in a practical distribution cabinet installed in our laboratory. Compared to the measurement results using a commercial current probe with an accuracy of 1%, the relative error of the measured currents in RMS is less than 2.5% and the phase error is less than 1°, while the nonlinearity error of the current sensor is better than 0.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) devices is increasing day by day as they provide compensation for power systems. The installation of such devices solves many issues regarding the stability and power transferability of power systems. However, for optimizing the performance of FACTS devices, the location and sizes of FACTS devices must be selected very carefully. On the other side, the utilization of optimization techniques is increasing daily, as it is capable of solving nonlinear, random problems by its stochastic nature. As a result, it became a reliable tactic for solving stochastic problems almost in every aspect of our lives. Therefore, it is adopted for solving power system problems, like, FACTS devices allocation, distributed generators allocation, determining component's parameters, and more. In this paper, the optimal size and location of several FACTS devices are selected to achieve the following single objective functions separately: fuel cost minimization and power losses minimization, then combining the mentioned objective function into one multiobjective function for gross cost minimization. The power system optimized is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 30‐bus standard system, and the FACTS devices installed are static VAR compensator, thyristor control series compensator, and thyristor‐controlled phase shifter, while the optimization is performed using different conventional and recent optimization algorithms, including a newly developed algorithm, typically Leader Walrus Optimization Algorithm "LWaOA," making a comparison among such algorithms to investigate the algorithm that possesses the best performance. The results of the optimization processes show the superiority of LWaOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the current sink capacitor technique as a method to minimize the turn-off power losses of SiC MOSFETs operated with zero-voltage switching (ZVS). The method is simple and is based on adding auxiliary capacitors in parallel to the transistors, allowing the sink capacitor to take over part of the channel current, thus limiting the power loss while also advantageously lowering the d v d s / d t ratio. The technique is validated and experimentally studied based on a single-pulse test setup with 1200 V-rated SiC MOSFETs, with several capacitances and gate resistance values, at various switched currents up to roughly 60 A. It is shown that by employing even very small capacitances, in the range of nanofarads, the turn-off power loss can be reduced by over tenfold, with a negligible impact on the volume and complexity of the system. Thus, the presented method can be effectively employed to improve soft-switched power converters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a case study in which the influence of the 6-pulse thyristor-bridge input reactor size on the shunt active power filter (SAPF)'s work performance is investigated. The purpose of using an SAPF in the power system is in most cases for fundamental harmonic reactive power compensation, harmonics and asymmetry mitigation. The work efficiency of such a filter depends not only on the designed control system, interface filter and dc-link capacitor parameters, but also on the parameters of the electrical system in which it is connected. Therefore, it is necessary to study and know the power system (supplier and consumer sides) before its installation. For instance, in the electrical system with diode or thyristor-bridge as loads, the SAPF performance efficiency may not be satisfied due to the high rate of current change (di/dt) at the points of commutation notches. In this paper, the performed simulation and laboratory experiments show that for a better operating efficiency of the SAPF, the input reactor parameters should be selected based not only on the effective reduction in the inverter switching ripple or the control system demand, but also on the parameters of the load, such as the parameters of the diode or thyristor-bridge input reactor. Apart from the experimental demonstrations on how the input reactor size influences the SAPF work efficiency, the novelties in this paper are: the formulated recommendations on how to choose the SAPF input reactor parameters (the SAPF is more efficient in terms of harmonics, asymmetry and reactive power mitigation when the inductance of its input reactor (L-filter) is smaller than the one of the diode or thyristor-bridge input reactor); the proposed SAPF control system; the proposed expressions to compute the SAPF input reactor inductance, DC voltage and capacitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free‐standing triboelectric nanogenerator (F‐S TENG) is demonstrated to be an efficient energy conversion device. However, limited by the inherent features of high‐voltage, low alternating current and high output impedance, TENGs suffer from inefficient energy utilization and difficulties in practical applications. Therefore, the efficient harvest of mechanical energy and optimization of output are currently critical issues for TENGs. Here, a strategy is proposed for optimizing the inherent features by coupling F‐S TENG to a capacitor auto‐conversion circuit (CAC). For the first time, a specific idea is proposed explicitly to reduce the output impedance by the management circuit. Eventually, a high current density of 32 A m−2 and a charge density of 1.75 mC m−2 are achieved, which is 8.78 times higher than previous works. The power density and energy density reach to 124 W m−2 and 252 mJ m−2 under 470 and 150 Ω respectively. Then, 5000 LEDs and two lamps rated at 220 V and 50 W are manually illuminated. The resulting pulse output is utilized as a trigger source for the thyristor, enabling DC contactless switching. This work provides a novel approach to realize high‐performance DC output of TENGs and effectively reduce external load impedance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of transient electromagnetic (TEM) prospecting surveys using an unmanned aerial system carried out at Lake Baikal, which is a unique geoelectrical setting where low-resistivity lacustrine sediments are located under a relatively isotropic water body. The task was to investigate the possibility of using a drone-based TEM survey to delineate the electrical stratigraphy of the subsurface at depths between 50 and 300 m, separated into layers and blocks. A new version of the SibGIS UAV-TEM unmanned system was used, significantly improved compared to the prototype previously described in the literature. The current switch providing bipolar current pulses connected to a grounded electrical line was the source of the electromagnetic field in the geological environment. The hexacopter carrying a measuring system consisting of 18-bit ADC and sensor—analog of 50 × 50 loop, was the receiving system. We measured survey data of 16 traverses over the Baikal going from the shore to the depths. Significant attention is being paid to a new approach to data inversion. For fast interpretation of the TEM data, we used the Sτ-method, which allows for tracing the change in the apparent longitudinal conductivity with depth. It is shown that thanks to the new sensor and current switch, the data quality has increased significantly; now, the UAV system can register sounding curves up to 1 ms. As a result, new data on the geological structure of the shelf zone of Lake Baikal were obtained. They had a good fundamental agreement with the predecessor data obtained from terrestrial measurements (from ice cover), allowing us to conclude that the UAV-TEM technology can already replace conventional ground-based electromagnetic surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aimed at the optimization design of the parameters of the commutation circuit of a hybrid DC-current-limiting circuit breaker (HDCCLCB), a parameter selection model considering the short-time withstand of the thyristor and the volume of the commutation circuit is proposed by simplifying the object, and the commutation circuit parameters were preliminarily obtained. In order to verify the correctness of the method of selecting the commutation circuit parameters, the circuit simulation model of the HDCCLCB was built. The experimental platform was built, and the breaking experiment was completed under the fault condition with the current rising rate of 20 A/μs. The correctness of the simulation model and parameter design method was verified by comparing the circuit model simulation results with the experimental results. In order to further optimize the parameters of the commutation circuit, a mathematical model for optimization design was established. Taking the maximum critical breakdown voltage under unit capacitance energy as the objective function, the arcing time before commutating and the current-limiting inductance and capacitance are enumerated to obtain the optimized commutation circuit parameters. By comparing this result with the result of the preliminary design, the objective function is improved by 20.7%, laying a solid foundation for further research and the development of current-limiting circuit breakers for medium-voltage DC systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) power systems are one of the most promising technologies to address growing energy demand and ecological challenges. This paper proposes smart switching to mitigate inrush currents during the connection of single-phase transformers used in PV systems. An effective inrush current mitigation contributes to the reliability of PV systems. The inrush current severity is influenced by the pseudorandom residual flux at the transformer core and the energization point-on-wave. The most common approach to avoid inrush currents is controlled connection, which requires prior knowledge of the residual flux. However, the residual flux can differ in each case, and its measurement or estimation can be impractical. The proposed smart switching is based on a comprehensive analysis of the residual flux and the de-energization trajectories, and only requires two pieces of data (ϕRM and ϕ0, flux values of the static and dynamic loops when the respective currents are null), calculated from two simple no-load tests. It has a clear advantage over common approaches: no need to estimate or measure the residual flux before each connection, avoiding the need for expensive equipment or complex setups. Smart switching can be easily implemented in practical settings, as it considers different circuit breakers with distinctive aperture features, making it cost-effective for PV systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources have a multifaceted impact on power grids, ranging from the reliability and quality of electricity to the selective impact on equipment. While renewables used to be distributed in distribution networks, now their capacity is commensurate with thermal power plants and their impact on the grid should not be underestimated. According to the statistics on the interruption of the bulk electric networks, one of the main reasons for emergency shutdowns of extra high-voltage power lines are single-phase short circuits. The problem of mathematical modeling of the limit modes in terms of static stability is very relevant to the design and operation of electric power systems (EPS). Calculations of limit modes have both an independent value and a component of other electrical engineering tasks related to ensuring the required level of reliability and cost-effectiveness of the operation of the united PS. Despite the great degree of development of issues of planning and control of electric modes, system accidents associated with unacceptable loads of network elements occur in the Ukrainian energy industry. Non-phase modes regularly occur in electric power systems, which can lead to an unacceptable load of intersystem network elements, which imposes significant restrictions on their throughput. Single-phase short circuits are more than 95% of other damage that occurs in the line. The use of single-phase auto reclose on the transmission lines allows disconnecting only the damaged phase for a short period of time and not the entire transmission line. This action preserves the transit of electricity along the line and prevents the violation of the stability of parallel operation. To achieve this, the current-free pause of the single-phase auto reclose should last as short as possible. On the other hand, an important task to be solved when using single-phase auto reclose is to choose the minimum duration of the current-free pause necessary for its success. The problem studied in this paper deals with the safety and correct operation of transmission lines (TS) of the Ukrainian bulk power system in special conditions (not predictable, changing due to frequent attacks). For a quickly changing configuration, the power grid uses switches, and in the case of ultra-high voltage, the TS needs to solve the problem of secondary arc currents and recovering stresses in the place of arc burning after its extinction. One of the methods of reducing secondary arc currents and recovering stresses in the place of arc burning after its extinction is the implementation of single-phase automatic reclosing (SPAR). The main theoretical result of the paper is a proposed mathematical model of a compensated power transmission line based on the use of matrix n-poles, which makes it possible to model in detail stationary power transmission modes, including the SPAR mode. The proposed mathematical model of three-phase power transmission has been created using phase coordinates and can be used for the analysis of complex asymmetric modes. The main practical result of the paper is physically interpreted simplified models of three-phase TS, which can be used for the study of resonant overvoltages and currents of the feeding arc in non-full-phase circuit SPAR. The conclusion that can be drawn from the obtained results points out which line lengths must take into account the influence of longitudinal asymmetry when choosing the inductive resistance, i.e., take into account the dependence of the mode parameters on the location of the damaged phase. The observed results show that the largest values of the multiplicity of overvoltages will take place in phase B. The novelty of the work is the developed technique that makes it possible to determine in advance, depending on the disconnected phase of the line, the values of the primary conductivities of the STC (static thyristor compensators) and the corresponding angles of control of the thyristor switches, which satisfy almost complete compensation of the secondary arc at any point of the line in the specific condition (hard) of the bulk power system operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of modern electronic systems and increasing number of application areas (computers, office equipment, rectifiers, converters, speed control devices, uninterruptible power supplies, switched power supplies) has led to harmonic generation and reduced energy efficiency. The majority of loads are inductive in nature and the draw of reactive power has increased in networks and transmission lines resulting in problems with power quality. In addition to efficient power flow in transmission systems, there is also a need to compensate for the reactive power flow in order the meet the requirements of the load and system. As an alternative to traditional solutions, FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems) has been developed in order to operate electrical systems efficiently and improve stability and power quality. Technological applications such as SVC, STATCOM, SSSC and active harmonic filter are becoming widespread in order to improve power quality. In this study, applications within the scope of FACTS systems are explained and analysis of a fixed capacitor-thyristor controlled reactor (FC-TCR) to improve power factor is discussed. A circuit model of the FC-TCR is developed as a simulation and used to investigate how power factor may be kept within desired limits by adjusting the firing angle of the thyristors under different load conditions. A comparative evaluation has been carried out to determine the effect of FC-TCR by presenting results before and after the load compensation process is applied. From the simulation it is observed that reactive power compensation can be achieved even for varying linear loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of high short-circuit currents (200–300 kA) in autonomous and generator power systems of low and medium voltage classes, causing a decrease in the switching resource of switching facilities, necessitates the search for ways of limiting the current. The paper proposes a solution to this problem: a semiconductor current-limiting device based on a DC chopper, a DC-to-DC converter. This devices' features are its low dimensions and losses during typical operation. Semiconductor elements can be arranged quite compactly due to the lack of radiators for cooling, since the cooling process—taking into account the short duration of the current limitation process—is not efficient. The choice of semiconductor devices takes into account the short duration of the current load, as a result of which the temperature of the semiconductor structure does not exceed its permissible value. This paper presents a method for calculating the parameters of semiconductor devices, taking into account the current load as well as adjusting the magnitude of current limitation to a value that can be disconnected by switching devices. The short-term mode of operation of the power semiconductor device with current regulated by the frequency and duty cycle of its operation makes it possible to facilitate the required current limitation in the circuit for the subsequent fault clearance with a typical electrical device. The problem of overcurrent of one of the elements of the limiter is noted, which requires special attention to ensure that the semiconductor device is not overheated. This paper also presents the principle of current limitation, summarizes the results of experimental studies, and analyzes the presented capabilities of a semiconductor current limiter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A powerful switch based on a block of shock-ionized dynistors is described, which has an operating voltage of 16 kV and is capable of switching nanosecond current pulses with an amplitude of ~3 kA at a frequency of 300 Hz. The results of computer simulation of the process of its switching are given, and the prospects for increasing the switched power are determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unfolding of MVDC (Medium Voltage DC) systems has the prospects to enable the incorporation of power electronic converters with higher power density and reliability. A tool with an integrated design approach is required to minimise the overall system volume by identifying optimal components. In this paper, a component-level early-stage design tool has been developed to attain the minimum achievable volume and failure rate for MVDC power converters. The developed tool optimises the choice of semiconductor switching devices, required heatsink, and other passive components (including dc-link filters and inductors) to minimise failure rate and overall converter volume. The optimisation algorithm employs the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to evaluate designs based on developed fitness functions. The design tool demonstrates the trade-off when evaluating multiple converter topologies and helps make an informed decision. A comparative study between two converter topologies shows the outcomes in terms of targeted metrics (volume and failure rate). This tool is expected to benefit early-stage design to perform trade-off studies among power electronic converter topologies based on key metrics like volume and failure rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the characteristics of a plasma-based pressure pulse generator and its potential use as a simulator for studying pellet–cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI) during reactivity-initiated accidents (RIAs). In this device, a transient pressure pulse is generated by rapid heating and expansion of hot, dense plasma inside a nuclear fuel cladding. Thus, the parameters of a pressure pulse, such as peak pressure and pressure rise-rate, can be controlled by modifying the electrical parameters of a pulse discharge circuit. The pulse discharge circuit utilizes a capacitor bank comprising several energy storage capacitors connected in parallel and a high-power solid-state switch. A pressure loading system is attached as a load to the pulse discharge circuit. The power and energy delivered to the load are calculated by measuring the voltage and current waveforms at one end of the loading system. A piezoelectric sensor is connected at the other end of the loading system to simultaneously measure the pressure pulse inside the cladding tube. Preliminary experiments are carried out with a stainless-steel tube to characterize the performance of the device as well as with a pre-hydrided ZIRLO™ cladding tube to demonstrate the potential of the device as a simulator for studying the failure characteristics of the cladding as a result of an RIA. The high pressurization rate of the device is expected to offer unique advantages for studying the PCMI mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a 96 kJ compact synchronous discharge driver is designed. The issue of the current measurement of the six parallel gas spark switches is resolved by a multi-channel isolated current measuring system, and the driver's circuit simulation model is constructed. Then, the discharge current characteristics of each branch and load are investigated, and the results show that when the operating voltage is at least 50 kV, the parallel switches are conducted synchronously. The designed multi-channel isolated current measuring system meets the use requirements at a maximum operating voltage of 80 kV, the peak current measured by a single channel is 500 kA at this time, which corresponds to the load current of 3 MA, and the current rise time (0%–100% rise time) is about 1.15 µs. However, the asynchronous conduction of these switches will increase the branch circuit's peak current by a maximum of 25%, and the maximum value of the inverse peak current ratio of the branch will increase to 1.16, which will threaten the safe operation of the components. At this time, there is a redistribution of charge between the already conducting branches, so the impact of the load current is less than that of the basic branch current. When the conduction dispersion of the switchers is less than 452 ns, the peak current of the load reduction is less than 3%, and the current waveform meets the application requirements. The research is essential for understanding the operating status of the driver and assessing the through-current capability of the device's components, such as gas switches and capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a low-cost thyristor-controlled LC compensator scheme for the improvement of overall power quality in the distribution system. The parameters of the compensator have been designed and optimal triggering angles for thyristor switching have been obtained for reducing the unbalanced condition and harmonic injection at a high power factor. Compared to the traditional static VAr compensator schemes, the proposed technique can significantly reduce the harmonic injection into the system. The particle swarm optimization technique has been applied to compute the optimal triggering angles, and different aspects of the power quality factor have been assessed through rigorous simulations. Power quality assessment has been further validated through an experimental setup in the laboratory. Finally, a comparison of the proposed scheme with other similar schemes has been carried out to highlight its efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water entry cavity evolution and its flow structures for a sphere interacting with periodic waves are investigated numerically and experimentally. The large eddy simulation is applied in the simulation to accurately capture the turbulent flow near the surface and within the cavity of the sphere. An overset mesh-based numerical wave tank is developed, integrating an overset mesh with a method for generating regular waves, to ensure high resolution simulation of velocity fields around the water entry cavity in waves. To validate the numerical model, a physical experiment system is developed, featuring a free-falling setup and an asynchronous pulse trigger system. This experimental setup allows for precise control of the vertical water entry of a sphere at a predetermined phase of a periodic wave. The computed cavity shape and the sphere motion are in good agreement with the experimental results. Notably, the hydrodynamic forces exerted on the sphere exhibit two distinct peaks at the moment of impact and the pinch-off of the cavity, respectively. The gas-phase force acting on the dry surface of the sphere, as the cavity forms and evolves, experiences significant fluctuations along the direction of the sphere's descent. These fluctuations are caused by the accelerating gas flow prior to the pinch-off of the cavity. The changes of the hydrodynamic forces on the sphere for the cases of different water entry phase locations of waves and Froude numbers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to study a multi-level reinjection current source converter (MLR-CSC) that adds attracting properties such as the self-commutation and pulse multiplication to the thyristor converter, which is of great significance for increasing the device capacity and reducing current harmonics on the grid side. Particularly, designing advantageous driving methods of the reinjection circuit is a critical issue that impacts the harmonic reduction and operation reliability of the MLR-CSC. Design/methodology/approach: To deal with the mentioned issue, this paper takes the five-level reinjection current source converter (FLR-CSC), which is a type of the MLR-CSC, as the research object. Then, a method that can fully use combinations of five-level reinjection switching functions based on the concept of decomposition and recombination is proposed. It is worthy to mention that the proposed method can be easily extended to other multi-level reinjection circuits. Moreover, the working principle of the three-phase bridge circuit based on semi-controlled thyristors in the FLR-CSC that can achieve the four-quadrant power conversion is analyzed in detail. Findings: Finally, the simulation and experimental results of FLR-CSC verify the effectiveness of the proposed reinjection circuit driving method and the operating principle of four-quadrant power conversion in this paper. Originality/value: The outstanding features of the proposed driving method for FLR-CSC in this paper include combinations of reinjection switching functions that are fully exploited through three simple steps and can be conveniently extended to other multi-level reinjection circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates the response of the High-voltage Direct Current (HVDC) CIGRE Benchmark when exposed to overvoltages, voltage drops, or missed pulses in power converters. The impact of operation of integrated DC/DC converters is evaluated. A system using MATLAB/Simulink is simulated at faulty states to evaluate the HVDC link behaviour and reestablish the HVDC link after fault removal. A commutation failure in the HVDC system occurs when the AC voltage perturbation above than 10 %, at which the coil voltage significantly increased and interrupts the current in thyristors. To solve the problem, a DC/DC converter of the Buck configuration is integrated into the DC filters. The converter pulse is controled using the PWM technique where the pulse width is adjusted to maintain the DC voltage within the set of limits. Using the DC/DC converter, the commutation failure is eliminated upon fault disappearance. Moreover, there is no need for communication between the HVDC poles and the protection against faults in the HVDC system is ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on our study of gas–liquid two-phase flow of air plasma and its associated dynamic behavior, droplet activity, and applications. The propagation of the air plasma jet within a Venturi configuration is significantly perturbed by the presence of water droplets due to the local modification of the electric field that results from polarization and charging of the droplets. This local modulation, in turn, decreases the discharge current pulses and the radiation intensity of optical emissions. With a change in inlet airflow dynamics from laminar to turbulent (5–10 L/min), the droplet diameter decreased exponentially under strong pressure from millimeter to several tens of micrometers, whereas the gas–droplet contact area increased substantially. The production of short-lived reactive aqueous species OH and O2− was enhanced at the gas–liquid interface of the biphasic plasma droplets, and the activities of different long-lived species (H2O2, NO3−, and O3) in the droplet were highly selective in droplet diameter and value of the Henry-law constants. This new plasma source architecture enables an in situ activation of water sprays by plasma jets at short time scales, providing a desirable and effective sterilization tool and wastewater treatment at a relatively low cost and ease of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem regarding the optimal placement and sizing of different FACTS (flexible alternating current transmission systems) in electrical distribution networks is addressed in this research by applying a master–slave optimization approach. The FACTS analyzed correspond to the unified power flow controller (UPFC), the thyristor-controlled shunt compensator (TCSC, also known as the thyristor switched capacitor, or TSC), and the static var compensator (SVC). The master stage is entrusted with defining the location and size of each FACTS device using hybrid discrete-continuous codification through the application of the black widow optimization (BWO) approach. The slave stage corresponds to the successive approximations power flow method based on the admittance grid formulation, which allows determining the expected costs of the energy losses for a one-year operation period. The numerical results in the IEEE 33-, 69-, and 85-bus grids demonstrate that the best FACTS device for locating in distribution networks is the SVC, given that, when compared to the UPFC and the TCSC, it allows for the best possible reduction in the equivalent annual investment and operating cost. A comparative analysis with the General Algebraic Modeling System software, with the aim to solve the exact mixed-integer nonlinear programming model, demonstrated the proposed BWO approach's effectiveness in determining the best location and size for the FACTS in radial distribution networks. Reductions of about 12.63 % and 13.97 % concerning the benchmark cases confirmed that the SVC is the best option for reactive power compensation in distribution grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventionally, DC arc furnaces are fed by thyristor rectifiers to control the level of current or power transferred to the load. With the advancement of high-power transistors, other structures such as diode rectifiers and DC choppers have been introduced and developed for the feeding system of DC electric arc furnaces. In this paper, the effect of different power supply systems on power quality indexes is discussed. In this regard, two types of feeding systems are considered, including a power supply system based on thyristor rectifiers and a power supply system based on diode rectifiers and DC choppers. In addition, different control methods, including constant current control (CCC) and constant power control (CPC), on DC electric arc furnaces are applied. For evaluating the power quality indexes, voltage and current harmonic distortion, unbalance of voltage and current, and power factor on the AC side are investigated for different power supply systems. Simulation results were performed with PSCAD/EMTDC software. It is shown that the power supply systems with diode rectifiers and DC choppers have superiority in comparison to the types based on thyristor rectifiers. According to the results, the average current THD is reduced from 16.55% in the thyristor rectifier to 8.40% in the chopper rectifiers with the CCC method and from 19.27% in the thyristor rectifier to 7.38% in the chopper rectifiers with the CPC method. Moreover, the average voltage THD is reduced from 5.67% in the thyristor rectifier to 3.02% in the chopper rectifiers with the CCC method. The result is similar to the CPC method. Furthermore, for a specific power supply system, the harmonic distortion is lower in the case of the CPC method than in the CCC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear and bistable optical systems are a key enabling technology for the next generation optical networks and photonic neural systems with many potential applications in optical logic and information processing. Here, a novel bistable resonator-free all-optical waveguide device based on indium tin oxide as nonlinear epsilon-near-zero material providing a cost-efficient and high-performance binarity photonic platform is proposed. The salient features of the proposed device are compatibility with silicon photonics, enabling sub-picosecond operation speeds with moderate switching power. The device can act as an optical analogue of memristor or thyristor and can become an enabling element of photonic neural networks not requiring OEO conversions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work is devoted to the development of an electric pulse method for processing rocks and other solid dielectric and semiconducting materials. For the first time, experimental studies of the electric pulse method of cutting rocks in water were carried out using a high-voltage pulse generator with a pulse repetition rate of up to 25 pulses per second and a voltage of up to 160 kV. The results showed the possibility of using high-voltage generators with low pulse energy and high repetition rate in the electric pulse technology when using water as a flushing liquid. At the same time, the used mechanical system for moving the electrodes and washing needs to be improved to increase the productivity of electric pulse processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-speed drive is one of the challenges for modular multilevel converters (MMCs) due to large capacitor voltage fluctuation. In this article, a cascaded MMC and cycloconverter (CCV) based machine drive system is proposed to ensure stable operation of medium-voltage and low-speed machine. The MMC provides medium-frequency ac voltage for the CCV, and the CCV converts the medium-frequency ac input to low-frequency ac output required by the machine. Detailed analysis about MMC's operation frequency, device current stress, and submodule (SM) capacitance are given in this article. Proposed drive system can operate at zero/low frequency under rated load torque, while the SM capacitance is much smaller than that in existing methods. Simulation and experimental studies are conducted, and the results verify the effectiveness of the proposed system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of heterostructure designs of low-voltage InP homothyristors have been investigated using numerical simulation methods. The design with a space charge layer formed in the p-base region of the n‒p‒n transistor part was considered as the base one. The dynamic characteristics and processes that determine the rate of transition to the on state are investigated. It is shown that as the p-base thickness increases from 1 to 2.6 μm, the maximum on-state currents increase from 70 to 90 A, while the minimum turn-on transition time is 11 ns at a maximum blocking voltage of 55 V. It is shown that the operation efficiency in the on state is determined by the residual voltage. Residual voltage decreases with a decrease in the thickness of the p-base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]