Future Electronic Energy Systems

Friday, January 25, 10:45 a.m.
T.I. Auditorium (ECSS 2.102)

Dr. Dushan Boroyevich
Virginia Tech

Biography : Dr. Dushan Boroyevich is the University Distinguished Professor and Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation in Energy Systems at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), as well as Director of the Center for Power Electronics Systems. Previously, he was an assistant professor and director of the Power and Industrial Electronics Research Program in the Institute for Power and Electronic Engineering at the University of Novi Sad, in the former Yugoslavia. He completed a bachelor’s degree in 1976 from the University of Belgrade and an M.S. in 1982 from the University of Novi Sad. He earned his Ph.D. in 1986 from Virginia Tech.

Boroyevich has led numerous research projects in the areas of multi-phase power conversion, electronic power distribution systems, modeling and control, and multi-disciplinary design optimization. He has advised over 40 PhD and 40 MS students to graduation and has co-authored over 700 papers.

Boroyevich was the president of the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) from 2011-2012. He is a Fellow of IEEE and recipient of numerous awards, including the IEEE William E. Newell Power Electronics Technical Field Award, the IEEE PELS Harry A. Owen Distinguished Service Award, the European Power Electronics Association (EPE) Outstanding Achievement Award, and the Award for Outstanding Achievements and Service to Profession by the European Power Electronics and Motion Control Council. He is an Honorary Professor at the Xi’an Jiaotong University in Xi’an, China, and received the K.T. Li Chair Professor Award at the National Cheng Kung University, in Tainan, Taiwan. Boroyevich was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in 2014 for advancements in control, modeling and design of electronic power conversion for electric energy and transportation.

Abstract : Researchers anticipate widespread usage of new power electronics technologies in electrical energy generation. Transport and consumption will provide major efficiency improvements, while the deployment of smart grid technologies should improve the utilization and availability of electricity. Consequently, after a decade of premonition, many experts expect that future human energy needs will be met most dominantly by electricity, delivered through scalable, hierarchical, electronic energy systems: the Intergrid. Safe, dependable, sustainable, enjoyable and beautiful supply of free energy will be available anytime, anywhere, for everyone.

The proposed structure achieves hierarchical, dynamic decoupling of generation, distribution and consumption by using bidirectional electronic power converters as electronic energy routers. Similar trends are appearing in modern electronic power distribution systems built for airplanes, ships, road and off-road vehicles, data-centers, industrial processes and buildings. These systems often comprise hundreds of electronic power converters, introducing a distinction that challenges our basic understanding about how power systems are designed and operated. The challenge seems more daunting when considering how the electrical grid will accommodate the massive onslaught of renewable and distributed generation. Therefore, innovative methods must provide easier system-level modeling, improved system integration and continuous assessment of dynamic interactions.

Starting from the current and expected trends in the generation, transport and consumption of electrical energy, this talk will contemplate possible future AC and DC electronic energy system architectures, especially in the presence of renewable energy sources. The speaker will also discuss possible directions for modeling, analysis and system-level design of such systems, including power flow control, protection, stability and subsystem interactions.