Cohort One

Yohannes Tecklehaimanot

Project description:

I am working on a project that intended to improve the switched reluctance motor drive performance to provide a smooth SRM operation with a cost-effective technology to automotive industries. Absence of rare earth magnet, no coils on the rotor and their simple design make switched reluctance motor (SRM) a promising machine for electric vehicles. The main barriers for wide-spread use of SRM are torque pulsations, acoustic noise and size and cost of power electronic converter used for motor drive.

In this research, I will work to minimize the switch component count of the drive which lead to reduce the switching loss and increase the efficiency of SRM drive. The silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, characterised with high switching frequency and wide bandgap reliable to operate at a high voltage, will be instrumental in this research. The use of SiC technology with novel converter design will play a significant role in miniaturizing the drive physical size and reducing the switching losses. Reliable SRM drive will have a substantial role in the automotive revolution and sustainable environment.

Project supervisor:

Dr Mohammed Elgendy

Interests:

Fight for Justice