New class of power inverter developed

Thu, 10/18/2012 - 12:20pm



Power inverters are at the heart of several renewable energy technologies. Solar power, battery storage, electric vehicles, motor drives, and manufacturing robots all use inverters to generate AC power efficiently.

However, the current inverters with multiple switching transistors generate limited voltage levels, are heavy, generate unwanted harmonics (voltage frequencies), and require filters to reduce the harmful effects to the electric grid.

Izadian’s invention, the result of a creative reconfiguration of an electrical circuit during a laboratory experiment, would make inverters cheaper, lighter, and therefore more efficient than current models.

“The thrilling moment of any research is when your thoughts, designs and implementations come out right and you reach the goal,” Izadian says. “An on-demand change of voltage polarity might not seem very exciting, but it becomes increasingly important if you can accomplish it while maintaining desired voltage amplitudes.”


Not only did the bench test work, it lead to the discovery of several other circuits and controllers for high-power inverters with lower switching loss, higher voltage performance, and lighter reconfigured circuits.


“The Lugar Center is a tremendous asset to the school’s creative and innovative research process,” says David J. Russomanno, dean of the School of Engineering and Technology. “We are delighted with Izadian’s work and the possibility that his inverter can impact the renewable energy market. His efforts are a quintessential example of the cutting-edge research that enhances the school’s image and reputation and allows us to compete in the renewable energy arena.”

Izadian’s work is under review by a prestigious technical journal, and several large companies have shown interest in the new inverters. They are interested in how Izadian’s breakthrough can result in simpler, cheaper, and smaller systems with better performance than today’s technology.


Source: Indiana University


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