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School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science

Multi physics sensor array for Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based power electronic converter prognostics in electric vehicles

Supervisor: Dr Kamyar Mehran

Research group(s): Antennas and Electromagnetics

Power electronic converters (PECs) underpins modern electric and hybrid vehicles allowing efficient energy transfer between the vehicle battery system and the drive motors. To simplify construction, reduce costs and increase reliability, manufacturers are seeking ever-tighter system integration. However, this level of integration poses a number of significant challenges including interlinked heat transfer paths, bond wire lift-off and unwanted thermal stresses. In this projects, we investigate a multi-physics sensor fusion technique to provide accurate prognostics for highly integrated SiC-based PECs. An intelligent vehicle management system will be implemented to adjust the available power and cooling requirements based on the real-time estimation of the true age and safe operating area of the PEC based on the online conditions and records of previous ageing. A sensing platform, i.e. an array of multi physical sensors, needs to be developed to quantify the health status of power electronic modules by generating an imageĀ of measurements which consist of temperature, electrical quantities (V, I, Z) and mechanical displacement (wire bond movement/device deformity) on the power module. This is a multi-disciplinary and industrial-based project and encourage the candidate to look for more details on this project and other PhD project proposals in my website: https://kamyarmehran.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/.

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