Power Electronics, Power Quality and Pulsed Power

Power Electronics is a key technology to utilise renewable energy systems for smart and future grids and advanced electrical and electronic systems.

Our research team has extensive knowledge and experience in modelling, design and development of several power electronics systems.

High penetration of grid connected inverters used in renewable energy systems and smart loads has significantly deteriorated the power quality of grids. Power Quality issues affect the reliability, quality and safe operation of grids and grid-connected equipment such as smart meters, transformers, cables and communication signalling. Our research team has been studying and monitoring power quality problems of distribution networks using a multi-domain simulation platform and power quality data analysis at device and system levels.

Pulsed power is an exciting and emerging technology with a variety of industrial and Bioelectrics applications, such as water treatment. The ability of pulsed power to deliver energy as pulsed electromagnetic waves, plasmas, shock waves, radicals and light, opens up new research challenges and unexplored opportunities for industrial and biomedical applications. This technology is a multi-disciplinary research field which widely used in different applications and showed great potential in liquid decontamination, food processing, tailings dewatering and facilitating fruit and vegetable growth. The state-of-the-art facility at The University of Queensland will enable researchers to explore nanosecond pulsed power excitation in a variety of applications, including mining, food processing, and bioenergy.