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Power Electronics Technologies for Aerospace Applications
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Power Electronics Technologies for Aerospace Applications

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "F3: Power Electronics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 6074

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vítor Monteiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Algoritmi Research Centre, Department of Industrial Electronics, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Interests: power electronics converters; electric mobility; renewable energy sources; digital control techniques; smart grids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Joao L. Afonso

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Electronics, School of Engineering, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal
Interests: power quality; active power filters; energy monitoring systems; energy efficiency; renewable energy; energy storage systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, humanity faces some pertinent opportunities and challenges concerning the relevance of aerospace applications. Over the last few decades, aerospace applications have experienced great growth, which requires an equal measure in terms of the development of power electronics technologies. However, as is well-known, the development of power electronics solutions for aerospace applications is quite different than for other applications. In fact, aerospace applications can be recognized as a new boundary for the research and development of power electronics technologies. Considering aviation and space applications, among others, power electronics technologies are fundamental for promoting more electric aircrafts and for lunar and deep space missions, always ensuring high power density, high efficiency, and high reliability under conditions of space radiation, extreme temperatures, and high altitude. This Special Issue aims to introduce a guideline of Power Electronics Technologies for Aerospace Applications, involving innovative contributions from academics, scientists, and researchers. The topics of interest are related, but not limited to:  

  • Light-weight and high-efficiency power converters;
  • Power converters to deal with high dv/dt and di/dt operation;
  • Digital and analogue control platforms for power converters.
  • Monitoring, control, and protection of power converters;
  • High-performance materials for coupling filters, cables, connectors, and cooling units of power converters;
  • Power electronics for interfacing power generation systems and for power management;
  • Innovative motor drivers for electric propulsion systems;
  • Solid-state systems, circuits, and protections (to replace conventional electromechanical devices);
  • Silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN), and high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) devices for aerospace applications;
  • Space effects on wide-bandgap (WBG) power devices;
  • Power Electronics systems for flight control;
  • Energy storage technologies for aerospace applications (e.g., solid-state batteries);
  • Power electronics for high reliability communication technologies.

Dr. Vítor Monteiro
Dr. Joao L. Afonso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • power electronics
  • power converters
  • control
  • monitoring
  • power management
  • wide-bandgap (WBG) devices
  • energy storage technologies

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 6534 KB  
Article
Phase Current Reconstruction of PMSG-Based Three-Phase PWM Rectifiers Using Linear Extended State Observer
by Pengcheng Zhu, Sergio Vazquez, Eduardo Galvan, Ruifang Zhang, Juan M. Carrasco, Leopoldo G. Franquelo, Yongxiang Xu and Jiming Zou
Energies 2026, 19(3), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19030847 - 5 Feb 2026
Viewed by 450
Abstract
As a core power supply component of the more electric aircraft (MEA), the reliability of the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) is of paramount importance. Phase current reconstruction technology can enhance the redundancy of current sensors, thereby improving system reliability. However, owing to [...] Read more.
As a core power supply component of the more electric aircraft (MEA), the reliability of the permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) is of paramount importance. Phase current reconstruction technology can enhance the redundancy of current sensors, thereby improving system reliability. However, owing to the generally high engine speeds in MEAs, the employment of traditional d-axis current–zero control not only induces DC-link voltage fluctuations but also leads to inaccurate DC-link sampling points and distortion in the reconstructed current. In this paper, a lead-angle flux-weakening control strategy is introduced into the PMSG rectification system. This approach guarantees the normal operation of the current loop when the rotational speed exceeds the rated speed of the PMSG, ensuring the accuracy of the sampling points for phase current reconstruction. To further enhance the reconstruction accuracy, a phase current reconstruction technology based on a linear extended state observer (LESO) is proposed. The LESO not only filters the reconstructed current but also ensures that the observer performance remains robust against PMSG parameter perturbations. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through Hardware-in-the-Loop results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Power Electronics Technologies for Aerospace Applications)
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12 pages, 883 KB  
Article
Novel Single-Loop Control Strategy for 400 Hz Voltage Source Inverter with LC Filter
by Mahdi Mohebi, Pablo Marino Fernández-Abraldes, Diego Pérez-Estévez and Jesús Doval Gandoy
Energies 2026, 19(3), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19030819 - 4 Feb 2026
Viewed by 438
Abstract
The control of 400 Hz Ground Power Units (GPUs) in the range of several hundreds of kW poses distinct challenges, as the switching frequency (fsw) must be constrained to limit switching losses. This constraint typically results in low ratios [...] Read more.
The control of 400 Hz Ground Power Units (GPUs) in the range of several hundreds of kW poses distinct challenges, as the switching frequency (fsw) must be constrained to limit switching losses. This constraint typically results in low ratios of the switching and LC filter natural frequencies (fn) relative to the fundamental frequency. Notably, without mitigation, such systems often face stability issues or non-minimum phase behavior when fn<fs/3 (where fs is the sampling frequency). To address these challenges, this paper introduces a single-loop voltage control strategy for a 400 Hz voltage-source inverter (VSI) featuring a robust voltage decoupling scheme. Crucially, this decoupling allows the system to maintain minimum phase characteristics and operate with positive gains even when fn<fs/3, effectively solving the stability problems inherent to this operating region. The proposed architecture employs a proportional-resonant (PR) controller, with parameters systematically tuned to achieve maximum system damping based on stability regions dependent on the ratio between the sampling and natural frequencies. Validated through simulation and experimental procedures, the proposed method demonstrates precise voltage tracking and a robust dynamic response, proving its suitability for high-power, high-fundamental-frequency applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Power Electronics Technologies for Aerospace Applications)
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18 pages, 2562 KB  
Article
Power Electronics for Aerospace Applications: An Experimental Validation with WBG Technologies
by Rosalina Morais, Ana Dias, Joao L. Afonso and Vitor Monteiro
Energies 2026, 19(2), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19020381 - 13 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1128
Abstract
Wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are key enablers of power-electronics converters for aerospace platforms, where high efficiency, weight reduction, and thermal robustness are critical requirements. This paper presents the main challenges associated with the use [...] Read more.
Wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are key enablers of power-electronics converters for aerospace platforms, where high efficiency, weight reduction, and thermal robustness are critical requirements. This paper presents the main challenges associated with the use of these technologies, including protection requirements, electromagnetic compatibility, and thermal management, as well as the material advantages that enable higher switching frequencies and lower losses compared to conventional Si technologies. A comparative analysis of semiconductor technologies and suitable power-conversion topologies for the aerospace context is provided. Representative laboratory-scale experimental validation is presented, including the development of a DC–DC boost converter and a DC–AC full-bridge inverter, which are linked through the common DC-link and are used for interfacing batteries and an electrical motor, both based on GaN and SiC diodes. The results demonstrated the correct operation, with stable high-frequency performance under controlled laboratory conditions, supporting aerospace-oriented development, although evaluated in a laboratory environment, confirming the potential of WBG technologies for future power-conversion architectures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Power Electronics Technologies for Aerospace Applications)
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17 pages, 4320 KB  
Article
Fast Arc Detection Technology Based on Fractal Dimension for SADA Slip Ring in Satellite Power System
by Yanchen Meng, Enchao Zhang, Donglai Zhang, Xueli Zhu, Hongyu Zhu and Anshou Li
Energies 2024, 17(5), 1093; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17051093 - 25 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2106
Abstract
The solar array drive assembly (SADA) slip ring is a critical link that provides electrical power and electric signal transmission between solar arrays and satellite power systems, which is prone to arc faults in the space environment. If these arc faults cannot be [...] Read more.
The solar array drive assembly (SADA) slip ring is a critical link that provides electrical power and electric signal transmission between solar arrays and satellite power systems, which is prone to arc faults in the space environment. If these arc faults cannot be detected and eliminated quickly enough, they will seriously threaten the safety of the satellite power system and the satellite. In this paper, a fast arc detection method based on fractal dimension is proposed that adapts to different operating modes of power systems. The detection method collects the current differential signal data flowing through the SADA slip ring, and, according to the trend of the fractal dimension change in this signal, the fault identification algorithm is designed for different operating modes of the power system to achieve real-time and rapid identification of arc faults. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated using test data under several different fault conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Power Electronics Technologies for Aerospace Applications)
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