Submit to Energies Review for Energies Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "F: Electrical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (2 January 2023) | Viewed by 13915

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jacek Starzynski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warszawa, Poland
Interests: numerical simulation of electrical devices (electromagnetic field, circuits and systems); construction of HV pulse generators; automated diagnostics of electrical and power electronics equipment (machine learning, deep neural networks)

Dr. Bogdan Dziadak

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Institute of Theory of Electrical Engineering, Measurement and Information Systems, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-662 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: electrical engineering; design engineering; sensors; wsn; energy harvesting
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Adam Jóśko

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, 00-661 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: air quality

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The special issue "Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics" will be devoted to current challenges in power generation and distribution.

With the growing role of information and communication technologies, electromobility and the struggle for an ever decreasing environmental impact of civilisation, the need to optimise energy generation and distribution processes and to meet challenges such as distributed generation and rapid changes in demand arises. These requirements generate the need for special research in the direction of automation of management of the widely understood power system. The special issue is intended to address these requirements. The main, but not the only, focus will be on applications of advanced signal and data processing (computer simulation, surrogate models, machine learning, artificial intelligence and computer science in general) to meet today's challenges of clean, high quality energy. I especially invite papers related to automatic diagnostics in power generation and conversion, special applications of electricity, optimal energy storage, distributed generation, smart grids, renewable and small sources (including small hydro, biomass, biogas, solar, wind and geothermal power) and their integration into the power system, energy harvesting and power quality.

Prof. Dr. Jacek Starzynski
Dr. Bogdan Dziadak
Dr. Adam Jóśko
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

energy quality
smart grids
smart sensors
machine learning for automated control and diagnostics
renewable sources

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

21 pages, 41050 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Machine Learning in Solar Plants Inspection Automation

by Jacek Starzyński, Paweł Zawadzki and Dariusz Harańczyk

Energies 2022, 15(16), 5966; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15165966 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2523

Abstract

The emergence of large photovoltaic farms poses a new challenge for quick and economic diagnostics of such installations. This article presents this issue starting from a quantitative analysis of the impact of panel defects, faulty installation, and lack of farm maintenance on electricity production. We propose a low-cost and efficient method for photovoltaic (PV) plant quality surveillance that combines technologies such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), thermal imaging, and machine learning so that systematic inspection of a PV farm can be performed frequently. Most emphasis is placed on using deep neural networks to analyze thermographic images. We show how the use of the YOLO network makes it possible to develop a tool that performs the analysis of the image material already during the flyby. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 701 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Methods of Assessing the Effectiveness of Filter Elements in Power Electronics

by Michał Borecki and Jan Sroka

Energies 2022, 15(14), 5061; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15145061 - 11 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 875

Abstract

Newly constructed devices must meet a number of requirements in terms of the level of generated disturbances. To achieve an acceptable level in such devices, filters are installed—one of the cheapest ways to reduce interference in devices. One of the key elements of the filter that is responsible for the effectiveness of noise reduction are ferrites. Unfortunately, for various devices, an individual approach should be used in the selection of filters and, accordingly, ferrites. Due to the fact that ferrites from different manufacturers do not have standardized characteristics and information on their effectiveness, the selection of the right ferrite is a very time-consuming process. Therefore, this article will present the possibilities of quickly determining selected ferrite parameters in order to ensure the necessary level of noise reduction. For this purpose, assumptions from the CISPR 17 standard will be used. For selected types of ferrites, a large number of measurements were carried out in order to determine the optimal computational algorithm for adjusting ferrite characteristics to the designed conditions. The performance of these tests will be the basis for conducting tests on a larger number of ferrites, as well as for the development of possible standardization procedures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 912 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Architecture of Solid-State High-Voltage Pulse Generators

by Yahia Achour, Jacek Starzyński and Kazimierz Jakubiuk

Energies 2022, 15(13), 4823; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15134823 - 01 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1899

Abstract

The application of the nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) for biomedical treatments has gained more interest in recent decades due to the development of pulsed power technologies which provides the ability to control the electric field dose applied during tests. In this context, the proposed paper describes a new architecture of solid-state high-voltage pulse generators (SS-HVPG) designed to generate fully customised sequences of quasi-rectangular pulses. The idea is based on the combination of semiconductor switches (IGBT/MOSFET) known for their flexibility and controllability with special magnetic switches to build compact and modular generators. The proposed structure is inspired by the most known pulse generator of Marx, but mixes its two variants for negative and positive polarities. Thus, the polarity of the generated pulses can be freely selected. In addition to that, the use of IGBTs/MOSFET ensures a tunable repetition rate and pulse width. The capacitors are charged via a series of magnetic switches and a flyback DC–DC converter which provides fast and efficient charging and also an adjustable amplitude of the output pulses. The design can be easily simplified giving two other modified structures, based on the same idea, for mono-polar operating (only positive or only negative pulses) with a reduced number of switches. A SPICE simulation of the generator and results of experimental tests carried out on a three stages generator are presented. The obtained results confirm the operating principle and the claimed performances of the new structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 14918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Susceptibility Issues of Control Instrumentation in Electromagnetic Environment of High Current Laboratory

by Jolanta Sadura, Jan Sroka, Przemysław Sul, Adam Jóśko and Maciej Owsiński

Energies 2022, 15(13), 4682; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15134682 - 26 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1044

Abstract

The paper is a continuation of the research works of the authors. The aim of it is identifying the electromagnetic environment in which the control equipment of the short-circuit test stand operates. Exceptional attention was devoted to the issues related to the operation of the time-phase controller system. Measurements and identification of the electromagnetic environment were carried out on a specific short-circuit test stand, where short-circuit currents are generated by the medium-voltage (MV) short-circuit transformers. Short circuit tests are always preceded by powering the MV side of the test transformer by unloading the low-voltage (LV) side. Thereafter, the controller must wait for the release of the operator to start the test. Sometimes an electromagnetically disturbed controller starts the test without release. Such situation is undesired and can be destructive for the tested objects. Identification of the transient fields during the powering of the test transformer is indispensable for assessing the hazard of EM interference of the controller. Earlier research by the authors showed that the repetitive damped oscillating waves (DOW) are a component of the electromagnetic environment. Adequate instrumentation to cope with the problem are D-dot and B-dot field probes is needed. The paper reports such measurements along with recording the voltage signals. It was suspected that repetitive ignition and extinction of the short arc by closing the circuit breaker in the MV circuit is the origin of the DOW. Additional investigation of the circuit breaker in stand-alone operation is excluded in this hypothesis. The only possibility of the DOW is pulse traveling back and forth in the MV circuit, which is a line with distributed parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Realistic Spark-Gap Model in Computer Simulation of Blumlein Transmission Line

by Bartosz Chaber and Wiktor Łodyga

Energies 2022, 15(11), 3919; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15113919 - 26 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2138

Abstract

Over the years, the use of numerical simulations in the development of high voltage pulse generators has become a standard approach. Nevertheless, the modeling of spark-gaps, one of the most commonly used switching devices in such generators, has always been a weak point of the process, especially in coupled circuit and field simulations. Although the complex SPICE spark-gap models do exist, it is difficult or impossible to directly couple them with field simulations. Thus, in many cases, the spark-gap models used were elementary and required many assumptions, which led to the prolongation of the design process. Our paper describes the coupling of a realistic circuit model of an air spark-gap, with a Finite Element Method simulation, solving the wave equation in the time domain. The simulation describes the operation of a Blumlein transmission line as a pulse generator. One of the advantages of the proposed solution is that the input parameters of the empirical model are measurable physical quantities characterizing the spark-gap circuit. We have carried out two numerical experiments testing the simulation for both the matched, resistive load and for a dipole antenna connected to the output of the Blumlein transmission line. The test results confirm that the circuit-field simulation can model Blumlein transmission lines with both simple elements (e.g., resistors) and complex circuits (e.g., an equivalent circuit of a dipole antenna) attached to its terminals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 3522 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Neural Approaches to Short-Time Load Forecasting in Power Systems—A Comparative Study

by Stanislaw Osowski, Robert Szmurlo, Krzysztof Siwek and Tomasz Ciechulski

Energies 2022, 15(9), 3265; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15093265 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1122

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the paper is to propose different arrangements of neural networks for short-time 24-h load forecasting in Power Systems. Methods: The study discusses and compares different techniques of data processing, applying the feedforward and recurrent neural structures. They include such networks as multilayer perceptron, radial basis function, support vector machine, self-organizing Kohonen networks, deep autoencoder, and recurrent deep LSTM structures. The important point in getting high-quality results is the composition of many solutions in the common ensemble and their fusion to create the final forecast of time series. The paper considers and compares different methods of fusing the individual results into the final forecast, including the averaging, application of independent component analysis, dynamic integration, and wavelet transformation. Results: The numerical experiments have shown a high advantage of using many individual predictors integrated into the ensemble which are responsible for the final forecast. Especially efficient is the application of non-standard wavelet application in the formation of an ensemble, as well as the use of LSTM as the basic prediction unit. The novelty of the paper is the critical comparative analysis of the time series prediction methods applied for load forecasting in the power system. The presented approach may be useful for the users involved in power system operation management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 6903 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Energy Harvesting for Wearable Sensors and Body Area Network Nodes

by Bogdan Dziadak, Łukasz Makowski, Mariusz Kucharek and Adam Jóśko

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1681; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041681 - 08 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2290

Abstract

This paper aims to present new trends in energy-harvesting solutions pertaining to wearable sensors and powering Body Area Network nodes. To begin, we will present the capability of human beings to generate energy. We then examine solutions for converting kinetic and thermal energy from the human body. As part of our review of kinetic converters, we survey the structures and performance of electromagnetic, piezoelectric, and triboelectric systems. Afterward, we discuss thermal energy converters that utilize the heat generated by humans. In the final section, we present systems for converting energy from the electromagnetic waves surrounding a person. A number of these systems are suitable for use as wearables, such as RF harvesters and micro photovoltaic cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Volume II: Challenges and Research Trends of Electrical Engineering and Power Electronics)

► Show Figures