Following research topics are at this moment open and subject to be incorporated into several master thesis. A master thesis may incorporate more than one listed topics to a full thesis. For your application please refer to the referenced with the set of topics.

Opportunities in the DC-uGrid project 
Explore the field of wide-bandgap devices and dig into the topic of power converters for DC-Microgrid applications.  
 

• DC-DC balancer for an industrial lighting applications 
  The DC-DC balancer is connected to a unipolar DC-microgrid, enabling subsequent converters to operate at half the DC bus voltage.
  • Investigate feasible topologies and control strategies.
  • Chosen topology is to be implemented fulfilling all the requirements stated in the specification document.
  • Design and calculation of all components for the chosen topology including semiconductor selection and magnetics design for a power rating of 6 kW.
  • Commissioning, testing and verification of the designed hardware demonstrator.

• DC-DC converter for a battery cell testing applications
  This DC-DC provides the galvanic isolation between the AC grid and the DC nanogrid which is connected to several battery cells.
  • Feasible topologies to be investigated include dual active bridges and CLLC resonant converters as well as their control strategies
  • Chosen topology will be implemented to fulfil allthe requirements stated in the specification document.
  • Design and calculation of all components for the chosen topology including semiconductor selection and magnetics design.
  • Commissioning, testing and verification of the designed hardware demonstrator.

 

• Single-stage converter with newest monolithic bidirectional GaN power semiconductors
  This single-stage converter serves as an galvanic isolated AC to DC power stage utilizing newest wide-bandgap devices
  • Innvestigation of the selected topology
  • Investigation of different operating modes and development of an operating controller
  • Design and calculation of all components for the given topology including semiconductor selection and magnetics design.
  • Commissioning, testing and verification of designed hardware demonstrator.
  • Implementation of the designed controller via a rapid control prototyping system and verification with Lab demonstrator

Opportunities in the HiFreSCo project 
HiFreSCo is the internal project name at SAL for the joint university laboratory with Graz University of Technology specifically with the EALS institute led by Prof. Michael Hartmann. Topics include high frequency switched converters, their topologies, gate driving technologies and passive devices. 

• High-Frequency Core and Copper Loss Measurements and their Challenges 
  Determining magnetic core and winding losses is crucial for power converter design. 
  • Literature studies on losses and measurement strategies for magnetic components.
  • Proposing a procedure as well as a a test bench implementation (i.e. accurate choice on probes and instruments) to characterise losses as effectively as possible.
  • Building up a test bench in hardware and performing measurements to assess the validity of the proposed procedures.
  • Evaluation of measurement results and cross check with predicted expectations.

As part of the DC-uGrid and HiFreSCo projects, we work closely with the following scientific partners: Prof. Hubert Berger (FH Joanneum), Univ.-Prof. Roberto Petrella (University of Udine), and Univ.-Prof. Michael Hartmann (Graz University of Technology). Master’s students enrolled at one of these institutions can undertake their thesis research under the supervision of one of these professors. Supervision arrangements outside these institutions may also be considered in exceptional cases.