Tradition and creativity : the roots and routes of fiddler Aidan O’Rourke

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Rapid design of LCC current-output resonant converters with reduced electrical stresses

The paper presents and validates a straightforward design methodology for realising LCC current-output resonant converters, with the aim of reducing tank currents, and hence, electrical stresses on resonant components. The scheme is ideally suited for inclusion in a rapid iterative design environment e.g. part of a graphical user interfac

Novel battery model of an all-electric personal rapid transit vehicle to determine state-of-health through subspace parameter estimation and a Kalman Estimator

Abstract--The paper describes a real-time adaptive battery model for use in an all-electric Personal Rapid Transit vehicle. Whilst traditionally, circuit-based models for lead-acid batteries centre on the well-known Randles’ model, here the Randles’ model is mapped to an equivalent circuit, demonstrating improved modelling capabilities and more accurate estimates of circuit parameters when used in Subspace parameter estimation techniques. Combined with Kalman Estimator algorithms, these techniques are demonstrated to correctly identify and converge on voltages associated with the battery State-of-Charge, overcoming problems such as SoC drift (incurred by coulomb-counting methods due to over-charging or ambient temperature fluctuations). Online monitoring of the degradation of these estimated parameters allows battery ageing (State-of-Health) to be assessed and, in safety-critical systems, cell failure may be predicted in time to avoid inconvenience to passenger networks. Due to the adaptive nature of the proposed methodology, this system can be implemented over a wide range of operating environments, applications and battery topologies

Sensitivity of Climate Change Projections to Uncertainties in the Estimates of Observed Changes in Deep-Ocean Heat Content

Abstract and PDF report are also available on the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://globalchange.mit.edu/).The MIT 2D climate model is used to make probabilistic projections for changes in global mean surface temperature and for thermosteric sea level rise under a variety of forcing scenarios. The uncertainties in climate sensitivity and rate of heat uptake by the deep ocean are quantified by using the probability distributions derived from observed 20th century temperature changes. The impact on climate change projections of using the smallest and largest estimates of 20th century deep ocean warming is explored. The impact is large in the case of global mean thermosteric sea level rise. In the MIT reference ("business as usual") scenario the median rise by 2100 is 27 and 43 cm in the respective cases. The impact on increases in global mean surface air temperature is more modest, 4.9 C and 3.9 C in the two respective cases, because of the correlation between climate sensitivity and ocean heat uptake required by 20th century surface and upper air temperature changes. The results are also compared with the projections made by the IPCC AR4's multi-model ensemble for several of the SRES scenarios. The multi-model projections are more consistent with the MIT projections based on the largest estimate of ocean warming. However the range for the rate of heat uptake by the ocean suggested by the lowest estimate of ocean warming is more consistent with the range suggested by the 20th century changes in surface and upper air temperatures, combined with expert prior for climate sensitivity.This work was supported in part by the Office of Science (BER), U.S. Dept. of Energy Grant No. DE-FG02-93ER61677, NSF, and by the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change

Observer techniques for estimating the state-of-charge and state-of-health of VRLABs for hybrid electric vehicles

The paper describes the application of observer-based state-estimation techniques for the real-time prediction of state-of-charge (SoC) and state-of-health (SoH) of lead-acid cells. Specifically, an approach based on the well-known Kalman filter, is employed, to estimate SoC, and the subsequent use of the EKF to accommodate model non-linearities to predict battery SoH. The underlying dynamic behaviour of each cell is based on a generic Randles' equivalent circuit comprising of two-capacitors (bulk and surface) and three resistors, (terminal, transfer and self-discharging). The presented techniques are shown to correct for offset, drift and long-term state divergence-an unfortunate feature of employing stand-alone models and more traditional coulomb-counting techniques. Measurements using real-time road data are used to compare the performance of conventional integration-based methods for estimating SoC, with those predicted from the presented state estimation schemes. Results show that the proposed methodologies are superior with SoC being estimated to be within 1% of measured. Moreover, by accounting for the nonlinearities present within the dynamic cell model, the application of an EKF is shown to provide verifiable indications of SoH of the cell pack

Digital control of dual-load LCLC resonant converters

The paper proposes the analysis, design and realisation of dual-output resonant LCLC converters with independent output regulation, employing a single power stage and combined PWM and frequency control. Asymmetric switching of the power devices is used to facilitate independent control of the outputs to provide +5 V and +3.3 V from a 15 V-20 V input supply over a range of load condition

Rapid analysis & design methodologies of High-Frequency LCLC Resonant Inverter as Electrodeless Fluorescent Lamp Ballast

The papers presents methodologies for the analysis of 4th-order LCLC resonant power converters operating at 2.63 MHz as fluorescent lamp ballasts, where high frequency operation facilitates capacitive discharge into the tube, with near resonance operation at high load quality factor enabling high efficiency. State-variable dynamic descriptions of the converter are employed to rapidly determine the steady-state cyclic behaviour of the ballast during nominal operation. Simulation and experimental measurements from a prototype ballast circuit driving a 60 cm, 8W T5 fluorescent lamp are also included

Modelling and regulation of dual-output LCLC resonant converters

The analysis, design and control of 4th-order LCLC voltage-output series-parallel resonant converters (SPRCs) for the provision of multiple regulated outputs, is described. Specifically, state-variable concepts are employed and new analysis techniques are developed to establish operating mode boundaries with which to describe the internal behaviour of a dual-output resonant converter topology. The designer is guided through the most important criteria for realising a satisfactory converter, and the impact of parameter choices on performance is explored. Predictions from the resulting models are compared with those obtained from SPICE simulations and measurements from a prototype power supply under closed loop control