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Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "D: Energy Storage and Application".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2017) | Viewed by 39408

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chunhua Liu

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Guest Editor

School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Interests: electric machines and drives; electric vehicles and aircraft; electric robotics and ships; renewables and microgrids; power electronics and wireless power transfer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Zhen Zhang

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Guest Editor

School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Interests: the advanced control for power conversion with emphasis on wireless power transfer and motor drives
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Fei Zhao

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Guest Editor

School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: power electronics; electric machines and drives; magnetic devices

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are inviting submissions to a Special Issue of Energies on the subject area of “Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics”.

Robotics is becoming one of the key technologies for the next industrial revolution. Among different types of robotics, the electric-drive type possesses the distinct merit of electric propulsion. In fact, the electric devices and corresponding technologies have been widely applied in different electric robotics, including the industrial robots, humanoid robots, biomimetic robots, and other robotic formats and styles. The electric devices for robotics obviously have the advantages of easy control, high robustness, high flexibility, high cost-effectiveness, fault-tolerant capability, mature technique, and so on. Additionally, the corresponding electric technologies promote the fast development of electric robotics, which significantly benefit the robotic design and control. This Special Issue is focused on the latest results and findings of new electric devices and technologies of electric-drive robotics, including the design principle, topology, analysis approach, control strategy, new application, management, coordination, energy conversion, as well as the foresights. The particular topics of interest include, but not limited to, the following:

Design and analysis of architecture/topology for electric-drive robotics;
Development of novel electric machines for robotic propulsion;
Research on direct drive techniques for electric robotics;
Fault diagnose and fault-tolerant control for electric drives of robotics;
Design of power-electronic-based power converters for electric-drive robotics;
Control and management of energy storage systems for electric-drive robotics;
Electric devices for energy conversion and utilization for electric-drive robotics;
Contactless charging strategies for electric-drive robotics, i.e., wireless power transfer;
Advanced control strategies for electric-drive robotics;
Newly designs and applications of electric-drive robotics;
Overviews and foresights of electric devices and technologies for electric-drive robotics.

Dr. Chunhua Liu
Dr. Zhen Zhang
Dr. Fei Zhao
Guest Editors

Keywords

Electric-drive robotics
power electronics
electric machines and drives
energy conversion
wireless power transfer
electric device
advanced control
direct drive

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3964 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Efficient Topology for Wireless Power Transfer over a Wide Range of Loading Conditions

by Tianqing Li, Xiangzhou Wang, Shuhua Zheng and Chunhua Liu

Energies 2018, 11(1), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/en11010141 - 06 Jan 2018

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3372

Abstract

Although an inductive power transfer (IPT) system can transfer power efficiently in full-load conditions, its efficiency obviously decreases in light-load conditions. To solve this problem, based on a two-coil IPT system with a series-series compensation topology, a single-ended primary-inductor converter is introduced at the secondary side. By adjusting the set effective value of the current in the primary coil, the converter input voltage changes to maintain the equivalent input resistance of the converter in an optimal condition. The system can then transfer the power efficiently with the wide load conditions. Moreover, the system operates at a constant resonance frequency with a high power factor. Both the simulation and experimentation of a prototype with a 10 W IPT system demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed topology for wireless power transfer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics)

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1626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sliding Surface in Consensus Problem of Multi-Agent Rigid Manipulators with Neural Network Controller

by Thang Nguyen Trong and Minh Nguyen Duc

Energies 2017, 10(12), 2127; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10122127 - 14 Dec 2017

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4029

Abstract

Based on Lyapunov theory, this research demonstrates the stability of the sliding surface in the consensus problem of multi-agent systems. Each agent in this system is represented by the dynamically uncertain robot, unstructured disturbances, and nonlinear friction, especially when the dynamic function of agent is unknown. All system states use neural network online weight tuning algorithms to compensate for the disturbance and uncertainty. Each agent in the system has a different position, and their trajectory approach to the same target is from each distinct orientation. In this research, we analyze the design of the sliding surface for this model and demonstrate which type of sliding surface is the best for the consensus problem. Lastly, simulation results are presented to certify the correctness and the effectiveness of the proposed control method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics)

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5161 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stability Analysis and Trigger Control of LLC Resonant Converter for a Wide Operational Range

by Zhijian Fang, Junhua Wang, Shanxu Duan, Jianwei Shao and Guozheng Hu

Energies 2017, 10(10), 1448; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10101448 - 21 Sep 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5276

Abstract

The gain of a LLC resonant converter can vary with the loads that can be used to improve the efficiency and power density for some special applications, where the maximum gain does not apply at the heaviest loads. However, nonlinear gain characteristics can make the converters unstable during a major disturbance. In this paper, the stability of an LLC resonant converter during a major disturbance is studied and a trigger control scheme is proposed to improve the converter’s stability by extending the converter’s operational range. Through in-depth analysis of the gain curve of the LLC resonant converter, we find that the switching frequency range is one of the key factors determining the system’s stability performance. The same result is also obtained from a mathematical point of view by utilizing the mixed potential function method. Then a trigger control method is proposed to make the LLC resonant converter stable even during a major disturbance, which can be used to extend the converter’s operational range. Finally, experimental results are given to verify the analysis and proposed control scheme. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics)

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9519 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Phase-Shifted Control for Wireless Power Transfer System by Using Dual Excitation Units

by Xin Dai, Jincheng Jiang, Yanling Li and Ting Yang

Energies 2017, 10(7), 1000; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10071000 - 14 Jul 2017

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4728

Abstract

Wireless power transfer (WPT) technology can provide intelligent robots with a flexible, robust, and safe power supply, especially in very harsh environments including high humidity and high temperature. To meet increasing power requirement for robotic applications, this paper proposes a novel method to increase system power transfer capability without increasing voltage and current stress, realized by using dual excitation units at the primary side. On this basis, this paper proposes a phase-shifted control method for output power regulation which can keep efficiency high. At the same time, the system is proved to have a better output robust characteristic by analysis under the condition of parameter variation. Finally, experimental results show the proposed dual excitation units (DEU)-WPT system can increase output power by at least three times compared to classical WPT system, and the efficiency is improved by 9%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics)

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1684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Supercapacitor State Based Control and Optimization for Multiple Energy Storage Devices Considering Current Balance in Urban Rail Transit

by Zhongping Yang, Zhihong Yang, Huan Xia, Fei Lin and Feiqin Zhu

Energies 2017, 10(4), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10040520 - 12 Apr 2017

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5446

Abstract

The use of supercapacitors (SCs) to store regenerative braking energy from urban rail trains is able to achieve a good energy saving effect. This paper analyzes the current balance method of stationary energy storage devices (ESDs). At the beginning of the paper, the mathematical model of the DC traction power system, which includes trains, ESDs and traction substations, is established. Next, based on this, the SC state-based control strategy (SCSCS) is proposed, which can adjust the charging voltage of the ESD according to the SC voltage and current, then the charging current of the ESD can be reasonably distributed under the voltage difference of ESDs, and the SC voltage and current stress can be reduced. In order to determine the optimal controlling parameters, the optimization model is proposed and solved by the genetic algorithm. The analysis of the case study also shows the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy and optimization algorithm. Finally, the rationality of the proposed strategy is verified by experiments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics)

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Review

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4487 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Overview of Resonant Circuits for Wireless Power Transfer

by Chaoqiang Jiang, K. T. Chau, Chunhua Liu and Christopher H. T. Lee

Energies 2017, 10(7), 894; https://doi.org/10.3390/en10070894 - 30 Jun 2017

Cited by 134 | Viewed by 15588

Abstract

With ever-increasing concerns for the safety and convenience of the power supply, there is a fast growing interest in wireless power transfer (WPT) for industrial devices, consumer electronics, and electric vehicles (EVs). As the resonant circuit is one of the cores of both the near-field and far-field WPT systems, it is a pressing need for researchers to develop a high-efficiency high-frequency resonant circuit, especially for the mid-range near-field WPT system. In this paper, an overview of resonant circuits for the near-field WPT system is presented, with emphasis on the non-resonant converters with a resonant tank and resonant inverters with a resonant tank as well as compensation networks and selective resonant circuits. Moreover, some key issues including the zero-voltage switching, zero-voltage derivative switching and total harmonic distortion are addressed. With the increasing usage of wireless charging for EVs, bidirectional resonant inverters for WPT based vehicle-to-grid systems are elaborated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electric Devices and Technologies for Electric-Drive Robotics)

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