Department of Control Engineering
Department of Electric Drives and Energy Conversion
Department of Electrical Power Engineering
Department of Electrical Engineering, Control Systems and Informatics
Department of Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
Department of Electrified Transportation
Department of Mechatronics and High Voltage Engineering
Department of Metrology and Information Systems
Department of Control Engineering
Research carried out at the Department concerns current problems in the scientific disciplines: Automation and Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Power Engineering, IT, Environmental Engineering, as well as in the field of reliability and safety and diagnostics. Scientific and research activity concerns: methods of analysis, modeling and synthesis as well as designing monitoring, control and protection automation systems with the use of microprocessor technology and information systems, diagnostics and management of technical systems operation processes, artificial intelligence methods, optimization methods, decision support systems, advanced control methods. The research is focused on implementation in the following sectors of the economy: industry, including shipbuilding, energy with particular emphasis on electricity and renewable energy, and critical infrastructure.
The research activity of the Department is focused around three research teams:
- Team for Network Technologies and Security Engineering,
- Industrial Automation Team,
- IT Team.
Network Technology and Security Engineering Team: designing reliability and safety management systems for complex facilities based on FMECA, HAZOP, RCM and RBI methods; functional safety management systems for protection control and automation systems in accordance with the requirements of IEC 61508 and sector standards; advisory systems with databases/knowledge and data transmission systems designed taking into account the principles of security and information protection; information protection in distributed control and security systems; modeling of dynamic CFD objects, simulation of fragments of process installations with HMI; designing alarm systems in process installations, taking into account human reliability analysis HRA; modeling and simulation of dynamic objects, processes and control and control systems; designing operator interfaces; reliability and safety management systems, including functional safety of programmable control systems and security automation along with information protection in an industrial computer network,
Industrial Automation Team: automation issues, including ship systems; the use of artificial intelligence methods in control systems; designing non-linear control systems for marine objects; evolutionary methods of planning transition paths in non-stationary environments; designing methods of allocating controls in ship dynamic positioning systems; application of co-evolutionary algorithms for planning the route of formation of mobile objects; methods of synthesis of control systems and optimization with the use of evolutionary techniques,
IT Team: functional and structural solutions for building automation as well as access control and alarm systems; the use of artificial intelligence methods, including systems with a knowledge base and multi-agent systems in the design of ship automation systems; the structure of the system and algorithms of distributed diagnostic systems operating in the CAN network, diagnostics of working vehicles.
Department of Electric Drives and Energy Conversion
The topics of research conducted in the disciplines of Electrical Engineering and Automation and Robotics include: non-linear control systems, especially electric drives, sensorless control of electric machines, speed observers of AC machines; multiscalar AC machine models, generalized velocity observer structures based on the extended AC machine model; control and management systems for renewable sources and distributed generation, working in parallel with the power system and on a separate grid; control and estimation in drive systems with engine filters; converter systems with silicon carbide power devices with integrated magnetic input circuits; power control systems for generators used in wind farms in conditions of unbalanced voltage in the power grid; electric drives with five-phase induction motors; pulse width modulation for multi-level inverters with voltage distribution control on the intermediate circuit capacitors; compensation of dead time effects in voltage inverters; SV-PMW algorithms for 5-phase inverters; adaptive control systems for electric machines. Experimental work is carried out using new generations of signal processors and programmable logic. Research is being carried out on the control systems of wind farms. The team also specializes in research on remote control of electric drives via the Internet.
Katedra Electrical Power Engineering
The topics of the research carried out include: electricity security of the national power system; methods and means to increase the security of the power system; nuclear energy as the basic factor of ensuring the country's energy security.
Detailed studies include: safe operation of the power system, development of principles and methods of ensuring the security of the power system in various time horizons, threats to the national power system of the Polish Power System, determination of measures to improve the security of the power system, analysis of the impact on the power system of nuclear power plants. Completed, among others research consisting in the development of a method and performance of a system analysis of the operation of a nuclear unit with a water reactor at partial combination as part of a strategic research project, entitled "Technologies supporting the development of safe nuclear energy". The main objective of the research was to investigate the conditions and evaluate the economic effectiveness of combined electricity and heat generation in a nuclear power plant in Polish conditions. On the other hand, the results of the research are: a computational tool enabling system analyzes of the operation of a nuclear unit with partial cogeneration, development of profitability conditions for adapting a nuclear power plant to deliver heat to external recipients. As part of the above-mentioned topic, simulation studies were also carried out on the impact of power electronic systems such as: HVDC, SVC, UPCT, STATCOM, etc. on the power system - 110 kV transmission and distribution networks. The rules for their selection and installation locations in the EPS have been defined. Partial verification of the obtained results was carried out on laboratory models of physical power electronics systems. The works showed the impact of these systems on the security of the PPS, and the results of these works are useful for PSE Operator. The results of the work are also used in the expansion and modernization of laboratories at the Department of Power Engineering. The department also deals with the energy security of the country, including overhead and cable high-voltage power lines. The problems of induced voltages in the cable return cores, methods of earthing cable sheaths and their influence on the current carrying capacity of the cables were analyzed. Resonance phenomena in lines equipped with chokes for reactive power compensation were analyzed for overhead lines. A model of the secondary arc was developed that allows for the analysis of the effectiveness of the automatic line reconnection systems, as well as the analysis of the flow of currents in the lightning conductors and earth electrodes of overhead line pylons and the protection of high-voltage chokes against the effects of short-circuits.
Research works in the field of Automation and Robotics concern: estimation of parameters of synchronous generator control systems, synthesis of a system stabilizer, application of the gramian method to assess the stability of a power system, modification of the structure of a high-power turbine regulator, evaluation of automatic control system operation, analysis of the impact of automated systems on the country's power security . Works on control systems of synchronous generators include: classic (stationary), non-adaptive and adaptive controllers.
Department of Electrical Engineering, Control Systems and Informatics
The Department conducts research on the following issues: application of computer methods in the analysis and synthesis of complex electrical circuits, methods of masking and detection of ferromagnetic objects in the electromagnetic field in the field of theoretical analysis and experimental research.
Research works in the field of Automation and Robotics concern the synthesis of high-speed specialized processors for signal processing, using the residual system (RNS). It is currently one of the most dynamically developing disciplines of knowledge; its applications include technically advanced devices used, among others in military technology (e.g. in radar technology). As part of the research on signal processing, work is also carried out on a method of processing signals or information about events, based on the multi-agent technique. A multi-agent system consists of many autonomous entities called agents that can interact to achieve their goals. Work is underway on software for creating a multi-agent team based on the different approaches used in this technique.
The Department also conducts research in the discipline of Automation and Robotics, both in the field of automatic control and decision support. The general research topic can be defined as follows: modeling, monitoring, control, decision support and protection of critical infrastructure systems and safety critical systems. As application examples of critical infrastructure systems, water supply and sewage systems with wastewater treatment plants as well as energy systems with the possibility of cogeneration, electricity and heat operating in the changing environment of the power system and heat collection are considered. As an application example of a critical safety system, the nuclear power plant system is considered. This topic was extended to include control and decision-making problems related to the issue of nuclear cogeneration. In the field of modeling, research focuses on new modeling technologies using the non-integer-order calculus and on large-scale models for distributed objects. In the field of control methods, the work focuses on decomposition methods that take into account equal time scales of the dynamics of system processes and the functional diversity of system components. This work is focused on the use of vioeloagent technologies to control the system as a whole and multi-area control technology as a way to solve the problem of non-linearity and complexity. In the context of inter-area bonding and non-linearity, methods from the area of fuzzy technologies of the first and second kind and neural technologies are investigated. Particular research attention is paid to the issues of solidity and lifetime of the control in conditions of uncertainty and occurring disturbances. In the field of monitoring and diagnostic methods, research work focuses on the use of data models in diagnostics, on the one hand, and on the robustness of monitoring taking into account interval models of uncertainty. An important topic for safety critical facilities is in the field of monitoring the use of unmanned vehicles, monitoring the environment of a nuclear power plant and its surroundings. Research in the field of decision support methods is currently focused on the development of optimizing methods for assessing the effectiveness of cogeneration projects based on the project life cycle and taking into account the variability of factors shaping the decision-making situation over time.
Department of Power Electronics and Electrical Machines
The Department conducts research on the following issues: application of computer methods in the analysis and synthesis of complex electrical circuits, methods of masking and detection of ferromagnetic objects in the electromagnetic field in the field of theoretical analysis and experimental research.
Research works in the field of Automation and Robotics concern the synthesis of high-speed specialized processors for signal processing, using the residual system (RNS). It is currently one of the most dynamically developing disciplines of knowledge; its applications include technically advanced devices used, among others in military technology (e.g. in radar technology). As part of the research on signal processing, work is also carried out on a method of processing signals or information about events, based on the multi-agent technique. A multi-agent system consists of many autonomous entities called agents that can interact to achieve their goals. Work is underway on software for creating a multi-agent team based on the different approaches used in this technique.
The research activity of the Department is the result of the cooperation of two integrated research teams: Power electronics and Electrical Machines.
The subject of research conducted in the Power Electronics Group in the discipline of Electrical Engineering concerns: testing pulse modulation algorithms for multi-level inverters, testing algorithms for controlling grid converters and active filters, modeling transformers in the field of high frequencies, diagnostics of IGBT transistors, electromagnetic compatibility of converter drives and power electronics devices, modeling of wideband systems, power electronics and power engineering, quality of electricity, analysis of the causes of occurrence and the possibility of limiting disturbances in electronic systems, research on the propagation of electromagnetic disturbances in converter systems.
The subject of research carried out in the Power Electronics Group in the discipline of Automatics and Robotics includes: current, frequency and voltage control systems in insulated micro networks, methods of estimating the components of currents, voltages and parameters in the systems of power electronic converters and electrical machines.
The subject of research conducted in the Electrical Machines Group in the field of Electrical Engineering includes: modeling and simulation of transformer systems with particular emphasis on magnetic hysteresis, modeling of transformers in the high frequency range, simulation models of magnetic hysteresis of ferromagnetic materials and mechanical hysteresis, modeling and simulation of electromagnetic and electromechanical phenomena in machines electric, fractional modeling of electric machines, modeling of electric car drive systems (electromagnetic differentials), design and modeling of high-speed generators for autonomous power systems, design and modeling of motors, actuators and piezoelectric sensors.
The subject of research conducted in the Electric Machines Group in the discipline of Automation and Robotics includes: testing electrical machines in the context of their dynamic properties in automation and robotics systems, developing precise mathematical models of machines for the purposes of controlling them in robotics systems, identifying parameters of mathematical models of machines, testing automation systems industrial based on programmable controllers.
Department of Electrified Transportation
The subjects of research are: diagnostics of electric traction devices, networks and vehicles; development of new measurement methods for diagnostic purposes and monitoring of traction current collectors in operational conditions on the railway line; mathematical modeling, computer simulations and experimental tests of traction networks and current collectors for diagnostic purposes, including measurements with the use of modern ICT technologies.
In particular, works are carried out in the field of monitoring the condition of contact strips of current collectors using the three-dimensional vision technique, modeling the load of complex electrotraction systems, testing methods for precise measurement of currents and voltages in inverter drive systems, research identifying the sources of vibration excitations of motor bearing shields for mains and converter power supply. , the use of wireless sensor networks for measurement, diagnostics and monitoring of the interaction of the contact line and current collectors of vehicles on the railway line in operational conditions. Work is underway on the mathematical reference model of the overhead contact line. For this purpose, new test stands were developed to determine and verify the mechanical parameters of the network and its components. New measurement methods are developed for the needs of research using vision techniques, laser rangefinders and others.
Scientific and research activity of the Department in the field of Automation and Robotics covers three areas:
- electric traction drives, incl. methods of automatic torque control of electric drive systems of vehicles and methods of superior traction control of multi-engine vehicles;
- methods of analysis, modeling and design of automatic monitoring systems and technical diagnostics of electric traction devices;
- analyzes increasing the energy efficiency of electrified urban transport with the use of advanced vehicle control methods.
Moreover, research works focus on the following research areas: application of 2D and 3D vision techniques in electric traction, application of new ICT technologies for measurements, data transmission and their processing in diagnostics and monitoring of traction current collectors, modeling and computer simulation of dynamic objects in electric traction.
Department of Mechatronics and High Voltage Engineering
The research activity of the Department of Mechatronics and High Voltage Engineering is of an interdisciplinary nature resulting from activities in two research teams: Mechatronics and High Voltage Engineering and Biomedical Engineering.
Research works in the discipline of Automation and Robotics focus on the following areas of research: in the field of robotics, the issues of navigation of mobile robots in a dynamically changing environment in the context of limited knowledge and the cooperation of heterogeneous mobile robots, i.e. coordination of their behavior in order to implement common tasks in a known environment, partially known or unknown. The following methods are used for these tasks: fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks, genetic and swarm algorithms. In addition, swarming methods were used to control innovative rehabilitation systems with the biofeedback function. In the field of signal processing: digital processing of vibration signals using data analysis methods such as wavelet transform and fractal analysis, which are used in research on methods of detecting structural damage, machine elements and mechatronics devices, as well as studying the phenomena of elastic wave propagation in various types of structures.
Mechatronics is focused on biomedical engineering, in particular: optimization of complex rehabilitation systems with biofedback function, solutions of medical mechatronics systems: platforms for the rehabilitation of people with cerebral palsy and / or congenital fragility, systems for scanning the oral cavity for detection of speech defects, modeling and analysis of signals from the following systems: respiratory, digestive (pH-metrics and pH-metrics with impedance), blood (PCG, EKG, pulse wave) and nervous (EEG, EMG, etc.), as well as on the issue precise determination of the human body surface, primarily for the purposes of oncological therapy. In addition, the scope of research includes: diagnostics and measurements with the use of laser vibration sensors; FEM modeling; wave propagation methods in periodic structures and digital signal processing.
Department of Metrology and Information Systems
The Department of Metrology and Information Systems has many years of experience in the field of power and electricity measurements. This applies in particular to measurements in smart grids. The conducted research covers the problems of measuring the parameters of power grids with a sinusoidal and distorted grid voltage curve. A number of new methods have been developed in the field of short-circuit loop impedance measurements, with various protections used in networks. New methods of impulse earth resistance measurements have also been developed. Analyzes of measurement uncertainty are carried out in the area of short-circuit loop impedance measurements. The Department is currently building an Accurate Measurements Laboratory which is preparing for accreditation. In addition, automated measurement systems are designed and tested, which are intended for use in the nuclear research center in Darmstadt (Germany). New solutions in the field of energy measurements and diagnostics received a number of awards at the Technicon - Innovation Fair. Scientific and research activity in the field of the disciplines of Electrical Engineering and Automation and Robotics concerns: diagnostics of the technical condition of electrical and mechanical devices based on the analysis of measurement signals, diagnostics of electric motors, networks and power installations, as well as superconducting magnets used in cyclotrons, the use of information technology in measurement systems and signal processing, design and research of specialized measurement systems used in control systems with advanced sensors with the architecture of field-effect transistors with a graphene channel (GFET) and the identification and analysis of physical properties, including the mobility of charge carriers and the band electron structure of graphene.
The main tasks of the laboratory are research and development works in the field of power systems and devices, digital power protection automation systems and distributed control systems in power stations and dispatch centers.
The laboratory research installation can be divided into the following three main components:
- electrical power equipment (generation, transmission and reception units, energy storage, charging stations for electric vehicles, etc.) equipped with advanced computer control; these devices are hardware and functionally connected in the so-called functional units (currently there are 30 such units);
- complex configuration switchgear enabling the compilation of functional units into various networks and power systems (including generation and transmission nodes, microsystems, clusters, virtual power plants, etc.);
- distributed control system based on the Ethernet communication network including local controllers of functional units, digital protection relays and 9 control rooms with operator and engineering stations.
The LINTE^2 laboratory enables, inter alia, research on smart grids, smart energy islands with own generation resources, new network services (electricity demand management, local energy generation, etc.), new designs of power electronic converters and their applications in power system (FACTS systems, active filters, coupling converters, etc.). An important research area is also research related to the charging and use of electric vehicles and the integration of electric vehicles with the power system. The laboratory carries out scientific research and R&D works for industry, demonstration projects, training and others.
It is planned that the LINTE^2 Laboratory will increasingly meet the diverse research needs of the Faculty in the disciplines of Automatics and Robotics, Electrical Engineering and Power Engineering. In particular, the laboratory will enable intensive development of research and development works in the area of developing and testing new control methods and algorithms in application to power, power electronics and electromechanical devices. Testing new concepts can be carried out in simulation, half-simulation (hardware-in-the-loop) and real-time experiments. Wind turbine and turbine emulators provide excellent research opportunities for mathematical models of wind and steam turbines. The laboratory control system creates perfect conditions for research on real-time communication in distributed industrial automation systems, as well as the development of selected aspects of SCADA systems and human-machine interfaces.