Research

During the last decades there is a growing interest around the world in new electromechanical technologies designed to bring about improved management of resources and a better quality of life. This trend became more and more visible with the increasing concerns about the environmental quality, climate change and social equity, concerns that have converged to define an integrative approach: sustainable development.

Access to modern and affordable energy services is among the essential ingredients of economic development and requires a balanced energy portfolio sustained by the rapid recent growth in solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, wave energy, coupled with on-going technology improvements and cost reductions. Due to their dispersed nature and that of the resources they use, renewable energy sources will lead to intelligent energy management and to the decentralization of energy systems, playing a key role in increasing the energy security, while reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy use.

The transport sector represents a key stimulus to economic development but, at the same time, it is one significant contributor to greenhouse gases production that cause global warming and affect global climate. Challenges in terms of greenhouse emissions together with customer demands for enhanced energy efficiency encourage the automotive industry to move towards clean and energy-efficient vehicles. Moreover, sustainable automotive and road transport should provide efficient mobility and transport of people and goods, reduced energy and resources consumption, improved safety and security, and is accessibility, attractiveness and affordability for the ordinary citizen.

In sustainable applications where both the environment and the specifications are placing more severe restrictions and demands on the electromechanical systems, it is becoming critical to consider the design at a system integration level, taking into account the multiple domains that are interconnected and influence each other. The electromagnetic, thermal, mechanical and vibro-acoustic design of the system must be considered simultaneously if the specifications are to be satisfied in the given environment. The four designs required for system integration are tightly interconnected and any change in one design will have consequences on the remaining three. In this context, the three major challenges that should be considered and overcome address multi-domain, system integration and multi-level issues.

Therefore, my research work tries to answer to some of the sustainable transport and energy systems challenge, through the design, analysis and testing of advanced electrical machines and drives for automotive and renewable energies applications.