UWM Center for Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems

UWM’s facilities include: a 350 kVA microgrid system, the Center for Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems, energy storage systems and interface, test setups for high voltage wide band gap devices and DC protection setups. UWM faculty have expertise in converter level wide band gap devices, fault and protection, power electronics systems, energy efficiency, power electronics reliability, and integration of distributed generation all of which greatly support the existing activities and capabilities of GRAPES.

The Center for Sustainable Electric Energy Systems houses four laboratory spaces: Power Electronics and Electric Drives Lab, Microgrid Lab, Protection and Wide Band Gap Devices Lab, and Power Systems Lab.

The Power Electronics Lab has recently moved to a 2000 sq-ft space with over 250kVA power supply capabilities. The lab is equipped with 10 workbenches and necessary tools to conduct multiple projects. Full packages of MATLAB/Simulink, dSpace systems, PSIM, PSS/E, ANSYS, and PSCAD for software simulation are available. The lab includes DC and AC power supplies, energy storage devices, dynamometers, etc. It is equipped with three dSpace systems, TI DSP boards, and NI Compact RIO and computers, high power AC and DC sources, 500 MHZ, 4 channel Lecroy LT364L oscilloscope with PMA1 power measure analysis software and current probes, three 4-channel, 250MHz Tetronix 4054 oscilloscopes, power electronics components including switches, gate drivers, and heat sinks.

University of South Carolina

At the University of South Carolina, the research program and facilities emphasize power electronics, electronic control and routing of power, and simulation environments that support analysis and design of advanced power electronic systems. USC is home to the Virtual Test Bed, a suite of software tools for the prototyping of large-scale, multi-disciplined dynamic systems. Their facilities support projects up to roughly the 100 kW level. A cornerstone of their facilities is the Power Routing Lab, which contains an array of 100kW software-configurable power converters. Descriptions of their laboratories can be found here.

University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas is home to the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission (NCREPT), a unique national-caliber $5 million power electronic test facility with three 2-MVA distribution level circuits.  This facility houses regen drives, circuit breakers, transformers and controls, which allow validation of research findings and accelerated insertion of new solid-state equipment into the power grid at both source and load ends.  Recently an 800 HP dynamometer was added to the center’s assets. Descriptions of their facilities can be found here.