The Center for Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems (SEES) currently supports six laboratory spaces in the UWM University Services and Research Building (USRB) and also plans to support a Semi-anechoic Chamber and Integrated electromagnetic interference (EMI) Test & Characterization Laboratory in the Century City Tower Labs & Energy Education Eco-System.
The USRB is a 379,000 ft² former Square D facility and has significant growth potential for research in power and energy spaces. The USRB has four 4160V sub-stations distributed throughout the building and 3 phase 480V power distributed to areas already designated for power and energy research. There is a utility substation on-site and a connection to Milwaukee’s Cornell Sub-station with up to 6MVA capability. In its present form, Medium Voltage 4160V feeds have up to 2.4MVA capability.
The following laboratories are functional within the USRB spaces:
- Power Electronics and Electric Drives Laboratory
- Microgrid, Energy Storage and CHiL Laboratory
- EMI Design and Test Laboratory
- High Voltage Test Lab
The USRB High Bay area is the focus of future infrastructure growth projects with the following operational and planned facilities:
- High Voltage Test Lab
- Grid Compatibility Test Lab (under construction)
- Medium Voltage (MV) Test Cell (under construction)
The Grid Compatibility Test Lab and MV Test Cell are industry supported installations, with the bulk of funding coming through Eaton Corporation via the Industry/University Collaborative Research Center (I/UCRC) for GRid-connected Power Electronic Systems (GRAPES). To complete installation of power to these areas, the Principal Investigator (PI) Rob Cuzner is applying a tax on all projects to support a UW-System mandated Facilities Impact Assessment.
University Services and Research Building (USRB) and USRB Microgrid.
Planned EMI test and characterization laboratory at Century City Tower.