| NSF Org: |
ECCS Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 5, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | March 31, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 1708690 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Usha Varshney
ECCS Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | August 15, 2017 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2023 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $330,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $330,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
801 UNIVERSITY BLVD TUSCALOOSA AL US 35401-2029 (205)348-5152 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
801 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa AL US 35401-2029 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | EPMD-ElectrnPhoton&MagnDevices |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
The main goal of the project is to investigate and develop multi-layer permanent magnets and/for on-chip miniaturized power inductors with twice the saturation current for switching power converters which are indispensable parts in electrical platforms and systems. The developed multi-layer permanent magnets and permanent magnet-based power inductors will result in efficient switching power converters and inverters with smaller footprint and overall volume and weight while maintaining all other desired characteristics. The nature of this project will make contributions to power and energy management in many applications that these power inductors and power converters are critical for and indispensable part of including renewable energy systems, computing platforms, communication and mobile systems, medical systems, electric vehicles, electronics, military systems, energy harvesting systems, aerospace systems, and most other peripherals and devices. This project identifies and addresses the issue of undesired non-uniform and uncontrolled flux distribution when the permanent magnet layer is vertically magnetized and as the permanent magnet thickness-to-surface area becomes smaller which prevents a practical permanent magnet-based power inductor from achieving an increase in or doubling the saturation current. The results of the project will be disseminated using different methods that include refereed journal and conference publications, classroom educational components, seminar lectures and public demonstrations. These and other events will also be used to attract students specifically from minority groups and rural districts to engineering and science.
The team of the project plans to achieve the main goal of the project by (1) fabricating permanent magnet-based integrated magnetic power device structures which result in practically doubling the saturation current which otherwise will not be possible, (2) developing multi-layer permanent magnet concepts which allow for the control of the permanent magnet magnetic field by controlling the dimensions and thickness of each layer which is very important to achieving the doubling of the saturation current by flux distribution and cancellation, (3) developing fabrication schemes to realize the multi-layer permanent magnets and multi-layer permanent magnet power inductors, (4) growth of magnetic materials in order to meet the desired properties in the multi-layer permanent magnet power inductor devices, (5) testing and evaluating these power inductors while operating as a part of real experimental switching power converters, and (6) performing theoretical analysis, circuit models, and physical modeling for the multi-layer permanent magnets and multi-layer permanent magnet power inductors for design optimization and performance prediction before fabrication.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Power inductors are one of the largest components used in switching power converters. It is challenging but important to develop power inductors with high saturation currents while simultaneously maintaining small size and high inductance density. Switching Power converters are critical and indispensable parts in electrical platforms and systems.
As a result of funding from the National Science Foundation, the research conducted during this project aimed at contributed to several areas that support miniaturization of power inductors and increasing their saturation currents including but are not limited to power inductor architectures, magnetic material fabrication including soft ferrites and permanents magnets, and design, modeling, and characterization of power inductors.
Results from the project have been made available publicly and to other researchers through publications. Graduate students received education and training under this project which support future workforce development. Results from this project were used in demonstrations and presentations during several activities and venues with participation by persons for underrepresented and minority groups, middle and high school students, and graduate engineering students, among others. Summer camp was also designed and carried out with attendees from middle school and high school students.
Power inductors with magnets yield switching power converters with smaller footprint and overall volume while maintaining other desired characteristics such as saturation current and inductance density. They impact wide range of important applications and products where switching power converters are being increasingly used such as in applications where high efficiency is critical or advantageous. These applications include but are not limited to power electronics for renewable energy systems, electrified transportation systems, management of energy storage systems, high performance computing systems, aerospace systems, military systems, medical devices, miniaturized communication and mobile systems, among others. As a result, they support U.S. economic and environmental competitiveness and security and peoples’ quality of life.
Last Modified: 11/27/2023
Modified by: Jaber Abu Qahouq
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