Shaping the future of power conversion
About ACaPE
ACaPE is a research group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), in Barcelona, Spain, specialized in control systems and power electronics.
On one hand, our research is centered on the modeling and control of complex systems concerned with electrical energy generation, management and storage through power electronics converters.
On the other hand, we explore innovative multilevel power conversion techniques and advanced modulation and control algorithms to enhance the performance of electric and hybrid vehicles along with renewable energy systems, particularly in solar photovoltaics and wind power conversion systems.
Research fields
Advanced control techniques
Linear & non-linear techniques, system identification
Control of electrical systems
Power networks, electrical machines, power converters
Multilevel power conversion
Topologies, modulation techniques
Automotive and EV systems
Vehicle dynamics, e-drives
Advanced control techniques
Experience in a wide range of advanced control strategies, including the following:
Linear techniques: PID control, digital control, resonant control, repetitive control...
Nonlinear techniques: Sliding-mode control, adaptive control, optimal control, energy-based control, complex network systems...
System identification: Kalman filters, nonlinear observers...
Control of electrical systems
Power networks: Stability analysis, effect of constant power loads in weak grids, impact of renewable energy sources, optimal management, HVDC networks…
Electrical machines: Induction, synchronous, and multi-phase machines,
dc motors, current and speed control, sensorless algorithms.
Power converters:Modelling of power converters, voltage-source and
current-source inverters/rectifiers (grid forming and grid following), multi-phase converters, batterychargers, multiport and DAB dc-dc converters.
Multilevel power conversion
Topologies: NPC converters, modular approach, efficiency and reliability.
Modulation techniques: for all types of power converters (dc-dc, dc-ac, ac-ac) configured with NPC legs, for all operating conditions and number of levels. Dc-link capacitor voltage balance.
Automotive and EV systems
Vehicle dynamics: Yaw moment control, torque vectoring, virtual sensing, smart tyres, lap-time simulations.
E-drives: Design/control of e-drives, modulation techniques, eNVH, sound quality acceptance.
Facilities
ACaPE's main facilities include two simulation and experimental laboratories located in the Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB) at UPC:
- Laboratory 1: Specialized in the implementation and test of advanced control techniques (at the Institute of Industrial and Control Engineering)
- Laboratory 2: Dedicated to Power Electronics experimentation (at the Department of Electronic Engineering)
