Rob Cuzner, associate professor, electrical engineering, and interim director of UWM’s Center for Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems, will receive up to $310,000 over three years in sub-contracted funding from Florida State University’s Center for Advanced Power Systems (FSU-CAPS).
The funding is part of a $31 million contract that FSU-CAPS received from the Naval Sea Systems Command for research and development of shipboard electrical power and energy systems.
Cuzner and his team of UWM graduate students will be developing control hardware-in-the-loop real time simulations of next generation naval ship power systems. Their findings will assist the Navy in developing electrical architectures for future shipboard electrification.
Power electronics is enabling new capabilities for the U.S. naval fleet
In the fast-growing field of power electronics, researchers look for ways to increase the value of available electricity.
Power electronics can bring advantages to naval ships, Cuzner says, where there is a demand to increase the use of electrical power systems for propulsion, war-fighting capability and automation.
“The benefits of replacing conventional power distribution components with power electronics-based components include flexibility, adaptability, reduced collateral harm during engagements, increased fuel economy and reduced environmental impact,” he says.
Space limitations are one of the most significant challenges that the team must work around.
“New ships will be smaller and existing ships will be upgraded—to replace parts of existing distribution—with advanced energy management and mission enhancements. High power density is critical,” Cuzner says.
On a ship, there is limited installed generation and energy storage, he says. “The key to future naval ship electrification is to use power electronics to create a compact, dependable system that delivers power and energy where and when it is needed under a wide array of changing scenarios, configurations and conditions.”
About Cuzner’s research in advancing energy systems
Outside the Navy, society’s energy demands are changing as we increasingly rely on electric cars, trains, machines and more. UWM is a leader in researching the components of an advanced power system deemed key to meeting this demand: power electronics and distribution systems. Together, they make the control of energy more flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of power grid and transportation systems.
Cuzner’s timely research in these areas has been supported by the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, the National Science Foundation, and industry partners including Eaton Corporation and Leonardo DRS.
He has helped develop standards in the area of shipboard power conversion architecture for the IEEE and is co-editor for IEEE Electrification Magazine.
Prior to joining UWM, Cuzner worked in industry for 24 years developing systems for power generation, power conversion, and variable speed motor drives for both Navy and industrial applications.