Arthur Radun

Associate Professor

Key words:

Aircraft power, More electric aircraft, Switched reluctance generators, Power electronics, DC power systems.

Research description:

Since 1993 Dr. Radun has been a member of the faculty at the University of Kentucky His research interests includes power electronics, electromagnetics, and power semiconductors. A major component of Dr. Radun's research is the development of switched reluctance motor (SRM) based aircraft generator systems. This includes developing SRM models, iron loss models and complete closed loop system models. Both DC and AC systems have been addressed. His work has focused on developing detailed computer model based system design and analysis tools for SRMs and the systems that employ them. These computer models have been validated by applying them to the experimental 250kW SRM based starter/generator developed jointly by the General Electric and Sundstrand Corporations and funded by the US Air Force's Wright Laboratory. Dr. Radun has also conducted research to develop a 125 KW MOS controlled thyristor (MCT) based inverter/converter. This has included investigating the causes of observed MCT failures through detailed finite difference modeling of the MCTs. At the present time Dr. Radun is developing a model and the controls for a switched reluctance AC /cycloconverter system. He is also studying the stability of a future DC aircraft power system consisting of a SRM based starter/generator and high efficiency power electronic loads. At the present time Dr. Radun is also developing a low frequency (2Hz) high voltage (+/- 5,000V) power source.

Laboratory Facilities:

0-300V and 0-100A dc power supply. Assortment of oscilloscopes and current probes. Curve tracer. Software MATHCAD, MATLAB, SIMULINK, Electronics Workbench (SPICE) Ansoft FE magnetic analysis, ISE TCAD semiconductor modeling. Synario PLD & FPGA design

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