Reflections of Reyhaneh Eskandari
In our serie "What does the future bring?" our ESR's are sharing their perspective. This serie is linked to the Horizon Magazine article published on Monday, March 13 2024 which focusses on EU support for Ukrainian researchers including ETUT project regarding "Building bridges between Ukrainian and EU researchers" featuring Regis Nibaruta, Ivan Struzhko, Vladimir Havryliuk, Gert Rietveld and Frank Leferink. The full article can be found https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/building-bridges-between-ukrainian-and-eu-researchers By Andrew Dunne.
Via Cordis, the project is described as'the ETUT project will model, design, estimate, quantify and monitor economic measures for a reliable, safe, effective and greener electrical transport system. The training programme will include innovative methods to be applied in electric transport... it may have far reaching consequences and may even see the railway network supporting or replacing local electrical utility networks' Can you explain the problem specifically? In simple terms, what exactly is the electrical engineering challenge in terms of future electric transport systems and what's the link with local electrical utility networks too?
One of the biggest challenges facing the development of future electric transport systems is the limited range and high cost of batteries. Improving battery performance, reducing costs, and increasing their lifespan are key engineering challenges that must be addressed. Another challenge is developing a comprehensive charging infrastructure that is accessible and convenient for consumers. This includes the development of fast charging networks and the integration of charging stations into existing infrastructure, such as highway rest areas and parking garages. Ukrainian railway systems got new electrified locomotives but they are not compatible with the old system this includes the charging infrastructure, communication systems, etc.
When we spoke you described these two areas of electrical engineering where the main focus was - electromagnetic compatibility and power electronics. Can you give me examples of the kind of devices that might benefit from improvements to both and can you explain the link with these two areas and future electric transport systems?
Power electronic technologies include charger technologies, motor drive and control, battery management system, or any electronics that are around the battery. The safety and reliability of batteries are determined by battery management systems. The future electric transport systems should not take long to be charged, be reliable and safe enough to replace the internal combustion engine vehicles.
Are there any examples of really applied research which you are currently conducting which relates to electric transport systems which we can talk about? Can you explain what you are working on - in an applied sense - with whom, and how?
Batteries are an integral part of electric transport systems. These chemical devices require battery management system to insure the reliability, safety and efficiency of this system. The research on this area is more on balancing the battery cells which is one function of battery management system and improving the charger technologies including charging efficiency and charging time (fast charging).
What is the long-term hope with this work? From a research point of view, what are YOUR long-term motivations for this all is and what are the impacts he envisages in the future (i.e. who does he see will benefit from this research in the future, and how?).
The long-term goal is to provide a reliable, efficient and fast charging system which also does the balancing of battery cells/ modules without requiring extra battery balancer. This can benefit the future researchers and can also be applied to any electric transport system like electric railways, electric vehicles, electric ships or even heavy-duty vehicles. This can also be applied to stationary battery systems where second-life batteries are also employed.
Could I get a reflection from you on the importance of developing future electric transport systems in view of climate change and emission reduction targets? Why is this issue you're tackling so important from an environmental perspective?
Developing future electric transport systems is crucial for addressing the global challenge of climate change and meeting emissions reduction targets. The transportation sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) can help reduce these emissions and improve air quality. EVs produce have the potential to significantly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and other pollutants if powered by clean energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric power. In comparison, internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) are major sources of air pollution and emit a variety of harmful substances like CO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx).