Resilient Cryogenic Power Electronic Inverters for Propulsion Systems in Hydrogen-Powered Aviation

Project background and aim

A fully funded 36-month PhD position is available to candidates of any nationality, subject to Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network eligibility and mobility rules. The studentship is a Doctoral Candidate position within the Europe Hy-DETAILS project.

Hydrogen-powered cryo-electric aircraft could combine fuel cells, liquid-hydrogen tanks, high-efficiency power conversion and superconducting propulsion to reduce aviation emissions. These architectures also create demanding engineering questions: wide-bandgap semiconductors, capacitors and magnetics change behaviour as temperature falls; every watt entering the cryogenic system affects the hydrogen thermal budget; and converters must satisfy stringent efficiency, mass, electromagnetic compatibility and fault-tolerance requirements. This PhD will develop and experimentally validate a cryogenic power-electronics digital twin and a kW level converter demonstrator for a fuel-cell-fed superconducting motor drive.

Research programme

The successful candidate will undertake five connected research activities:

• Characterise switches from 300 K to 77 K and, where technically appropriate, to 20 K. Measurements will include on-state resistance, threshold voltage, gate charge, switching energy, reverse-conduction and reverse-recovery behaviour, leakage, thermal impedance and safe operating area.
• Characterise capacitors, magnetic materials, windings, interconnects and gate-drive arrangements at cryogenic temperature, including core and copper losses, parasitics, thermal-mechanical cycling and reliability.
• Build coupled electrical, thermal, magnetic and mechanical models and integrate them into a system level models.
• Develop a cryostat testbed with representative thermal boundary conditions to quantify converter loss and heat leak. The work will include EMI-aware packaging, insulation coordination and layout informed by relevant constraints.
• Co-design motor-drive converters, magnetics, modulation and control. Learning-assisted controllers will manage start-up, cruise, regenerative operation, load transients and faults.

Innovation and expected outcomes

The project will deliver a special cryogenic converter framework co-optimised across semiconductor physics, cryogenic thermal paths and superconducting propulsion dynamics. Outputs will include validated component datasets and Multiphysics models, an experimentally verified model, converter design rules, control firmware and a demonstrator. Target performance is quite strict and demanding gauged toward aviation requirements. The demonstrator will target high performance, and stable control at aircraft ambient and cryogenic conditions.

Two three-month industrial secondments are planned: during months 12-14 for reliability engineering and aviation certification practice, and during months 23-25 for hydrogen safety, venting and handling procedures. The candidate will contribute performance envelopes and cryogenic power-electronics knowledge to the Hy-DETAILS aviation demonstrator in WP5 and provide experimentally grounded converter constraints to WP3.

Research Group and Supervision

The successful PhD candidate will experience cutting-edge research within a multidisciplinary team in “Propulsion, Electrification & Superconductivity” group and CryoElectric Research Lab, in which individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds are all supported to thrive. The PhD student will join at an exciting time for the group, following substantial external investment in artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities for the electric power and superconducting applications for power network and aviation application that the PhD candidate’s research will integrate with. The group consists of 17 researchers (PGR/PhD students, research assistants, postdoctoral researcher, and academics) conducting leading research in applied superconductivity for large scale power applications. The successful PhD candidate will be offered internal collaboration opportunities to work with peers and therefore, contribute to other research as well. We collaborate with a range of academic and industrial partners within the UK and globally (Italy, Netherlands, France, China, Switzerland, New Zealand, and USA). Training will cover cryogenic experimentation, power-converter hardware, calorimetry, electromagnetic and thermal modelling, MATLAB/Simulink, Python-based AI/ML, embedded control, research communication and responsible innovation. The Doctoral Network will provide international collaboration, specialist training, industrial engagement and opportunities to present at leading conferences. There will be opportunity for research visit andparticipating in international conference/workshop during this PhD to disseminate the findings and results of the research work.

More information about supervisory team’s research can be found at:

https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/engineering/staff/mohammadyazdaniasrami/

https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/engineering/staff/wenjuansong/

https://www.tudelft.nl/en/staff/h.vahedi/

https://www.uni-siegen.de/en/person/bikash-sah

Eligibility criteria

• Applicants may be of any nationality but must not hold a doctoral degree at the recruitment date and must be eligible to enrol in the University of Glasgow PhD programme.

• The MSCA mobility rule applies: applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work or studies) in the United Kingdom for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before recruitment.

• Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain before the start date, a Master's degree or equivalent in electrical or electronic engineering, power electronics, aerospace electrical systems, control engineering or a closely related discipline.

• A strong foundation in power-electronic converter modelling, modulation and closed-loop control is essential.

• Knowledge of wide-bandgap devices, especially GaN and SiC, is highly desirable.

• Practical experience in converter hardware, gate drives, PCB/layout design, embedded control, instrumentation or safe laboratory testing is desirable. Cryogenic or low-temperature experimentation is advantageous but not required.

• Experience with MATLAB/Simulink is expected. Python, PLECS, PSIM, LTspice, COMSOL, ANSYS and embedded C/C++ are desirable, as is experience of AI/ML methods or digital-twin.

• Applicants should be willing to work across power electronics, cryogenics, aircraft systems and AI-assisted control, and to undertake international training, secondments and dissemination activities.

• Evidence of research potential through a dissertation, research project, industrial R&D or publications is essential; prior journal publication is mandatory. Publications of journal papers in IEEE TPEL, TIE, TIA, are highly desirable.

• Applicants must meet the University of Glasgow's English-language entry requirements.

How to apply

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr. Yazdani-Asrami - [Email Address: [email protected]] by sending a CV and a cover/intention letter. Please be to the point explaining how your previous experiences are well-aligned with this PhD position. Do not use GenAI to prepare your CV and cover letter. He will then refer to the application process. Interview will be done on the rolling-basis during the advertisement period.

Funding Notes

This fully funded 36-month Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network position covers tuition fees; living and mobility allowances and, where applicable, a family allowance; plus research, training, networking, conference and secondment costs. Remuneration follows University of Glasgow employment arrangements and is subject to the applicable MSCA country coefficient and statutory deductions.

In addition, the successful applicant will receive Global Talent visa.