To establish a sustainable method for desalination , it is necessary to explore and use renewable energy sources that are cost-effective and unaffected by weather conditions. Therefore, in this study we propose a novel hybrid electrodialysis system for environmentally friendly and cost-effective desalination of blackish water, integrating moisture-induced electrical power generators (MIEPGs). By coating a layer of carbon black on the surface of cellulose acetate fiber columns, which are readily available as cigarette filters, compact MIEPGs can be conveniently fabricated. These MIEPGs can generate electricity from trace amounts of moisture by leveraging the streaming potential induced along nanoscale channels between the carbon black particles. A notable voltage output (13.5–22 V) is achieved from the series connection of 90 cells using a customized module frame. The substantial power output derived from the stacked MIEPGs enables the successful desalination of modeled brackish water with a salt removal ratio of 92%.

To establish a sustainable method for desalination , it is necessary to explore and use renewable energy sources that are cost-effective and unaffected by weather conditions. Therefore, in this study we propose a novel hybrid electrodialysis system for environmentally friendly and cost-effective desalination of blackish water, integrating moisture-induced electrical power generators (MIEPGs). By coating a layer of carbon black on the surface of cellulose acetate fiber columns, which are readily available as cigarette filters, compact MIEPGs can be conveniently fabricated. These MIEPGs can generate electricity from trace amounts of moisture by leveraging the streaming potential induced along nanoscale channels between the carbon black particles. A notable voltage output (13.5–22 V) is achieved from the series connection of 90 cells using a customized module frame. The substantial power output derived from the stacked MIEPGs enables the successful desalination of modeled brackish water with a salt removal ratio of 92%.

The efficiency of an inductive power transfer (IPT) system rapidly decreases as the load power deviates from its rated value. Improvement of the efficiency at light loads is an important problem for IPT systems. In this study, an observer-based maximum efficiency point tracking (MEPT) controller for a series-series tuned IPT (SS-IPT) system is proposed. The proposed controller regulates the equivalent load resistance to the optimal regardless of the actual output power. To implement the MEPT controller, the optimal equivalent load for the maximum efficiency is identified for each output power. Furthermore, using voltage and current observers for the receiver (Rx) coil, the estimation of the equivalent load resistance is accomplished. Then, the MEPT controller regulates the load resistance using a feedback controller and the estimated equivalent load resistance. The proposed controller is a sensorless and communicationless controller because the Rx-side state parameters are estimated using the load observers and the current of the transmitter coil. A MEPT controller with a bandwidth of 5.5 Hz was constructed for an SS-IPT system. The transient responses and efficiency improvements were evaluated using simulation and experimental results. With the proposed controller, over 20% efficiency improvement was achieved under 10% output power condition.

The expanding the electric vehicle (EV) market has driven advancements in wireless charging systems, increasing interest in inductive power transfer (IPT) technologies due to rising EV demand. Among these, the series–series tuned IPT (SSIPT) systems is fundamental for EV charging. Various methods exist for tuning the resonant frequencies of the transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) coils in the SS-IPT system. Tuning these coils can impact the characteristics of the system, including effi ciency, output power level, no-load voltage gain, and misalignment tolerance. This study proposes an optimal tuning method for the SS-IPT system, considering fi ve design objectives: coil-to-coil effi ciency, inverter effi ciency, output power level, no-load voltage gain, and misalignment tolerance. The dependencies of these objectives on the tuning of the Tx and Rx coils are theoretically formulated. The relationship between tuning and system performance is graphically represented. The optimal tuning space is determined by overlaying these maps and identifying an intersecting area that meets all desired objectives. A tuning point within this space was selected and tested through simulation and experimentation. An 11 kVA SAE J2954 compatible setup was constructed. The measured effi ciency, power level, no-load voltage gain, and misalignment tolerance closely matched the theoretical predictions, validating the proposed tuning method.

In high-power fuel cell hybrid systems, DC/DC converters for the fuel cell and battery are connected in series and parallel within the DC link. However, mismatched parameters between converters and disturbances can lead to output voltage and power imbalances, potentially damaging the converter system. To address this issue, this paper proposes output power and voltage controllers for DC/DC converters for the fuel cell (FDC) and battery (BDC). The proposed controllers adjust the output voltage of the BDC and the output power of the FDC by manipulating the phase differences betweenthe inverter voltages of the converters. Additionally, strategies for output voltage and power balancing are proposed. The voltage balancing controller, developed using a virtual line shaft, prevents output voltage imbalances between hybridmodules. The power balancing control strategy helps prevent power imbalances between the parallel-connected FDC and BDC within a hybrid module.

The Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS) is a seven-storey, 86,900 m² smart-factory integrating EV manufacturing, R&D, and customer experience functions. To meet high structural demands within a compressed schedule, a composite system of Prefabricated Steel-Reinforced Concrete (PSRC) columns and Thin-Steel Composite (TSC) beams was adopted. The PSRC system—characterized by steel angles, bolt-only connections, permanent steel formwork—eliminated field welding and temporary shoring, reducing on-site labour by approximately 40% and shortening construction by five months. Design followed Eurocodes with the Singapore National Annex. The PSRC–TSC frame satisfied Class 3 robustness criteria through key-element design. Despite pandemic-related logistics challenges, the prefabricated PSRC-TSC system proved effective and is formally recognized in Singapore’s forthcoming BC4:2025 Design Guide. The project affirms the PSRC–TSC system’s potential for high-performance, prefabricated industrial structures.

This study investigates the robustness of parameters and the controllability of a medium-voltage transformerless multilevel inductive power transfer (IPT) system with excitation coils. The multilevel IPT system utilizes a cascaded H-bridge rectifier, half-bridge inverters, excitation coils, a transmitter coil, and a receiver coil to a grid-connected high-power IPT system. In practice, parameter inconsistencies among multiple excitation coils can lead to imbalanced output powers in the multilevel converter. Severely unbalanced output powers can lead to the failure of the voltage balance control in the multilevel converter. This study analyzes the voltage balance control range of the multilevel converter in relation to the parameter errors in the excitation coils. From this analysis, an acceptable parameter error rate for the fabrication of excitation coils is determined. A 6-level IPT system is evaluated using PLECS simulation results.

This paper proposes an optimal design process for a planar transformer for on-board charger(OBC). As it is difficult to mathematically model the high-frequency copper loss of the transformer, conventional design processes tend to have large errors in designing the transformers. In this paper, geometric parameters of a shell-type planar transformer are identified, and FEA simulations are completed to obtain the copper loss of various shapes of the shell-type planar transformers. Regression models for the copper loss are determined using the simulation results and the machine learning technique. From the regression model, optimal high-frequency transformer designs and Pareto front(in terms of transformer 2-dimensional area and loss) are obtained using NSGA-II. In the Pareto front, a design was selected as a desired optimal, and the selected design was verified by FEA simulation. The simulated copper loss of the selected design matched very well, thus demonstrating the validity of the proposed design process.

This paper presents a comparison of optimized designs for a high-frequency planar transformer intended for high-power density converters for on-board chargers(OBC), considering both single operation and parallel operation scenarios. High-power density converters can be designed in parallel operation topology rather than single operation topology to enhance power density, system efficiency, and thermal performance. In parallel operation, the increased count of switches and passive components is mitigated by the lower current burden on each component, thus boosting power density and efficiency. However, parallel operation may not always result in advantages in terms of power density and efficiency. Thus, careful consideration is needed at the topology design stage. The study focuses on a 6.6 kW bidirectional DC-DC converter that utilizes a 220V single-phase input. Planar transformers are then optimized for both operation scenarios, and their performances are compared under the same conditions. The designs are validated through the results of finite element analysis(FEA) simulations.