Texas Applied Power Electronics Consortium (TAPC)
Texas Applied Power electronics Center has been established for interdisciplinary research and development in advanced systems in which power electronics is the enabling technology.
At the present, this center is developing several new technologies in the areas of advanced motor drives, high power converters, multiconverter power systems, and new electric and hybrid vehicle propulsion systems, for commercial applications. This work encompasses all aspects, such as theoretical studies, design, numerical simulation and computer modeling, and experimental evaluations.
The center has extensive laboratory, and computer facilities to support the projects in the areas mentioned above. For the hybrid vehicle projects the center has a stationary test bed and a mobile test bed for evaluation of electric motor drives and internal combustion engines for traction applications. The past work of the center has resulted in numerous publications, reports, patents, and computer simulation packages that are available to the industrial members of the consortium associated with this center. Furthermore, it has developed a flexible computer simulation packages for design and evaluation of any type of automobile drive train. In addition, the center has access to several research laboratories of its member faculty, such as the power electronics and motor drives laboratory.
The facilities and expertise of the center can be used for any R&D project related to its past activities and present interests. These include studies of advanced motor drives, silicon driven power systems, such as aerospace power systems, ship and military power systems, and other advanced vehicle power systems.
Funding for the above activities come from individual projects and donations from industrial companies that are interested in the results of this center's research. Interested companies are invited to join this research consortium by a typical contribution of $20k per year. More specific projects can also be defined for individual companies, as separate research contracts.
The contributions of the member companies may be used to support all aspects of research and professional activities of the center, such as salaries of the research and support staff, purchases of hardware, domestic and international travel for meeting present and prospective member companies and presenting technical papers in conferences, short course development and presentations to member companies, and similar activities.