[gravatar email=”amrhein@pcka.com” class=”alignleft” size=”96″ default=”https://pcka.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/gravatar.jpg”]M. Amrhein received his Diploma in electrical engineering (BSEE equivalent) from Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland in 2000 and the MSEE and PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003 and 2007, respectively. He was awarded the Reid Fellowship and won a Grainger Outstanding Power Student Award and a Harold L. Olesen Student Award. In 2001, he was a research engineer at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland. He is currently a Senior Engineer at PCKA where he has worked on several technical efforts involving power electronics converter design, aircraft utility actuator design, and large integrated system modeling, simulation and analysis efforts. His research interests include all aspects of power electronics, electrical machines, and drives. He has authored or co-authored over 15 technical papers. Selected Publications M. Amrhein, J. R. Wells, E. A. Walters, A. F. Matasso, T. R. Erdman, S. M. Iden, P. T. Lamm, A. M. Page, I. H. Wong, “Integrated Electrical System Model of a More Electric Aircraft Architecture,” 2008 SAE Power Systems Conference November 11-13, 2008, Paper #2008-01-2899. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Force Calculation in Three-Dimensional Magnetic Equivalent Circuit Networks with the Maxwell Stress Tensor,” IEEE Transactions Energy Conversion, accepted for publication Oct. 2008. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Three-Dimensional Magnetic Equivalent Circuit Framework for Modeling Electromechanical Devices,” IEEE Transactions Energy Conversion, accepted for publication Oct. 2008. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Induction Machine Modeling Approach Based on Three-Dimensional Magnetic Equivalent Circuit Framework,” IEEE Transactions Energy Conversion, accepted for publication Sep. 2008. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, P. L. Chapman, B. I. Fierro, “Speed it up! Applications of Faster Rerated Motors,” IEEE Industrial. Applications Magazine, vol. 13, no. 6, November-December 2007, pp. 28-37. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Magnetic Equivalent Circuit Modeling of Induction Machines – Design-Oriented Approach with Extension to 3-D,” Proceedings IEEE International Machines and Drives Conference, May 2007, pp. 1557-1563. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Magnetic Equivalent Circuit Simulations of Electrical Machines for Design Purposes,” Proceedings IEEE Electric Ship Technologies Symposium, May 2007, pp. 254-260. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Dynamic Simulation for Analysis of Hybrid Vehicle System and Subsystem Interactions, Including Power Electronics,” IEEE Transactions on Vehicle Technology, vol. 54, no. 3, May 2005, pp. 825-836. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Evaluation of a Re-Rated Induction Machine,” Proceedings IEEE International Electric Machines and Drives Conference, May 2005, pp. 1400-1407. 10. M. Amrhein, P. T. Krein, “Rotor Designs for Small Inverter-Dedicated Induction Machines,” Proceedings IEEE International Electric Machines and Drives Conference, June 2003, pp....
Read MoreElectrical Accumulator Unit for the Energy Optimized Aircraft
J. R. Wells, M. Amrhein, E. A. Walters, PC Krause and Associates, Inc; Steve Iden, Austin Page, Peter Lamm, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory; Anthon Matasso, Lockheed Martin Corp. The movement to more-electric architectures during the past decade in military and commercial airborne systems continues to increase the complexity of designing and specifying the electric power system. In particular, the electrical power system (EPS) faces challenges in meeting the highly dynamic power demands of advanced power electronics based loads. This paper explores one approach to addressing these demands by proposing an electrical equivalent of the widely utilized hydraulic accumulator which has successfully been employed in hydraulic power system on aircraft for more than 50 years. 2008 SAE Power Systems Conference, November 11-13, 2008, Bellevue, WA. Paper...
Read MoreIntegrated Electrical System Model of a More Electric Aircraft Architecture
M. Amrhein, J. R. Wells, E. A. Walters, PC Krause and Associates Inc; Anthony F. Matasso, Tim R. Erdman, Lockheed Martin Corp; Steven M. Iden, Peter T. Lamm, Austin M. Page, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory; Ivan H. Wong, Northrop Grumman Corp. A primary challenge in performing integrated system simulations is balancing system simulation speeds against the model fidelity of the individual components composing the system model. Traditionally, such integrated system models of the electrical systems on more electric aircraft (MEA) have required drastic simplifications, linearizations, and/or averaging of individual component models. Such reductions in fidelity can take significant effort from component engineers and often cause the integrated system simulation to neglect critical dynamic behaviors, making it difficult for system integrators to identify problems early in the design process. This paper utilizes recent advancements in co-simulation technology (DHS Links) to demonstrate how integrated system models can be created wherein individual component models do not require significant simplification to achieve reasonable integrated model simulation speeds. Such techniques enable the system integrator to observe system dynamics and interactions at fidelities which were previously impractical. This paper utilizes the electrical power system of an MEA to illustrate the capabilities and performance of the proposed approach. Specifically, the paper identifies the system modeling approach, addresses key challenges which were overcome to enable system level modeling at this fidelity, discusses the component models, and presents results from the integrated system model. 2008 SAE Power Systems Conference, November 11-13, 2008, Bellevue, WA. Paper...
Read MoreModeling, Analysis, and Control Design for an Intermittent Megawatt Generator
B. P. Loop, M. Amrhein, S. D. Pekarek, A. Koenig, B. Deken, E. A. Walters, PC Krause and Associates, Inc; L. Sorkin, Innovative Power Solutions An Intermittent Megawatt Generator (IMG) has been designed by Innovative Power Solutions (IPS) to meet the needs of future directed energy loads on high-performance aircraft. These loads significantly impact the electrical, mechanical, and thermal performance of the generator, load, and aircraft. If representative simulation models of the generator and other important subsystems can be obtained, the impact on system performance can be analyzed and optimized before the generator is deployed. The objective of this work was to utilize various modeling techniques to obtain accurate electrical, thermal, and mechanical performance models of the IMG, and to apply these models to analyze dynamic response transients to sudden load changes as seen for directed energy loads. Additionally, the models have been used to optimize the IMG control to mitigate voltage transients during these load changes. 2008 SAE Power Systems Conference, November 11-13, 2008, Bellevue, WA. Paper...
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