Letter from optimus lab

  On behalf of the Optimal Power Transformation and Inverter Modernization with Utilizable Strategies (OPTIMUS) lab, I want to explain our movements with underlying motivations. Many research laboratories like us are normally categorized under the title of ‘power electronics’ (전력전자공학). However, ‘power electronics’ is a multidisciplinary field combining circuit theory, semiconductors, electric machinery, signal processing, control engineering, power system engineering, electromagnetics, and so on. In other words, due to the comprehensive meaning, ‘power electronics’ may not be appropriate for us to describe our academic movements in detail. This is why we call ourselves the OPTIMUS lab. Although DC electricity is recently getting attention for its extended usage, AC electricity is still important in most power conversion processes. Therefore, our research mission is mainly focused on modernizing the inverter, whose optimal operations can affect a large portion of the world’s total power transformation. In addition, we are trying to make our research achievements widely utilized under practical circumstances.

  From a behavioral perspective, our academic movements are associated with electrifying, modernizing, and commercializing. Their definitions in a dictionary would be a good start to explain ourselves.

1. electrify > to make a machine or system operate using electricity when it did not before
Lots of things in the world have become electrified since people recognized electricity as a tool. Normally, something mechanical is replaced with something electrical in the process of electrification. This transformation can be desirable in efficiency, response, reliability, volume, vibration, noise, and so on. These sorts of advantages continuously motivate people to discuss electrification in diverse applications. For example, an electric machine is driven by an inverter to accelerate or decelerate a vehicle instead of an engine or a brake pad. In addition, inverters are used in delivering electricity from energy sources to consumers instead of synchronous generators. Our activities are very close to those types of electrifications because we are studying how the inverter works in a better way.

2. modernize > to make something more modern (designed and made using the most recent ideas and methods)
As a research group, we are relentlessly pursuing cutting-edge technologies about inverters. Any subjects related to inverters can be our concern. In particular, we have already been involved with the following keywords; grid forming, parallel operation, high power (up to MW), sensorless drive, islanding, power metering, digital implementation, common-mode voltage, multi-level, SiC gate driver, high-frequency transformer, etc. For example, we are developing a grid-forming inverter with our partners for stabilizing the power grid of a small island. To achieve this goal, we review state-of-the-art research and try to figure out a better way than the conventional methods under application-specific conditions. That is, we are always doing our best to offer a unique and effective solution in response to a technological demand.

3. commercialize > to organize something to make a profit
The fundamental motivation of our research is associated with commercialization even though we do not belong to any commercial organization. As one of the public institutes specializing in science and technology in Korea, there is no doubt that we have to contribute to the thriving of our society. Because we are specialized in developing inverter technologies, our mission is to promote the sustainable growth of the Korean industry with our knowledge and energy. In other words, we help our industry partners commercialize a new technology to satisfy their own needs. To reach commercialization, our achievement is expected to be simple and reasonable for practical implementation. Furthermore, each proposed method is demonstrated with experimental results, at least in a laboratory-scale system, if possible. We are also actively considering hardware-in-the-loop simulations (HILS) to examine our technologies from further diverse perspectives.

  Through being together with the OPTIMUS lab, I hope our members could grow as outperforming engineers contributing to a better life. They have to be trained so that their ideas under study are freely discussed to be realizable and provable. Thus, every member is expected to prepare a periodic talk to explain what they did and thought, and these conversations are shared in a weekly unit seminar, where three to four colleagues are joined with me. In addition, those individual activities are recorded in monthly magazines and presented in quarterly conferences, which are internally shared within the OPTIMUS lab. By thinking, doing, analyzing, and discussing, I hope each member finds their way to a better life.

2022.11.18
Sincerely,
Park, Yongsoon