Danfoss Professor Program i effektelektronik og elektriske drivsystemer / Danfoss Professor Pro-gramme in Power Electronics and Drives 1997 - 2000

Danfoss Drives A/S and IET, Department of Electrical Energy Conversion started a collaboration in 1996. A complete research and education programme in power electronics and drives was planned for two years. Later on the Ministry of Education added funds so the duration is now four years. The main goal of the programme is to attract more students to the discipline of power electronics and drives by offering a world-class curriculum and world-class teachers. Simultaneously, four PhD students were associated with the following projects: * Sensorless Control of Permanent Magnet Electric Machines * New Topologies for Connecting Power Converters to the Utility Grid * Low-Cost and Low-Power Motor Drives * Energy Optimised Control of Medium Power Induction Motors. Distinguished professors visited the university, giving advanced courses in their speciality area and stimulating the students with new ideas. A new curriculum was developed, based on courses developed with professors from the programme. Training and education of engineers in industry are also offered. The following professors have visited the university in the Danfoss Professor Programme: Marian P. Kazmierkowski, University of Warsaw, Poland; Andy Trzynadlowski, University of Nevada, Reno, USA; Prasad Enjeti, Texas A&M, USA; Robert E. Betz, University of Newcastle, Australia; Ramu Krishnan, Virginia Tech, USA; Remus Teodorescu, University of Galati, Romania; Ion Boldea, University Politehnica of Timisoara, Romania; Bimal K. Bose, University of Tennessee, USA; Kazuo Terada, Hiroshima City University, Japan; Jaeho Choi, Chungbuk National University, S. Korea; Peter O. Lauritzen, University of Washington, USA. Many guest researchers have been active in the programme. Eleven post-graduate courses have been held, with more than 210 participants. Almost 25 % of participation has been from industry. A complete drive test system has been built in the laboratory. Contributions from the guest professors are now being collected for a book on the subject of Power Electronics and Drives. The project is co-sponsored by Danfoss Drives A/S and the Ministry of Education in Denmark. (Frede Blaabjerg, John K. Pedersen; Marian P. Kazmierkowski, University of Warsaw, Poland; Paul Thøgersen, Michael Tønnes, Danfoss Drives A/S)