Annoucement on G-COE colloquium on the 1st February 2008, at Room 246

G-COE colloquium

Electric Traction in Future
by Prof. A. Vezzini and Mr. Ch. Koebel

02/01 09:15-11:30 @ Room 246

09:30-10:15

Powering Futue
Electric Drive System Research Activities at Bern University of Applied Sciences

Prof. Andrea Vezzini, Switzerland

Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH TI) has a long standing research tradition in the field of electric machines and power electronics. Based on the success of the permanent magnet wheel hub motors developed 1993 for the World Solar Challenge in Australia, BFH TI has since then ventured into different application fields of electric drives for transportation and automotive applications.

The 40 minute presentation will give an overview of the successful projects in the last years, including the first commercial electric motor glider plane, a three wheeler electric city car, a high speed electric bicycle, a low cost low pollution series hybrid Rickshaw prototype for the Indian market and some more.

It will then focus on the ongoing research covering hybrid permanent magnet synchronous reluctance drives for automotive and transportation applications, showing the advantages of this type of electric machine based on their extended field weakening capability.

Curriculum Vitae
Dr. sc. techn. Andrea Vezzini, (born 1965) Professor for Industrial Electronics, University of Applied Science Bern / Biel School of Engineering
Prof Vezzini received his PhD. Degree at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich 1996 and was elected in the same year as Professor for Industrial Electronics at the Berne University of Applied Sciences.
For more than 10 years now Prof. Vezzini’s work is focused on permanent magnet brushless DC and Synchronous Motors and the accompanying power electronics. During this time he worked in close cooperation with industry and received in 2001 the “Swiss technology Award” for the drive train of the first commercial electric glider plane.
From August 2004 to March 2004 he was visiting Professor at General Motors Advanced Technology Centre in Torrance, USA, where he was working on a study for a new electric motor for the next generation fuel cell vehicle.
From 2005 to 2007 he was heading the research focus group Energy - Transportation – Mobility at Berne University of Applied Sciences.

Prof. Andrea Vezzini is currently staying at CSIRO Material Science and Engineering site in Lindfield, where he was invited as part of the CSIRO Chief Executive Distinguished Scientist Visitor Program.

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10:20-11:00

Mitrac Energy Saver – Onboard energy storage on railway vehicles

Christian Köbel, Switzerland

Bombardier Transportation has developed the past years an onboard energy storage device based on supercapacity technology. For proof of concept, the device has been tested on a light rail vehicle in operation the past 4 years.

The 40 minute presentation will give an overview on onboard energy saving technologies for different railway vehicle applications. It will then focus on different operation modes of using onboard storage devices, showing benefits, disadvantages and potential energy reductions.

Curriculum Vitae
Christian Koebel, (born 1972) Director R&D Programme Management, Bombardier Transportation
Mr. Koebel received his Dipl-Ing. Degree at the University of applied science Constance / Germany in1999.
The past 6 years, Mr. Koebel has been involved in R&D Management for Propulsion & Controls within Bombardier Transportation.