Zhichao Wu (Charles)
Email: ********@*****.***, Phone: 850-***-****
*** ******* ****** ***. *, Tallahassee, FL 32310
SUMMARY
<> Five years' R&D experience in a national renowned laboratory (CAPS) emphasizing power electronic technique applied to power systems, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), renewable energy and energy storage
<> Strong lab research experience in grid-interactive inverter for distributed generation (DG) and micro-grid application involving: (I) modelling & design of circuit topology; (II) analysis & design of current/voltage control systems in grid-connected and standalone modes; (III) Real/Reactive power management strategy between distributed energy resources (DER) and integrated energy storage (ES); (IV) Power quality analysis and its improvement strategy (IV) seamless transfer scheme
<> Solid lab research experience of multilevel inverters for medium/high power applications in topology (NPC, cascaded H-bridge, asymmetric cascade, single DC source cascade), inverter modeling (precise PWM or average mathematic model), modulation strategy (multiple carrier-based PWM, Space-vector PWM, Hybrid PWM), and controller design
<> Strong mathematical techniques in modeling modulation process to derive and analyze harmonic spectra in wide frequency band guiding harmonic mitigation and EMI filter design
<> Skilled in dSPACE microcontroller, hybrid power electronic simulation (Simulink+PSIM), Real-time Digital Simulation (RTDS), controller-hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL), PCB layout design, power converter design and analog/digital hardware design
<> Extensive practice in other topics including DC motor drive, induction motor drive, space-vector PWM inverter, PWM rectifier, Active power filter (APF) and soft switching DC/DC converter
<> Excellent in mathematic skills (Grade A in almost all mathematic courses from undergraduate to Ph.D. program)
<> Ranked No.1 among nearly 500 candidates competing for one of top 4 electrical engineering colleges in the National Entrance Examination for Postgraduate (NEEP), China. Especially achieved near full marks (97/100) in the mathematics subject (admission score: 50/100).
<> Highly motivated team player with good oral & written skills in both English and Chinese; Participated in writing research proposal to U.S. DOE and ESRDC; Wrote periodic progress report to U.S. DOE; Strong ability to multi-task under pressing deadlines
TECHNICAL SKILLS
<> Technical Software: MATLAB/Simulink, PSIM, RSCAD, PLECS, OrCAD, Protel, ControlDesk, Quartus, Modelsim
<> Power Device: IGBT, MOSFET, SCR, Fast recovery diode
<> Circuit Design: Grid-connected inverter, Multilevel inverter, EMI filter, Snubber circuit, Gate driving circuit, Sensing Circuit, Signal processing circuit, Protection circuit
<> Hardware Controller: A family of dSPACE micro-controller, Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS)
<> Computer Language: MATLAB language, C Language, Assemble language, VHDL
<> Office Tools: Excel, Visio, PowerPoint, Word, Project, FrontPage, Endnote
EDUCATION
<> Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (Expected in July, 2010)
GPA: 3.91/4; Florida State University (FSU), Tallahassee, FL
Dissertation: Single-stage Grid-interactive Inverter for Distributed Energy and Integrated Storage with Enhanced Power Flow Control
<> M.S. in Power Electronics and Electric Drives (July, 2005)
GPA: 3.5/4; Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, China
Thesis: Modulation Method and Output Analytical Solution for Hybrid Multilevel Inverter
<> B.S. in Applied Electronic Engineering (July, 2002)
GPA: 3.4/4; Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan, China
Thesis: Research on Phase-shift H-bridge Soft Switching DC-DC Converter
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Research Assistant - Center for Advanced Power Systems (CAPS), FSU, Aug. 2005 ~ Present
<> Project supported by U.S. DOE: Research on gird-connected inverter with integrated energy storage (ES) enabling wide range real/reactive power conditioning for distributed generation (DG) and micro-grid application.
> Developed a grid-interactive inverter incorporating the benefits of single-stage, multilevel structure, transformerless conversion, and integrated energy storage.
> Derived mathematical dynamic average model for proposed single-stage inverter.
> Developed overall control systems involving multiple-loop current and voltage regulation in grid-connected mode and standalone mode.
> Analyzed and designed LCL filter meeting the IEEE 1547 interconnection standard.
> Developed voltage balance control for integrated energy storage (ES).
> Developed real/reactive power distribution strategy extensively interacting with grid.
> Analyzed the power quality issues and proposed the corresponding solutions.
> Investigated seamless transfer scheme between current mode and voltage mode.
> Validated the proposed techniques through circuit-based hybrid simulation platform (PSIM+Simulink) and dynamic average model-based simulation (Matlab/Simulink).
> Developed controller-hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) test bench to verify power management scheme connecting dSPACE microcontroller with RTDS.
> Designed & built hardware prototype (3.5KW) to verify proposed technology in experiment.
<> Project supported by U.S. NAVY ESRDC: Research on single DC source cascaded multilevel inverter applied to medium power motor drive or utility interface.
> Developed single DC source cascade multilevel inverter to save the number of power sources.
> Developed the capacitor charge/discharge balance strategy.
> Analyzed and designed the multi-loop voltage control to ensure waveform quality.
> Mathematically derived and analyzed the harmonic spectra from LF to HF.
> Derived the mathematical model and operation range with selective harmonic elimination (for motor drive) and distributed PWM strategy (for utility power conditioning).
> Optimized switching schemes to mitigate voltage harmonics and THD.
> Verified proposed techniques by hybrid simulation platform (PSIM+Simulink).
<> Cross-functional project (E.E. & M.E.) supported by U.S. NASA: Research on integrated power conditioning system for microturbine generator (MTG) and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with improved power quality
> Presented a power conditioning system integrating MTG and SOFC for the auxiliary power unit (APU) applications.
> Proposed independent and united switching schemes to eliminate lower-order harmonics of output voltage, improve power quality and increase system efficiency.
> Used independent switching scheme to achieve constant power distribution between MTG and SOFC.
> Adopted united switching scheme to acquire lower total harmonic distortion (THD).
> Designed a control system with the hybrid of both switching schemes to gain flexible power allocation, steady AC bus voltage under different loads, and lower THD of voltage and current.
Research Assistant - Power Electronic Research Center, HUST, Aug. 2002 ~ Jul. 2005
<> Project supported by Chinese NSF: Research on topology, modeling, modulation and control of hybrid cascaded multilevel inverter for medium/high power applications
> Developed diverse inverter topologies including diode-clamp cascade multilevel inverter (DCMI), hybrid diode-clamp cascade multilevel inverter (HDCMI), asymmetric 5-level inverter, asymmetric cascade multilevel inverter (ACMI).
> Derived mathematical models for developed multilevel inverters according to diverse modulation principles ranging from fundamental component & lower-order harmonics (overmodulation) to all higher-order harmonics (carrier-related).
> Analyzed diverse carrier-based PWM strategies, and analytically derived corresponding output voltage spectra.
> Verified the whole system design through Matlab/Simulink circuit-based model.
> Designed and built downscaled prototype to validate proposed topology, modulation scheme and voltage control method.
TEACHING ACTIVITY
Teaching Assistant - Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, FSU
<> Senior Design, May 2006 ~ Aug. 2006
<> Power Electronics, Sep. 2009 ~ Dec. 2009
<> Introduction to Field Programmable Logic Devices (FPLD), Jan. 2010 ~ Apr. 2010
HONORS AND AWARDS
<> One jointly-owned patent in China (Asymmetric Cascaded Multilevel Inverter. Patent #: CN200410061331.5)
<> Outstanding master thesis (2005 HUST)
<> Outstanding undergraduate thesis (2002 HUST)
<> Research projects funded by U.S. DOE, NAVY, NASA (2005~2010), and Chinese NSF (2002 ~2005)
<> Research assistantship (2005~2010 FSU, 2002~2005 HUST)
<> Teaching assistantship (2006, 2009, 2010 FSU)
<> First-class scholarship (1999-2002 HUST)
<> Excellent graduate (2002, 2005, HUST)
MATHEMATIC COURESES WITH GADAE A
<> Advanced Mathematics
<> Linear Algebra
<> Probability Theory and Mathematical Statistics
<> Computational Method
<> Equations of Mathematical Physics
<> Matrix Theory
<> Numerical Analysis
<> Random Process
TYPICAL MAJOR COURSES WITH GRADE A
<> Advanced Power Electronics
<> Power Conversion
<> Model and Control of Electrical Drive System
<> Theory of Automatic Control
<> Design and Analysis of Control Systems
<> Digital Control System
<> Digital Signal Processing
<> Signal and System Analysis
SELECTIVE PUBLICATIONS:
[1] Zhichao Wu, Liming Liu, Hui Li. Extensive Real/Reactive Power Flow Control for a Single-stage Grid-connected Inverter Integrating with Micro Storage. IPEC-ECCE Asia, 2010, Sapporo, Japan.
[2] Liming Liu, Zhichao Wu, Hui Li. A Single-stage Grid-connected Inverter with Wide Range Reactive Power Compensation using Energy Storage System (ESS). IEEE APEC 2010, Palm Springs, USA.
[3] Liming Liu, Zhichao Wu, Hui Li, Jing Zhao, "Integrated power conditioning system for MTG and SOFC with improved power quality," in Power Electronics and Drive Systems, 2009. PEDS 2009,TaiPei.
[4] Zhichao Wu, Yuping Zou, Kai Ding. Spectral Analysis of Novel Hybrid Modulated Asymmetric 5-level Inverter. IEEE IEMDC’05, 2005, San Antonio, USA.
[5] Zhichao Wu, Yuping Zou, Kai Ding. An Evaluation of Spectral Characteristic of Novel Hybrid Asymmetric Modulated 9-level Inverter. IEEE PESC’05, 2005, Recife, Brazil.
[6] Zhichao Wu, Yuping Zou, Kai Ding. Analysis of Output Voltage Spectra in a Hybrid Diode-Clamp Cascade 13-level Inverter. IEEE PESC’05, 2005, Recife, Brazil.