Proposed Research
- Joint Proposal (SBIR) with AMBP Tech of Amherst, NY for Research on High Energy
Density and High Thermally Rated Pulsed Power Capacitor Devices. $25,000. Submitted Aug. 2004
to the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Description: Energy storage and discharge capacitor technology forms one of the
most versatile device capabilities in modern power electronics for power flow and energy
filtering applications. The volumetric capacitance is intrinsic to the material choice,
and has been limited to 1J/cc [1], thus hindering the development of compact systems.
While there are higher volumetric capacitance materials available such as high k dielectrics
and fluorine based polymers [2,3], metallized polypropylene maintains the stranglehold as the
choice material due to the low cost per unit energy stored and the high reliability enabled
by the self healing characteristics. These alternative materials have not been realized in
commercial pulse power capacitors due to cost efficiency and technical issues such as mechanical
inflexibility and no self healing properties (for high k-dielectrics)or high loss factor and C-V
nonlinearities (for PVDF).
- Proposal for REU Site for Advance Power and Energy Systems Management at the Energy Systems Institute.
$650K for 4 years. Submitted Aug. 2004 to the National Science Foundation.
Description: This REU proposal focuses on the power and energy management issues in
advanced electrified systems. Undergraduate students will be given a unique opportunity to
interact with various stages of research that is sponsored by both governmental DoD and
private industry. By exposing more than one customer's perspective on research, the undergraduates
will attain a broad appreciation and understanding of the problems plaguing energy systems today.
REU participants will first begin their tour of duty through a rigorous blend of classroom
instruction, hands-on experimentation and team building at the Energy Systems Institute (ESI) of the
University at Buffalo. Fundamental instruction on the topics of pulsed power theory, plasma science,
technical writing and technical presentations will be given by the faculty in conjunction with practical
applications directly relating to the sponsored research. This combination of classroom instruction with
real world applications will enrich the undergraduate REU participants and further whet their appetites
for continued graduate studies. These skills will benefit those who participate by bestowing not only
technical competence, but the responsibility to ethically practice their trade in a global environment
and the ability to transfer their technical knowledge to the world around them. ESI's commitment to
diversity can be found in the makeup of its researchers and the state and federal programs that it already
participates in such as the SUNY Alliance for Minority Participation (SUNY AMP) and the Ronald E. McNair
Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program.
- White Paper Fundamental Understanding of Novel Nanodielectrics. $725K/Annum for 3 years. Submitted Aug. 2004
to the Office of Naval Research.
Description: Capacitor technology has been deemed to be the system limitation with respect to
high energy dense power applications. The Energy Systems Institute, at SUNY Buffalo, has developed
a scientific approach to aging diagnostics utilizing unique instrumentation and a recently developed
sophisticated new and novel detection scheme. Our approach is founded on microdischarge behavior and
detection that will now enable ESI to assist in development of necessary high energy dense dielectric
films that are required in emerging next-generation, and future, U.S. Military and commercial
systems.
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