Krishna Shenai

High-density power conversion using highly efficient wide bandgap (WBG) power devices based on advanced systems integration is gaining increased attention world-wide in aerospace, electric vehicles and distributed power systems. The overall systems reliability is a prime concern that is among the least understood topics today in miniaturized power systems. It is well-known that power electronics switching devices experience extreme electrical and thermal stresses in an application circuit. The problem is further compounded by the fact that today’s design methodologies of power electronics switching converters do not account for performance degradation of circuit components and thermal management system with aging. As a result, design of a power converter with a prescribed mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) is not possible. This talk will discuss the current state-of-the-art in this critical area and propose improvements needed for the development of high-density power converters employing advanced silicon and wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor power switching devices.

Biography:

Krishna Shenai is a Senior Fellow at the Computation Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (USA) and an Adjunct Professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois (USA). He earned his PhD degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, Stanford, CA in 1986. For nearly 40 years, Dr. Shenai has pioneered and made seminal contributions to the development and manufacturing of power semiconductor materials and devices, and power converters and power amplifiers. He is a Fellow of IEEE, a Fellow of APS, a Fellow of AAAS, a Fellow of IETE-India, and a member of the Serbian Academy of Engineering. Dr. Shenai has authored or co-authored more than 450 peer reviewed archival papers and 10 book chapters; edited twelve conference digests; authored three books; and, is a named inventor in 13 issued US patents. He was the Editor of IEEE Trans. Electron Devices (1990-2000), founding Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of IEEE Electron Devices Society Newsletter (1994-2002), and served as the invited guest editor for two Special Issues of IEEE Trans. Electron Devices and two Special Issues of IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits. Currently, he serves as an editor of IEEE J. Electron Devices Society (JEDS) and as Distinguished Lecturer of both IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) and IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS).