Waleed Said, PhD

Advances in Power Electronics, Electrical Machine and Digital controls over the last 35 years have yielded cost effective, flexible and efficient “electro-mechanical” Variable Speed drives solutions that are rapidly replacing or enhancing previously mechanical/hydraulic systems, or enabling new applications.  Industrial manufacturing processes, complex machine tools, HVAC, generators, hybrid motor vehicles, robotic, More Electric Aircraft, are just some of the examples.  Coupled with the more recent improvements in battery technology and capacities, practical fully electric vehicles and portable power tools are more commonplace. It would seem reasonable, if not irresistible, that with these enabling technologies to consider “electro-propulsion” for air vehicles. So what are the considerations and issues?  This, an Introduction to Electric Propulsion will discuss:

• Electrification Drivers
• Electric Propulsion Architecture Options
• Major Components and Technologies
• Power Systems for Electric Propulsion
• Supporting Technologies
• Thermal Management
• EMC/EMI

Biography:

Waleed is an industry leader in aircraft systems electrification. He has a proven track record in innovation, technology development and management of power electronics, power systems control, distribution, and conversion for the aerospace industry. He is recognized as an Aircraft Electric Propulsion expert. 

As a Senior Technical Fellow for the world’s leading electrical power systems OEM (UTAS), Waleed was responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of power electronics products development including design, verification, manufacture and insertion in the field. Waleed also led a group of worldwide industry experts to develop engineering guidelines for high voltage and high power airborne equipment specifically to manage partial discharge (corona discharge) and electric arcs for reliable airborne electric power products.

 Before joining with Kaney, Waleed was the CTO for the Electric Propulsion at Zunum Aero Inc. He was responsible for the design, development, verification, manufacture and flight certification of the propulsion powertrain for the Zunum ZA-10 airplane. His responsibilities also included engineering team development, lab facilities for development and test of electronics and power equipment. One important self-assigned responsibility was to infuse a culture of safety and reliability in a highly agile start-up firm.

Waleed earned a BSc in Physics, MSc in Electric Power Engineering and a PhD in Power Electronics and Motor Drives.